Information society and civil society conference


Regional conference of civil society and information society held in Kish Island by Volunteer Actors Institute. Some of the participants from the Middle East country that have registered before for coming to the conference could not come to the conference because of finacial problems. But it seems that the conference can be a starting point to forming a network between NGOs in this region to continue this activity.
Civil society in Middle East is not too strong too follow events like this but ICT oppurtunities provide some ways to enter. One of them is forming virtual networking. Another point is civil society organizations have to increase their knowledge on information society and their considerations..I am writing an article about this issue…. I will publish it later.
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A dream, An interview and the other things.....

In recent days I could not write in my weblog. I was really busy. As I said before, the conference in Kish island in held by my NGO (Volunteer Actors) and we have to work hard even until midnight. Now I am working on our magazine for an especial issue about Information Society .We have prepare it .There are some interesting articles about ICT in it.
Last day Mr. Khosro Mansoorian who is a political activist announced me that the security services took him to answer some questions. He said that they began their questions with some points about the interview that had done by me a few weeks ago. It was about social problems in Iran and some consideration about the relation between government and people in Islamic regime. He said that for a man like him it is being a part of his life. Each 3 or 4 years like a circle they send him and his friends that think like him about politic (Religious- Nationalist group) to jail for some causes that they are never able to prove them at all.
He told me that at this time the curtains have fell down and game is open.
……………..
Last night, I dreamed that the law court requested me to attend a meeting for answering some questions. All the night I was answering questions about what am I doing in my private life ….and no one of the questions was about for example my articles and comments in newspapers that are published before. At the end of the dreaming they send me to the jail but they didn’t tell me what my charges are. When I woke up, the sun was appearing over the horizon and I really felt that a hand on my throat is disappeared. Woh….! What a bad dream! I was thinking about some of my friends that are still in jail and no one can help them. No one even president khatami that in these days has made some people angry about himself because of his reactions about political events especially after the murder of Zahra kazemi . No one believed that is was an accident. No one could cover this terrible murder but some of them are trying to do that. Unbelievable!

GO to wsis.irancsos .net

There is a conference about Information society in kish island at the beginning of Oct. follow me...

Youth in iran will change many things. This is a real fact. They do whatever they want even out of the norms that are advertising by government. ICT help them to express themselves more. this picture is taken by myself during a exhibition in Tehran....

Youth objection

As I had written before, a national conference on youth NGOs held in Tehran. .In the opening ceremony president Khatami came and talked about the role of youth in Iran today. Many of participants objected to the President Khatami. They said during these years hey have heard a lot about thing that he mentioned about it. During the meeting when Mr. Khatami said that they have done many things for women, a girl a the middle rows of the saloon screamed that you have done nothing .a few minutes later a boy ah the end of saloon between presidents speech said loudly president you only talk and don’t act. Please act instead of talking.
Khatami really understood that in this sphere can not talk like always…..he left the meeting soon before attending in a free tribune with NGO members.
I had a speech about the challenges and opportunities of Youth in Iran and especially Youth NGOs after that. It was very inflamed meeting. Young people were angry about the method of president talking in morning.
I tried to change the direction but it was not helpful. One of them noticed me that it’s better not to cover and hide this real objection as a journalist.
Anyway, it was a good workshop and we talked about many beneficial issues.
I felt that youth especially in far provinces are getting very radical about their requests and needs

Iran journalists strike in protest at Canadian's death, wider clampdownFri Aug 8, 2:16 PM ET


TEHRAN (AFP) - Hundreds of Iranian journalists downed tools in protest at a worsening clampdown on the pro-reform media and the death of an Iranian-Canadian journalist in custody here in still unexplained circumstances(Countined.....)

Last thursday in the ceremony of National day of Journalists, some of the chosen journalists in different parts withheld to receive their prizes and awards. They said "when some the journalist are at the prison how can we talk about the Journalists day? Isnt it tragic?" I will write about it more later.

My friend Kees from netherlands, has sent me a photo that he took in japan in tea ceremony. A japanese girl during the ceremony explain us some considerations about this ceremony. It was very interesting. Thanks kees!

I have got a cold seriously. I was home during weekend. Today I went to hospital....I slept more that 20 hours...I have a fever....Woh! What a bad day!

During these weeks I had more time to think about Life.I asked myself that what does it mean to me really? How all of my activities and efforts can make me happy and pleased? When I was in japan I thought about this subject a lot. I was really puzzled. Exploring the quality of life,and finding the importance of all phenomens such as family,friends, job, enjoyment, that we are involed with them, has become a big question that worry me especially when I am alone.
Friendship and the value of making love with people, between these issues have a large amount of importance. Imagine that for example you have a very excellent job,and have a very nice house and live in the best part of your city..but you can not fall in love with.....Woh....
But for making love it seems that we have to train and educate ourselfs....How can we continue? It is really necessary. ....lets talk more about it later
Do you have any comment?

Next week, will make me very busy. Youth NGOs National congress will hold in tuesday and I have invited to have speech about this issue. Beside there are many thing to do that make me wory....
Today I had a very interesting interview with Prof. Tabesh about the situation of Information Society and ICT in Iran. I think I will publish it in a newspaper. Now I can not tell which newspaper...because it is not safe to say...It can be closed ....

It was a terrible day for me. I was waiting to have a call from one of my freinds, But I never had a response.....Sometimes It seems that everything help something not to be happened.Woooooh...

Today I came to a restaurant with some of my freinds. We all were in iearn conference in japan. In this conference many of students and and teachers had attended . They talked about their projects together . iearn is the most efficient network all over the world or at least I believe so.

Iran Parliament Vote Provokes Opposition


TEHRAN, Iran - A vote by Iran's reformist-dominated parliament to join an international agreement on women's rights is provoking bitter denunciation from hard-line clerics. Over the weekend, dozens of clerics in the holy city of Qom held street protests on Friday and Saturday against parliament's vote in favor of Iran joining the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
The parliament approved the convention on July 23. The vote has to be endorsed by the unelected, hard-line controlled Guardian Council to become law. The council, which must approve all legislation before it becomes law, is likely to reject it.(Continued...)

Look at the Dr SOroosh letter in Gooya website.it is very interesting.

I had a bad day today.I had to do many things. Working on some article and edit them. Attending in 3 meeting and write on 3 report ...woh...... When Icame home I could only eat lunch and then take a nap. I have to be awake for afew hours after mid night.....Wohhhhhhhhhhhh.....

I am writti

Journalists Strike this friday!

As the media announced durind these days Iranian journalist will strike this friday (8th Aug).
They will taking refuge for 4 hours and put down their pen. The cause of this meeting is killing Zahra Kazemi who died strangely a few weeks ago. Journalists society say the answers about this murder is not convincing. Officails prefer to not talk more about this event that made them puzzled. It was realy scandal.

I could not write a word during 5 days ago, after I came back from japon. last day one of my friends suggested me to write about my short trip to japon....
I am not sure to do that....
Today Tehran is less hot than yesterday....
I had an email from kees from Holland. He is my new friend We met each other in iearn conference a few weeks ago....Hi kees!

A National congress about Youth NGOs will hold in Tehran in early few days. It seems that dealing with NGOs in IRAN is getting fashion. Like the same was in Europe in 80s decade.
I will write about it more later. So I have to go to work soon….There is a conference about Information society that is held by our NGO next month in Kish Island. You can register for in our website. .....at the present time we are working on it hard....

Letters & power



As the media area is getting more closed, Iranian in many levels write letter to high-ranking officials to express their ideas. In recent days it is very hard for newspapers to publish some news about internal events. In some events even they are forbidden to talk about something. For example near the anniversary of 18 tir (Student demonstration 4 years ago) .They say that it is because of national security. But peple hesitate to this decisions .they are in doubt in censorship for national security. They believe that covering the truth like what happened for Zahra KAzemi or keeping students or journalist in jail will really blot it.


More than 80 magazine are closed during 5 years


Akbar Ganji is in the jail for more than 3 years because his articles and notes in newspapers. Saeed Razavi Faghih has been arrested more than a month and many of students too.
Last week when I was in Japan they closed a magazine that I was its editor. Mr Golbaf went to the jail. He wrote a letter and said he has been under the pressure for months…..
Writing letters is continued but the ears are closed too. And it seems that democracy and freedom is going to have more expenses in Iran….
Ah!....

As a young man it seems that I have to spend all my youth in this worry and anxiety.
When does it come to end? When? No one knows.

Final chance for reformist and president khatami:
Why Zahra Kazemi killed and who did it?




Battle between political parties and power bands is going to critical points. As Some month ago during and after the war, Many of journalist believed that Iraq destructions is a part of program and Iran will be the next target. So it was clear that pay attention to Iran in international level, will have effect on internal transformations. With this fact, some of the political forces in Iran tried to be closer against the foreign pressure. Reformists and conservatives were in one side of playground. But after a few months it seems that it was wrong and the challenges between reformist and all people that are interested on democracy is deeper that was mentioned before. Killing Zahra Kazemi in the best sign for this pretension. This awful event shows that the line of reformist and the majority of people are separating completely form each other. Both of these are marshalling against each other and swords are on the clothes for starting the final attack.
Killing a journalist when every one in the political world is focusing to Iran, is only carelessness to a part of sovereignty that is called “government” and Mr khatami is its president and 78 percent of people voted to him for several. We can see how parts of political power-especially in non democratic institutions – neutralize all effort to make Iran out of foreign treats and solve the internal crisis’s.
It is really the war to protection the power. Conservatives know that the play of democratization in Iran will break the monopoly of power and economy that has been completely in there hand. At this time they have to show their power. Killing a journalist at the middle of a day, with no fear to be caught like what happened for Men that were involved in serial killing of writers and intellectuals 4 years ago, is a message for people and reformist. The message is:”listen! Power is in our hand. It makes no difference that how many votes are in your hands. We have the power. And this is the way ….try more and sees the results…”
But at the present time people are looking to mr khatamis reaction .what will he do? And what this event will go to the end? They remember the destiny of serial killing that was happened by some high-ranking agents of security ministry 4 years ago. Nothing recognized. And questions of people public opinion never answered.
This is the final chance for reformist and president khatami to show their honesty. Last chance. They have to answer the people all over the world.

I am writing e article about the destiny of internet censorship....its fun

Zahra Kazemi murder and why voteres are coming back?

today tehran is very hot. more than 41 c degree.Woh!!!!!!!!!

I was looking to to the picture of the newspapers that have been closed during 3 years :maore than 80 ....inconceivable!

look at this picture:what does it mean?

A murder & Islamic regime


Killing Zahra Kazemi, photo-journalist in recent days,is one the critical points in islamic regime. The reaction of iranian oficials at these days never convinced the people both in and out of Iran. The manner of killing is covered by some consideration. However,many of people say that this is a murder and government have to give a acceptable response. this awful event seems like a symbol to president khatami who came to the power with more than 78% votes....In the next comment Iwill talk about this point "Why this murder is a symbolic action?"

Bad News, Good News!


I was two weeks in Japan .There was a conference there. At the middle of this short trip, I received an email that was written by Miranda - BBC Reporter - that made me anxiety. She told me that "I have heard that you have been arrested and at the present time you are in the jail."
I wrote her "How did you understand this"...anyway, I was in Japan....but this kind of things has become a part of our life. Every day many journalist, intellectuals and political or social activists sleep with the fear of arresting tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. It means that writing about events is getting more hard and dangerous. When I was going back to Iran some friends of mine suggested me not to come back. But when some of the best people and many remarkable journalists are in the jail, what does it mean "don’t go back?"
However, I understand when someone goes to the jail never wants to comeback there. Never! Even going to foreign countries. I really understand when I read or hear their experiences during arresting and.....
But what will happen then? When these continuous fears go to the end? When this life change? When can we write in freedom society with less disturbing and concerning? I think it will happen soon. No one can believe that how it is possible? No one! There are some points that we can talk about it later. Sure!

Why?

Today I try to start writting about what is happenning in Iranian society. As a journalist that is invole in social actions and try to reflect the reality of changes and transformations in his society.There are some reasons for this. First of all,It seems that some part of reports about Iran and Its events are not near to reality.In some of them the reports and comments only reflect the opinions of the media od maybe the personal ideas of the authors...Second is the obstacles for gaining information about line of actions in political and social sphere...and so on. Lets start