Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Persiankiwi is in Trouble

For those who have been following the twitter streams coming out of Iran, persiankiwi has been one of the lead sources of information since the election. So far his/her/their twitter stream has been infused with excitement, potential and hidden dangers, as if these were furtive dispatches in a Matrix like underground resistance, tapping in and out of the web to upload small bits and direct traffic towards some useful end. The violence was in the background and the message was of movement and hope.

And now this today. The blunt end of trauma. The last few hours in chronological order:

just in from Baharestan Sq - situation today is terrible - they beat the ppls like animals -

I see many ppl with broken arms/legs/heads - blood everywhere - pepper gas like war -

they were waiting for us - they all have guns and riot uniforms - it was like a mouse trap - ppl being shot like animals

saw 7/8 militia beating one woman with baton on ground - she had no defense nothing - #Iranelection sure that she is dead

so many ppl arrested - young & old - they take ppl away -

ppl run into alleys and militia standing there waiting - from 2 sides they attack ppl in middle of alleys

all shops was closed - nowhere to go - they follow ppls with helicopters - smoke and fire is everywhere

phone line was cut and we lost internet - #Iranelection - getting more difficult to log into net -

rumour they are tracking high use of phone lines to find internet users - must move from here now - #Iranelection

reports of street fighting in Vanak Sq, Tajrish sq, Azadi Sq - now - #Iranelection - Sea of Green - Allah Akbar

in Baharestan we saw militia with axe choping ppl like meat - blood everywhere - like butcher - Allah Akbar -

they catch ppl with mobile - so many killed today - so many injured - Allah Akbar - they take one of us

they pull away the dead into trucks - like factory - no human can do this - we beg Allah for save us -

Everybody is under arrest & cant move - Mousavi - Karroubi even rumour Khatami is in house guard

we must go - dont know when we can get internet - they take 1 of us, they will torture and get names - now we must move fast -

thank you ppls 4 supporting Sea of Green - pls remember always our martyrs - Allah Akbar - Allah Akbar - Allah Akbar

Allah - you are the creator of all and all must return to you - Allah Akbar -

The last line sounds like a bendiction. The tone has changed dramatically and if these reports are true, I fear that this a turning point in the revolution. Either the violence just caught up to persiankiwi, or the militia attacks on demonstrators have become much more dramatic. When a government decriminalizes and encourages civic violence towards members of its own population, the results can be horrifying beyond imagination. So far the protest movement tried to position itself as peaceful. But passive resistance only works in the end when the crowd has no stomach to continue the violence. Ghandi won in India because the British public could no longer stand the violence that was being perpetrated in its name. But when the ruling, armed, supporters of the government not only support the violence but actively participate in it, passive resistance will be met with more brutality as in Tibet.

There is enough evidence from reports on western platforms such as the BBC to indicate that there are preparations to step up the violence and use the five day extension granted to protest the election results to smash the resistance before Ahmadinejad is finally declared the winner.

Whatever the situation on the ground in Tehran, persiankiwi's reports ring with pathos and clarity. To emphasize just how far we are here in the West from what is happening in Tehran, take a look at PDN's photo of the day.

ed note: I have posted a proposal of how we could create a new platform to help weave together the many narratives that coming out of Tehran through social media. You can find it here.

72 comments:

nicole said...

I have been following Persiankiwi since last week, and I was thinking the same thing this morning. I think about this person(s) and what he/she/they are going through as I sit at my desk and ignore my work to follow the story. However, persiankiwi dropped off the grid a couple times last week and scared me, only to resurface with more hope and inspiration. I'm crossing my fingers that we hear more...

Aric Mayer said...

I am hoping too. The descriptions this morning are horrific.

Anonymous said...

Change_for_Iran hasn't posted in 3 days, and NextRevolution hasn't posted in 2.

Things are looking Bleak.

@StochasticLife

Unknown said...

"Allah - you are the creator of all and all must return to you - Allah Akbar -"

The source of this is the Arabic verse from the Qur'an: "Inna lillahi wa inna alayhi raji'un," "Verily, we are from Allah and verily to him we return." This is said when one is about to die or when one hears of someone's death.

It's not a good sign at all.

Anonymous said...

I am following PersianKiwi around a week. I am very worried about his/her/their luck. Fingers crossed. We are ALL green. We are ALL iranians.

jen + tommy said...

We send our prayers to persian kiwi and all the people of Iran. Join with us in a daily meditation for peace in Iran: http://tinyurl.com/iranpeace

Anonymous said...

I've been wondering if it was a person or a group for a while now. The second to last message would indicate it is a group and one of their members has been caught and the rest of them are having to hide quickly. Next to last one is thanks to the greater world and the final one I hope doesn't happen.

Ray said...

Been following persiankiwi for about a week aswell... Have to say that I appreciate our freedom (The Netherlands) more each day.. Be safe persiankiwi.

parthiban said...

i think it is just that the situation is worsening - other iranian bloggers i follow sound equally despondent -

what happened today at baharestan square was a complete change to what happened before -

lets not spread fear by suggesting that persiankiwi is in trouble - his last post was only four hours ago and it is very late at night there

Peter said...

"we must go - dont know when we can get internet"

Give them time.

Sunflower said...

mM sentiments are as others have already said....a number of ppl as mentioned have failed to return...courageous, focused and a connection to us all in some way...the regime again reveals itself as brutal and controlled. I quiet, sad, thoughtful and very much 'with' those who have put their personal freedom and potentially lives on the line. I will continue to do what I can, continue to invest in hope.

@verdadera2009 said...

I have been reading persiankiwis tweets as well..It MAY only mean the person/group is facing some trouble. Let's hope that is the case.

I think whatever will happen to persiankiwi, the Iranian people cannot be stopped or suppressed anymore. This is only going to end in the change of regime!!

Unknown said...

I really really hope he makes it! He and other guys/girls risking their lives like this deserve Pulitzer 2.0!

This grim atmosphere reminds me of the Fields of Death movie a bit...

TRC said...

NextRevolution had a similar string of ending comments. He/She said there was danger and he/she had to go. That was the last I heard for about a week...

Anonymous said...

Like many others, I can only hope for the safety of Persiankiwi and fellow strugglers. Holy Quran, Surah 85:10 49:12 8:58 5:8 16:125-128 - how can things have become so bad ?
My prayers are for the sea of green tonight. God Bless

Unknown said...

Also following for over a week, very very concerned.

Anonymous said...

NOTTHING TO WORRY ABOUT HE WILL BE BACK STROGER THAN BEFORE HE DOESNT KNOW WHAT HAPPEND TO ONE HIS FRIEND THATS WHY HE SAID THAT I WILL POST U GUYS ON NEW INFO

Unknown said...

I've be following him/her too. Noble souls all of them. I cannot take my mind away from what the People of Iran are going through. Our worries are laughable in comparison. May God keep them safe.

Unknown said...

It is a race and Khamenei knows it. Khamenei must get the protestors to quit before Qom decides to intervene. IMO, Khamenei is losing quite badly.

vdavisson said...

I too have been following PersianKiwi. May God bless him. Pray guys! Pray!

Jessica said...

Where is Change_for_Iran??

We must be able to do something?!

Ahmedi-bye-bye said...

Things are bleak in Iran, but those of us outside the country have to keep the stories and access alive. Even if the regime wins for now, the genie is out of the bottle and they will not be able to put it back with all the force in the world. Their days are numbered (Khamenei-bye-bye)

Anonymous said...

I've been following PersianKiwi for the last few days. I felt a chill go down my spine as I read his/her last few tweets. I hope he/she is safe.

Anonymous said...

I've been following PersianKiwi for the last few days. I felt a chill go down my spine as I read his/her last few tweets. I hope he/she is safe.

Anonymous said...

@TRC:

NR's last post is from 22nd of june, so not a week ;) At least he made it through saturday (last post bei cfi was posted ON saturday).

On the other hand NR's tweet sounded a bit strange to me. Not sure if it's fake or not.

David said...

I've never seen persiankiwi's face or heard their voice. I pray that one day I will get the opportunity to. Do not give up Twitter users. We've witnessed a truly remarkable transformation in our collective minds.

TOGETHER we have spread the word from the street,
TOGETHER we have DEMANDED greater media coverage of the traumatic minute by minute accounts,
TOGETHER we have assisted the needy with encryption methods for net connection,
TOGETHER we can ensure that the fallen are NEVER forgotten and the
TOGETHERNESS we have experienced moves forward into something that jumps international borders and allows us to say to all our political leaders that
TOGETHER we are strong and you will never take our human spirit.

Pray for peace!

Anonymous said...

oh and about PK: it's kinda strange that there are reports of extreme violence on twitter (cnn-phone call, axes, slaughter, blood everywhere, ambulance bringing injured to desert to die) and other reports of a rather "calm" rally. check http://bit.ly/7RbBz (nyt liveblog) - there are some comments about this.

this is really, really strange.

are the reports of violence propaganda (come on, nobody knows the twitterer)? or the reports about the "calm" rally today? (nobody knows the reporters, too) or did BOTH happen? (however)

kinda strange.

Anonymous said...

As all above have said...I am very worried about all the brave souls striving for freedom in a hostile, violent and cruel atmosphere. It will take time, and we will hear from them again. I feel this intuitively and have no rational reason for saying.
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear." Ambrose Redmoon

Anonymous said...

Been following Persiankiwi since last week as well. Been one of the few definitive sources I had to verify if something happened on the ground or not I also hope/pray to God/Allah that the remaining members are safe.

Bethus said...

I too have been following persiankiwi since early last week. This morning when I read her post "Everybody is under arrest & cant move" I wast frightened for her. I hope she & mousavi1388 are alright, just hiding out. I see all the @links are gone from her tweet-site. Either 1 on the info-net took them down or someone else did . . .

Jane From Sedona said...

There have been so few reports that were consistently of high quality. I really appreciated PersianKiwi. I too logged on this morning and watched in dismay as I began to see this stream. Others seemed to be posting notices regarding being tracked through their cell phones at about the same time these final notices were coming in. I'm hoping beyond hope to hear from her/him again.

Anonymous said...

The English left India only after it became more expensive to keep control of it than to leave it. If the Iranians are to succeed, they have to do more than rallies and protests. I hope they have a plan. Moussavi's FB page has been getting stranger.

I've been following PersianKiwi and Change_for_Iran. I hope they are safe.

Unknown said...

I echo many of my predecessor-bloggers... I too have been following PersianKiwi for a while and was disheartened by what I read coming through this morning, and now.. with no updates, even more so.

My heart is breaking for her/him and for all those who are fighting this good fight. It IS the good fight... PK and those like her/him are in the right.. they will triumph because of that. There will, unfortunately be many losses.. I can only hope that those losses do not discriminate and will be found on both sides.... I don't care if that makes me sound like a bad person.. I'm sorry if that offends someone... but I was raised to be peaceful until being peaceful failed. I am seeing where being passive has failed the protesters.. it is long past time to fight back.

My heart and my thoughts are with PK and the rest of the protesters in this time.

Birgit said...

I was deeply worried after reading those lines you've quoted. Some times afterwards I cried. Yet, I've also experienced that PK may come back. Hope is green.

Ambious said...

I too have been following him since the start of the revolution. My eyes tear and my heart breaks when I read his last tweets. I'm a 2nd generation holocaust survivor, and what's going on in Iran right now is the beginning of a holocaust. Except that this time, thanks to heroes like PersianKiwi, the world knows - and hopefuly, this time, we can help prevent it before it worsens.

Anonymous said...

PersianKiWi is my hero. I wish he/she/they are fine and come back.

Authorities are controling all phone calls with the outside world. They are also looking at cell phone usage patern and associations.

So I think people like PersianKiwi need to be a little more cautious and engage in a cat and mouse game with authorities and others.

They need to change their ID and reEnter the twitter world.

Hope to see PersianKiwi tomorrow.

enigma4ever said...

I too have followed him all since the start too..but he has gone missing before- but he always comes back,
BUT the thing that bothered me was the ending tweets today...that is what really worried me...

like it was a message...

I am following Iran on my blog- daily updates,
Watergate Summer ( Blogspot), and also am watergatesummer on Twitter, if you hear anything please let me know...

namaste...

may he be okay and all the others...

enigma4ever said...

Anony has been asking about is Violence stories "propaganda",,,,
Sadly NO...
I have been liveblogging it daily on watergate summer and I have been posting video, but the last 24 hours the video that came out was truly horrific-I am a RN- very though...this was some of the bloodiest and worst I have see of any situation.......
come to my blog I have some posted...as much as I could without making people ill...

in the videos alot of street signs have been removed so it is hard to always tell where what is what...

dr's on the street trying to tend wounded because the police have been arresting wounded at the hospitals..( I have video of the docs on the street trying to treat wounds)

blog is http://watergatesummer.blogspot.com/, and email is enigma4ever AT earthlink.net.

I am trying to be hopeful..but I also wonder if PK was trying to tell us something...time will tell..

but yes, there is pure brutality being dished out by the Undercover police and the Basiji and Much military on the streets and must terra at night with vandalism and property destruction and home invasions....more than 70 professors arrested, many journalists and others in the past 24 hours...
so the other possibily is that one of PK's allies or contacts got arrested and he has had to now go dark....and move somewhere...

Kara said...

PersianKiwi is one of the few people in all of this who I will retweet without getting independent confirmation.

Hopefully PersianKiwi is safe and by the time they find this things are more safe there. If so, to you we say thank you. Just as Neda provided a face to this, you have been providing the voice. Because of those two things, this is not just something we see on the evening news but something that is part of all of our worlds.

I usually end my emails with a quote so was going to do that with this comment too. Three of them came to mind and I could not choose between them:

"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive."
-- Thomas Jefferson

"Family isn't about whose blood you have. It's about who you care about."
-- Trey Parker and Matt Stone, 'South Park'

"If I fall, another will take my place, and another, and another."
"But your great cause!"
"This is my cause--Life! One life or a billion, it's all the same!"
"Then you make the sacrifice willingly. No fame. No armies or banners or cities to celebrate your name. You will die alone and unremarked and forgotten."
"This body is only a shell. You cannot touch me, you cannot harm me. I'm not afraid."
-- Delenn & Sebastian in 'Comes the Inquisitor', "Babylon 5"

erutcip said...

he has truly became a hero to outside world....

they torture and get names..including his family...

they forced Neda's family out of their home...

we are really worried...

time for guerrilla warfare

Anonymous said...

I have been following persiankiwi for about a week now.We all pray he/she/they are safe.And please all dont spead fear.Spread hope instead.They will be back when they can.Dont read too much into things and spread the histeria.

Unknown said...

I too have been following. Got very concerned when I saw the last post and time posted.

Hope for a miracle if it is not confirmed and if gone, will never be forgotten.

Unknown said...

You are a hero. Be well and be safe. You have the hearts of many and the prayers of all.

Marsha said...

I can't seem to watch anything except cable news and worry about the beautiful Iranian people. I wish we could help in someway but I know that's not in our best interest. My heart goes out to the people of Iran.

Anonymous said...

I have faith that persiankiwi is okay.

If you go further back into his tweets, you'll see that he has had internet problems recently. In the first case, his twitter account was hacked into and he had to spend a lot of time hacking into his own account. And most recently, he noted that his cable line had been cut and that it was getting more difficult to get and retain internet connection.

I know that many people are worried about him. I'm choosing to have faith.

Very worried about Change_For_Iran, however. His/her account has been eerily idle.

Gladie said...

Brutal. One week of this, we can't imagione their horror. We can only pray. Their God is our God. If we call him Allah og Gos, he's the same. and he's a good God. There must be a meaning of all this. It has to come something good out of this in the end. It has to. Our fellow tweeters (so many not heard from for a while) and their friends/fellow combaters - they are the true heroes. I hope - I KNOW - they will come out of this with strenght and freedom.

God bless you all. We're all Iraniasn right now, in our soul.

Anonymous said...

I have followed Persiankiwi from Sweden with my daughers, they are trying to do what they can do to alert all kinds of peaople on what's happening in Iran. I really hope for a miracle, saw a video posted by Irandoost on the killings of students, words are missing for what I feel of sorrow and anger towards those causing these massacres A mother and teacher from Sweden

Anonymous said...

Hi everyone, it´s me again. You know? Instead of moan, be more like PersianKiwi: DO SOMETHING. Bring down the fuckin iranian spy sites at http://www.pagereboot.com/ (point to domain, interval=1) After a while, that "information-is-the-coolest" went off (404-error).

Anonymous said...

change_for_iran came back today - conflict with basijis: beaten & wounded

Anonymous said...

Have you all signed the petition demanding UN intervention?

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/omidadvocatescom/

Anonymous said...

I just happened to select PK to follow. I had no idea what I was tapping into. The reports posted by PK pulled me into what has been happening in Iran.

I hope for the best for whomever PK is...we can all only hope to have such courage should the day come to take a stand.

Anonymous said...

just now on twitter - trustworthy source says persiankiwi is in a safe haven.

Tom Nakashima said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tom Nakashima said...

Thank God and God bless PK and everyone from the inside risking their lives to shine a light on the Truth.
So many lies, so much death and deceit no one can or will ever forget!

Aric Mayer said...

I am amazed and moved by the outpouring of compassion and support for the Iranian bloggers. So far today no reports from persiankiwi except for the above comment about the safe haven. I hope it's true.

Today I had a scheduled post on empathy and compassion in photojournalism, which will be a good read for another time.

What is missing in all the media that I am looking at is a big picture sense of what is going on in Tehran. That of course seems impossible, but still, there may be something that we can do to help.

I hope to have something together by midday.

Anonymous said...

I , too, pray she is safe. I was following their/His/her posts, and I am very grateful for those risking their lives to get information out of Iran.

We know that the government is cracking down very hard and that their are now many Gov Agents on Twitter and some have taken over the Twitter names of people they arrested.

So,my prayer , is that it truly is Change for Iran, and that they are BOTH safe and that their accounts have not been compromised like some other accounts.

Keeping positive and holding them all in prayer.
God Protect the people of Iran and may peace and freedom come to them soon.

BonnieH. said...

Aric, Thank you, I appreciate your moving, insightful post. Thank you for so poetically bearing witness to the full gravity of these last "tweets" by PersianKiwi. And we do hope PersianKiwi is in safe haven.

discontinued said...

I've been following PKiwi too since this whole debacle started. I am awed by his/her bravery in the face of brutality. I can only hope that the situation will end for the best, and that we can learn who is behind the profile. I would be very honoured to shake that hand.

enigma4ever said...

PK update on twitter one minute ago::::

sp4rrowh4wkRT @Fingertipnews: RT @iranfeed: Persian Kiwi is safe hiding and far from computer. #iranelection #greenREVOLUTION
less than a minute ago from web

ahhhh.

that is good news...

( btw come by http://watergatesummer.blogspot.com/,
I mention your blog in my latest Uprising post)
also I lived in the NW for many many years...always good to meet folks from up there...)

you can find me at watergatesummer on Twitter...

thanks for doing this...
we all were so worried...

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the beautiful tribute to PK. I always knew that PK was a voice I could RT without needing confirmation. Their/her final message was heart- breaking, I pray they made it to safety.

I too have noticed something strange about a few people who are posting. Their posts just do not sound the same. Use caution and good judgment when re-posting. The government is sly and cunning and trying to break the backs of the people.

Thank you for starting this blog and honoring PK and all the other Freedom Fighter.

May God, Allah, protect them and stop this violence against innocent people who just want their vote to count.
To peace, to freedom to all those who gave their lives!

rkburkhart said...

I hope PersianKiwi can show this blog to his children someday, and let them know how much he touched others and the courage he possesses. Allahu Akbar

Melissa Sutton said...

I have been following PersianKiwi since the beginning of this horror.
PersianKiwi and all the freedom loving people of Iran are in my prayers. Please know that there are millions of us around the world who truly care. We are inspired and awe-struck by your courage, bravery and your yearning to be free.

Anonymous said...

Friends, today the internet service in Tehran was severely restricted. Many of us were unable to connect with eachother until 1-2am Tehran time. While I do not know Persianwiki personally, and will not say where I am posting from, I hope that he is safe and taking a well deserved rest after his relentless effort to simply make a connection. Thank you for your concern for my brave fellow Iranian, keep following the posts, and pray that humanity will finally return to Iran. Dorood bar to ey Persianwiki aziz.

Anonymous said...

I have been following PK too. I have been worried sick because nothing now for long time. I pray and hope for their safety. God bless each and everyone of them.

Anonymous said...

PersianKiwi is on my mind 24/7. I have been following this brave Iranian since the election. The courage, hope and eloquency of the posts now haunt me. I vacillate between despair that something has happened to someone now considered family, and hope that our brave hero is in hiding and safe.

I welcome PersianKiwi to my home anytime. We live in the States but s/he is my sister/ brother in peace. My yoga practice is for PersianKiwi. Our church is now praying for PersianKiwi. My emails have tagline to bless PersianKiwi. My green balloons today are for PersianKiwi and other brave Iranians.

We are more alike than we are different. PersianKiwi has given us a human face to this conflict. I'm sure God/Allah is very proud of the courage and fight for humanity and peace.

"The Policy of Retaliation has Never Succeeded." - Gandhi

God bless PersianKiwi and our Brave Iranian brothers and sisters. Namaste.

Anonymous said...

My family prayed for @persiankiwi yesterday & @oxfordgirl has reported that @persiankiwi2 is the same person

Anonymous said...

I don´t know the people of persiankiwi, but I think the are true human and honest. I read their news for about one week and now I hope they are safe. I don´t trust persiankiwi2. I pray for persiankiwi, I am Christian, but the true God is for me in all religions the same. He is good and he wants the good, He likes freedom and the peoples choose. Please be safe.

Anonymous said...

There are MANY suspects on persiankiwi2, some ppl believe it´s a fake because of the language and expression differences (worth a look). Stay away from impostinatours!

In another news, some say the real PK is safe elsewhere. We need that to be confirmed. Crossed fingers and having faith (I am not believer, but I have hope). KEEP IT UP PERSIANKIWI!!!

my twitter: finckscl

Anonymous said...

I've been following persiankiwi for a week now. I'm convinced pk's a true human, telling the horrifying truth for the world to know.
I'm worried about her/him. Feel helpless, when all which you can do is just praying.

May god save pk!

enigma4ever said...

hey there,
my twitter is watergatesummer,

I am sorry to say that all day today the rumor has been that the kiwi has been arrested- I am trying to learn more and verify- please please send light to the kiwi, we need to figure this out

I have spent most of today trying to find him...

it's now after 1AM early sunday- I will let you know when I hear more.

enigma4ever said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Hello ppl, I am trying to invite oxfordgirl from Twitter to join this blog in order to shed some light about our fellow persiankiwi.

Please note some PK impostinatours trying to disinform -or mainly insult people. I mean "persiankiwie" and "persiankiwi2", among others.

By the way, just to tell I'm not a fake, I'm just a Chilean buddy who have a little notion of what democracy and human rights respect are intended for.

KEEP IT UP PERSIANKIWI!