There is a lot to be said why more than one month after the protests asking an end of four decades of oppression in the Islamic Republic of Iran do still have such a low and relatively distorted reflection into the German media. But for those really looking to understand what are the roots of discontent and why women are on the forefront of the protests, Golineh Atai published exactly one year ago a book featuring nine women from Iran, most of them unknown outside the borders of Iran - the most famous of them is Masih Alinejad who may not be everyone´s cup of tea but nevertheless she started a movement encouraging women to speak out against the government.
Born in Iran, Golineh Atai moved to Germany as a child, shortly after the religious establishment started its take over of power, economy and society in Iran.
The women movement in Iran has a longer history. Women like Sediqeh Dowlatabadi or Forough Farrokhzad opened the way to more acceptance towards women. Personalities like Nasrin Sotudeh or Shirin Ebadi and the many many unnamed women who refuses the hear to the rules made for them by greedy blood-thirsty clerics.
What is really disturbing reading the testimonies gathered in Iran. Die Freiheit ist weiblich is the terrible mistreatments ongoing in Iran prisons and the even more horrible barganinig with the corpses of people murdered in prison or during the protests. It is simply.
The book by Golineh Atai is eyes opening and helps to map the mental realm of the current protests. More and more people outside Iran should read such testimonies because it shows how resolute the women of Iran are to challenge a regime way too courted by Western governments and companies. The ongoing Iranian Revolution will definitely change more than a regime in Iran, it will redefine a better and more peaceful Middle East while pushing forward the Western democracies to restrain their appetite for friendly diplomatic lakeys of dictators.
