US derails efforts for democracy in Iran

US derails efforts for democracy in Iran

RAW STORYPublished: Monday March 13, 2006

Prominent activists inside Iran say President Bush's plan to spend tens of millions of dollars to promote democracy here is the kind of help they don't need, warning that mere announcement of the U.S. program endangers human rights advocates by tainting them as American agents, the WASHINGTON POST reports on Tuesday page ones, RAW STORY has learned. Excerpts:
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In a case that advocates fear is directly linked to Bush's announcement, the government has jailed two Iranians who traveled outside the country to attend what was billed as a series of workshops on human rights. Two others who attended were interrogated for three days.

The workshops, conducted by groups based in the United States, were held last April, but Iranian investigators did not summon the participants until last month, about the time the Bush administration announced plans to spend $85 million "to support the cause of freedom in Iran this year."

"We are under pressure here both from hard-liners in the judiciary and that stupid George Bush," human rights activist Emad Baghi said as he waited anxiously for his wife and daughter to emerge from interrogation last week. "When he says he wants to promote democracy in Iran, he gives money to these outside groups and we're in here suffering."

Activists here said the Bush initiative demonstrates the chasm that often separates those working inside Iran for greater freedoms — carefully calibrating their actions to nudge incremental changes in a hostile system — and the more strident approach of many Iranian exiles who often have the ear of Washington policy-makers.

FULL STORY NOW ONLINE AT THE POST