Who is Ansar-i Hizbullah ?
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
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Ansar-i Hizbullah
Followers of the Party of God !
Ansar-i hizbullah, the followers of the party of God, (also known as Ansar-i Hezbollah or Ansar-e Hezbollah), is a semi-official, paramilitary organization in Iran which carries out attacks on those whom it perceives to be violating the precepts of Islam, such as women wearing makeup, reformist protestors, and unmarried couples.
This clandestine organization took its formal name in 1992. However, its origins date back to the street gangs of the urban poor, called "Hezbollah" (Party of God), organized by various forces in the Islamic Republic regime during the revolution of 1979. Most of the members of Ansar-i Hizbullah either belong to the Basij militia or are veterans of the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) who believed that they must continue fighting for the integrity of Islam. They realize their vision through physical intimidation of those whom they view as the enemies of Ayatollah Khameini and Islam. They are known to break up demonstrations against the government, assault people in western dress, and raid shops that sell forbidden items. They have also been accused by some of politically-based assassinations.
Ansar-i Hizbullah became more prominent after it attacked student dormitories at Tehran University in July of 1999. This attack was in response to a peaceful student protest on July 8th concerning further restrictions on the press. In concert with police, members of Ansar-i Hizbullah chased and beat the students back to their dorms. At the end of the morning, two students were dead and twenty were hospitalized. When the newspapers reported these attacks, protests lasting five days spread to 13-18 other cities in Iran.
The Iranian government has chosen to tacitly support groups like Ansar-i Hizbullah because they both aim to maintain the conservative status quo in Iran. Senior conservative clerics use gangs like Ansar-i Hizbullah as a way to consolidate their power and harass and/or eliminate their enemies. Therefore, Ansar-i Hizbullah enjoys a semi-official status; while they are not officially a part of the government, they complement the Iranian government's existing intelligence and security apparatus. Many senior clerics have been associated with Ansar-i Hizbullah and are thought to finance it. Additional evidence of its favorable status lies in the fact that during its 1999 attack on Tehran University, its members used 1000cc-engine motorcycles, which only security service members are allowed to possess.
Thus, the Iranian government is behaving in a manner similar to Maoist China when it channeled youthful nationalists into Red Guard gangs which would assault the government's purported enemies. Like these Red Guards, Ansar-i Hizbullah wishes to make the revolution permanent by assaulting those who advance an agenda of change.
The Iranian government, confronted with internal calls for reform, enacted a compromise by not performing a massive military crackdown on the dissidents, but rather letting militant groups like Ansar-i Hizbullah prevent the movement from spreading further. While paramilitary groups like Ansar-i Hizbullah are currently useful in extending the government's control over its citizens, they also pose a threat to the government. First, the Iranian government must keep these groups on a tight leash or they may become powerful enough to challenge the government for political power. Second, if the government ever decides to institute any reforms, groups like Ansar-i Hizbullah may violently oppose any such actions and create instability and unrest.
Ansar-i Hizbullah has succeeded in quieting many of its political opponents through its intimidating tactics. Nonetheless, its recent violent acts may be a portent that they, along with their conservative backers, are losing power in Iran - Ansar-i Hizbullah would not be committing these acts of violence if there were no signs of modernization to confront.
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Ansar-i Hizbullah has succeeded in quieting many of its political opponents through its intimidating tactics. Nonetheless, its recent violent acts may be a portent that they, along with their conservative backers, are losing power in Iran - Ansar-i Hizbullah would not be committing these acts of violence if there were no signs of modernization to confront.
Discuss this article in our forum.
posted by Goftaniha @ 6:10 PM,
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What is Basij & Who Is Basiji ?
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Basij (also Bassij or Baseej, or Baseej-e Mostaz'afin, or "Oppressed mobilization", or Persian: بسيج), is a volunteer based Iranian paramilitary force founded by order of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on November 1979.
It serves as an auxiliary force engaged in activities such as law enforcement, emergency management, and most controversially the suppression of dissident gatherings. They are perhaps most famous for provideing the volunteers that made up the "`human wave` attacks against the Iraqis" during the Iran Iraq War, "particularly around Basra." The Basij are subordinate to, and obey the orders of, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. The official name of the body means Basij Resistance Force (Persian: نیروی مقاومت بسیج, transliteration: Nirouye Moqavemate Basij).
Organisation, personnel number and duties
Revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a decree founding the Basij as "a large people's militia", in November 1979. Basij forces often undertake general security checks in urban areas setting up street inspection posts to intercept drug smuggling and potential insurgency. Although the number of Basij check points dramatically decreased after the Iran-Iraq war and following the disarmament of the MKO militant group in Iran.
They are active in monitoring the activities of citizens, enforcing hijab and arresting women for violating the dress code, and seizing 'indecent' material and satellite dish antennae. Along with the Iranian riot police and the Ansar-e-Hezbollah, the Basij have been active in recent years in suppressing student demonstrations in Iran. The Basij are sometimes differentiated from the Ansar in being more "disciplined" and not beating, or at least not being as quick to beat demonstrators.
Basij also acts as an emergency management service, and is actively mobilized in case of earthquakes and other natural or human-made disasters. According to the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy and GlobalSecurity.
org Basij forces also enforce Iran's Islamic codes together with other law enforcement organisations, though this also has experienced a considerable decline. The Basij has a quasi-decentralised network with branches in almost every Iranian mosque. Basij size is variously estimated as 20 million, by some Iranian officials; 3 million volunteers receiving training in some 11,000 centers, 11 million or just 400,000. The Iranian Government has exercised a manifold of different plans to keep the Basij alive, as its security role has been an ever-decreasing one after the end of the Iran-Iraq war. Among these plans is the emphasis on ideas such as Development Basij (Basij-e-Sazandegi). In November 23 2000 civil defense exercises in Iran, armed Basijis took up positions in the streets and along strategic locations.
In late September 2005, the Basij staged a series of urban defense exercises across the country. Its first deputy commander announced the creation of 2,000 "Ashura battalions" within the Basij that will have "riot-control responsibilities." Some speculate the recent "revival" of the Basij could be connected "with preparations for possible civil unrest .
Member profile and benefits
The typical member will be male (there are some female members as well) over the age of 12. Members of the Basij usually get a several months slashed off their compulsory military service, which lasts 21 months for every eligible man in Iran. During the Iran-Iraq war, it was easier for the Basijis to obtain university entry due to the fact that government universities had quotas reserved for persons actively involved in the war efforts.
Members of Basij usually enjoy the support of their communities and are often recruited more easily than a non-member for various positions, especially security related positions. As Basij is a volunteer paramilitary organisation, Most Basij are not permitted to carry a firearm except for special requirements. This means that only about 25% of Basij carry firearms, usually an AK-47. However there is no rule saying that they cannot use any other weaponry which has brought major controversy.
Also controversial is the fact that because the Basij is volunteer-based, its members cannot be sued for misbehavior as police or other public officials can. One can sue the chief of police but there is little chance of succeeding in a similar suit against an over-zealous 18-year-old member of Basij, no matter what he does.
Human rights issues
he Basij have been criticised as belonging to the paramilitary forces using child soldiers because of their underage recruitment practices and for having relied extensively on "human wave" attacks during the Iran-Iraq War, particularly around Basra.[5][10] Many were used as cannon fodder and for mine-clearing martyrdom.
Following the UNHCR "tens of thousands of Basijis had been ordered to prowl about every factory, office and school to ensure that everyone adhered to the Islamic code. [...] After the summer 1992 riots Basij units were revived, rearmed and sent out into the streets to help enforce Islamic law. The Basijis are reportedly under the control of local mosques. It was further said that the Basijis set up checkpoints around the cities and stopped cars to sniff their occupant's breath for alcohol and check for women wearing make-up or travelling with a man not their close relative or husband. It was reported that the Law of Judicial Support for the Basijis, published in the Official Gazette No. 13946 of 8.10.1371 (December 1992), provided no redress against arbitrary detention by the Basijis." Iran's permanent representative to the U.N. denied these charges.
Amnesty International claims that "investigations by Parliament and the National Security Council indicated that actions by Revolutionary Guard officials and Basij (Mobilization) forces, among others, precipitated the unrest and injuries following the July 1999 students demonstrations".
Human Rights Watch informs that the Basij belong to the "Parallel institutions" (nahad-e movazi), "the quasi-official organs of repression that have become increasingly open in crushing student protests, detaining activists, writers, and journalists in secret prisons, and threatening pro-democracy speakers and audiences at public events.
" Under the control of the Office of the Supreme Leader these groups set up arbitrary checkpoints around Tehran, uniformed police often refraining from directly confronting these plainclothes agents. "
Illegal prisons, which are outside of the oversight of the National Prisons Office, are sites where political prisoners are abused, intimidated, and tortured with impunity
posted by Goftaniha @ 5:35 PM,
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The Author
Amir Farshad Ebrahimi . Phd
My name is Amir Farshad Ebrahimi ,I was born in Gholhak(north of Tehran), I am a freelance broadcast journalist and a blogger.I have written many articles and blog posts related to Iranian politics. I have been working with an American organization as a consultant on Iran's human rights issues and against radical fundamental groups since 2005. This blog on Iran's politics, culture, and human rights news is designed to inspire young Iranians. I hope to one day return to my homeland, Iran. I have written (Persian) can be found under: www.goftaniha.org
About This Blog
This blog is a on Iran, Political and pop culture, art, and Human Rights. Its purpose is to inspire creativity by sharing links and resources. Albert Einstein said, “The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources,” but what the hell did he know anyway? The site was conceived by Farshad , like all good ideas, while goofing off at work.
Contact me
Very Very easy Send Mail To : afebrahimi[at]journalist[dot]com
Good Bye & Good luck !
