DATE=2/17/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=IRAN ELECTIONS / VOTERS
NUMBER=5-45478
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=TEHRAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Iranians are voting Friday for a new
parliament. More than five-thousand candidates
affiliated with two dozen political parties and groups
are running for the 290 seats. Correspondent Scott
Bobb went into the streets of Tehran to talk to people
about the campaign and what it means to them.
TEXT: It's the middle of the week and business is
brisk at Tajzish Market lying at the foothills of snow-
covered mountains in north Tehran. The weather is
cool. It snowed recently. Most people are in a hurry,
but some are willing to discuss the elections.
Mehdi is a shopkeeper in the market. Standing in front
of his electric supply shop, he says he is confused by
the campaign.
/// MEHDI ACT IN FARSI WITH TRANSLATOR IN
ENGLISH ///
There are so many candidates that one gets very
confused because the candidates' slogans are very
similar to one another.
/// END ACT ///
In another part of the market, Zein Ali sits on a stool
by his fruit stand. A young man, he complains that
every election the candidates make promises, but as
soon as they are elected they forget them. He is asked
if he has made his decision.
/// ZEIN ALI ACT IN FARSI WITH TRANSLATION
IN ENGLISH ///
To be honest with you, no not really. I haven't
really decided, because I don't think what needs
to be done is taking place. I don't think that
real democracy is coming around.
/// END ACT ///
Zein Ali says he hopes some day there will be a truly
free Iran where he says the people's decision has some
impact.
An elderly retiree named Said is buying bread. He says
the election is a good thing and the young should
participate to elect a true, honest representative.
/// SAID ACT IN FARSI WITH ENSLISH
TRANSLATION ///
I want comfort for people and social justice for
people, with work for people so that we have a
better culture than we have.
/// END ACT ///
Two sisters dressed in colorful headscarves stop their
shopping to discuss who they will vote for. The older
of the two, Nasserine, answers first.
/// NASSERINE IN FARSI WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION ///
After consulting with my husband, I will make up
my mind.
/// END ACT ///
The younger of the two, Sima, is more expressive. She
says when she was at the university several years ago,
she was involved in politics, but was told to stop
because she was propagating bad ideas. She says she
will not vote because she does not know enough about
the candidates.
/// SIMA IN FARSI WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION
///
I have studied some of these people and I see
that I don't have enough acquaintance. I don't
know them well enough. And some of them I think
are not up to it.
/// END ACT ///
A middle-aged lady rushes by, too busy to give her
name. When asked, she speaks disdainfully about the
elections and the campaign.
/// LADY IN FARSI WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION
///
[Lady]: What use is this. It (is) useless.
Anything they said they didn't take action.
[Reporter]: Do you vote?
[Lady]: I am in the camp of ... I am in
Khatami's campaign.
/// END ACT ///
In one of the shop-lined alleys, a woman named Mrs.
Mansouri is handing out small cards. On one side is a
calendar and on the other a photograph of her
candidate, who happens to be her brother. She says she
has been passing out the cards now for two weeks. She
is asked if people discuss her brother's candidacy with
her.
/// MANSOURI IN FARSI WITH ENGLISH
TRANSLATION ///
Absolutely not. I don't know why. People don't
talk to me at all.
/// END ACT ///
Iranian leaders for weeks have been urging people to
vote, saying it is important for their democracy.
Part of the reason for the confusion is because
hundreds of candidates are running for the thirty seats
in Tehran district. Moreover, some of the best known
candidates were disqualified by a vetting (screening)
committee for a lack of commitment to Islam and the
country's religious leaders.
Some reformists say they want to liberalize election
procedures so that they are less restrictive. But even
the reformists sometimes have trouble getting their
message across. (signed)
NEB/SB/JP
17-Feb-2000 18:07 PM EDT (17-Feb-2000 2307 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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