The recent events in the country- II

Universities have had ups and downs with the system. A few years back, during a university turmoil protesting to shutting down the only reformist daily then (Salam), the riot police and vigilances attacked the dormitories and killed a student and wounded many. A few of the students arrested then, are still in custody. As it was in Khatami's time, the police and the commander were put under trial but as predicted, they were released afterwards. The students interpreted it as an insult and the anger and rage piled even more in their hearts. Every year, on the anniversary of that day (July 9), the turmoil and unrest fills the universities.

Just recently, the incidents in the universities reminded us that the Freedom which has been paid for a lot, shouldn't be taken for granted; on the beginning of the academic year (this year is the first year of Ahmadi-nejad in office), the reformist head of Tehran University was put aside and was substituted with a clergy. The students protested but the guy was too powerful to be shaken.

Now, they have begun to get rid of troublesome professors. They can't behave as they used to two decades ago, so they say that these professors are too old and should be substituted by younger staff. Everybody knows that it is a big lie and the problem is with the professors' beliefs rather than their age.

In the same time, the students are taken to courts, are sentenced to imprisonments and some are pended or even expelled. The news about them is almost everyday in the dailies.

The students are protesting the new wave of pressures in the universities, but whatsoever the result, we should learn that when freedom is not institutionalized and when there are not powerful organizations to protect it, it would be always in danger- as it is happening right now in our academic centers.

To be continued…