Student Movement Continuation of 1997 Movement
Dana Shahsavari-Roozonline
12 Jul 2006

Mehdi Aminzadeh, member of Daftar Tahkim Vahdat the largest student movement in Iran, has been formally deprived of continuing his university education. In his interview with Rooz, he reviews the student revolt that took place on July 8, 1999 and is commonly known as the 18 Tir revolt in Iran.
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Mehdi Aminzadeh, member of Daftar Tahkim Vahdat the largest student movement in Iran, has been formally deprived of continuing his university education. In his interview with Rooz, he reviews the student revolt that took place on July 8, 1999 and is commonly known as the 18 Tir revolt in Iran.
Rooz (R ): Can the 18 Tir movement be considered a launching point for the Iranian student movement?Mehdi Aminzadeh (MA): In general, I think that the 18 Tir student revolt was the continuation of the May 23, 1997 change that brought reformist Mohammad Khatami to the presidency. In 1997 Iranians called for changes such as reforming the political structure, freedom of press, and freedom of expression which the regime gradually suppressed. But two institutions continued their struggle: the press and the students. So the battle continued between the regime and the public and 18 Tir is where it culminated and brought lessons to the movement.
R: How have political groups and parties used this issue?MA: The right aimed at suppressing and crushing the movement. Reformers on the other hand responded in two ways. First their activities were aimed at helping the reformist government. For example they called for transferring the law enforcement leadership and command to the Ministry of the Interior. But subsequently, many reformers abandoned the student movement and left the students to themselves.
R: What is the lesson of 18 Tir for us today?MA: The events showed that the movement lacks a modern and powerful organization to advance its goals. Those were two golden days that were lost both to the students and to the reformers. The events showed that students did not have strategic perspective with a specific goal.
R: Political parties have been tried to infiltrate the student movement.MA: Yes. This has been an obstacle. Reform parties have always wanted the student movement to be following them so that they would devise the strategy for the students. But the student movement gradually became independent and in 2001 it launched the strategy of distancing itself from power. So today it is in a completely different position, which is closer to its natural point and where it should be. Now the movement must restructure itself. Now that it is separated from power (i.e. the regime) and does not participate in elections, it must have a new strategy. Regarding its identity too it must define that based on its own history and record. Its strategy must be part of the national strategy to defend freedom and democracy and its must have boundaries with the movements of the reformist and the hardliners. At the same time the student movement must not become narrow to be simply opportunistic but must remain focused on pursing the democratic demands of the people. Student activists who have dedicated their efforts to this goal continue to be in prison and behind bars these days. Others however who are the leaders of small groups are in the streets of the US and in their words are continuing the struggle through television and Voice of America. The US government, which itself unfortunately has a negative record human rights performance across the world, has surrounded itself with opportunists through its comical plan for spreading democracy. The student movement is against violations of human rights across the world and cannot be in the group that created the Abu Ghraib and Al Haditha disasters.