General strike paralyzes northwestern Iran

SMCCDI:

Aug 7, 2005, 00:54

A general strike has started to paralyze, since this morning, the northwestern Iran. Cities, such as, Marivan, Bookan, Sardashat, Mahabad, Baneh, Saghez, Piranshahr, and Sannandaj are affected by the popular action.

Many governmental employees, local businessmen and farmers have refused to show up at their usual work. Threats made were not enough to dissuade a population exasperated by over two decades of dictatorship.

Iranian Kurds, Persians and Azaris who're living in the region, which is composed by the two provinces of Kurdistan and W. Azarbaijan, have given hand to hand and stayed home. The streets are empty and given up to the Islamic regime forces.

The population intend by this way to show the rejection of the Islamic regime and to protest against human rights abuses in Iran.

The call for this kind of Disobedience Movement was made by several groups and was especially echoed by several abroad based Persian satellite TV and radio networks. It follows over two weeks of unrest and violent clashes that have resulted in tens of deaths and injured.

The situation in the region is very tense and the Islamic regime has deployed unprecedented number of security forces and materials.