DARE TO MAKE A CHOICE

Dare to make a choice

At last somebody has decided to be different when all around him are seeking conformity. Mehdi Karroubi unlike the other defeated opposition candidates ventured to be the voice of the political dissidents to reveal the truth of events inside the prisons. He set up a new and greater challenge for the regime when his fellow politicians are procrastinating. He claimed that some of the protestors arrested after June’s disputed election were tortured to death while in custody. The new allegation came after he had said a number of prisoners, both male and female, had been raped. It seems that Karroubi is determined to keep fighting when all around him are remaining silent. After Ahmadinejad’s inauguration ceremony, Karroubi’s approach towards the election has slightly changed. He has decided to keep up the political pressure by focusing on torture and mistreatment of the prisoners in order to undermine the government. The significance of the issue brought forward by Karroubi can not be over emphasized when some ex-MPs are ultimately holding the Supreme Leader responsible. The ex-MPs have asked the Assembly of Experts to investigate whether the Supreme Leader is any longer fit to rule.

Meanwhile the government and its supporters are also mobilizing their power to counter attack Karroubi. Friday Imams across the country in a series of well orchestrated sermons asked the judiciary system to prosecute Karroubi for misleading the public by false allegations. The Friday Imam in Tehran said Karroubi’s claims were “full of libel and a total slander against the Islamic system.”

Karroubi now is experiencing the strong support of the general public like he has never before. The reason behind such a strong support is a sense of hunger for the truth of matter among people. The truth which can potentially subvert the legitimacy, credibility and most importantly the religious authority of the Islamic regime. People of Iran would vehemently question the existence of an Islamic regime which does not observe the basic tenets of Islam such as respect for dignity of every human being. Small wonder that the whole government is in disarray.

The dilemma for the government is either to arrest Karroubi at this particular time and alienate many more ordinary people or refrain from arresting him and face further provocation. In either case the repercussions will be grave and to some extent unpredictable.

Karroubi has clearly demonstrated that he dares to take risks, he has the tenacity to be compassionate and he believes that the courage is the foundation of integrity. Now it is up to the government to make a choice.

Shahin M