As news of Iran’s popular unrest and demonstration against what seems like a rigged election spreads out more and more, one comparison thought came to mind. This reminded me of South Korea in its ’60s through ’80s.
Mousavi’s wife says that it’s more like marshal law there. And the reaction of Iran’s Republican Guards and other “security” forces that resulted in deaths like this woman here, reinforces my thoughts of the state of Iran.
It’s a rather graphic and unedited picture so be warned. Bunches of mostly peaceful demonstration and the police start firing tear gas and beating down protesters and arresting them, and some eventually get killed. Sounds familiar? This is South Korea winded back to ’70s and ’80s era when martial law was the way things went, and coup d’etat was as frequent as your mail.
The Kwangju Massacre. That alone says it all. When the “government” sent in tanks to kill hundreds of civilians, the images are similar. Iran’s reaction, in my humble opinion, is that of a marshall law. If it wasn’t, the government would have just let them continue demonstrating. But lashing out at them with violence is not a democratic way but rather that of dictatorship.
I empathize with the pro-democracy citizens of Iran… and pray for good changes to come and that the bloodshed would lessen… But all democratic movements, including the likes of Tiananmen Square Massacre, comes at cost. I sure hope the Iranian leadership realizes their follies…
I am not sure if I would compare it to what happened in South Korea – mostly because the democracies at that time had greater and real leverage in South Korea such as US troops, trade, Olympics, foreign investments, etc. It may end up like Tianammen. Khamenei, I hear, has a high tolerance for blood and so it will take a bit before he goes. It’s too bad since a moderate and democratic Iran would do wonders to lessen tensions in the Middle East.
Oh another analogy would be Poland and Solidarity movement. Of course, though, back then we had Reagan and Thatcher – much stronger Western leadership than what we have now.
Anyway, I think it probably will end up like Tianammen where the people will be beaten into submission. Hope I am wrong…