Today we travelled to our next country namely Iran. Because this country is very diverse we decided to visit different cities. After a long journey we finally arrived in the city Tehran. But the arrival wasn’t as pleasant as we hoped for.
The streets were covered with shattered glass from the windows of several buildings and here and there we saw cars that had been set on fire.
We wondered what happened so went into a bar and asked the bartender if he could tell us something more about the situation.
He told us that the Iran’s opposition Green movement vowed to stage anti-government demonstrations every Tuesday.
But last Tuesday was very fierce. Youthful riot squads formed along Valiasr Street , Tehran’s central thoroughfare , a human barrier and forced pedestrians to run an intimidating gauntlet. Protestors chanting anti-government slogans were attacked.
We thought we hadn’t heard it right so we asked if he really said that children were used from the government to stop these protest.
Unfortunately we heard it right. He explained that Iran’s Islamic regime is now using “child soldiers” to suppress anti-government demonstrations. The youths are recruited from several areas , far from Tehran, and some are as young as 12. After the recruitment they’re being deployed in regular riot police roles. The troops aged between 14 and 16 are armed with batons , clubs and air guns to attack demonstrators who try to gather in Tehran. The children already comprise up to one-third of the total force. That Iran isn’t a political stable country is well-known but we never expected that the situation was so fierce.
We asked the bartender what the reason was for the fact that they now even use children to stop the protests. In his opinion they’re being used to ensure there’s a good ratio of government forces to protestors and because the average policeman in Tehran could have some kind of family connection to the people they have to beat up. It’s a classic tactic to bring people from outside , because they have no sense of sympathy for city dwellers.
We really became silent after his explanation. But we still wondered how the soldiers convince the children to take part in these hostilities or if they’re being forced. He told us that he didn’t know the real method but that some witnesses told him that they attract children by the promise of chelo kebab dinners , one of Iran’s national dishes.
The streets were covered with shattered glass from the windows of several buildings and here and there we saw cars that had been set on fire.
We wondered what happened so went into a bar and asked the bartender if he could tell us something more about the situation.
He told us that the Iran’s opposition Green movement vowed to stage anti-government demonstrations every Tuesday.
But last Tuesday was very fierce. Youthful riot squads formed along Valiasr Street , Tehran’s central thoroughfare , a human barrier and forced pedestrians to run an intimidating gauntlet. Protestors chanting anti-government slogans were attacked.
We thought we hadn’t heard it right so we asked if he really said that children were used from the government to stop these protest.
Unfortunately we heard it right. He explained that Iran’s Islamic regime is now using “child soldiers” to suppress anti-government demonstrations. The youths are recruited from several areas , far from Tehran, and some are as young as 12. After the recruitment they’re being deployed in regular riot police roles. The troops aged between 14 and 16 are armed with batons , clubs and air guns to attack demonstrators who try to gather in Tehran. The children already comprise up to one-third of the total force. That Iran isn’t a political stable country is well-known but we never expected that the situation was so fierce.
We asked the bartender what the reason was for the fact that they now even use children to stop the protests. In his opinion they’re being used to ensure there’s a good ratio of government forces to protestors and because the average policeman in Tehran could have some kind of family connection to the people they have to beat up. It’s a classic tactic to bring people from outside , because they have no sense of sympathy for city dwellers.
We really became silent after his explanation. But we still wondered how the soldiers convince the children to take part in these hostilities or if they’re being forced. He told us that he didn’t know the real method but that some witnesses told him that they attract children by the promise of chelo kebab dinners , one of Iran’s national dishes.
We were shocked after all this information. It’s terrible that they ask children to join in the first place but it’s very weak that they take advantage of the hunger and the ignorance of the youths. Also teenage boys are very keen to display violence.
So in our opinion it’s a real violation on the rights of the child to ask them to take part in these hostilities. It’s dangerous and children have to play and be lighthearted instead of beating people up.
We hope the situation soon ends and that the government realizes that this isn’t a good way to solve the problems.
One thing is sure , nobody of use wants to stay in Tehran. Tomorrow we’ll decide what our next stop will be.
Greetings,
So in our opinion it’s a real violation on the rights of the child to ask them to take part in these hostilities. It’s dangerous and children have to play and be lighthearted instead of beating people up.
We hope the situation soon ends and that the government realizes that this isn’t a good way to solve the problems.
One thing is sure , nobody of use wants to stay in Tehran. Tomorrow we’ll decide what our next stop will be.
Greetings,
Nelson
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten