The Tragic Face of Today's Iranian Revolution (Warning: Very Graphic)
Folks, watch these videos (unverified) and remember her face, for it may well bring an end to the current dictatorship in Iran:
The unfortunate girl was allegedly shot by a Basiji, a member of the Basij (Iran's paramilitary force). Here's how the source described what happened:
Basij shots to death a young woman in Tehran's Saturday June 20th protests
At 19:05 June 20th
Place: Karekar Ave., at the corner crossing Khosravi St. and Salehi st.
A young woman who was standing aside with her father watching the protests was shot by a basij member hiding on the rooftop of a civilian house. He had clear shot at the girl and could not miss her. However, he aimed straight her heart. I am a doctor, so I rushed to try to save her. But the impact of the gunshot was so fierce that the bullet had blasted inside the victim's chest, and she died in less than 2 minutes.
The protests were going on about 1 kilometers away in the main street and some of the protesting crowd were running from tear gass used among them, towards Salehi St.
The film is shot by my friend who was standing beside me.
Please let the world know
I documented all social media links of both videos in Multiply here and here.
Read this New York Times article to give you an idea of what's happening in Iran in the aftermath of its recently concluded elections.
Her name is 'Neda'
Submitted by noid on June 21, 2009 - 10:49am.
It's confirmed. Her name is NEDA which means "voice" or "call" in Farsi. The source of the video is Hamed Rad who lives in Netherlands, and who got the video from his friend in Iran.
Meanwhile a letter from Neda's supposed sister is circulating online:
Yesterday I wrote a note, with the subject line "tomorrow is a great day perhaps tomorrow I'll be killed." I'm here to let you know I'm alive but my sister was killed...
I'm here to tell you my sister died while in her father's hands
I'm here to tell you my sister had big dreams...
I'm here to tell you my sister who died was a decent person... and like me yearned for a day when her hair would be swept by the wind... and like me read "Forough" [Forough Farrokhzad]... and longed to live free and equal... and she longed to hold her head up and announce, "I'm Iranian"... and she longed to one day fall in love to a man with a shaggy hair... and she longed for a daughter to braid her hair and sing lullaby by her crib...
my sister died from not having life... my sister died as injustice has no end... my sister died since she loved life too much... and my sister died since she lovingly cared for people...
my loving sister, I wish you had closed your eyes when your time had come... the very end of your last glance burns my soul....
sister have a short sleep. your last dream be sweet.
May Neda's death be not in vain, as we pray for her and condole with her family.
And it seems that this is indeed the case as her name has quickly become a popular hashtag on Twitter. (You can also check Twitterfall.com. Just check the hashtag Neda on the leftmost column.) Henceforth, I believe that her name and the poignant image of her dying will be a rallying cry/"call" and symbol for the freedom-loving people of Iran and the rest of the world.
Why I Posted These Images
Submitted by noid on June 21, 2009 - 8:37pm.
A friend of mine just asked me if it's right to spread images such as these, what my friend called "a private moment of death." I'm re-posting my reply here so that you will understand where I'm coming from:
JP, I understand what you are saying. I was just as shocked as you are when I first saw the clips of the final moments of this poor girl (there are two of them and this was the first one I saw ), but I felt at that time that the truth of what's happening in Iran should be known by the entire world, and the people of Iran want the world to know. Right now, they are risking their lives uploading and e-mailing videos and photos like this so that the world may know -- the Iranian government is doing its best to cut off the lines of communication including the Internet and mobile phones and hunting down "online destabilizers." The Iranian people want the world to know and I think and feel that it is our responsibility to not only spread the word, but also images like this.
And my hunch was right, the day of protest hadn't ended yet when her name, NEDA, quickly became a popular hashtag in Twitter (label or tag to group tweets). There are now online groups, dedicated to her memory like this Facebook page, In Memory of Neda. People are paying tribute to her online, like this page -- "Her Name was 'Neda.' and this page, "IRAN: Footage of woman apparently shot in Tehran galvanizes opposition." There are a lot of these kinds of tributes being posted online every minute -- you may also check out my post for more links if you haven't done so. In the mainstream media, meanwhile, I just saw CNN banner their show with this footage (albeit with her face blurred). The still image of her dying face is also now being used as online avatars and as placards in rallies all over the world (in particular, try to catch the Los Angeles rally on CNN).
In other words, Neda has become a symbol of the Iranians' fight for freedom. (Most are of the opinion that Mousavi, Iran's opposition leader is an accidental leader, and that it is actually the people leading the cause right now.) What's happening in Iran right now is their EDSA, and Neda has become their Ninoy. And if you remember, when Ninoy died, Cory and her family opted for an open casket with Ninoy's body lying unwashed and bloody, because they wanted the Filipino people and the world to know how the dictatorship brutally murdered Ninoy. Same with the Iranian people. Neda is just one of the many martyrs who died yesterday, and the Iranians want the world to know how the present Iranian regime is killing them and their fight for freedom.
Video of Neda Just Before Her Death
Submitted by noid on June 22, 2009 - 4:26am.
Neda caught on video among protesters just before she was killed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWHT37pQmmE
Details about Neda and how she died
Submitted by noid on June 22, 2009 - 4:29am.
Copy pasted below info about Neda and how she was shot. The source is a Facebook note posted by Hamed Rad, the source of the video of the dying Neda 
Due to an Iranian Blog as I previewed:
http://fmortaz.blogspot.com/
I got some new information about her as bellow:
"Neda Aqa Soltan"
she was born on 1982
she was a student of Philosophy
at the 20th of June, she were along with her philosophy master and some of
her classmates in the protest.
She has been shot on heart by 2 Basijies on a motor cycle while she was behind of others and speaking on her mobile phone.
http://fmortaz.blogspot.com/
I got some new information about her as bellow:
"Neda Aqa Soltan"
she was born on 1982
she was a student of Philosophy
at the 20th of June, she were along with her philosophy master and some of
her classmates in the protest.
She has been shot on heart by 2 Basijies on a motor cycle while she was behind of others and speaking on her mobile phone.
It seems the old man next to her is her master and she died on his hands.
People have stopped the Basijies and it seems the shooter is killed.
At june 21st, her body has given to her family with this condition that
they must bury her as soon as possible and secretly.
It has done under high security situation.
her memory will celebrate in june 22nd in Niloufar Mosque.
The Martyrdom of Neda
Submitted by noid on June 22, 2009 - 4:53am.
This Time.com article will give you an insight into the meaning of Neda's death and the Shiite concept of martyrdom: In Iran, One Woman's Death May Have Many Consequences
...
Submitted by Rom on June 22, 2009 - 7:23am.
nakakalungkot ang mga ganitong pangyayari. hindi dapat sinasanitize o nagkakaroon ng self-cencorship ang isang manunulat kapag may mga ganitong panawagan lalong lalo na sa usapin ng diktadurya at militarisasyon. ang mga pangyayari sa Iran ay repleksyon lamang ng mga pangyayari sa buong mundo. maaaring ang pagkamatay ni Neda ay nagkataong nakuhanan ng videos pero paano na ang marami pang hindi man lang naibalita sa dyaryo at nasilayan ng camera?
kung iisipin natin sa ngayon ang sensibililidad ng makakapanood ng video na ito na kesyo hindi daw dapat ipakita dahil daw sa private death moments ito nung namatay--mauuwi lamang sa wala ang pagkamatay ni Neda.
hindi ang sensibilidad ng mga makakapanood ang importante dito kundi ang paglalahad ng katotohanang nagaganap sa kabilang panig ng mundo, sa mga pagkakataong nahihimlay tayo ng mapayapa sa gitna ng gabi sa malambot at tahimik nating higaan--may mga taong namamatay ng isang napaka sakit na kamatayan dahilan sa kanilang ipinaglalabang kalayaan.
gamitin natin ang technology at ang conviction sa pagsulong ng tunay na kalayaan dito man sa bansa natin at sa pakikiisa sa ibang bansang nakararanas ng matinding kalupitan mula sa mga gobyernong mapang-abuso.
isang dakilang karangalan
Submitted by Amos Tarana on June 22, 2009 - 2:52pm.
isang dakilang karangalan ang mag-alay ng buhay para sa ikagiginhawa ng sambayanan.
si neda ay modelo ng isang aktibong kabataan na naninindigan para sa pantaong karapatan at katarungang panlipunan.
ang kanyang tapang at pakiisa sa pagkilos ng sambayanan ay isang hamon sa kabataang pilipino na sa ngayo'y nagbubulag-bulagan at walang pakialam sa mga paghihihirap at pagpapahirap na nangyayari sa kanyang kapaligiran.
hanggat kakaunti ang 'mga neda' na naninidigan para sa kagalingan ng nakararami, ang ating sambayanan ay mananatiling lubog sa kahirapan at pagpapahirap.
si neda at ang iba pang martir/bayani ay 'nananawagan' sa atin ngayon na manindigan laban sa anumang uri ng karahasan lalo na sa terorismo ng estado.
paalala rin nga sa atin ni Elie Wiesel, isang nobel peace prize winner at holocaust survivor ay...
"We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of race, religion, or political views, that place must - at that moment - become the center of the universe."
para sa ating ikagiginhawa,
- Amos Tarana - http://amostarana.blogspot.com/
nakakapanghina..
Submitted by daimustlive on June 22, 2009 - 12:37pm.
grabe, di ko alam kung ilang araw pa ang lilipas bago ako uli makakatulog ng maayos.. pero tulad ng sabi ni kuya rom, hindi yun ang importante.. ang importante ay ang mensahe ng post na to sakin at sa ating lahat.
kahit papano may ideya naman ako na nangyayari na ang ganito, pero sa drama ko lang yun napapanuod. ngayon, hindi ito drama kundi aktwal na pangyayari. tunay na nakakahinayang si neda, at alam ko na marami ding tulad nya ang nasayang ang buhay dahil sa walang kwentang labanan at pagkaganid sa kapangyarihan..
wala na kong iba pang maisip, masyado ata akong naapektuhan nito. pero salamat sir noid, bukod sa mga iilang iranian at kurdish movies na napanuod ko, isa to sa may mga pinakamatinding impact sa akin. sana ay mas maging malawak ang kamalayan ko tungkol sa mga bagay na ganito. ipagdasal natin si neda at marami pang naging biktima, at ang kinabukasan nating lahat.
sana maging maayos na ang lahat sa mga susunod na araw.
tulungan natin ang iba na magkaroon ng kamalayan sa mga bagay na tulad nito..
neda's death
Submitted by tbdtbd925 on June 22, 2009 - 12:57pm.
this is tragic.
but how come the stories do not match? was she really shot in the back by 2 motorcycle-riding basijies (later story), or by a lone sniper from a rooftop (first story)?
however, it does not deduct from the story the tragedy of iran. and we're going to see more, these days and after.
death by an individual is a tragedy; by many is just statistic. -- i read somewhere.
Dreaming, Death
Submitted by Pusangitim on June 23, 2009 - 9:16pm.
Dead before she hit the ground
She must has hoped she was in a nightmare.
She must have hoped her heart
Would be strong enough to keep beating.
She must have wondered
What dreams come to the dead.
In endless sleep she dreams
Of freedom and of fulfillment.
Those dreams belong to others now:
Her father, her brother, her nation,
The world all a-blog and a-twitter.
Those dreams are now the nightmare
Of the people who killed her.
Now comes the torrent
Of electronic rage
And digital despair.
Now comes
The catalyst
Called death:
The surest catalyst for change,
The saddest, the angriest,
The most difficult of triggers.
Neda is dead, long live Neda.
Her murder has made her immortal,
Unassailable now, unspeakable as it is.
Blooming bursts of her blood
Bless the blacktop upon which
They spill: Flowers of wrath,
Portents of revolution.
Dead before she hit the ground
She is the vessel through which
Change must pass. Her pain is ended.
Her enemies' suffering has just begun.
What dreams come to the dead?
Dreams of tomorrow, dreams of what if,
Dreams of change and dreams of a nation freed
Of corruption and greed. Dreams that are
Boundless, which cross borders
And touch all.
Dream of a world worth living in.
Go beyond the dream and shape the reality.
This is what her eyes say
Before their light dies.
Dream for Neda.
Dream her dreams.
Make it so.
Article on Neda with Photos
Submitted by noid on June 24, 2009 - 2:17am.
One of the latest articles on Neda with more accurate info about her and a lot of photos of her. "YouTube martyr Neda 'deliberately targeted' by Iranian paramilitaries, claims fiancé"
Excerpt of bullet points re article:
- Fiancé says he begged Neda to keep away from protests
- Student 'just wanted democracy and freedom for her country'
- Tehran bans her family from holding public funeral
LA Times Interviews Neda's Music Teacher and Friend
Submitted by noid on June 24, 2009 - 4:31am.
This article includes an account from Neda's music teacher of how he and others (including Paulo Coelho's doctor-friend) tried frantically to save her life.
Family, friends mourn 'Neda,' Iranian woman who died on video
Situation in Iran Getting Worse
Submitted by noid on June 25, 2009 - 1:23am.
The situation is getting worse in Iran: Chopping People Like Meat in Iran
Neda's Family Forced out of Home
Submitted by noid on June 25, 2009 - 1:46am.
From an Iranian Tweeter:
RT The Guardian reports that Neda Soltan's family has been forced out of their home http://bit.ly/14XHhn #IranElection
BBC interview with the doctor who tried to save Neda
Submitted by noid on June 26, 2009 - 3:03am.
BBC interview with the doctor who tried to save Neda. From Paulo Coelho's blog. Coelho also posted his correspondence with the doctor, Arash Hejazi, related to Neda and the turmoil in Iran. Here's another link to the interview with quotes from the doctor. As earlier reported it turns out that the crowd actually caught the person who shot Neda, a Basiji on a motorcycle, but they let him go because they did not know what to do with him.
Green Leaves - a song about Neda
Submitted by noid on June 27, 2009 - 5:52am.
A great song by Axis Music about Neda and the current protests for Freedom in Iran: Via PegasusNews.com.
Axis Music presents Milad with "Green Leaves", written by Mishan
Oooh, you read it in a book or two
That the struggle hasnt ended
Theyll carry on for me and you
This life you helped to mend it
The leaves will turn to green my dear
The sorrow will be ended
Well never have to hide in fear
For you we have avenged it
The fire of your soul
keeps me strong to pass along
we will fight on
ooooh, you were a student of this life
From your words well always feel you
But freedom cut you like a knife
With this song I hope to heal you
Your people just want to be free
From the prisons that surround
The wonders of pure unity
Always keep your light around.
The fire of your soul
keeps me strong to pass along
we will fight on
The fire of your soul
keeps me strong to pass along
we will fight on
~Dedicated to Neda~
mea culpa: i've been warned...
happy father's day to you, too, noid. you could have just posted a poem or an essay but you just have to... yeah, whatever...
I'd love to turn you on...
Videoke the Radio Star