Region | Iran
Neda becomes soul of Green Revolution in Iran
Neda Agha Sultan, a university philosophy student, has become the soul of the Green Revolution in Iran in her death. Iranians are now referring to her as the 'Angel of Iran'.
- By Duraid Al Baik, Associate Editor
- Published: 09:55 June 23, 2009
- Image Credit: AP
- This two photo combo shows a woman identified as Neda Agha Soltan. The image on the left, captured on amateur video a video circulated on the internet via YouTube and Twitter Sunday June 21, 2009, shows the woman lying in a Tehran street moments before she died.
Dubai: Neda Agha Sultan, a university philosophy student, has become the soul of the Green Revolution in Iran in her death. Iranians are now referring to her as the 'Angel of Iran'.
Neda, who was standing on a walkway at Amirabad Street next to her father and teacher as they watched demonstrators in Tehran eight days after the presidential election, was shot in the heart by a sniper with plain-clothed security forces.
Neda's death was captured on camera by a man accompanying a physician during the demonstration.
He filmed the final two minutes of Neda's life, as the physician tried to save her life, and distributed the footage all over the world.
The video of the bloodstained young woman, has been shown around the world and become a symbol of the demonstrations in Iran.
Neda's fiancé, Caspian Makan, said she was not connected to any political party. She had gone into Tehran and was shot when she got out of the car which had become stuck in traffic because of the protests.
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He said: "She only ever said that she wanted one thing - she wanted democracy and freedom for the people of Iran."
The graphic video showed Neda's blood pouring from her nose and mouth as she helplessly looked at the faces of people crowding around her.
Everything had happened so quickly, leaving everyone in shock.
Anny Hashemipak, a political activist and a spokeswoman for Mir Hussain Mousavi, the defeated presidential candidate, said Neda was not actively involved in the demonstrations that had ensued following the June 13 announcement that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been re-election.
Hashemipak said Neda's death was watched by millions of people inside Iran and abroad.
She added that the public's anger had boiled over because of the reckless manner in which authorities had reacted to her tragic death.
Neda's death became a flaring point for many people who then joined the Green Movement in Iran.
International media have used still pictures from the film which has become one of the most viewed video clips the world over.
"Thousands of Iranians took part in the funeral party of Neda at the Haft-e Tir Square in the centre of Tehran simply because [authorities] did not allow her parents to hold a proper funeral party on the June 22, the third day of her murder as per the Iranian traditions, in the mosque.
"The [authorities] told the family that Neda was one of the thugs and hypocrites who were acting against the interests of the nation and [giving a] bad image for the Islamic Republic.
"The investigations have gone further into who Neda was friends with and if she had any connection with foreign forces that [were] aimed at destabilising the regime..." Anny said.
Anny added that Neda was amongst the many who had died that day.
"The [authorities] came up with contradicting figures but [which were] much less than the actual number of people shot dead by the plain clothes security forces," she said.
According to Anny, some people including Neda's parents, buried their dead without informing authorities to avoid the questioning and arrest of other family members by the special security forces of Basij.
Anny said Mousavi and his campaign team leaders were now looking at other ways of showing resistance and taking a united stance against an allegedly rigged election and the Iranian authorities.
Their decision was forced by the unexpected use of live bullets by security forces and the murder of more than 150 people in the peaceful demonstrations.
These methods will now include general strikes and public disobedience acts by Mousavi supporters.
However, the way the opposition will react will become clearer after Friday prayers this week, when Hashemi Rafsanjani will lead the prayers in Tehran Grand Mosque.
Anny said the opposition would continue efforts focusing on their demands that election results be annulled. This would be followed by the installation of the leader popularly elected by voters.
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