Further to my post below about Dr Fatemi, Michael Ledeen draws attention to the plight of a stupendously brave Iranian political prisoner, Akbar Ganji, who has put his life at risk by calling for a general boycott of the 'make believe elections' for the presidency, scheduled for the 17th of the month, and urging the Iranian people to engage in large-scale civil disobedience. Ledeen comments:

'You will not have read about this brave man in your daily newspaper, or seen his face on your evening news broadcast, nor will you have heard about him from the Department of State — which has a considerable bureaucracy devoted to the advancement of human rights — nor from the White House, nor from the self-promoting entrepreneurs of the likes of Human Rights Watch or the intellectuals and elected representatives who call for President Bush to "talk to" the mullahs in order to "resolve our disagreements." Nor has anyone heard much about the public appeal from the Women's Movement of Iran for a demonstration at Tehran University this coming Sunday — a declaration signed by 27 organizations. But the Iranian people know what is happening, and they are trying, once again, to call our attention to their plight. A "Food Hunger Strike Committee" has been formed in Tehran, calling for a boycott of the elections, and for the release of political prisoners. The committee has declared election day a fast day for the people of Iran. Elsewhere, the country's largest student group, the Office of Student Unity, branded the elections "devoid of any significance," and called for the people to abstain.'

We should be leaping to support these people because their fight is our fight. Yet from Britain, Europe and the US, there is scarcely a peep. The best it gets is that Condoleezza Rice talks about the Iranian 'election' in quote marks. Big deal. The Iranian dissidents are begging us to lend our weight to their struggle. Just what is holding us back?

Posted by melanie at June 9, 2005