'Neda': Slain Iranian woman becomes symbol of protests

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 6:26 AM Posted by Beijing News


With foreign journalists banned from reporting on the streets of Tehran, amateur footage of events has become one of the only ways to see what's happening in Iranian rallies and protests. On Saturday, gruesome photos and videos that appear to show the death of a young woman reportedly shot during a rally made wide circulation on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. The shocking footage has become a symbol of the protests for people both in Iran and around the world. Warning: Some links in this story may contain graphic content.

While the information surrounding who she was and what happened to her cannot be verified, some bloggers and news outlets say she was Neda Soltani, who was attending the protests with her father. The name "Neda" means voice or call in Farsi, and conflicting reports have her age at anywhere from 16 to 27.

According to :

An acquaintance of her family said Neda worked part-time at a travel agency in Iran and that the government barred the family from holding a public funeral Monday. The acquaintance spoke on condition of anonymity because she feared government reprisal.

Memorials and outrage have swept Twitter: "Neda, your voice shall never be silenced! our prayers are with you and your family." In demonstration rallies around the world, protesters have carried signs with her face.

highlights how the death of "Neda" may continue to reverberate due to Iranian history and Muslim traditions:

Although it is not yet clear who shot "Neda" a soldier? pro-government militant? an accidental misfiring?, her death may have changed everything. For the cycles of mourning in Shiite Islam actually provide a schedule for political combat — a way to generate or revive momentum. Shiite Muslims mourn their dead on the third, seventh and 40th days after a death, and these commemorations are a pivotal part of Iran's rich history. During the revolution, the pattern of confrontations between the shah's security forces and the revolutionaries often played out in 40-day cycles.

"Neda" has become the face of Iranian rebellion in a culture in which martyrdom is a powerful weapon of the people. In 1979, protester deaths helped lead to the downfall of the Shah. As we wait for information and details to come out of Iran in the coming days, it's clear the story of "Neda" will continue to resonate.

 

-Sarah Parsons

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