The inventive tactics of Iran’s opposition continue to deny the Tehran regime the uncontested power it seeks. The result is that the post-election political contest over the future of Iran is reaching a pivotal stage, says Nazenin Ansari.

there have been reports that Yahoo and Google mail have been blocked. There’s a submission at Reddit! with suggestions of ways you can help Iranians oppose and circumvent these new restrictions:

This is a long fight; true reform doesn’t happen over night & one more person who who gets to know what is going on, is another small victory. Reading stuff on internet might seem something mundane; but believe me, if it was so mundane, they wouldn’t be constantly blocking sites & arresting bloggers & admins.

There is further information on the Aegis Trust and Amnesty sites.

A wide range of Iraqi organisations has united and need your support in a week of Solidarity with the Iraqi People against terrorism, political sectarianism, administrative and financial corruption, and to support the disbanding of civilian militias, national reconciliation and the unity of Iraqi people in order to build a united, pluralist, federal and democratic Iraq, writes Gary Kent of Labour Friends of Iraq.

An Invitation

We are honoured to invite you to participate in a week of Solidarity with the Iraqi People against terrorism, political sectarianism, administrative and financial corruption, and to support the disbanding of civilian militias, national reconciliation and the unity of Iraqi people in order to build a united, pluralist, federal and democratic Iraq.

Activities

Participating in a seminar in British parliament on Thursday 7 September:

Cultural festival on Sunday 10-9-2006 between 7 and 10pm

Solidarity with Iraqi people is a humane duty to avoid terrorism crimes and sectarian conflict

To supporters of freedom and human rights

To the United Nations, World Governments and Humanitarian Organizations

Iraqi people have suffered for more than three years amid bitter life, accidental killings committed by terrorist groups, organized gangs, and remnants of the defeated dictatorial regime, in addition to the horrible conditions of health, municipality, security, educational services, and the collapse of post, transport, water and electricity nets, amid the worsening of administrative duties and the huge spread of corruption. What is making things worse and more dangerous is the political nature of the sectarian conflict, the spread of killings based on identity, and the imposing migration on hundreds of thousands of families, just on the
basis of sectarian and religious backgrounds, something that has never been a problem to the Iraqi people who have been living in harmony with various nationalities, religions and sects.

There is no doubt that if this situation continues or worsens it will lead not only to the destruction of Iraq’s national harmony but also to the disintegration of Iraq’s national unity, and may push Iraq into an unprecedented catastrophe that would threaten neighbouring countries and the whole region with security chaos and instability. It would also threaten the whole world by the spreading of violence far worse than what is happening now.

We believe that such a scenario is becoming much clearer to all who are following the situation in Iraq now as well as to all governments and various sections of the public.

We, members of the Iraqi community, are looking forward to a quicker build up of Iraqi military and security forces so there would not be a necessity for the existence of foreign troops in our country. Thus we appeal to you to double your efforts of solidarity with our people, to continue the fight against terrorism and sectarianism, and to support political forces, organizations and social sections who are facing terrorist crimes and disintegration, in holding firmly the unity of the people and their right to choose their future.

Along the road, the road of mobilizing solidarity with our people, we, groups of political, cultural and social organizations, in addition to academics and political personalities in the U.K have decided to hold a solidarity week with our people, in coordination with a solidarity campaign in a number of European countries and the U.S.A. We hope that you will support us.

The Committee of Solidarity week with the people of Iraq - U.K

2-9-2006

- Patriotic united of Kurdistan
- Democratic Party of Kurdistan
- Iraqi Communist Party
- The Communist Party of Kurdistan
- Iraqi Workers’ Federation
- Organization of Free Kurdish Families

- Democratic Patriotic Alliance
- Iraqi Patriotic List
- Iraqi Community Association
- The Movement Coordinating Democratic Trends
- Committee for Support of Democracy
- Union of Iraqi Writers and Journalists
- Al-Mandan Society
- Assyrian Democratic Movement
- League of Iraqi Academics
- Iraqi Women League
- Communist Partisan League
- Democratic Union of Youth and Students in Iraq
- Malabar Centre against Al-Anal

Unions representing workers in Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan face incredible challenges in defending working people and rebuilding democracy. One of their requests for solidarity from British trade unionists is the provision of mobile phones — crucial for any union organiser these days, but especially in Iraq where travel can be dangerous and landlines aren’t sufficiently reliable or widespread.

But mobile phones can be expensive to buy in Iraq (and UK phone systems don’t work there yet), so buying new ones could eat up scarce union resources. Instead, the Iraqi trade union movement has identified a way of easily converting old European mobile phones for use in Iraq. So now the TUC Iraq Solidarity Committee has opened an appeal for used mobile phones alongside Labour Friends of Iraq.

Old mobile phones (and their chargers, of course) should be sent to the TUC Aid for Iraq appeal at Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS. Or bring them to the Euston Manifesto Group launch.