Green wave reaches NY

We had previously asked our readers to send us their voices so that they could be present in the protests in New York and make their contribution to the protest. In the space of a week you sent us thousands of voices that said: “Ahmadinejad is not my president!” Iranians expatriates in New York turned these voices into a creative and moving spectacle. A hundred people all in white became the reflection of Neda and other victims of the authorities’ clampdown on the people following the rigged presidential elections in June. The memories of the last three months and the resistance of the Iranian people were brought to life on the human screen created by these people. The International Campaign for Human Rights whose aim is to sympathise with the Iranian people and to condemn the decades long and consistent breach of Human Rights in Iran, had many mobile billboards around the central part of Manhattan prior to Ahmadinejad’s arrival in New York, billboards about human rights violation in Iran and the violent incidents of the past three months. The billboards were seen in the past few days by the eyes of diplomats, and political leaders from around the world to remind them not to sacrifice Human Rights for their political interests. One of the billboards which was very popular for the Iranians that saw it read “Murder, torture and rape: Hold Ahmadinejad accountable.” What was also very interesting this year was the demonstration of Jews against Israel’s crimes and the demonstration of Iranians against the crimes of the Iranian government at the same time. Ahmadinejad’s old tactic of denying the holocaust had always enraged Jews and non-Jews alike. His controversial statements regarding the holocaust and Israel were great ammunition for Israel and its supporters, while it portrayed a violent and aggressive image of Iranians. Denying the holocaust not only infuriates Zionists, but also millions of Jews worldwide. Yesterday, in an incredible turn of events, as Iranians were protesting against their government’s conduct, Jews were protesting against the crimes of Israel in another part of the park. Iranians were holding signs that said, “Yes to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, no to imprisoning and torturing of Iranians.” At the same time, Jews were holding signs saying, “Zionism does not represent Jews.” It is expected that Jewish supporters of Israel will demonstrate calling for military and economic pressure on Iran. Yesterday, two groups that don’t want to have to do anything with their governments portrayed different images of their nations. Mowjcamp had previously reported on the cyclers for peace, a group of students from Canada who cycled through different routes in support of Human Rights. They had peddled from Toronto to the UN headquarters in New York and were welcomed by Iranians and will join the Green Wave in protesting Ahmadinejad’s visit to New York. The cores of this group are students and professors from the University of Toronto who are accompanied by Human Rights activists from Canada. The spokesperson for the group stressed that the group was not affiliated with any political groups and that its aim was to support human rights and those who have been jailed for defending the right of free assemblies in Iran. The cyclers do not recognise Ahmadinejad as the legitimate president of Iran and would like to see the prosecution of the crimes committed following the post-election unrest. Whenever they fatigue starts getting to them, they shout for encouragement: “People of Iran! Evin prison! Keep on going ... Keep peddling!” For more on mowjcamp’s interview with the spokesperson of the group you can visit their website at: www.cyclingforhumanrightsiniran.org The eyes of the world are now on New York when Iranians and non-Iranians will join hands to send a clear message to a tyrant who stops at nothing in order to claim power.