Guardian EFL
Nobel Peace prize winner Shirin Ebadi received an emotional reception last night as thousands of Iranians greeted the human rights lawyer with chants of "Hello Freedom!"
"This prize is not mine, it belongs to our people," Ms Ebadi told the jubilant crowd over a megaphone after arriving on a flight from Paris.
So the Iranian people are recieving a reward for being peaceful?
"This prize means that Iran’s desire for realising human rights, democracy and peace has been heard by the world," she said to roars of approval from the crowd. In a spontaneous demonstration of sympathy with Ms Ebadi’s struggle for civil rights and freedom of expression, Iranians of all ages and background gathered at Tehran airport to celebrate. "I feel so grateful. I can’t explain it," said a 45-year-old woman called Shabnam. "We feel somehow that someone is going to explain to the world what is in our hearts."
The world's more interested in stagnation stability than in what's in your hearts... |
Ms Ebadi became the first Iranian and the first Muslim woman to win the Nobel last Friday. She was welcomed by Vice-President Mohammad Ali Abtahi, but earlier yesterday President Mohammad Khatami belittled the Nobel winner, describing the prize as "not very important".
| Whoa! Ain't those grapes sour! |
The president, who has portrayed himself as a champion of democracy and reform, asked: "Do we have to issue an official message about whatever happens in the country? In my opinion, the Nobel peace prize is not very important."
He sounds a little bitter.
| If he'd gotten it, betcha it would have been more important... |
"Of course, the prize on literature is important, but the one for peace is not," he said.
| "After all, Jimmy Carter and Yasser Arafat both have them..." |
Must be an avid reader.
He was happy that an Iranian had received the award, but hoped that the recipient would bear in mind the interest of the Islamic world and Iran and "not allow the position she has achieved to be exploited".
This whole peace idea doesn’t jibe with our intention to attack Israel with nukes. Complex internal contradictions are popular in literature, though. That’s why literature is so important... except for that Satanic Verses guy. We’re still looking for his ass.
Mr Khatami’s critics dismiss him as too weak to fight Iran’s rigid theocracy, and last night his comments were ridiculed by Ms Ebadi’s supporters: "The world understood this prize but our own officials didn’t understand it," said Nahid, a 30-year-old woman. "I am optimistic because this prize provides a degree of security for Ms Ebadi and this will bring an opportunity to bring up women’s issues in a more radical way," she said.
| Yeah. You should do that. |
Young Iranians danced and led renditions of the pre-revolution national anthem as they waited for Ms Ebadi to emerge from the airport terminal. Women in the crowd wore white headscarves and carried white flowers, symbolising peace, in an event organised largely by word of mouth. "This shows the world has heard our voices after 24 years of imprisonment," said Kefayat Kousha, 38, a school teacher. "People are hopeful again."
We’re hopefull as well. |