Governing through Underground Agencies

Farhad Motamed, Rooz Online:

The atmosphere of intimidation against dissidents and critics of the government is getting darker. The promise of silencing 3 to 4 percent of the critics and the threat of executing 210 journalists are the latest examples of the intimidations that were published just yesterday.

The threat of silencing critics was made by Dr Ramshet, the new president of Isfahan University. This news was published by two websites, Entekhab and Emrouz, and neither carried his first name or his background. The doctrine of silencing or suppressing critics seems to come from an American, said to be an aide in the White House. According to the report, Ramshet was speaking at an Iftar (breaking of the daily fast during the month of Ramazan). “Why should we not act in a factional and party self-interest manner,” he said. “We suffered for six years and created underground organizations, united people and got votes from people, and so it is natural for us now to say who should do what. We now want to govern. We can tolerate those who are not with us to work for themselves, but cannot allow them to work in our group,” he clarified.

Reports indicate that some 40 individuals have been given new posts at Isfahan University, confirming Ramshet’s claim that only “insiders” will be given posts in his school. Ramshet was speaking to a group of ideologues who share his interpretations of Islam and history.

According to him there were no formal announcement ceremonies and no formal appreciation ceremonies for those who joined or left the university, because there was no need to thank those who had committed “treason”, indicating his view of those who had been hired during the previous administration and had now left the university.

He claimed that 280 university employees from amongst the 450 total staff were relatives of former directors. “One of the deputy directors had prepared a final performance report of his activities at his departure which if read by an innocent person would make a magnificent impression. But we know that when he wanted to get a 9 billion Toman budget for a research project he told researchers that they only had 24 hours to submit their proposals. How can any one write-up a proposal in 24 hours? This is the response [allegedly removal] to directors who seek appreciation”, Ramshet further said.

“According to an American theory by a White House aide, if 25 percent of the population supports you, another 50 percent will automatically sympathize with you. Another 10 to 12 percent can be bought off, another 10 to 12 percent can be intimidated and the remaining 3 or 4 percent which cannot be brought into the circle can be suppressed with rapid response forces,” according to this university chancellor.

Execution of 210 reporters

Perhaps it is in light of this underground activity that 210 reporters “deserve to be executed”, according to the “Sepah Islam” website. This site had ceased or limited its activities in the past has become active by publishing scandalous reports since the election of president Ahmadinejad. The site warns that “those journalists and reporters who are critical of the regime will soon be eliminated with the help of Sepah-e Islam.” The same website also carries advertisements for Iran’s Ministry of Guidance and Islamic Culture, one about weblogging, the other about story-writing. READ MORE