[Opinion] Human Torches

33-year-old Iranian dissident Abbas Amini appeared on the streets of London last month, with his eyes, ears and mouth stitched up. Brits watched the Iranian asylum seeker go on a hunger strike for a whole week. Amini, who entered Britain two year ago, launched the protest as the British government moved to send him back to Iran against his will. Through his lawyer, Amini explained that he would neither eat food nor drink water and would not see or listen to anyone unless the government granted him permission to stay. A week later, the British government gave in to his demands and the Iranian dissident became a free man at last.

Iranians are protesting throughout Europe even at the expense of their own lives. Some have even set themselves ablaze. A woman protestor died after three Iranians set fire to their clothes during a day-long protest held in the presence of the police. Iranians set themselves ablaze in London, Roma and Berne, Swiss, appalling Europeans. They began to set themselves on fire after the French police stormed into the headquarters of Iranian anti-government military group `the People`s Mujahideen` and arrested dozens of dissident leaders.

People find it difficult to understand those Iranian protestors who had their skin stitched up and set fire to their clothes. They are all humans after all, who feel pain for wounded fingers. Living as illegal immigrants in a foreign country must be hard and they must campaign their cause aggressively. Still, how could anyone think of setting him or herself ablaze? Looking inside Iran, however, people might begin to understand their desperation – why they rather choose death over repatriation to their home country and whey they continue anti-government campaigns even at the expense of their own lives. In fact, large-scale anti-government demonstrations have continued for 10 days in Iran.

There is an old Persian saying `No color is darker than black,` which refers to a miserable life that has nothing to lose and despair any more. The foreign press reports that young Iranians are now living the very hopeless life their ancestors described. They overwhelmingly supported Mohamad Khatami in a presidential election in 1997, expecting he could make changes for better. Frustrated by the lack of outcomes, however, they have begun to launch anti-government demonstrations. Given that the U.S. started to put pressure on Iran via the International Atomic and Energy Agency citing its nuclear ambitions, the country seems to be under siege.

Bang Hyung-nam, Editorial Writer, hnbhang@donga.com