Before being killed by a gunshot wound near a Basij station on June 15, 2009, Moharram Chagini lived with his family in a working class neighborhood in southern Tehran. One year after the death of his brother Moharram, Ali talked to Masih Alinejad from Jaras on his family’s ordeals and sorrows. He explained how they repeatedly requested to meet with opposition leaders but never received any replies. Ali added that his repeated efforts to get the word out about a working class martyr were ignored by the media inside and outside Iran.
INTERVIEW
Translation by RAHANA
Masih Alinejad: Mr. Chagini, a year has passed since your brother was killed during a protest on June 15, 2009. What is your most bitter memory from the day your brother’s body was given to you at the morgue until the present, and with the judicial authorities still refusing to reveal the name of your brother’s killer?
Ali Chagini: There are plenty of bitter memories. We have experienced them one by one: the day my brother was shot outside the Meghdad Basij Station on Azadi Avenue, but his body was dropped off in the suburbs; the night I had to get an undertaker to bury the body without telling the public what we had done; the day we found out that instead of finding my brother’s killer they focused on silencing us with blood money; and the day I realized no one was going to be held accountable.
Alinejad: Can you give us an example of how media coverage can help ease the pain of the families of slain protesters?
Chagini: We identified Moharram’s body at Kahrizak morgue three nights after the initial announcement that he was shot during the protest. In spite of the fear that reigned over Iran, I contacted certain journalists in Iran as well as journalists who worked for the media outside the country.
I told them, “They killed my brother. I want the world to know that they killed my brother for protesting.” In order to prove my word, I informed them that Moharram’s name was on a list published by Norooz website [a website close to the Islamic Participation Front]. I told them that I would send the video footage we had in our possession that showed how my brother was killed. With the help of a few journalists in Iran, I sent the video footage of my brother to BBC and VOA. I am not sure why they all failed to hear our voice. This was how we began to be isolated and trust no one.
Alinejad: Perhaps it was difficult for journalists to confirm the authenticity of the evidence or to be sure that you were Moharram’s real brother so that your words could not be used later to discredit the family?
Chagini: I gave our phone numbers to the television stations I contacted. It would not have been hard to confirm our information with [journalists] who would came to our house during those days. But what can we expect? At the end of the day, they were only doing their job. We were all saddened after watching the video showing Neda’s death. It was thanks to the journalists that the world became aware of her death. But, I keep asking myself why none of the networks that show Neda’s death hundreds of times ever show my brother who was killed before Neda. Why did Neda become a symbol and there was no mention of Moharram and others who were killed?
I don’t know. There could be many reasons. I have a lot of respect for Neda. Before seeing the footage of my brother being carried away by the crowd and when I did not see any videos or pictures of him on the Iranian or international media, Neda had become a symbol for me too. But all I want to say is that when the people, the journalists, and even the movement’s leadership only mention the name of one person who was killed, then the result is that Ahmadinejad and Mottaki are only confronted with pictures of Neda when they travel to other countries. It is not difficult for Ahmadinejad and Mottaki to deny the death of one person. Why did the people fail to act in a way that would lead to Ahmadinejad being confronted with a hundred pictures instead of one? Our government is well aware that no matter where they go they will be asked about Neda. Therefore, they have prepared answers for that particular question. However, it will be impossible for them to continue their denial if they know that, inside and outside of Iran, people are carrying hundreds of pictures – that they will be asked about each and every protester killed. They will no longer be able to claim that all these people were killed by the Americans, the Israelis, or the MKO.
Alinejad: Have you ever asked to meet with Ahmadinejad and his cabinet members to tell them what you have just told me?
Chagini: Throughout the past 12 months, I have tried to meet with Mousavi. I had many things to tell him and Karroubi. Unfortunately, I never received an answer. If in the past I thought some politicians were different, today I have come to realize that all politicians are the same and do not care about the people.
Alinejad: Mousavi does not hold any official office. Why do you want to meet with someone who has no power instead of meeting with authorities?
Chagini: During the past year, we have gone through some very hard times. I needed to tell Mousavi that not acknowledging the families of killed Iranians proves that his way is no different than Ahmadinejad’s. They all need the people until they gain power.
Will you publish what I say? Since I have not been able to talk to Mr. Mousavi face-to-face, I want you to publish these words so that they reach his ears.
Alinejad: They will be published in their entirety. Please tell us what the most important point is that you want Mr. Mousavi to know?
Chagini: I want to say that it is as if I know in advance how the story will end: Mousavi and Karroubi will step aside and the government will emerge more powerful. Maybe Mousavi and Karroubi’s resignation will be admired by some people, but it means that the blood of the young people who come out for change and perseverance will be wasted.
Alinejad: As someone whose brother was killed during a protest, do you believe that Mousavi and Karroubi should be held accountable if they call on the people to come out even though they risk being killed?
Chagini: Fars News [news agency with close ties to the IRGC] has offered to interview us. The government has announced that 36 people were killed during the post-election protests and the Martyrs Foundation has selectively called some of the families and declared them as families of martyrs. Now the government is trying to convince some of the 36 families to press charges against Mousavi and Karroubi. They do not name Karroubi and Mousavi specifically, but the authorities tell us to press charges against the leaders of the sedition. Even if we pressed charges and [Mousavi and Karroubi], as a result, did go to prison, they would be released later. But then the government would prove to the people that it is powerful and the movement’s leadership would be forced to retreat and desert the people.
Alinejad: You live in southern Tehran. It is often said that most of the residents of southern Tehran are Ahmadinejad supporters, but your brother was one of the residents who was killed after protesting. What do you have to say to those who argue that the Green Movement is an uptown movement?
Chagini: My brother was from southern Tehran where the basic requirements for a simple life are non-existent. Yet, he went out to protest. But, given that Iranian society is a traditional and religious society, the state media always takes advantage of the people’s religious and traditional sentiments and only broadcasts footage showing young people dancing and cheering. For example, the media showed images of women who don’t respect the Islamic hijab to prove that Mousavi’s supporters are bunch of spoiled brats who want to promote nudity and eliminate the Islamic hijab. This is how they [the state media] manipulates a religious society in the name of Islam. [State] television has shown so many of these images that sometimes religious people perceive us as being infected with the plague and thus they distance from us. We are not infidels, but we have a different religion than those who killed my brother and refuse to be held accountable for it. Many people would get offended if they see their religious beliefs and their religion Islam insulted. That is why the government tries to depict the Greens as a group that fights Islam.
Alinejad: Let’s go back to the video that shows people carrying your brother’s wounded body. You are right to say that the world has not seen the video, but has it transformed your family’s life?
Chagini: A lot. Apparently two British television networks aired it once or twice, but believe me, it is extremely hard to watch a film showing your loved one die among the crowd. Unfortunately, people have short memories and forget everything. We should not expect too much from the people, but whenever I compare this June 15th with last year’s, my heart fills with sadness. Last year I was in the streets and I witnessed the streets of Tehran turn into Karbala [the place of Imam Hossein’s martyrdom]. Bodies [of dead protesters] were lined up on sidewalks and covered with cloths. This year people came out, but it was different than last year. There are times when I think that we Iranians have only ourselves to blame for all the oppression we have been subjected to. Why did we simply forget last year’s atrocities? Why did we forget that, for a long time, they [the authorities] refused to even release the bodies of the protesters to their families?
Alinejad: In your opinion, why did people come out last year even though there was no rally permit, yet this year they didn’t?
Chagini: I agree that the mood was very emotional last year. When people saw that their votes had been stolen, they became upset. What followed and what people witnessed with their own eyes angered them. That is why they took part in protests in large numbers. Even Mousavi and Karroubi used to come out to the streets despite the lack of rally permits. In my opinion, leading a movement means that the leaders should put their lives on the line and come out to the streets. But, it looks like these days everything has changed.
Alinejad: And your last word?
Chagini: Iran needs to rebuild its culture. People need to change. More than needing leaders, we need people who don’t look at us as though we are infected with the plague.
Source: http://persian2english.com/?p=12161
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