There's no justice, they're just us....

The trials of protesters and government opposition are underway in Iran. Criticism from around the world hasn't stopped, the #iranelections channel on Twitter is still going strong.

Even those inside Iran's government are calling for a simultaneous trial of those who hit, abused, burned and murdered protesters but apparently the cry from within has yet again fallen on deaf ears as the government has made no moves to bring charges against those at fault.

In today's Globe and Mail Moshen Rezaei, a conservative challenger to the "president" said that trials of those responsible for the attack of protesters and torture or prisoners should go forward, “otherwise, justice will not be realized and it is possible that unrest will not end.”

While former president Mohammad Khatami called the trials a sham and said they would do nothing but “lead to ignorance of the real crimes”. The defendants' lawyers were not allowed to access court files or enter the courtroom. The former president then went on to say “As far as I have learned, what happened in the trial was contrary to the constitution and law, as well as citizens' right.”

So it appears that the Sea of Green, despite its best efforts, is subject to yet another injustice by their government and its choke hold on the population continues. I've said it in previous posts that any court called a Revolutionary court will never give true justice... Iran has yet again proven my point.

I don't know why I'm surprised though, the authorities and the militia have been acting like judge, jury and executioner since June 12th, just as they did to poor Neda who became a worldwide symbol of hope and resistance. Now the authorities are just doing it in nicer clothing and with the protective blanket offered by laws that they seem to invent as they go along.

There will be no justice in Iran, but as long as we keep spreading the news, those who have died and suffered will not be forgotten.

Bargain Basement Hero?

Walking through Zellers a few days ago I found in a discount art bin a reprint of the famous Che painting that you can see above... I took a picture with my blackberry but the price still came out blurry... The price (if you can see it) reads $14.97 (that's 12.87 USD, 9.22 EUR, 11.88 CUC). And I had to ask myself, if they're liquidating Che art is the Revolution in better shape then its poster-boy?

So I went to the internet and searched for answers and according to an article in Reuters Fidel Castro himself foresaw this whole economic downturn 26 years ago when he said: "The current state of the world economy and its gloomy outlook should lead to a profound reflection in governments and in the most lucid minds of the developed world."

But according to an article in Itar-Tass: “Since the signing of the agreement (on granting a state credit against Russian goods and services) the Cuban side has three times violated the payment terms. However, the credit provision has not been suspended and no fines were imposed as for June 1, 2009.”

So did the "Fearless" leader actually see this coming 26 years ago and fail to plan? Or is Cuba just not paying its debt because it's slowly gearing up for yet another Special Period?

With Che paintings selling at discount prices and the decline of sales Che t-shirts one wonders if people are undergoing (in Castro's words) a "profound reflection" on if they feel like advertising a murderer and spending their hard earned fast disappearing money supporting a government that spits on human rights while criticizing everyone else for doing just that?

So to answer my original question:is the Revolution in better shape then its poster-boy? The answer is that I think the Revolution is in the same sad state as its bargain basement hero: old, tired, cheap, over publicized, underachieving and dead.

Muchacho Enfermo

"Build your little home" Raul Castro

Yesterday Fiona Govan of the Telegraph reported that Raul Castro, younger brother of Fidel, has declared that Cubans can now build their own while giving a speech in Santiago de Cuba.

"OK, here you can build. I've given you this amount of space, that amount of room for a street, and that amount for a sidewalk. Now build your little home with whatever you can."

Excuse me did he say? Build it with whatever you can. AND Build your little home.
What kind of condescending thing to say is that for the leader of a nation that is supposed to be all about "cooperation for the revolution" and "for the humble by the humble"? This sounds to me like the State has finally run out of ideas and realizes that it can't provide for its citizens the way it has promised to for the last 50 years.

This is another great reform Mr Castro... First you allow your people to buy computers they can't afford, share hotels with tourists that they also cannot afford, let people buy DVD players and cellphones that most of them can't afford. Now you're assigning them a tiny parcel of land and are saying: Fend for yourselves. What about those who can't afford the black market materials you are encouraging them to buy? Will the state refuse to provide materials to fix their existing homes because the new rules is "build it with whatever you can"?

Oh yeah I forgot the State can't even provide the materials... This isn't a reform at all isn't it? This is because you're screwed for money and can't afford materials so now you're screwing your people even more by abandoning them, their families, their crumbling homes and throwing them to the wolves!

How about the Cuban people "build a little" prison "with whatever they can" and put you and your cronies in there and take back their island?


Muchacho Enfermo

Blogfather update December 17th

Andisheh reported this morning that Hossein Derakhshan was arrested in his family residence by 6 plain clothed officers, his equipment taken away and he is being held at Branch 1 of the Revolutionary court, he hasn't been charged but he is accused of insulting religion.

Reading this has raised a few questions for me:
1- Why are the reports of the accusations against him different?
2- When his family was interviewed the Associated Press they claimed to have not seen him in a month, but never mentioned he was arrested in their home.

Until I find a more reliable source I'll keep looking through Persian blogs and news agencies to keep you all posted.

Muchacho Enfermo