DATE=7/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251719
TITLE=IRAN / STUDENT UNREST (L UPDATE)
BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: POLICE IN IRAN CRACKED DOWN ON PROTESTERS (TUESDAY) IN
TEHRAN DURING THE SIXTH DAY OF PRO-REFORM DEMONSTRATIONS.
RICHARD ENGEL REPORTS FROM OUR MIDDLE EAST BUREAU THAT SOME
PROTESTERS TURNED VIOLENT, SMASHING WINDOWS AND SETTING FIRES.
TEXT: WHEN THE PROTESTERS IGNORED ORDERS TO DISPERSE, POLICE
MARCHED IN.
THE POLICE FIRED TEAR GAS AND USED THEIR BATONS TO QUICKLY BREAK
UP THE DEMONSTRATIONS IN DOWNTOWN TEHRAN. WITNESSES SAY AS MANY
AS 10-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAD GATHERED. POLICE ARRESTED SCORES OF
THE PROTESTERS. OTHERS WERE INJURED.
THE GOVERNOR OF TEHRAN HAD ISSUED A DECREE BANNING ALL PUBLIC
GATHERINGS AND DEMONSTRATIONS. BUT A CORE GROUP OF PROTESTERS
CARRIED ON THEIR DEMONSTRATIONS NEARBY, VENTING THEIR ANGER BY
SMASHING SHOP WINDOWS AND LIGHTING SMALL FIRES.
IRAN'S OFFICIAL NEWS AGENCY REPORTED POLICE -- STRONGLY DEALT --
WITH PEOPLE THEY CALLED -- THE RIOTERS.
ANALYSTS SAY THE PAST SIX-DAYS OF STUDENT-LED UNREST REPRESENT
THE LARGEST EXPRESSION OF DISCONTENT WITH IRAN'S CONSERVATIVE
GOVERNMENT IN 20-YEARS.
LATE MONDAY, POLICE AND VIGILANTE GROUPS RAIDED THE CAMPUS OF
TEHRAN UNIVERSITY AND ARRESTED MANY STUDENTS. ABOUT 50 PEOPLE
WERE INJURED IN CLASHES AS POLICE TRIED TO TIGHTEN THEIR GRIP ON
THE CAMPUS AND THE AREA AROUND IT.
/// OPT /// THE VIGILANTE GROUPS, KNOWN AS ANSAR E-HEZBULLAH,
ARE ALSO HELPING POLICE PATROL THE AREA AROUND THE UNIVERSITY AND
ARE ARMED WITH STICKS AND KNIVES. /// END OPT ///
THE PROTESTERS ARE RALLYING BEHIND IRAN'S MODERATE PRESIDENT
MOHAMMED KHATAMI. PRESIDENT KHATAMI HAS BEEN BATTLING WITH
HARDLINE CONSERVATIVES FOR CONTROL OF IRAN SINCE HE CAME TO POWER
TWO-YEARS AGO.
DURING THE PAST FEW DAYS, SMALLER PRO-REFORM DEMONSTRATIONS HAVE
TAKEN PLACE IN AT LEAST 10 CITIES AND TOWNS IN IRAN.
KHATAMI SUPPORTERS SAY TOO MUCH POWER IS IN THE HANDS OF IRAN'S
CONSERVATIVE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT AND THE NATION'S SUPREME
LEADER, AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI.
AYATOLLAH KHAMENI SAYS THE RECENT WAVE OF PROTESTS IS THE RESULT
OF A PLOT BY IRAN'S ENEMIES ABROAD, CHIEF AMONG THEM, HE SAYS,
THE UNITED STATES.
/// REST OPT ///
THE UNITED STATES HAS CALLED FOR IRAN TO PROTECT THE
DEMONSTRATORS FROM POLICE CRACKDOWNS. THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAID
THE DEMONSTRATORS HAVE A RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE PEACEFULLY AND PUSH
FOR DEMOCRATIC REFORMS.
BUT ANALYSTS IN THE REGION SAY TOO MUCH U-S SUPPORT COULD WORK
AGAINST THE PROTESTERS IN IRAN, A NATION WHERE THE UNITED STATES
IS STILL REGARDED AS AN ENEMY OF DEMONIC PROPORTIONS.
THEY SAY THE PROTESTS COULD BE THE RESULT OF TENSION BETWEEN
HARDLINERS AND REFORMISTS AHEAD OF CRITICAL PARLIAMENTARY
ELECTIONS IN IRAN NEXT YEAR. IF HARDLINERS LOOSE CONTROL OF
IRAN'S LEGISLATURE, ANALYSTS SAY, THEIR GRIP ON POWER WOULD BE
SIGNIFICANTLY LOOSENED. (SIGNED)
NEB/RHE/JWH/RAE
13-Jul-99 1:45 PM EDT (1745 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
