HARGEISA, 10 August 2009 (Somalilandpress) — This is not about who won the Presidential election which took place in Iran on 12 June 2009. Probably, it was President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who won the election but by a smaller margin. Even though, the election itself was conducted with a great deal of sophistication and organization the way the votes were counted and the way results were announced have caused a great deal of concern and tribulation. Once the victory of the incumbent Ahmadinejad had been announced, there was an out pour of people who took to the streets in the capital Tehran and in other cities.
As the fallout has progressed, from some quarters within Iran, there are even calls to imprison and try the Iranian opposition leader and former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi who lost the election. The imprisonment and trial of Mr Mousavi would only damage further the standing of Iran. It could also widen the gulf created within its society.
The greatness of any nation is not the potency of its weapons but how it treats its own people. In Iran the way peaceful protesters were beaten up and imprisoned has undoubtedly tarnished the standing of the Islamic Republic. Not to mention, the ongoing trials of imprisoned protesters would not help settle things but stir up trouble for Iran in the long grass. If convicted, it is most likely that many of those on trial would be executed.
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The world is concerned what is happening in Iran. The Iranian government should not fight its own people but try to win the battle of ideas created in the aftermath of the elections. The Islamic Republic of Iran should heal and not by its actions widen the rift created by the mishandled elections. It should seek reconciliation within its people. It should not lay blame on other nations.
It is human nature to seek change. It is very natural a wide section of the Iranian people to seek change. There is nothing wrong with that. It was to that effective that brought President Ahmadinejad himself to power.
As citizens of this world what happens anywhere concerns us all. What is happening in Iran too concerns the world. Iran should release the majority of protesters on trial before the holy month of Ramadan which is expected to start from 21 August 2009.
Written by Abdullahi Dool
Writer and former Diplomat of Somalia
Hornheritage@aol.com
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Views expressed in the opinion articles are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the editorial
