(Los Angeles Times) Borzou Daragahi - Iran's "green" opposition movement appears to have spread to the heartland, with video and credible reports emerging from towns in the provinces. The city of Birjand has five universities and four colleges, making it a potential opposition stronghold. More than 60% of Iranians are younger than 30, and 70% of college students reportedly opposed Ahmadinejad. What has happened over the last seven months in Birjand, and consistent with reports from other small cities around the country, illustrates how the opposition movement has gained a foothold nationwide. Students began organizing small gatherings at their universities. In the classrooms, professors lifted students' spirits by discussing the Islamic Republic's missteps, and what sorts of protest actions were effective and which were counterproductive. The students followed the news on opposition websites and via BBC Persian and Voice of America. They have mastered the use of proxy servers to get access to banned websites as well as shield their surfing habits from surveillance technology.
2010-01-12 09:49:35Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive