Upsurge in Iranian Kurdistan
By Norm Dixon
News filtering out of Iranian-occupied Kurdistan (north-west Iran) indicates there has been a significant upsurge in the Kurdish people's struggle for national self-determination since the seizure of Kurdistan Workers Party leader Abdullah Ocalan on February 15.
Accounts by the Communist Party of Iran and the Worker-Communist Party of Iran agree that there have been large mobilisations in Kurdish cities. Both parties report that the Islamic Republic of Iran's response has been severe.
The mobilisations began on February 17 in the streets of Orumyeh, where a student was killed by Iranian troops. Two days later, a demonstration in the same city protesting against the student's death was fired upon by the authorities, killing another two students and injuring many others.
On February 18 in Mahabad, demonstrators were fired upon. On February 21, in Saghez, a very large protest was attacked by troops, injuring 10.
On February 22, more than 70,000 people in Sanandaj staged a demonstration. A further 70,000 lined the streets and expressed open support. Demonstrators chanted "Down with the Islamic Republic" and "Down with [Iran's spiritual leader] Khamenei and [Iranian president] Khatami".
Unable to prevent the protest due to its sheer size, the Islamic Republic mobilised special forces garrisoned in the two nearby cities of Kermanshah and Hamadan. As the troops moved through the city of Kamiran towards Sanandaj, people spilled on to the streets in an attempt to halt their progress. Soldiers fired on them.
Troops in helicopters and others on the ground opened fire on the Sanandaj crowd, killing at least 18. Between 80 and 100 severely injured protesters were taken away by the military.
Enraged people torched the regime's intelligence service office, government vehicles, banks and the post office.
More than 430 people were arrested. Hundreds of other injured people were spirited away by citizens to prevent them falling into the hands of the regime. With the aid of photos taken during the protest, authorities are continuing to round up participants.
On February 22, another large demonstration took place in Saghez, and troops again opened fire and made more than 100 arrests. The prisoners were taken at night, doused with water and made to stand in the open in near-zero temperatures.
Sanandaj and Saghez remain under martial law and are occupied by thousands of troops from Tehran, Hamadan and Kermanshah. Meetings of more than two people are forbidden. Students are not allowed to leave schools and colleges in groups larger than two.
Protests have been reported in Sarsdasht, Bukan and Baneh.