DATE=7/11/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251634
TITLE=IRAN-STUDENT UNREST (L)
BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: STUDENTS IN IRAN HAVE HELD PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATIONS
FOR THE FOURTH DAY. RICHARD ENGEL REPORTS FROM OUR MIDDLE EAST
BUREAU IN CAIRO THAT ANALYSTS SAY THE PROTESTS ARE THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT EXPRESSION OF POPULAR DISCONTENT IN IRAN FOR DECADES.
TEXT: THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AGAIN CONVERGED ON TEHRAN UNIVERSITY
FOR A MASS SIT-IN (SUNDAY). THE STUDENTS ALSO ATTEMPTED TO BLOCK
ROADS IN DOWNTOWN TEHRAN. POLICE HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN ORDERED TO
STAY AWAY TO AVOID MORE VIOLENT CONFRONTATIONS.
DURING PROTESTS THURSDAY, ISLAMIC HARDLINERS CLASHED WITH
STUDENTS AND POLICE LATER RAIDED A STUDENT HOSTEL. IRANIAN
NEWSPAPERS REPORT AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE WERE HOSPITALIZED AND A
THOUSAND ARRESTED. SENIOR IRANIAN POLITICIANS ALSO SAY SOME
STUDENTS WERE KILLED WHEN POLICE BURNED DORMITORY ROOMS, BROKE
DOWN DOORS AND FIRED SHOTS.
THE RAID WAS STRONGLY CONDEMNED BY IRAN'S MODERATE PRESIDENT
MOHAMMED KHATAMI AND HIS POLITICAL ALLIES. PRESIDENT KHATAMI
CALLED AN EMERGENCY MEETING OF IRAN'S NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
AND SAID THOSE WHO ORDERED THE RAID WOULD BE PUNISHED. THE
COUNCIL ALSO SAID IT WOULD INVESTIGATE THE ACTIVITIES OF HARDLINE
VIGILANTE GROUPS, WHICH REPORTEDLY HAVE LOOSE TIES TO THE ISLAMIC
ESTABLISHMENT.
IRAN'S HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTER, MOSTAFA MOIN, HANDED IN HIS
RESIGNATION SATURDAY TO PROTEST THE POLICE ACTION. BUT IRANIAN
RADIO REPORTED PRESIDENT KHATAMI REFUSED TO ACCEPT IT.
THE WAVE OF PROTESTS WAS SPARKED WHEN IRANIAN AUTHORITIES CLOSED
THE NATION'S LEADING REFORMIST NEWSPAPER, CALLED "SALAM".
ANALYSTS SAY THE DEMONSTRATIONS REPRESENT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
EXPRESSION OF POPULAR DISCONTENT SINCE THE 1979 REVOLUTION THAT
OVERTHREW THE SHAH AND BROUGHT IRAN'S CONSERVATIVE CLERGY TO
POWER.
SATURDAY, SMALLER PROTESTS ERUPTED OUTSIDE THE IRANIAN CAPITAL,
AND IN TEHRAN MORE THAN 10-THOUSAND PEOPLE GATHERED IN THE
STREETS.
THE STUDENTS ARE RALLYING BEHIND PRESIDENT KHATAMI, WHO HAS BEEN
BATTLING WITH ISLAMIC HARDLINERS FOR REAL CONTROL OF IRAN SINCE
HE CAME TO POWER TWO-YEARS AGO.
MANY STUDENTS AND OTHER KHATAMI SUPPORTERS SAY TOO MUCH POWER IS
IN THE HANDS OF THE CONSERVATIVE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT AND
IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER, THE AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI. THEY SAY
DESPITE REFORMS MADE BY PRESIDENT KHATAMI TO INCREASE MANY
PERSONAL FREEDOMS FOR IRANIANS, RELIGIOUS HARDLINERS STILL
CONTROL THE NATION'S ARMED FORCES, INTELLIGENCE SERVICE, RADIO
AND TELEVISION, JUDICIARY, AND -- AS PROVEN BY THE RAID ON THE
STUDENTS -- THE POLICE. (SIGNED)
NEB/RE/ALW/RAE
11-Jul-99 7:53 AM EDT (1153 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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