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Talk about Newsnight

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Wednesday, 17 January, 2007

  • Newsnight
  • 17 Jan 07, 06:19 PM

iranflag_203.jpgThe People's Mujahadeen and why they may be a bargaining chip in any current negotiations between Iran and Washington. Also: EU constitution comeback; and Bullywood.

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  • 1.
  • At 07:46 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • Brian Kelly wrote:

I bet the"Big Brother" Producers are cock- a -hoop with all this publicity...just what they needed for a show reportedly failing in the ratings which will/have now increased viewing numbers they can only dream of! .... many millions are still watching & about 15,000 complaining ... !work out the figures!
My viewpoint, looking at the snippets,which may not be a true reflection.... it's not overt racism, better described as a mixture of bullying , harrassment , abusively jealous & ignorant remarks by others, against a very beautiful ,wealthy & talented actress .....
Your'e find a similar, albeit younger, mix & situation in most of our playgrounds now & yesteryear.... it's a sad fact.... & colour certainly doesn't have to be the catalyst!

But i am surprised that this causes a so called international incident, "Big Brother" is a well known(minority) programme,and those that enter should be aware of the past content & likely participants...all there for publicity & money!

Maybe the other Prime Minister will learn a few hard facts of the real job.. whilst defending this programme, sorta brings one down to earth doesn't it Mr Brown!


(Watched "Undercover Mosques" a recent "Dispatches" programme... this ( filmed undercover) showed bigotry, racism, religeous hatred the whole mix hatefully espoused against all who are not Islamists...why don't the authourities get to grips with these( very dangerous) issues?)

  • 2.
  • At 10:33 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • doc bob wrote:

the online feed is still showing last night's programme and I'm nowhere near a tele!!!

  • 3.
  • At 10:36 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • hani wrote:

Big Brother/channel4 statement is a joke Not Overtly racist and thats the KEY word in statement Not "Overtly"
So what about Covertly????

On Monday night's episode, former S Club 7 star O'Meara reportedly suggested that Indians were thin because they were always ill as a result of undercooking their food.

Thats a racist remark!!!

  • 4.
  • At 10:53 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • jack wrote:

Your website says that news night is Live now. But since 22:34 to 22:53 I've been trying and I get your last program, yesturdays one. Could you please fix this.

Thanks.

  • 5.
  • At 11:16 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • azadeh wrote:

Programme on Iran and the Iranian resistance.

This was an imformative programme. I would however like to say that the MEK has not and is not likely to be used as a bargaining chip in any shape or form.

The MEK are an independent organisation who have resisted the fanatical theocratic regime in Iran. They have been fighting for freedom and democracy for the people of Iran and have never bowed to pressure by any organisation or government.

If the MEK managed to maintain their independence after being so severly bombed at the start of the Iraq war then I very much doubt that they will be 'used' by the West as a bargaining chip now.

  • 6.
  • At 11:18 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • Andrew Knight wrote:

I've not been watching Big Brother, because I can't imagine any fate worse than watching the programme, but from the clip shown on Newsnight the comments do not appear to be racist.

If any accusation can be levelled at the two "contestants" it should surely be a case of bullying, albeit, against an Asian woman.

I realise that the people on the programme are not selected for their intellect and quite probably for their ignorance but the comments I heard appear, to me at least, to be nothing more than stupidity.

This is just great publicity for an ailing format on a low quality television channel.

  • 7.
  • At 11:24 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • Ema wrote:

This country is WAY too PC nowadays! Why can't we all just stop being so sensitive! Spotted dick is now being called sticky richard by supermarkets!!! if people had talked about a white person on Big Bro fingering someones food, there wouldnt be an issue here! Nobody likes their food being fingered!

WERE SO PC THAT WERE BECOMING UN- PC...

Baa baa RAINBOW sheep?!!! And cheddar adverts are being banned...Noddy is getting taken off air because him and big ears sleep in the same bed...WINTER FESTIVAL instead of Christmas!!! Britain is losing its meaning and losing the plot.

  • 8.
  • At 11:28 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • David Smith wrote:

As someone who works in a comprehensive high school,and has to put up with, on a daily basis, the foul language that students seem to take as 'the norm' in any situation at school, from the playground to the classroom, I was interested that the conversation that took place between the two ignorant big brother
contestants deemed as racist, also contained the sort of language previously mentioned, but no-one seems too interested in this element of the program enough to make a fuss!

Is it just me?

  • 9.
  • At 11:29 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • Mariam wrote:

Dear Editor/ Jeremy

I have just watched your coverage of the Mojahedeen.I feel very disappointed with Newsnight. I found this to be most irrelevant, inconclusive (which I can understand), and misleading. At such a critical time and considering the current trend in Iranian politics and the events going onin the region, as an Iranian National I believe programs like this to be very unconstructive.

Not only have the Mojahedeen, no base whatsoever in the country, but the way the Americans, and whence some British bodies that will do anything to seem to be following suit, have been portraying them as an alternative for the country. Not only this group has no base I Iran, but its politics are one of the causes for the Iranian population not to want to have anything to do with Islam and its proponents.

This news about what happened in 1993 got to you far too late and it was frankly neither here nor there. All that it could have done was to give the Mojahedeen followers the false impression of being of importance, and indeed on the verge of gaining power.

I suggest you introduce some balance into such programs by interviewing ordinary Iranians who are, at any rate, more up-to-date with the current situation (and not really moved by or interested in with what happened in 1993 and the whole world heard about) and can redress any shortcomings or lack of perspective on the part of the British media as a whole.

Honestly Jeremy. You can do better.

  • 10.
  • At 11:29 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • wrote:

I agree that Shilpa should have expected this kind of thing to happen and, indeed, that the producers had such a scenario in mind when they selected the celebrities.

'Big Brother' has for some time now shown itself to be a kind of brothel where people prostitute themselves in order to create, resurrect or enhance a career as a celebrity.

Am I being racist if I suggest that Jade is in fact the main 'victim' in all of this? Shilpa's star is on the rise. Her talent, beauty and wit become ever more apparent whilst Jade, whose celebrity status, as Shilpa pointed out, derives merely from 'Big Brother' itself, finds herself scapegoated and stigmatised in tomorrow's tabloids.

The show is all too aptly named and its Orwellian resonances are becoming ever more apparent. Reminding us incessantly that we are all prostitutes.

  • 11.
  • At 11:35 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • Paul C wrote:

"Newsnight has uncovered an extraordinary letter written after the invasion of Iraq in 2003..." This letter has been the subject of discussion on several websites and blogs for some time and was reported in the US media early last year (for example see newsday.com "A missed opportunity with Iran" February 19th 2006, and later Washington Post.com "In 2003, U.S. Spurned Iran's Offer of Dialogue" June 18, 2006). Why has it apparently taken this long to register with Auntie? Whilst the full text of the letter may have only recently been obtained by Newsnight, surely this was a story worth reporting by the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ some considerable time ago?

  • 12.
  • At 11:40 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • wrote:

Forget Big Brother and the Mujahadeen. How many of us do the programme and the fighters actually affect?

Let's look at the European Constitution. Some lady that the Brits call "Angular Murkle" for some reason (Ang-ghΓ©l-la Mare-kl is much more accurate) is being depicted as the Vicked Vitch.

But hold on:

Only two countries actually had referenda. The good thing about a referendum is that all the people can vote. The bad thing is that they may find the constitutional issues far too complicated to grasp. We do, after all, have parliamentary democracy because our representatives tackle the complex issues for us, the electorate.

The whole EU Constitution issue has become something of a dog's dinner. We are a member of the Club of 27. Either we have club rules, or we get out and let those remaining squabble amongst themselves. But rules there must be. With due respect paid to the concept of subsidiarity. (Don't understand it? Well, your vote wouldn't have been worth much in a referendum, would it?)

This whole issue is too complex for a Newsnight quickie. So let's have several programmes explaining the pros and cons. Not necessarily Newsnight, but one of the other serious political programmes they do on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.

  • 13.
  • At 11:43 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • Liam Coughlan wrote:

It is depressing to see the Big Bother debate spill into Newsnight, but understandable, given its coverage in the news.

Channel 4 make money from sponsorship of this programme, frequent lenghty advertising breaks, premium rate phone calls by agitated viewers to evict housemates and pay per view revenue by those desperate enough to want to watch it on the internet. The greater the hullabaloo and fuss, the higher the interest and viewership and the higher their income.

This is a trend we also see on ITV. Shows that invite audience participation through phoning premium rate numbers are the staple of ITV and Channel 4, and offer an insight into the type of trash TV we can expect in the future from the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ if it is cast aside by the Govt.

  • 14.
  • At 11:46 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • Brenda Barclay wrote:

17 January 2007 - the day mass hysteria hit Britain (missed Great out deliberately)!.
We have become a nation of celebrity watchers and when people who are ignorant and un-educated can become millionaires and 'celebrities' simply because they are ignorant and un-educated (due to the fact that the ignorant and un-educated people of this country who work hard just to make ends meet MAKE these people millionaires and DON'T realise it) then THAT says more about this country than any perceived (rightly or wrongly) act of racism.

  • 15.
  • At 11:53 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • wrote:

The main matter here is that there is enough racial tension today for it to not be left at the door of the Big Brother house, it has simply been carried on from the street. Cause direct and frank conversation is not possible, the feelings for this are vented in more 'subtle' ways.

  • 16.
  • At 11:59 PM on 17 Jan 2007,
  • Laura Macleod wrote:

Tony Blair should ask Jade Goody where he is going wrong. He could learn a lot about his own people from her. He could learn how he should improve education; how we are culturally bereft and how he is so out of touch with grass roots England. All the problems in our society are in a nutshell in that BB house. No need to go around the world trying to fix it - lets start at home. As for Goody, she is ignorant (as Paxman put it tonight) but you know what, she is more honest about her state of being than most people and if we omitted her bad language and refined her speaking, gave her an education and put her in Westminster, the lot of them wouldn't stand a chance. I found Paxman so very haughty tonight when he said 'I hope people like this are not thought to be typical of white people'. How typically arrogant of this class of people that Paxman and Blair and the others represent in all their phony political correctness. By the way, Shipa Shetty represents the same class of people as Blair/Paxman etc in her own country - the Goody type in India wouldn't even be touched (they are called Untouchables in India). That politician on this evening's show was so WRONG about everything he said.

  • 17.
  • At 12:22 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Warren Boyce wrote:

I have watched all of the supposed 'racist' remarks on big brother and i have to say that they were not racist. I have also watched Shilpa bring culture and country as a reason for any dispute which occurs, for me this is not racism but somebody who is looking for racism. It is not being racist to say she is indian because she is, or what indians do whether right or wrong. My opinion is that it is nothing to do with race but just the fact that shilpa is very annoying and over the top whether she is happy or sad, never mind the fact she blatantly looks down her nose at some of the other contestants e.g. Jade and i can see why this would annoy anyone who is forced to live with it. There is a big difference between racism and commenting, shilpa has made many stereotypical comments on what she stereotypes as modern UK culture. why is this not broadcast across the globe as a 'racist' comment?? or better still why was the classic example of racism, jermaine calling jackie 'white trash' ignored and not headline news like the minor comments against shilpa were, i'l tell you why. Because shilpa has been attention seeking and looking for racism the minuite she walked in judging by her comments about is it her colour, or where she is from that people don't like her. my opinion is also that the majority of british people do not cry racism every time somebody stereotypes british people. unlike some asian communities, and how many of these hate preachers (Abu Izzadeen, Abu Hamza) which we see regularly in the newspapers who are living in our country are actually prosecuted for the hateful terrorist comments they announce here compared to the amount of accusations of racism british people get from the asian community??? somebody answer that one...

  • 18.
  • At 01:55 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Liam Coughlan wrote:

This is what Channel 4 have done. We are shown evidence that the Americans could have used the muhuajeen in Iraq as a bargaining tool to engage with an Iran that could have worked with the wrst to stop weaponising the wrong guys, verify Iranian claims about their nuclear programme, Cheney said NO and that was it. Blunfering incomptenxe. How many more died. Cheney said no,

  • 19.
  • At 02:43 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • vikingar wrote:

Ref hani #3

"On Monday night's episode, former S Club 7 star O'Meara reportedly suggested that Indians were thin because they were always ill as a result of undercooking their food ... That's a racist remark!!!"

INDIA:

Any possibility that body size on the subcontinent, could also be influenced by other health issues:

- poverty [1a]
- malnutrition [2a]
- sanitation [3a]
- poor hygiene standards [4a]
- health [5a]
- starvation [6a]
- nutrition [7a]

…. in a population of ONE BILLION people [8a]

Would highlighting such given those influences on the size of people in a mixed world country like India (part 1st world, mostly 2nd &3rd world) .... be RACIST ?

Or is it the context, manner & who asks the question?

BB HYGIENE:

For those who have watched it ...

Q. which contestant allegedly left a very large un flushable stool in the loo?

…errrr ….Shilpa *

* yep would be concerned about that contestants notion of hygiene leaving that thing floating in a house where everyone HAS to share everything, I mean if they cannot be bothered to flush, did they wash their hands (esp before food preparations)?

Q. which contestant advised a cooking time that would have undoubtedly left a chicken dangerously undercooked? **

…errrr ….Shilpa

** 45 mins when it then took 2 hours & then an extra 15+ mins (then found still undercooked) [9a]

Could BB not provide a kitchen poultry thermometer?

Some basics about germs, hands & illness (food poisoning & otherwise) [10a] [10b] [10c]

It's often stated that 80% of all free bar nuts are covered in faeces & urine & free mints have 12+ types of urine on them …uuurrgghhh

RACISM:

Lee Jasper [11a] a good example of vested interests in racial industry 'disharmony' - should try & find a stronger bandwagon that can support his self supportng mantra brand [11b]

Jasper said … ref BB …. "everyone found it racist" … did they Grasper?

NO … but they would recognise cultural & class differences between young women from different countries at different ends of the media/celeb industry expressed as ignorance, lack of subtlety, irritation, bitchiness & jealously.

Even if it were, Jasper et al, still don't want these things openly discussed & examined … they still think !!!!! (wrongly) that such is the preserve of their clique & ilk …. the societal 'thought police'.

Other guest, said there is today an increasing attempt to police norm, trying to create a notion of 'offence'

Totally agree.

Some accuse the right of creating a culture of fear (terrorism, reporting, crime)

The liberal left & usual suspects can equally be accused of trying to create a 'Culture of Offence' ***

*** according to political minority pressure groups agenda - 'right on' agenda, PC'ism & multiculturalism)

SUMMARY:

Having assisted a charity in India, those above issues are prevalent in that mixed society.

Having been brought up in the UK, can recognise 'bitchiness', ignorance & an media phenomena that relies on the shortcomings of contestants (celeb or otherwise) to provide 'entertainment'

Also able to spot the Usual Suspects trying to shore up a discredit notion of multiculturalism & it waning influence ref what we can & cannot do or say or think - esp given British race relations are in a poor state due to the mistakes & impositions of the left over the last 30-40 years :(

In the Army poor hygiene was tackled by a 'regimental bath' once experienced a detractor would not readily sin & lapse into stinky ways again.

Ref BB - some should rightly have a go at Jade for being an uneducated & uncultured loudmouth, also rightly have a go at a 'upper'? class preening 'princess' like Shilpa … who can't remember to flush :)

Lastly .... when is RACISM not RACISM?

- FACT … the FRENCH buy less toilets products than many European countries(less the British anyway)

- FACT … the FRENCH do regularly pee in the street (daylight, sober)

- FACT … the FRENCH mostly pee & poo in holes (poor excuse for a loo) [12a]

Should those who agree and/or who have experienced the above denounce & declare themselves RACIST & hand themselves into the nearest police station.

Lord knows what the FRENCH would burn in protest? … loo brushes … if they had any :)

vikingar

SOURCES:


[1a]
[2a]
[3a]
[4a]
[5a]
[6a]
[7a]
[8a]
[9a]
[9b]
[10a]
[11a] /health/conditions/foodpoisoning1.shtml
[11b]
[11c]
[12a]

  • 20.
  • At 05:40 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • wrote:

@ Post 16 "I found Paxman so very haughty tonight when he said 'I hope people like this are not thought to be typical of white people'. How typically arrogant of this class of people that Paxman and Blair and the others represent in all their phony political correctness."

What a load of rubbish! Jeremy was making a very fair point - the Big
Brother trio (Jade,Jo & Dani) certainly do NOT represent the British population! As for the racist remarks, I'm going to quote an article by India Knight, a journalist for The Times (NOTE the clip shown on Newsnight on Wednesday did not show all the remarks made, it was only a tiny segment, hence this article was chosen by me to reflect the activities of the Big Brother house):

"Hmmm.
Source:
Very interesting pair of posts below. I think we're all agreed that Danielle, Jade and Jo are, at best, unpleasant and mean. Is what they're doing racist? I really think it is. It's not deliberate, BNP-ish racism, but it is racism none the less - thick people's racism, to do with fear, ignorance and insecurity. In another context, it's the kind of low-level racism that makes otherwise intelligent, educated people make "jokes" about Jews being tight. Okay, so they're not putting on the jackboots and marching down Cable Street (oops, suddenly we're in 1936), but it doesn't mean that it's acceptable, or that it can be excused.
I have brown skin (I'm half Indian - the clue's in the name). If someone asked me if I lived in a shack, I'd be offended. If someone made remarks behind my back about eating with my hands, I'd be offended. If someone made fun of my accent, I'd be offended. If someone called me 'The Indian', I'd beat them up - but then I lack Shilpa's nice manners. If people went on, all the time, about how I was a 'dog' and a 'bitch' and either a 'f* Paki' or a 'f* c***', I would be beside myself. And that's to say nothing of constantly dissing my food.
Shilpa is midly annoying, though it's a kind of annoyingness - to do with being slightly imperious, mostly - that's very middle-class Indian, and (to me) very recognisable. Millions of Indian women have it. But, you know, the inmates are all mildly annoying - I mean, anyone who's ever been on CBB is mildly annoying. Why single her out?
I totally take the point that the coven are jealous of Shilpa, made insecure by her, probably troubled by the fact that she's speaking her second language (out of six, apparently) better than they speak their first, irritated by her looks. But. I still think that what those girls are doing is borne of racism. It's absolutely hideous."

  • 21.
  • At 06:16 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Hanif Leylabi wrote:

Programme on Iran and the Iranian resistance:

Why is it bizarre to imagine people volunteering to divorce for the cause they believe in when these same fighters are willing to martyr themselves?

The Mojahedin are desperate primarily for power and the Rajavis shall go to any lengths to achieve it.

  • 22.
  • At 08:19 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Laila Jazayeri wrote:

οΏΌ
οΏΌ
The truth is that the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran have become the focal point of hope for the Iranian people. All the key figures, the central committee members and the whole leadership of the organisation comprise of women! In what part of the world and which liberation movement have we seen such a unique phenomenon? The PMOI is indeed the most progressive organisation with their women in the forefront of women's equality movement against Islamic fundamentalism led by the mullahs in Iran.
The couple of ex-supporters of the PMOI who were interviewed by the program are well-known to the Iranians abroad. They are active members of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). Ann Singleton was recruited by MOIS in mid 90s. To continue the demonising campaign against the Iranian Opposition she travels to Iran on a regular basis to receive her boss’s latest instructions!! She has been seen in the most notorious prison in Iran called Evin Prison in Tehran, talking on a very friendly basis with the prison guards who are directly involved in the execution of the political prisoners, the PMOI members. The witness who saw Ann Singleton in Evin Prison is the former Labour MP, Mr Win Griffiths, who went to Tehran to visit two activists extradited to Iran in 2003. As an Iranian woman, a counsellor and a human rights activists I am proud to be a supporter of the PMOI and wish them the best. They have the key to real democratic change in Iran. The regime of fundamentalist mullahs is so threatened by them that they had even suggested to the West they would do everything the West wanted, in return for the PMOI members! As confirmed by the Newsnight producer, the regime had suggested to coalition forces, they would not interfere in Iraq, stop enrichment of uranium and stop supporting groups such as Hammas and Hezbollah if only the PMOI members were destroyed in the war. Unfortunately the coalition forces went ahead and bombarded camps of PMOI and in particular Camp Ashraf where most of PMOI members were based. The PMOI did not retaliate in return. They said that they had only one war and that was with the mullahs in Iran. So many of their members, mostly women died and wounded as a result of these bombardments. At the end the PMOI survived! and today the organisation is gaining achievements and successes day after day. Their last victory was the removal of unjust and unfair terror tag placed on them by the European Union in order to appease the mullahs in Iran. The judgement of Europe’s highest court, the European Court of Justice in favour of PMOI was indeed a great victory for JUSTICE.

  • 23.
  • At 08:40 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Charles Ferguson wrote:

Amazing programme from Maziar Bahari and Tim Whewell. Well done!
Charles Ferguson

  • 24.
  • At 08:57 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • chris wrote:

why have you censored my post? is it because I defend white working class culture?

  • 25.
  • At 09:15 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Laura Macleod wrote:

To Mistress 76UK

When was the last time you read the Sun? The Daily Mirror? The Daily Star?
The last time you were on the streets of any British city after 11.00pm on a Fri/Sat night?
Have you ever bothered to talk to your average working class Brit?
I doubt it.
The reason 'that trio' exists in the BB house is because they are typical of our society in BRITAIN and by the way, I have no problem with that - people on this site who are looking down on them are actually in denial about their own country's problems! If you have bothered to read my post carefully you would have seen that the answer to the problem is EDUCATION not denial born out of snobbery.

  • 26.
  • At 10:32 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • chris wrote:

why was my post censored? is it because we are allowed to say white but not brown?

supposing these three women were gypsies - could we call them stupid witches then??

it seems to me that the white working class is the ONLY culture that we are allowed to insult these days - oh, and american

  • 27.
  • At 10:33 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • chris wrote:

now the media is bullying the programme makers! we're all bullies, it just depends who is allowed to bully and who isn't - aren't some of our employment rules rather bullying to those who are unable to attain professional status?

it may be the end of Jade's career but it could be the making of the BNP, do non-whites not realise what racial tension they themselves are whipping up?

an asian man on BB's Big Mouth called jade an ugly pig and then said 'well, you can't call me racist!'

  • 28.
  • At 10:35 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • wrote:

The Iranian Communist MEK (MKO, PMOI, NCRI, Rajavi Cult, Pol Pot of Iran) has a long history of terrorism. In the 1970’s in Iran, the MEK murdered American military officers and Rockwell International employees. During the American hostage crisis, to show that the MEK is more anti-Western than the Islamic leaders, the MEK clamored for the murder of the American hostages at the American Embassy in Tehran. In 1991, these Saddam Hussein-supported terrorists committed major war atrocities against Kurdish and other Iraqi civilians. Around the world, the MEK has committed terrorist acts, even in New York City. While this Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ segment contained an interview with Congressman Bob Filner (Democrat-California and son of a Communist Party candidate for Congress), viewers need to know that hundreds of members of Congress (including Republicans) have supported the MEK or have accepted political campaign contributions from MEK supporters. While this segment was a good, brief introduction to the MEK, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ needs to go into more depth in future segments about the real reasons why many neo-conservatives (neo-Trotskyites), the Iran Policy Committee (staffed by a former CIA employee and former American military officers), and so many members of Congress have betrayed America by supporting this evil communist cult. Viewers can learn more about the MEK by reading Anne Singleton’s book, Saddam’s Private Army, available from Iran Interlink (https://www.iran-interlink.org).

  • 29.
  • At 11:07 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • vikingar wrote:

Excellent BB article about Racism, Contenstants, Shilpa et al in The Guardian by Germaine Greer

'Why does everyone hate me?' [1]

A reality check on hysteria

vikingar

SOURCES:

[1]

  • 30.
  • At 11:32 AM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • chris wrote:

Let me say there is racism/discrimination on all sides everywhere. I have Greek family name, was born here went to school was called names. I recently enquired about applying for an arts council funding and got a patronising reply "I should warn you there is extreme competition" followed by "kind Regards" I go to my doctor he is Asian and for some reason he likes Greeks and feels ok to diss the English to my face, last time as I recall, it was how bad and over paid the England footballers are - articulated with distain and resentment. I wonder how his English patients get treated the way he carries on.

By the way Im not Chris @ nos 24,26,27

  • 31.
  • At 12:36 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Ray Reza wrote:

Dear Jeremy
it is not only Dectators in power do commit horrific crimes against humanty MKO since it began started 1-with killings/murdering even its members who did not wanted to support MKO or just wanted to leave them.MKO has 2- hurmed Iranians from the beganing as it was used as pressure tool against the Shah by the USA and British thats why how it was used before 3- to Seprate Bahrine from Iran at the time of Shah by killings those Americans. 4-they also wanted to stop the celebration about Cyrus the Great Kingdom of 2500 years ago which was taken place in 1971 in Shiraz.5-They have been trained by the Plastinians-Arefat and later by Saddam and now wanted to be used by USA and god knows who is going to be next 6-how they have they have caused many young Iranians to be killed here or there in prisons or on the stupid dut is yet unfold many untold stories to come to surface in the future 7-horrific actions they have done to the members may be it lays in the backround of Mr Rajavi who has root in Tattar clan and Mrs Maryam Qujar Azedonlu who has root in the Turkisk Quajar King whom have mudered thousend of Iranians in the past yes there many more stroies about these too who have not root in Iran at all

  • 32.
  • At 02:18 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • vikingar wrote:

REMINDER:

In the UK, we have at least three great national institutions:
- Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
- NHS
- Military

Two recent announcements ref:
- the new Defence Academy * (pooling together different trade centres across the services) [1]
- Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Salford move from London [2]

Both decisions create new local jobs etc, impacting positively the local economy.

Both also cost jobs & impact negatively those local economies where existing centres are closed & personnel are moved/sacked.

Question: is New Labour:

1) trying to make it easier for an enemy to wipe out our then single biggest trg, learning & development assets in one strike

2) let alone dangers in loss of variety & expertise in numerous specialist sites versus bland style dumbing down (like risks of Comprehensive v Grammar schools).

SUMMARY:

Given the track record of this government esp regarding the NHS …. do I trust their competence not to negatively impact the other two great institutions, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ & the Military?

… a rather big sad NO :(

vikingar

SOURCES:

[1]
[2]

  • 33.
  • At 02:25 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Mandy wrote:

RE: Newsnight 17 Jan. programme on (People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI)

Many members of the Anglo-Iranian community are dissapointed about the above programme.

As you are aware many Iranians in exile are victims of the tyrannical regime of Iran. Many of their friends, and relatives who were members and supporters of the Mojahedin have been tortured and executed in Iran. So it was shocking for them to see that in your programme you portrayed the main Iranian Resistance, the PMOI so badly, in effect demonizing them. We belive that the programme was the Iranian regime's dream, come true.

Another question that comes to mind is that why would such a prestigious programme as Newsnight want to please the brutal mullahs of Iran at this time when mullahs president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is going ahead and threatening the world with a soon to be obtained nuclear bomb and terrorism especially in Iraq and the region? Especially that the Iranian regime has never stuck to any of its promises to the West and will never do so as terrorism and obtaining the nuclear bomb is its main strategy. Years of appeasing the Ayatollahs and trying to make deals with them has finally proved to most people to be fruitless. And it fact it has had the opposite effect of emboldening the Iranian regime to increase its destructive role in the region with a more ultra-conservative president.

Now that the European Court of Justice has ruled and annulled the listing of the PMOI surely the PMOI and the people of Iran must be recognised and the sacrifices they have made over the years whether it be their families, their lives ...be appreaciated.

I would like it if I or other members of the Anglo-Iranian community who have lost relatives to the regime (120.000 PMOI supporters executed) could also be interviewed in your programme to explain about the atrocities of the Iranian regime and how we have suffered.

We very much look forward to the day that people like Anne Singleton and her Iranian husband who travel freely to Iran, support the Iranian regime and have been seen to assist in Iran's most notorious 'Evin' prison (as seen by former MP Mr. Win Griffiths while visiting political prisoners in Iran) are not asked to comment about the Iranian opposition and spin the truth to the regime's favour.

Of course the Iranian people and their Resistance wants nothing more than to see free elections in Iran and it is only then that one can see how much support PMOI have in Iran. Whereas now due to the massive suppressive forces in Iran people can not show their support for the PMOI openly. It suffices to say that the PMOI is alive only and only due to support from its own people.

  • 34.
  • At 02:29 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • wrote:

Reality TV brings out the worst in us. Right now in California, a woman died of excess water drinking after a contest sponsored by KDND.

  • 35.
  • At 03:32 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Mandy wrote:

The listing of the PMOI was the result of the failed appeasement policy the West pursued with Iran.

During the Iraq war the coalition did in fact bomb the PMOI, Iran's main Resistance movement, but the PMOI did not fire a single bullet. The only enemy of the Iranian people and their Resistance is the brutal regime of Iran.

Then, although the Iranian regime had promised not to intefere in Iraq if the its main opposiiton the PMOI were bombed, it interfered anyway and extensively as we see it blatantly today.

The only reason PMOI are ok is that most people started to realise that a strong barrier to the spread of Islamic fundamentalism are the PMOI who have stood up to the Iranian regime for nearly 30 years. This is because the PMOI's ideology represent a democratic tolerant Islam. Many thousands of PMOI members and supporters have died in the pursuit of freedom for Iran nd they have had to give up so much and stay united in the deserts of Iraq without the possibility of family life in the hope that one day all Iranians can enjoy family life in a free and peaceful Iran.


  • 36.
  • At 03:58 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Mahvash wrote:

Dear Jeremy,

I wish I had a chance to write about the PMOI being used as bargaining chip. Unfortunately, I only have a few minutes.

All I could effectively say is that PMOI stand as a means for Iranians to reach democracy. Iranian people, both inside and out side Iran, will say the last word.

If Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ wishes to indulge in creating a balance presentation they should do better than discrediting a prestigious news time like News night, they will have to search for a better source.

Ann is only a pawn in the hand of Mullahs. They do not stand for enlightenment.

If we are to find a solution in the Middle East the Iranian Resistant in the form of Mojahedin should be taken seriously.

Incidentally, the court in Luxembourg exonerates Mojahedin.

  • 37.
  • At 04:42 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Mana Rahmani wrote:

I congratulate Maziar Bahari for being so brave to tackle the most difficult issues in Iran one after another. His films on Iraq and Iran give the best analyses of the situation in both countries. In last night's programme Bahari managed yet again to present a comprehensive picture of the terrorist organization MKO.

Bravo Maziar jaan!

Mana Rahmani

  • 38.
  • At 05:54 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • wrote:

very interesting program on the Mojahedin Khalq Organisation (MKO). a bargenning chip it could be but no more. in fact the problem for MKO is now the desprate situation of 3000 ageing people traped in the Camp Ashraf with no future. the Iranian govenment has clearly announced they will not pay a peny for them (not worth a peny after the fall of Saddam), the western countries refuse to accept them as refugees and the Iraqi govenment is to expel them any day.
I have also noticed the usual so called supporters of the terrorist cult (practically all over the world)have started as usual tactics of bloging with same IP and same patterns. I would appriciate any of these name if they could explain if they are still supporting the "armed struggle". if they have any comment about the past 25 years working for Saddam (massacaring Iraqi kurds)and if they have any commment on the issue of imprisonment, torture and killing of their own disaffected members in Iraq.

  • 39.
  • At 05:57 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Richard wrote:

Some people think the behaviour of Jade Guddy et al is simply an expression of ignorance.

Let us be clear that Bullying, Racism, Intolerance even Ignorance when displayed by a sound of mind adult and conscious human being is simply UNACCEPTABLE.

It is possible that people often drift into committing crime without really meaning to do so; as they will always have a neutralising mechanism to help explain their behaviours.

If ignorance was not a bad thing then we should release more than 80% of the prison population as the majority of them are in prison because a moment of ignorance made them to drift into the criminal path and happened to be convicted.

This society do not need that. No one is allowed to ignore the law.

Rich

  • 40.
  • At 07:35 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Arture wrote:

Thanks to Jeremy for showing us only some of the true face of MKO which Mafia should be trained by them
this Qajar lady with her Mongolian/Tattar husband are the most disgraceful Organisation
cult/murderer/hypocrite/ marksist Islamic/ dictators that Iran have ever seen.They are not from Iranian clan at all, Iranian are working hard to bring them to justice for the crime they have comited against their own members, Kurds and other Iranians.

  • 41.
  • At 07:40 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • karim wrote:

congradulation.
at least some one has come out with a bit of a truth.
it is a common knoledge that the MEK has been and is hated by the Iranians inside and outside Iran. in fact you can say they are hated by their own "one day" supporters. it was only two weeks ago when Mrs. Fariba Hastroodi one of their high ranking personalities in National Council of Resistance difected. she is not certainly the first one. MKO has admitted that thousands of its membrs have left. And in Iraq, out of 3800 who were arrested by the USA, about 800 have left of which over 350 have returen to Iran (taking advantage of the amnesty). it would have been good (if there was the time) for the producers to mention the situation of the people who have trusted Rajavi and he has sold them to Saddam (and now is trying it's best to sell them to some one else). it would have been good (if there was the time) to shed some light on the Humanitarian Aspetcs of this disasterouse terrorist cult. and it would have been good (if there was the time) to mention about the dirty deals between security services of Saddam and Rajavi behind the back of it's members who were following him for a better future for Iranians.
A very good program, clearly sheding light on the issue of "Using" what ever means to acheive aimes by people who sometimes forget they are dealling with human beings.

  • 42.
  • At 07:49 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Mass wrote:

thank you for the interesting program about Iran, US and the place of MEK in all these.
the crimes of Mojahedin and Saddam Hussein are no new news, but the concept of using remains of Saddam (let say wearing his dearty boots) is some things reminds you of using hamer to pean an apple. Use them in Iran? 3000 old men and women, hated for joining the enemy in the time of war? or using them in Iraq? after participating in the massacar of the Iraqi kurds (which the new president is one of them)? one should really be desprate. no wonder the Iranians are not willing to pay a peny for them (although before or during the fall of Saddam could have been different).
they say when you pick up the hammer, every problem looks like a nail. when you start with regim change, you end up siding with a terrorist cult!
if any one is intersted about the history of MEK and it's peresent situation www.iran-interlink.org could be a good starting point
thank evey producer of the program
yours
Mass

  • 43.
  • At 08:03 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Reza wrote:

I come from a family that has been a strong member of MKOI and lost a lot in their support and i think they can be the worst choice for freedom of Iran, they have no suport of Iranian specially since Forough-e Javidan attack on Iran, that was a result of the MKOI's leaders ignorance and savagery mind and it makes me wonderig how some people are still follow their dictatorship ?!

  • 44.
  • At 09:05 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • vikingar wrote:

Ref Richard #40

" ... No one is allowed to ignore the law … "

& no one should be allowed to misuse the law.

RACISM:

Ref my #19

Racism? … look to C4 Dispatched 'Undercover Mosque' [1] … that’s racism :(

Dare I say it how many people have watched this BB before uttering an opinion (not the politicians on the other side of the world or many regional journalists for one)

Better spent the time worrying about out & out pure RACISM in the guise of Islamic extremism & radicalisation in these shores [2]

AGENDAS:

The fact that the Usual Suspects are looking for REDS under the BEDS …. sorry RACISTS in the HOUSE, is very telling.

Under other circumstances, the ignorance, lack of education emanating from the lower & working class detractors in the house, would have these RIGHT ON believers, vying for compassion & tolerance.

But that’s the liberal left, lefty, right on, PC, thought police …. looking to create an self justifying CULTURE of OFFENCE, they cannot pass up opportunities.

Attempts to fuse notions of "Bullying, Racism, Intolerance even Ignorance" together so they are 'on par' with each other is simply wrong.

They have different causes & effects & do injustice to those affected by such *

* having been a victim myself of all 4 to varying extents

SUMMARY:

Suggest those who have an opinion of BB regarding racism actually watch enough footage to have a valid opinion (if they have a telly & access to C4)

In lieu of such do a bit of reading.

Excellent BB article about Racism, Contestants, Shilpa et al in The Guardian by Germaine Greer

'Why does everyone hate me?' [3]

A reality check on hysteria

vikingar

SOURCES:

[1]
[2]
[3]

  • 45.
  • At 09:33 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Parvin Haji wrote:

Fantastic documentary.

As a victim of the MEK, I am glad somebody is taking time to reveal the truth about an organization who destroyed the real democracy in Iran, and gave a chance and opportunity to the IRI for blood shed and absolute dictatorship. MEK are betrayal, liars, cruel, and not democractic who do not believe a minimum principle of democracy, which is when an individual makes his or her own decision. We strongly believe MEK has no support in Iran whatsoever, and we hope the western government does not make mistakes to choose MEK as the main opposition toward the Iranian governmentm because this choice will cause a result bloodshed, and makes the democracy een longer to be reached in Iran.

Looking forward to viewing more documentaries.

Thank you,

- Haji.

  • 46.
  • At 09:36 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • mitra wrote:

Dear bbc

Excuse me for not being able to name all the wonderful journalist and film makers who achieved such work. I am mailing from some European country but let me asure you of making a big support in Iran and Iranian every where in the world living in exile, hating Mojahedin in the spite of all their own critical view to Iranian government.
Mojahein are a failed terrorist organization, even worse turning to a sect. I am sure your administration have follow them carfully along the years, as a well known News Agency you have been knowned for a long, long time, at least since I was born.
I know the people you have interviewed, I believe in them, as experienced woman I am in this case.
All evidences were right.
Let me tell you the program was wonderful, touching still not completed. Perhaps mostly because the demension of the story and the limited time. I hope there would be more chance in future.
I also had a look to otherΒ΄s writing to you. I knew Mojahedin's net would be active( as usual ) to do something against it. Their attack against Ann Singletone was so unfair.

Your interwierΒ΄s way to MojahedinΒ΄s man Safavi made him to tell a big part of hideous truth by himself

  • 47.
  • At 09:54 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Zahra wrote:

actually I saw the debate through inter net in Iran. We are not pro government but also hate Mojahedin. They destroyed my belovedΒ΄s life. They took away her children from her to strengers. I think you had lost this part. Using children in a very strange way. They were beaten and raped by the foster families. Passing the early childhood they were return back in force or cheating ( as a trip to meet their parents and so ) to Iraqi desert. many number of them comitted suicide or dead in myterious car crash and so.
We thank you for the rest of the program, making us aware of the letters and other part of the documents.
For security I am ysing my belovedΒ΄s email adress

  • 48.
  • At 10:27 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • shahab wrote:

To people who run newsnight

I saw your program january17h, here in Europe. Certainly it was very strong breaking news. Absolutely valid by the viwer who know enough about Mojahedin. The moving picture from their notourious camp in Iraq was really strange from an old fashion type, prejidos as they are. Though not strange, for most hypocrite they are. Any way it was bitterly funny to see their men dancing with hot, tight leather pants! It could be a show for a show! to try to convince of some change, which has never happened. As they used to say to their members, without the violence all bricks of the whole foundation would be collapsed. The power should avoid to make another Hilter or Sadam Hossein! as they did.

  • 49.
  • At 10:33 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Laila wrote:


Dear Mr Whewell,
I was disappointed to view your program about the PMOI and your interviews with members of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security. Calling members of the PMOI a cult or fanatic! sounds very contradictory with the fact that the same organisation has women taking over all the responsible positions and leadership of a liberation movement. What a fanatic organisation indeed!!
The truth is that the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran have become the focal point of hope for the Iranian people. All the key figures, the central committee and the whole leadership of the organisation comprise of women! In what part of the world and which liberation movement have we seen such a unique phenomenon? The PMOI is indeed the most progressive organisation with their women in forefront of equality movement against Islamic fundamentalism led by the mullahs in Iran.
The couple of ex-supporters of the PMOI who were interviewed by the program are well-known to the Iranians abroad. They are active members of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). Ann Singleton was recruited by MOIS in mid 90s. To continue the demonising campaign against the Iranian Opposition she travels to Iran on a regular basis to receive her boss’s latest instructions!! She has been seen in the most notorious prison in Iran called Evin Prison in Tehran, talking on a very friendly basis with the prison guards who are directly involved in the execution of the political prisoners, the PMOI members. The witness who saw Ann Singleton in Evin Prison is the former Labour MP, Mr Win Griffiths, who went to Tehran to visit two activists extradited to Iran in 2003. As an Iranian woman, a counsellor and a human rights activists I am proud to be a supporter of the PMOI and wish them the best. They have the key to real democratic change in Iran. The regime of fundamentalist mullahs is so threatened by them that they had even suggested that they would do everything the West wanted, in return for the PMOI members! As confirmed by the Newsnight producer, the regime had suggested to coalition forces, they would not interfere in Iraq, stop enrichment of uranium and stop supporting groups such as Hammas and Hezbollah if only the PMOI members were destroyed in the war. Unfortunately the coalition forces went ahead and bombarded the Camp Ashraf where the PMOI was based. The PMOI did not retaliate in return. They said that they had only one war and that was with the mullahs in Iran. So many of their members, mostly women died and wounded as a result of these bombardments. At the end the PMOI survived! and today is gaining achievements and successes day after day. Their last victory was the removal of unjust and unfair terror tag placed on them by the European Union in order to appease the mullahs in Iran. The judgement of Europe’s highest court, the European Court of Justice in favour of PMOI was indeed a great victory for JUSTICE.
Have you not asked the majority members of the House of Commons and over 160 Peers from all parties, why on earth they support such a cult group! Big names such as Lord Slynn of Hadley, Lord Waddington and many former cabinet ministers who have put their name in support of the PMOI?
I do hope that according to all journalistic regulations and principles, you will also give the Mojahedin side equal chance and interview them properly, a fair chance to respond to all the allegations made against them in your program.

  • 50.
  • At 10:36 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Hamid Irani wrote:

Dear editor,

Impartial reporting; yeah right!

Your β€investigativeβ€ piece on the Iranian Resistance was just a rehash of false accusations conjured up by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) to demonise the group which poses the gravest threat to the regime.

Your description of the PMOI is simply libellous.

What is striking is that your β€investigativeβ€ journalists fail to interview even a single member of the PMOI, yet the report says that you interviewed many ex-PMOI members.

You claim that the group tortured former members to prevent them from leaving. I know dozens of ex-members living in the UK who chose to leave the ranks of the Resistance to take up a less strenuous lifestyle. Virtually all of them continue to actively and passionately support the PMOI since they know that this group is the ideological anti-thesis to the mullahs ruling Iran. (The group’s leadership council is comprised entirely of women.)

  • 51.
  • At 11:02 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Omid K wrote:


I am writing to you to give my comment about Wednesday NEWSNIGHT program on Iran.

I was deeply appalled by the suggestion that was made in this report that the West must sacrifice the democratic Iranian opposition in order to appease the fundamentalist regime in Iran.

How a serious program like NEWSNIGHT could broadcast such a disturbing report. The Iranian community in Britain is sick and tired to see the constant siding of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ with the Iranian regime against its democratic opposition.

How you dare to propose such an inhuman proposition as to use the Iranian opposition as a bargaining chip to please the Iranian fanatical regime.

I call on your sense of fairness to correct this fault and give a chance of reply to the Iranian Mojahedin.

  • 52.
  • At 11:18 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Omar wrote:

A thoroughly disappointing piece on the PMOI and Iranian Resistance. Your footage and commentary was selective, misleading and regrettably endemic of the treatment meted to the Iranian opposition by the western media. Ultimately, this will prove irrelevant as it is the Iranian people who will decide their fate and there is absolutely no question as to the groups support both within Iran and amongst the exile community. For any doubters, the fact that the Iranian regime so desperately attempts to destroy this movement is indicative of the groups support. Indeed, why else would they persist to spend such vast sums and time on demonizing this group?

  • 53.
  • At 11:19 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Davood Kiani wrote:

Re: People’s Mojahedin

I feel most sorry for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, when they fail to tell the truth to their viewers. It does not change the true democratic nature of the Mojahedin, just because Mr Paxman chooses to introduce them as a β€fanatical groupβ€, the truth will always emerge in the end.

The Mojahedin were founded in 1965 by three brave students, who thought of organising themselves to stand up to Shah’s brutal tyranny. Shah executed all three founders in 1971, but their sacrifice had paved the way for the people of Iran to struggle four more decades for achieving democracy in their country.
The Mojahedin founders based their ideology on the true message of Islam and contrary to the fundamentalists they said: the line between good and evil is not drawn between those who believe in god and those who don’t, it goes between the suppressed people and those who suppress them.
This simple message formed the core of all actions by the Mojahedin in all years to come.
More than 120.000 Mojahedin members and sympathisers have fallen over the years, defending the rights of their people.

Today, when the Mullahs clearly pose the most dangerous threat to the world community, one needs to be very brave and extremely devoted and determined to be able to resist it. Even the Americans didn’t manage to handle this after four years of close presence in the neighbouring Iraq and Afghanistan.

So it shouldn’t be a big surprise that as the programme ironically admits, the Mojahedin are on top of all the concerns of the Iranian regime, above the nuclear programme, above dominating Iraq and supporting terrorists in Lebanon and Palestine.
Why would the regime make so much effort if the Mojahedin were only some 4000 abandoned people in a camp Iraq with no grassroots support in Iran? It simply doesn’t make sense.

To measure how well the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has pleased the Mullahs in Iran, one can look at the comments of well know agents of the regime like Massoud Khodabandeh feeling to β€thank every producer of the programβ€ and Karim Haghi calling it a β€very good programβ€.

For more info about the background of the Iranian regime’s agents and their tactics, one can visit the iranterror.com website.

Regards,
Davood

  • 54.
  • At 11:27 PM on 18 Jan 2007,
  • Hoda wrote:


As victims of the IRANIAN REGIME we Iranian say well done to the MEK/PMOI for staying true to their word and fighting the fundementalist regime in Iran.

They have never bowed to International pressure for the sake of their short term interest unlike the Iranian regime and we congratulate them for staying true to their word and for staying true to the Iranian people!!!!

Long live PMOI!!

Down with the fundementalist regime!!

  • 55.
  • At 12:21 AM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Mariam wrote:

OK, Mojahedeen followers, it seems that this trend is still continuing.

So can you answer the following two questions, if only for the sake of NewsNight producers and watchers:

1- Why did you join in with Saddam to invade Iran?

2- Why did the ex-husband of your leader Mariam have to divorce her so she could marry Masoud and they (Mariam ad Masoud) could only then do political work together closely?

And, please don’t give us the usual answer that such matters are not for you to answer and it is only your leaders who can explain the merits such policies.

  • 56.
  • At 01:24 AM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Richard wrote:

Ref Vickingar # 44
Thanks for patrolling this forum with the only intention of deploying your 'enlightened discourses'.

However, since it looks apparent that your motives are dictated by a 'Western rationalism' I will not be wrong to think that you have a high estim and belief of your 'knowledge' of the world's problems.

For this reason, you may be right to patrol this forum in order to 'rationalise' the debate, but, you may also fail to give enough time and estim to what others are suggesting.

It happened that I am not worried about knowing the difference between racism, bullying and ignorance since you have supported my position by expressing that: "They have different causes & effects & do injustice to those affected by such *

No matter where it comes from, INJUSTICE is a bad thing. Therefore, it should be denounced.

It takes one to be on the receiving end of INJUSTICE for one to feel its sad effects.

I am not defending any one from the BB show, but I am thinking that no one who claims to be a role model should favour administarting INJUSTICE; let alone the use of undignifying and vulgar languages.

Rich

  • 57.
  • At 02:22 AM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • jale wrote:

Dear Jeremy
we like to thank you for the program about the MKO you do not have to go too far to find out how aggressive/lair and undemocratic are these MKO's just look at their accusations that they make everbody belongs to Islamic Regim and Islamic regim did the same thing to anybody who wanted a little bit of democracy
these too Islamic group one in power one dreams about gaining the power have destroyed millions of normal Iranian lives is'n it a disaster for us to wach how we are killed by them
MKO have sent many young people to be killed just they can gain the power what the hell they think Iranian notlearnt their lesssons or stupid to understand what these Islamists are doing to them MKO have caused many to be killed/imprisonedor tortured if they can not understand responsiblity for the crimes they have made for the Mafia actions they have done to their members and their families even at this very moment that many parent have been deprived of seeing or hearing about their loved one who are in the hands of these Tattaric/babaric minded commanders forthe last 28 years now why MKO afarid of families to visit their loved one who are like the prisoners in the MKO's camps how could they lai to cover up inhuman actions they have made just to the familys of the members acusing every body to be Islamic regim is another cover up of the order of killings/murdering/burning ..that they are responsible for such an order who said democracy will be acheived in such a maner to do crimes and the hide behinde the poor victomes many prisoners never got a chance to send the messege it is too late to learn this MKO was the real dictator who played a game with us the life of such a groups in power or to dream about that is short but will cry so hard for the ones that never had a chance to see freedom to tell what was behinde the curtones of MKO traind killers

  • 58.
  • At 02:30 AM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • vikingar wrote:

A repost from another thread

RACIST?

"Ms Goody's mother Jackiey Budden, who was also a contestant on the show but was evicted last week, said: "Jade has never been racist, she is mixed race herself and suffered racist abuse as a youngster" [1]

Now that is an interesting development.

I wonder if Jaes parental mix (details please) will appease those looking to exploit the racist story here (when there is none).

vikingar

SOURCES:

[1]

  • 59.
  • At 03:10 AM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Mohammad wrote:

Neawsnight report about the People's Mojahedin organisation of Iran (PMOI) was the most disgusting, one sided (in support of terrorist regime in Iran), full of lies and heredsays that I have ever had the misfortune of watching. If the producers, reporters and any one involved in making of this so called report ever doubted how one sided and unballanced it was, all they have to do is read the comments posted in support of your programe. You will see from these comments that all the supporters of mullah's terrorist regime and agents of it's inteligence ministry (like those 3 you interviwed on your programme, i.e: singleton and her husband and the other one)have written comments praising your report. Whereas all those (including myself) who support freedom, democracy and in two words Iranian Resistane and in particular Mojahedin Khalq (PMOI)have complained bitterly about the nature of this piece of trash you call investigative journalism. It is well known among the Iranian exiles community in Britain that Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is very much in support of status que in Iran and very appeasing of mullas regime in Iran. Newsnight being no exception.
Ofcourse you can appease any tyranical regime you want, after all Britain is still a democracy. But one thing you can not do and we will not allow you to do is to appease the terrorist regime in Iran at the expense of it's ligitimate, vastley supported Iranian resistance led By Mrs Maryam Rajavi and in particular PMOI. There is no need for me to say any thing more in defence of Mojahedin Khalq except only to point to their history which shows how they have dedicated and sacrifised every thing for nearly half century to bring about freedom, democracy and human rights for Iranian people.
Iranian people and their Resistance led by Mr Massoud Rajavi and Mrs Maryam Rajavi will throw out mullahs despotic regime and with it their agents and apeasers to the dustbin of history as they did the shah's dictatorial regime. on this I have no doubt what so ever.

  • 60.
  • At 07:07 AM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • sobhani wrote:

Heloo
I liko to thank you for the progeramm about MKO.
MKO have sent many young people to be killed just they can gain the power what the hell they think Iranian notlearnt their lesssons or stupid to understand what these Islamists are doing to them MKO have caused many to be killed ...
Thank you
sobhani
³±π°ω³Ύ²Ή²Τ²β-°­Γ¶±τ²Τ

  • 61.
  • At 09:26 AM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Hanif wrote:

Dear sirs,
Once again, Ayatollah Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ bats another one for the mullahs ruling Iran.
As can be expected of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, with its background in vilifying the Mojahedin, the report offers interviews with Iranian intelligence agents claiming to be former members of the group and yet finds it unnecessary to shed light on the fact that 120,000 members of the Mojahedin have been executed by the medieval mullahs for their belief in freedom. How disgusting. By describing the Mojahedin as β€traitorsβ€ the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has in fact betrayed the noble profession of impartial journalism. Despite

  • 62.
  • At 09:57 AM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • noemi wrote:

I write in respect of your lengthy piece on Wednesday concerning the main opposition to the Iranian regime, the PMOI.

Although I welcome the fact that Newsnight should cover the activities of the PMOI, which, was clearly shown by the piece to be a major force, the coverage was regrettably imbalanced and involved the airing of serious allegations against the organisation without it being given an opportunity to respond. However, what was even more concerning was that Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Newsnight should advocate a war crime!

In a nutshell, the story was that following the beginning of the war in Iraq the Iranian regime had offered to do a deal with the US in respect of Iran's support for terrorism and nuclear weapons programme, in exchange for the repatriation to Iran of thousands of Iranian dissidents from the PMOI, who were based in Iraq. Were this deal to have been done, there is no doubt that these thousands of people would have been imprisoned, severely tortured and in all likelihood slaughtered. The piece itself described how thousands of PMOI members and sympathisers had been executed by the Iranian regime. Yet, Newsnight described the failure of the US to do such a deal as 'regrettable'.

This is most concerning and really does require urgent investigation and correction. Critical reporting is one thing, but to advocate a war crime does, very considerably, cross the red line, especially when the piece alluded to the fact that the PMOI are β€protected persons’ under the Fourth Geneva Convention.

  • 63.
  • At 10:08 AM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Nahid wrote:

This is just pathetic! When the likes of Sobhani are posting messages on this board, no doubt freedom loving Iranians such as myself may as well wait directly for a congratulatory e-mail from the Iranian Embassy in London!!!

  • 64.
  • At 10:40 AM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • h. mirmohammadi wrote:

Dear Newsnight Editor

I was absolutely shocked to see your biased and one-sided programme about Iran's main opposition movement and could not believe that a prestigous programme like newsnight could broadcast such a thrash as investigative journalism.

I just wanted to say that PMOI and Iranian people will undoubtedly overthrow the religous terrorist dictatorship of the mullahs and these hopeless efforts by the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and advocates of appeasement is not going to work any more. This is a movement that after the execution of tens of thousands of its members, is still a sharp dagger in the side of the mullahs. So Mr. Whewell if you don't like it, tough lock!


  • 65.
  • At 10:41 AM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Davood Kiani wrote:

Mojahedin were offered to share power with Khomeini in the early days after the revolution. They refused, since hey had a slight difference with Khomeini.
Khomeini wanted the absolute control of the supreme clergy; Mojahedin said the power must be given to a democratically elected parliament and government.
If the Mojahedin were only after power, they could have accepted to become part of the Mullahs’ system in Iran. They did not, because they put the freedom of opinion and expression above everything else; and they paid a heavy price with more than 120.000 lives for insisting in it.

If the Mojahedin all accept to forego familial life – which is do doubt the most difficult thing for a human being to do - just to be able to continue their struggle, it’s only a credit to their claim that they haven’t spared any sacrifice in their attempt to establish democracy in their country.
I salute them for their unprecedented courage, braveness, determination and compassion to their people; and I wish them all the best in their noble fight for democracy in Iran.

Regards,
Davood

  • 66.
  • At 11:58 AM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Bill Wilt wrote:

Re: Tim Whewell's discovery of a 2003 letter from Tehran to the US? about assistance to the US after the Iinvasion of Iraq--

Where/how can I get at least the audio, or the transcript, of that report?

I heard it on WBUR, in Boston, as I was half napping, half reading (about the Bush Dynasty, in fact).

I thought I heard something about the letter going to our President, Darth "Whispers" Cheney, who turned down the offer.

At the end of breakfast (which usually comes much sooner than "at the end of the day," the US's new hackneyed time-wasting phrase, replacing "at that point in time," "at some point in time," "at this point in time"--like, "now"?)--anyway, as I started to say before side-tracking myself, "at the end of breakfast," all of Cheney's little activities, from the oil-barons' partitioning of the Iraq "oilpatches" mere weeks after his Jan. 2001 swearing-in, to the lies that sent our troops into Iraq, will be revealed Hopefully, soon enough that he and our VP, George "Shrub" Bush can be impeached.

By the bye, on www.JudicialWatch.org are a copy of the map itself and an accompanying "candidates list" which Judicial Watch and the Natural Resources Defense Council pried loose from Cheney's cold, live hands in a series of lawsuits. (Actually, they got them from other gov't agencies who were also at the oil talks and could not dodge our Freedom of Information statute--a law our current Cheney/Bush administration has done its best to gut, yank the teeth from, kneecap and otherwise render dead or wounded. Very much consistent w/ their concern for our (and your) soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq (and soon in Iran--remember how the US "slipped" into Cambodia--oops-- during the Vietnam War?).

Best,
Bill Wilt,
--A saddened and ashamed citizen of America, the Bad, even worse than it was in the Vietnam War, into which I was drafted--unlike President Cheney (who really runs the White House & the War Department), who said "I had other priorities" more important than going to Vietnam. He got five (5) deferments, by golly.

  • 67.
  • At 01:38 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • ehsan wrote:

Dear Sirs

I am writing to you as a former Iranian military officer from the time of the Shah. I should like to state that I am utterly disappointed at Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's campaign to tarnish the image of the courageous Iranian Resistance. Your misguided programme on the Iranian Mojahedin only stands to serve the ruling mullahs in Iran.

Interestingly, there is no middle-ground in the comments posted here. On the one hand, one sees remarks with repetitive slander by those who feverishly support the theocratic dictatorship in Iran, and on the other hand there are remarks by individuals clearly opposing the regime who thus defend the PMOI and the establishment of democracy in Iran.

  • 68.
  • At 02:05 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • wrote:

COULD YOU TELL ME WHY NEWSNIGHT DIDENT HAVE ENEYTHING ON ABOUT THE HANGING OFF SADDEM SINCE THE UN SAID IT WAS AN ILLEAGAL WAR AND SO THE ADMINERSTRATION THAT HANG SADDAM WAS ILLEAGAL THEN THE HANGING WAS ILLEAGAL SINCE YOU HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUTION THAT AN MP SENDING HER SON TO A FEE PAYING SCHOOL WAS WRONG THEN THE HANGING MUST BE AS BAD IF NOT WORST/

  • 69.
  • At 03:26 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • ahrmin wrote:

Dear Sir

I have been watching Newsnight program on Iran’s well-educated and well-disciplined Iranian resistance who are full of hope, energy and love for their lovely people and beautiful country Iran which is now not full of beauty for Iranian people but full of pain!

Pain of torture, execution, public hangings, drugs, prostitutions, poverty, emigrating to other countries and seeking asylum! These pains also have been exported to Iraq since you decided to librate Iraq from dictatorship by occupying Iraq. Dealing with the fascist religious dictatorship which belongs to middle ages. When you were seeking for fish inside Khomeini’s sewage but you found a crocodile ahmadinejad not a single fish whom you called them reformist for trade and relations with the Godfather of terrorism.

There are enough records From Argentina to Turkey and Saudi Arabia, from Middle East to Europe such as Mykonos Restaurant in Berlin where mullahs β€diplomatsβ€ assassinated Iranian Kurdish opponents. So, this is a crime because Iranian people resisting against this barbaric regime without your permission and you call them fanatic because they have never given up their struggle for librating their homeland. You have been labeling them terrorist to appease the mullahs on the one hand and empting Iranian people’s pockets on the other hand. Iranian people are so poor that they are forced to sell their kidneys for income in a country full of oil, gas and gold.

That means you have been tying up the hands of the Iranian nation who are suffering from mullahs who gouge out people’s eyes. But European Court found no evidence of this accusation of terrorism against the Iranian opposition.

At least 4000 members of PMOI are in Iraq. Millions of Iraqi People have known them for 20 years. Thousands of PMOI supporters are living around the world especially in UK. Also there are members of the National Council of Resistance of Iran who are not members of the PMOI in UK and the other parts of the world. Many members of British Parliament have been supporting PMOI for more than 25 years. Why Ayatollah Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ just interviewing a few people who have betrayed and now working as agents of Iranian regime?!

Offering to sacrifice Mojahedin not only sharpens the mullahs’ sword for cutting the throat of the Iranian nation, but it is taking part in a crime against humanity. I think Iranian people are taking this seriously.

  • 70.
  • At 05:58 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Pari wrote:

The newsnight programme on PMOI/MEK was unbelievably in favour of the Iranian regime and against the Iranian Resistance, PMOI.

It was suggesting that the Iranian Resistance should be given to the murderous Ayatollahs, used as a bargaining chip, and hence slaughtered. This would be asking for a crime aganist humanity to be done. How astonishing..

All freedom loving Iranians will always support and protect their Resistance movement, PMOI with all they have.

  • 71.
  • At 06:37 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Shaparak Rezai wrote:

Sir,
You must be aware that Iranians in Iran and all over the world call Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, "Ayatollah Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ"! and call the former British foreign secretary "Ayatollah-Al-Ozma Jack Straw"!!. The mullahs are through their last days in power. Once again, when the mullahs have been cornered and condemned internationally for their horrific records of human rights and for their aggressive pursuit of nuclear weapons program through strong resolutions by the UN Security Council in December 2006, here again we see Ayatollah Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ coming to rescue the brutal murderers in Iran. The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ bosses and producers should be ashamed of themselves for broadcasting such a biased program, naming Iran’s only democratic Resistance led by the courageous People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran a cult! You should be thanking PMOI for revealing Iran’s nuclear program for the first time. The whole world should be thanking them for the great service PMOI has done to the humanity worldwide by exposing how and where the mullahs are busy making a nuclear bomb.
I wonder what Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has to say to the people of Iran and their legitimate Resistance when the mullahs are gone.
LONG LIVE PMOI! WE SUPPORT THEM IN ALL WAYS WE CAN TILL VICTORY!

PS. For Mr Whewell: Please have the decency to give the Resistance a fair chance to respond to your allegations by arranging a fair interview with them too.

  • 72.
  • At 08:34 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Jimmy wrote:

I was extremely disappointed at newsnight's totally one-sided portrayal of the PMOI. A simple look at the facts shows us that the PMOI is in fact the legitimate opposition to the tyrannical Iranian regime. The PMOI is striving to bring freedom and democracy to their homeland and rid their people of the dictators that have ruled over them for the past 28 years. A fact seemingly lost on this journalist was that the PMOI has the support of the majority of parliamentarians within the UK parliament and widespread support worldwide. Maybe the journalist in this piece would have also done well to mention the horrific crimes that the Iranian regime commits against its people and which it is now exporting to Iraq. However, most important of all is the fact that the EU3, China and Russia have offered the Iranian regime every single deal possible to stop them supporting terrorism and to stop the Iranian regime attaining a nuclear bomb. The Iranians have either rejected or gone back on every single one. Therefore, years of appeasement have got us to a point where the Iranian regime is getting ever closer to a nuclear bomb, they are killing more and more of our troops in Iraq and they are steadfast in their worldwide support for terrorism. Appeasement has been a complete failure. The time has come for the British government and governments worldwide to be tough with the dictators in Tehran.

  • 73.
  • At 09:08 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • SALEM AL SABAH wrote:

Pls stop reporting one sided narrow minded sotories.
It is somewhat confusin and upsetting to see that after 53 resolution on iran by un for grave violation of human rights and after the recent directive by the european court in favour of justice and the mojahedin we still have problem identifying the opressed and the oppressor.

The programme infact was sending wrong messages it failed to recognise the eefort by the mojahedin in exposing regime for its neuclear programm and the mojahedin contribution in world peace.
I believe we owe it to the world peace and fight against international terrorism that we need to report the facts and recognise all mojahedin efforts despite many limitation imposed on them.

Its time to stand firm against this iranian regime the god father of terrorism without any doubt if mojahedin are pawned we in the west will be the second victim

  • 74.
  • At 09:29 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Moses wrote:

Sirs,

I find it slightly disconcerting that your investigative journalist has failed to distinguish the facts from the fiction. I remind you that since the Iranian regime came to power in 1979, no section of Iranian society has been free from persecution. Women, children, the disabled, ethnic & religious minorities have been suppressed and hounded by a dictatorial and heinous regime in the most barbaric and torturous means. The Iranian resistance throughout these two dark decades has remained the constant and persistent voice of the oppressed people of Iran. Allegations of human rights abuse, mass forced divorce and cult worship are nothing more than baseless allegations by supporters of the Iranian regime who wish to vilify the resistance movement and whitewash the crimes of the tyrants of Tehran. If these allegations had any substance, evidence could be easily provided no?!

  • 75.
  • At 09:46 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • AMER ALNASSER wrote:

I saw your programme on iranian mojahedin on wedneday .

As an iranian living in exile i found it most upsetting to note that your programme came short in recognising the mojahedin effort during the past three years .
I can assure you that people in iran sees ashraf as their only hope of achieving democracy ,justice and freedom .
The mojahedin and their devotion for freedom in iran has now been proven beyond reasonable doubts.

Its time to echo the voice of the iranian people its time to support mojahedin .

  • 76.
  • At 10:01 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • HAMID FARD wrote:

I thank you for reporting on the iranian mojahedin but i also want to register my anger.
Dont you think that the iranian people have had enough of the regime .enough f the eye gauging,amputation of limbs,and public hanging which is a daily scene in Iran.
Its time to recognise the mojahedin effort not only for peace and freedom in iran but the world peace as a whole.
Ashraf is seen among iranian as ray of hope ,keeping alive the dream of free iran.

Its time to recognise the brave efforts of every dove of freedom in ASHRAF.

PLEASE STOP BROADCASTING BIAS REPORTS

  • 77.
  • At 10:03 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Hassan wrote:

Your recent documentary on Iran and the PMOI was wholely misleading and in parts simply pure fiction.

As we have seen, the continuing mystery about the west’s attitude to Iran is why it prefers to talk to terrorists in Tehran rather than the victims of terror, the resistance. It is the PMOI which revealed to the world the mullahs deceit over its nuclear weapons programme. It is the PMOI which contests and confronts Tehran’s fundamentalism. The one thing the mullahs fear is what the PMOI offers, democracy. So why isn’t the PMOI made an ally of the west in the bid by millions of Iranians for democracy and freedom? The west has tried being reasonable. Now it needs to be robust.

Appeasement has rewarded only the mullahs. Military force from outside is not the answer. Democracy is the way ahead and western support for the PMOI would send a signal to those who cry freedom that they do not stand alone, that we stand with them.

Britain, the US and other coalition partners must put aside their dispute with the Iranian resistance and instead turn to dialogue. The PMOI can and should be partners, not pariahs, allies to all those wanting a peaceful and proud Iran and to those Iraqi’s wanting an end to mullah meddling that costs both the lives of innocent Iraqi’s and British and other coalition men and women. Working with the PMOI can open a new way ahead to democracy in both Iran and Iraq, a democracy which the people of both countries have the responsibility to achieve.

We are at a crossroads with Iran. We must take the right road because the alternative of spreading rampant fundamentalism, whose heart beats in Tehran, is bleak and menacing to the Middle East and the wider world. The mix of rampant fundamentalism and nuclear weapons is a lethal cocktail that could trigger a regional confrontation which would threaten the security of the world. The stakes really are that high.

  • 78.
  • At 10:14 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Farzaneh wrote:

Indeed Naomi,

To 'use the PMOI as a bargaining chip' would constitute a war crime as they are PROTECTED PERSONS UNDER THE 4TH GENEVA CONVENTION.

The PMOI were extensively interviewed by a number of US agencies including the CIA, FBI, State department etc. These agencies were unable to link any member of the PMOI to terrorism and consequently gave them the protected status.

It is therefore WRONG for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ or for any responsible person to suggest that they may be handed to the Iranian regime.

  • 79.
  • At 10:22 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • Azita wrote:


It is funny to see agents of the Iranian regime putting all their effort and time into writing comments for this website.

I am sure their supreme leader will be happy to see his money put to good use.........you know who you are!!!

  • 80.
  • At 10:24 PM on 19 Jan 2007,
  • hanif wrote:

hello

I saw your program about mojahedin.
to be honest with you have been uppsetting the Iranien people with this one sided program.
I have my mother father and my sister in this camp. when I was 6 years old I ws sent to sweden during the gulf war because my life was in danger. At that time my mother and my father could choose to come with me but they choose to struggle for millions of iranien children who are suffering under the mullahs regime.
I was lucky because many of mojahedin supporters helped me to grow up and studdy very happely.
My sister join the mojahedin 6 years ago and it was her own desigion leving europe for iraq were could be killed by iranien terrorists or bobardment.
I remember my sister when I was 14 years old. I didn't want her to go and I can tell everybody in the family we lived in tried to convince her to not go and reconsider but she did not accept and what she said was that she couldn't just sit and watch iranien girls and boys suffering and do nothing.
if standing up for our people and our country is fanatism I am proud of this kind of fanatism leading by iranien women against fundamentalist regime of iran. the biggest enemy of freedom and equality between men and women.
you are offering to sacrifice mojahedin which is a crime against humanity.

  • 81.
  • At 12:27 AM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • massoud wrote:

your report about Mojahedin.
It is intersting to see that the day after the program Margaret Becett Secretary of state anounced: "... The EU-wide asset freeze against MeK is therefore still in force. The EU keeps all its terrorist asset freezing decisions under regular review.The assets of this group are also frozen under UK domestic law. This is not affected by the CFI judgement, which is a technical decision on EU procedures. The Court did not rule on the substantive question as to whether the MeK is a terrorist group".
it seems the Mojahedin cult has become more of a problem for the west than a problem for the Iranians! some of the comments above could well suggest that! the more we hear the more the real problem of MKO for western countries comes to surface

  • 82.
  • At 01:50 AM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • Ashraf wrote:

In the eyes of the west the only crime of the PMOI was to resist the regime in Iran.

But let it be known that the west are mistaken if they think that they will discourage the Iranian people and their resistance movement. We will achieve peace and democracy in Iran.

The west can only delay the inevitable downfall of the Iranian regime. They can not deny the Iranian people their ultimate right of living in a democratic and secular Iran!!

  • 83.
  • At 01:56 AM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • Marzieh wrote:


Masoud? Is that you? It seems you and your wifey are extreamly upset by the judgement by European Court of justice.

Things are picking up in leaps and bounds for the PMOI and you just cant face it and are doing everything you can to stop yourselves from sinking.

I would save myself the agro and quit while I am ahead if I were you.

  • 84.
  • At 05:32 AM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • Arash wrote:

hi
i just would like to add that Mojahedin Sect has no public support here in Iran and guys in DC know this pretty well.
the sect has many ideological ties with AlQaiedeh (all the sects have this potential to be terrorist.)

  • 85.
  • At 06:41 AM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • Mohammad wrote:

It's not surprising that ayatollah Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is still demonising Mojahedin and helping the most barbaric regime the world has ever seen(the Muulas in tehran).Mojahedins are the bravest,the most sincere freedom fighters who have been fighting for decades to bring democracy to our country Iran.Mullas in tehran must know that their time is up and soon they will be brought to justice.it's better Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and British government not to waste their time and invest on a dead horse.
Describing Mojahedin as bargaining chip is a war crime because Mojahedins are protected by Geneva convention and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is well aware of that.

  • 86.
  • At 08:53 AM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • farid wrote:

Hi
I think your program lacks the minimun honesty, because if you want to introduce an organisation , you must let their views to be heard first and then the views of their enemies. we heard more from the American officials who wanted to trade the Mojahedin`s head for short term interests and the members of Iranian secret service like Masoud Khodabendeh and Ann Singleton who are in Iranian secret services pay roll and do travel to Iran quite regularly. Mojahedin represent a democratic view of islam which counter the threats of Islamic fenatism in the world which incudes Britain. The ruling fenatics in Tehran are not trustworthy as the proved to be in nuclear negociations.so if you want a way out from dangers of Islamic fenatism which is now threatening the whole word, you need to present an alternative and the only true and democratic alternative is mojahedin. you can see this in Iranian regime`s reactions, because they think the Americans are stuck in Iraq and Europe lacks resolution to counter Iranian nuclear threat and meddling of Iraqi and Lebonese and Palestinian affairs. So I hope we look a little further than the tip of our nose and support the Mojahedin of Iran and not trade their heads for short term economic gains.

  • 87.
  • At 12:10 PM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • Arman wrote:

I am very proud to say that both my parents and my sister are with the PMOI Resistance in Ashraf in the Iran-Iraq border. And of course I hope you can understand that they had to send me to a safe place as a small child during the Gulf war many years ago. This is exactly what was done in the West with the children during the world war...many children were sent away to safety (also depicted in the film Narnia).

I am 18 years old and studying in university and leading a good life with my new family. I am so proud of my parents who have sacrificed so much so all of Iran's children can one day live a happy and blissful life with their families. Currently the brutal regime of Iran does not allow for this and although Iran is a rich country with oil and gas, over 80% of the population are living under the poverty line. Many children can not afford to go to school and have an education like I can in Europe.

To say in your programme that my family who reside in Ashraf, PMOI should be used as a bargaining chip aganist all international laws is very upsetting and worrying. The PMOI have protected persons status under the 4th Geneva convention as you said and moving them against their will is a war crime. They face torture and execution if sent to Iran just like thousands and thousands of PMOI supporters who have been killed, includng young children and even pregnant and elderly women.


  • 88.
  • At 04:34 PM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • MASOUD wrote:

I am an Iranian who has lost the familly who were supporter Mojahedins,and I belevive mojahedine are the only democratic solution to the mullas regime and the fundementalisim. i belive those whom pretend to be former mojahedin members are betrayaing Iranian people's goals.

  • 89.
  • At 04:44 PM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • h. Mirmohammadi wrote:

Dear Editor

By glancing at the comments posted on the issue of Iranian Mojahedin, one can see the number of points and issues that your programme got wrong and unfortunately did not deal with them at all.

One can see that many of the Iranians who have written here have spoken from the bottom of their heart. I want to express my anger about how Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ so recklessly and brazenly supports the idea of repatriation of thousands of the bravest men and women to their imminent torture and execution by the Ayatollahs.

I also had this question from Newsnight: If the PMOI has very little support inside Iran, why the Iranian regime is so concerned about their existance and tries so desperately to make a deal and even makes the abandonment of its nuclear programme and meddling in the affairs of Iraq and terrorism throughout the world conditional on the suppression of this movement. And why they bring the issue of the PMOI up in every encounter with the west?

  • 90.
  • At 05:00 PM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • Mehrdad wrote:

This kind of innundating the media with letters and e-mails is a typical MKO tactic. It would be interesting to look at the source of the e-mails and see how many of them have come from the same computer. My only criticism of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ program is that it didn`t go far enough and didn`t talk about the other crimes committed by the MKO, e.g. killing thousands innocent people in Iran who were not members of the government and taking part in genocide of the Kurds. There are also reported cases of death in MKO prisons inside Ashraf. If MKO has popular support in Iran why hasn`t it achieved nothing in the past 27 years. Many people inside Iran don`t agree with the government and don`t believe in the Islamic system but they unanimously hate MKO even more than the regime. If MKO enjoys such popular support in the diaspora why doesn`t it take part in any of the discussions of the opposition groups outside of Iran.
Mehrdad
Berlin

  • 91.
  • At 06:48 PM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • h.mirmohammadi wrote:

Dear Sirs

It is interesting to note that those who so venomously attack the PMOI, do not even mention the crimes committed by the mullahs and their phoney president Ahmadinejad. This is another food for thought.

When someone rejects as pro-PMOI publicity the opinions of the vast majority who clearly here support the Iranian Resistance, it only goes to show how shallow his belief in democracy really is!

  • 92.
  • At 07:20 PM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • Sasan wrote:

Dont you think that the life of all Ayatollah's are coming to the end??? Millions will be happy in Iran, Iraq and all over the global.
it is realy shamful such as these programs are trying making the Mullahs tyrrani happy.
But Iraninan are waiting for dawn. Mujahedin khaq are in Heart of Iranian.

Victory is for us.

  • 93.
  • At 07:24 PM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • Sasan wrote:

Dont you think that the life of all Ayatollah's are coming to the end??? Millions will be happy in Iran, Iraq and all over the global.
it is realy shamful such as these programs are trying making the Mullahs tyrrani happy.
But Iraninan are waiting for dawn. Mujahedin khaq are in Heart of Iranian.

Victory is for us.

  • 94.
  • At 07:34 PM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • Mohammad, London wrote:

Oh grow up Mehrad.........The Mojahedin have thousands of supporters across the world. I would hardly say that the comments made above are 'inundating the media'.

For your information the MEK were not involved in the gassing of the Kurds, the Kurds have issued a statement comfirming this, as have the UN!

Seconding there are no prisons in the Mojahedin bases in Iraq, I believe here you may be refering to the torture chambers set up across Iraq by agents of the Iranian regime. The Iranian regime is responsible for murdering hundreds of innocent Iraqis everyday. The PMOI on the other hand have helped to bring the Iraqi people together at such a difficult time, something you have obviuosly closed your eyes to.

If MEK/PMOI have no support in Iran then why does the Iranian regime fear them so much. Why did the Iranian regime ASK the West to place the PMOI on the terror list and limit there activities if they are so detested by the Iranian people.

I put it to you that the regime knows the PMOI will destroy them and end their exsistance!!

And, last but no means least, what other opposition outside Iran??? Wake up and smell the coffee, your allegations have no basis and your comments make no sense.

  • 95.
  • At 07:38 PM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • Mohammad, London wrote:

Oh grow up Mehrad.........The Mojahedin have thousands of supporters across the world. I would hardly say that the comments made above are 'inundating the media'.

For your information the MEK were not involved in the gassing of the Kurds, the Kurds have issued a statement comfirming this, as have the UN!

Seconding there are no prisons in the Mojahedin bases in Iraq, I believe here you may be refering to the torture chambers set up across Iraq by agents of the Iranian regime. The Iranian regime is responsible for murdering hundreds of innocent Iraqis everyday. The PMOI on the other hand have helped to bring the Iraqi people together at such a difficult time, something you have obviuosly closed your eyes to.

If MEK/PMOI have no support in Iran then why does the Iranian regime fear them so much. Why did the Iranian regime ASK the West to place the PMOI on the terror list and limit there activities if they are so detested by the Iranian people.

I put it to you that the regime knows the PMOI will destroy them and end their exsistance!!

And, last but no means least, what other opposition outside Iran??? Wake up and smell the coffee, your allegations have no basis and your comments make no sense.

  • 96.
  • At 08:20 PM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • samad wrote:


I feel so sorry for Ayatollah Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, that program was complitly untruth.

Let's just answer my questions,
Who had a deal with Mullah's to put Mujahedin's name in terrorist list?
Who had a deal with Mullahs to bombardment Ashraf? They did bombardment but mullan's didn't leave Iraq. what about Eu court?
This is truth, I knew it's very hard to except.

  • 97.
  • At 08:21 PM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • samad wrote:


I feel so sorry for Ayatollah Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, that program was complitly untruth.
Let's just answer my questions,
Who had a deal with Mullah's to put Mujahedin's name in terrorist list?
Who had a deal with Mullahs to bombardment Ashraf? (They did bombardment but mullan's didn't leave Iraq). what about Eu court?
This is truth, I knew it's very hard to except that.

  • 98.
  • At 11:56 PM on 20 Jan 2007,
  • MAHTAB wrote:

Dear sir
It was rather disappoiting to see that your program about the Iranian Mojahedin(PMOI) was trying to side with Iranian fenatic regime in suggesting that the main Iranian oppositions members should have been traded for money and oil. you were suggesting that the Americans should have accepted Iranian regime`s offer to hand over the opposition members to the Iranian regime .It lacks moral and it is filthy and still in colonial mentality. you even used the known members of Iranian secret service members to prove your point . congradulations for this unholly marriage. Although it has long been established that Iranian mollahs have always been tools in the hand of British colonialist policies. If Britain wants a future in its relation with Iranian people, she should distance herself from fanatic regime ruling Iran and stop siding with them against legitimate Iranian Resistance

  • 99.
  • At 12:54 AM on 21 Jan 2007,
  • Naser wrote:

I was only one year old when both of my parents where executed by the Iranian mullahs regim, for being PMOI supporters. The reason my mother joind with PMOI was as she summerised it in one of her letters to me to read it when I have grown up: "...I dream of the day when no child need to go hungry, no child need to live on the streets, no child be without parents... for this day to come I am more than happy to give anything and everything I have...the least of it being my life."

PMOI members are those who have given their everything for that day to come... and to sacrifice them, is to sacrifice more than 70 million Iranian their freedom.

  • 100.
  • At 11:34 AM on 21 Jan 2007,
  • g rahmanfard wrote:

The only chance for whole the world to achieve peace and democracy in Iran and the Middle East is to support genuine moderate organisation like PMOI.Democratic relationships in this organisation is amazing. PMOI and the people of Iran have decided to eradicate cruelty and unjustic from Iran and base a tolorent society.A society who all of the people regardless to their language, faith or believes are free.Ignorance of PMOI and its role for domocracy in Iran would be too dangerous and unforgiveable for world peace.

  • 101.
  • At 12:22 PM on 21 Jan 2007,
  • Mrs F nessaee wrote:

Dear sir,
I was so shocked by the film on newsnight 17 Jan. It is nearly three decades which the western countries include Britain follow appeasment policy with the most brutal regime in Iran.Could I ask you what was the result? The snake who was appeased is a real dangerous dragon for peace now and wants to create a so called Islamic Empire! PMOI believes in real democracy. Their commitment to democracy and equality between men and women is a real example for all moderate moslims. I hope you do not promote a failed policy with the brutal mullas in Iran agian ,therefore all the people in the west and the east would be losers.
regards
An iranian Mom

  • 102.
  • At 02:17 PM on 21 Jan 2007,
  • Mehdi wrote:

Dear sir
It appears from the program that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ was in favour of such a deal as handing over Iranian opposition members to the Iranian Regime. Off course there is a little bit of hypocacy by your producer by saying that the Iranian Regime has asked for disbanning of the mojahedin in an exchange for access to its nuclear facilities.In fact the truth is the fanctic regime was asking for deportation of Mojahedin members from Ashraf City in Iraq. For your information I am a victim of Iranian regime , which you are in favour of and I was tortured severly for 2 years. My sister has also spent 4 years under torture. The Iranians living in exile , who have suffered in the same way as I was have in outraged by your comments which is trying to justify and may be prepare grounds for such a deal

  • 103.
  • At 04:17 PM on 21 Jan 2007,
  • AMER ALNASSER wrote:

In respect of your programm about the the main iranian resitance the MOJAHEDIN . it is now very clear from the comments posted that you have touched a sensitive area in fact you have upset most of the iranians.

Its only fair that you amend your report and present the facts in future
Maybe just maybe you will be able to go to visit ashraf and gain first hand knowledge of the situation .

Lets hope next time you you will have the interest of the iranian people at heart .

Stop duscrediting yourself by associating with the regime henchmen.

  • 104.
  • At 04:38 PM on 21 Jan 2007,
  • AMER ALNASSER wrote:

In respect of your programm about the the main iranian resistance the MOJAHEDIN . it is now very clear from the comments posted that you have touched a sensitive area in fact you have upset most of the iranians.

Its only fair that you amend your report and present the facts in future
Maybe just maybe you will be able to go to visit ashraf and gain first hand knowledge of the situation .

Lets hope next time you will have the interest of the iranian people at heart .

Stop discrediting yourself by associating with the regime henchmen

  • 105.
  • At 06:46 PM on 21 Jan 2007,
  • Ebrahim wrote:

By tieing the hands of PMOI which is the only resistance against the Mullahs in Iran, you will automatically help the regim to continue to abuse the iranian people.

This kind of program shows that you have the blood of the iranian people on your hands.

I left Iran 6 years ago. I have seen many of the mullahs atrocities in public places in Iran. Now, my question to you is: Will you accept to live with your family in a country with such of atrocities and inhuman scenes?

  • 106.
  • At 05:09 AM on 22 Jan 2007,
  • Pari wrote:

Great Programme!
Hope it helps some of these brain-washed souls realize that the "cult" of MKO is just that.
Also if ever there is an exchange by which the US-Iran bottleneck is resovled, I'm all for it. Of course if it's followed by an amnesty for these people that been mentally and physically abused for years, by Rajavi and other leaders of MKO.

  • 107.
  • At 02:04 PM on 22 Jan 2007,
  • HAMID wrote:

Dear Sirs,
just wanted to say that your one sided biased programme about the people's mojahedin made it once again clear to me that you kneel down for the mullahs as you feel helpless against this pathetic puppet ahmadinejad and you are scared to death just by hearing his name. on the other hand yuou are so blind to see how scared the mullahs are for this popular resistance and may i say that for me and most iranians and indeed most britains you resemble chamberlain of these times.

  • 108.
  • At 06:09 PM on 22 Jan 2007,
  • azzi wrote:


Pari.......amnesty?

There is no amnesty in Iran, not for pregnant women, not for women who are raped, not for the poor or starving.....not for anyone.

If you think there is an amnesty in Iran or you think Iran is so great to live in under the Iranian regime then why don’t you and your fellow friends(aka. Singleton, Khodabaneh, Sobahni, Haqi and the other losers) go and live there.

Those who vouch for and support the murdering ayatollahs in Iran are not welcome in a democratic society like that in the UK where companionate and decent people are supposed to live.

  • 109.
  • At 07:07 PM on 22 Jan 2007,
  • armin wrote:


to khodabandeh and his friends.

Mullah's dogs are barking to get more bone!

I was a teenager when i watched a film which was translated to persian (asbe kahar ra bengar) i think in english might be -watch the grey horse.

I like to see it again it has got a good meaning and a great discription of you in the end.

are much more dirtier than khomieni's revolutionary guards

  • 110.
  • At 08:16 PM on 22 Jan 2007,
  • azzi wrote:

hahahhaaha......well done armin.....you said it....sounds like a good movie to watch......although i think i know that the discription at the end may be....keep it rolling!!

  • 111.
  • At 10:41 PM on 22 Jan 2007,
  • P wrote:

Yes let's save Iran by giving MKO members to the mullahs, that's a small price to pay.
These people should be eliminated based on natural selection anyway.
Maybe they can practice their Riverdance steps in Evin and entertain other prisoners. Hahaha.

  • 112.
  • At 10:57 PM on 23 Jan 2007,
  • azzi wrote:

dont worry your fate will come soon parin.

evin will be like heaven for you when the people of Iran are finished with the like of you.....hahahha

  • 113.
  • At 07:34 AM on 24 Jan 2007,
  • Jenny wrote:

So Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ editors still don't know what the Geneva conventions require, even though those conventions are journalists own main protection in war, and journalists are supposed to be some of the main providers of information to enable the conventions to be enforced.

You hung the report on those Iranian opposition exiles entirely on the premise that Iran would now be helping in Iraq, not doing nuclear development and not supporting Hamas and Hezbollah if those exiles had been handed to the mullahs, and it was a big mistake not to have taken advantage of that offer. Yet to hand such exiles over to very likely death would have been a war crime. You advocate that?

But the whole piece was really bad. Those exiles, including all those women, were bombed by the US and UK during the taking of Iraq? why was that not previously reported by the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ? They certainly were not a legitimate target.

What were the dates of the various pieces of footage you used? When you mix pieces of archive of various ages and don't label them it can be nothing but misleading. Don't you know that?

Were we supposed to be laughing at the women driving tanks or marching so smartly, guns at the ready? For women from a country where their political opponents instantly dismissed all women judges, banned women's singing on the media, and demoted the many women who held senior professional positions, women from a country where women are held to be the possession of their men folk, so they cannot even have a passport of hold a job without permission from their father, their husband or their son (doesn't that put the ending of their marriages into a rather different light?), where they are stoned to death for adultery or lesbianism, such images are no laughing matter. Strangely, despite their being so remarkable, and so potent, and stills from the time having featured in magazines like Marie Claire, I don't recall the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ showing them previously. Now you use them as symbols of extremism. The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ still isn't good on women's rights, is it?

Why were so many of the people you interviewed so inadequately labeled, allowing so much room for suspicion? Comment here has alleged some were well known Iranian government agents. Iran has a very long tradition of government agents, many exiles, and a history of many political executions and assassinations, so that should surely have been anticipated. A woman who seemed to be claiming huge enmity for those exiles simply out of disappointment with a group to which she had given some small donations did not add up. What are the current affiliations of all those who were only labeled by positions they held once, like a military lawyer?

We do need to terribly aware of the dangers to our own countries posed by ardent exiles - as the manipulation of the US into the Iraq war by Iraqi exiles only too clearly demonstrated. The London Polonium mess too, with regard to Russia. It is interesting that the Iranian exiles in question claim responsibility for providing information that is stoking US antagonism to Iran. However, that does not mean that they deserve any less asylum from those who very evidently would treat them with prejudice, even extreme prejudice. And if you must dip your toes in those murky waters,, please do it with due diligence, due transparency, or else you risk getting suckered right in. As you were this time.

  • 114.
  • At 05:55 PM on 24 Jan 2007,
  • Hanif wrote:

Extra, extra, read all about it ...

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ refuses to admit it produced a documentary on the Iranian Mojahedin without interviewing a single memeber of the group.

Yet it chose to interview, in its own words, "many" so-called former PMOI members. These former members however were nothing more than the usual suspects - the Iranian regime's intelligence ministry agents. Maybe the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ would have discovered this had it contacted the PMOI itself. But I have a suspicion it already knew!

I find it truely difficult to think of another news outlet who would so blatantly violate even the most basic norms of the journalistic profession.

  • 115.
  • At 09:29 PM on 24 Jan 2007,
  • mehrzad wrote:

I have great respect for newsnight but after watching the program about PMOI i found myself with unanswered questions.
Why newsnight only interviewed the so called exmembers of PMOI which are infact agents of Irans Ministry Of Intelligence and Security?
If PMOI are so unpopular in Iran therefore of no threat to the mullahs,so why are the Mullahs in iran are prepared to stop their terrorist activities and their nuclear ambitions in exchange for PMOI?
Why was the judgment of Europes Highest Court was to remove the terror tag from PMOI ?
If the most important principle of journalism is to be unbiased when reporting then unfortunately this has not been observed by Newsnight,
since not even one member of PMOI
was interviewed in relation with all the allegation that were made.

  • 116.
  • At 10:19 PM on 24 Jan 2007,
  • Namdari wrote:

I wasn't able to watch the programme on Mojahedin last Wednesday. Me and my friends, we saw it on the internet today. It is absolutely one-sided programme. I think you were trying to react to the verdict of the European Court of Justice which rejected as baseless the accusation of terrorism by the Mojahedin. I also feel you try to save the Iranian regime as you did in the past. So clearly you are unhappy that the mullahs and the West did not manage to strike a deal over the Mojahedin. In my personal opinion, you should have an independent idea to make a programme about such an important issue. You should have interviewed the Mojahedin themselves or their relatives. Despite the fact that your report was biased, the films of the Mojahedin showed that they are a strong and disciplined group and that you had always tried to cover this up. I ask you, is the relations between the Iranian people and British people more important for you than petty economic interests? Undoubtedly this regime will be overthrown like the Shah was. I don't think that Iranian people will forget the way the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ betrayed them.

  • 117.
  • At 10:21 PM on 24 Jan 2007,
  • ali nekooi wrote:

with regard to the 17th January 2007 report on the Mojahdin Khalgh of Iran
l was not at all shocked or suprised.Yet again the might of The Peoples Mojahedin of Iran forced the stranded mollahs to call in their troops, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, to come out and show their muscle but as usual the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ could not put it all together and made such a shambols,as we say in Iran it make a cooked chicken laugh.
Please, after all these years working for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ you should have gained some experience as how and where to use your cards but I can not blame you for everything since these cards have been used on so many occasions by the Iranian regime they weren't a good pack to use!!!
I am sure your have learnt, or will learn your leason.
Finally the support for The Mojahdin comes from Iran and the Iranian people and if the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ would have acted any different then it would have made me suspicious toward MKOI.

  • 118.
  • At 08:59 AM on 25 Jan 2007,
  • arezo wrote:

I have been watching your program on mojahedin i didn't have time to say some thing about this one sided report by bbc.
like milions of iranian people i always belive the opposit of what bbc says and pictures of women in resistance are teling the true.
so no dust can cover it.
you also said something what is clear massege that every one can find out bbc are supporting the crime of iranian regiem.
Iran is not an empty house we are very brave people to have our freedom.

  • 119.
  • At 09:05 PM on 27 Mar 2007,
  • ali wrote:

very interesting.
the problem of Mojahedin Khalq Organisation (aka: Rajavi cult) now is for the western countries (where they burned themselves a couple of years ago and where they are sending these histerical comments). The creation of Rajavi cult under the protection of Saddam Hussein perhaps was a short term solution against Iran but look what happened now? creation of another Ben Ladan and now is on the hands of the west in London, Washington, Paris ...
don't you think the cult has served the Iranians rather than opposing it?

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