Reports from Iran say that on Tuesday, November 11, residents staged demonstrations in several parts of the city, including Zeinabieh and Sepahan districts and Robat Street, in protest to shortage of milk. They overturned several trucks carrying empty milk bottles and set them on fire.
Angry protesters, which included many women and their small children, had stayed in line to buy milk from the early morning hours until 1:00 PM. Afterwards, they marched to the government-run milk factory.
Many people joined the protesters on the route and the crowd swelled to several thousand. Chanting anti-government slogans, they attacked the milk factoryÕs vehicles and set several of them on fire. They also inflicted heavy damages on the building.
The crowd then began to march toward the GovernorÕs Office. Before reaching it, however, the Guards Corps and the security forces attacked the protesters. In the ensuing clashes which lasted until 5:00 PM, the security forces arrested scores of people and transferred them to unknown locations. There were many women among them. A number of those injured are currently hospitalized in IsfahanÕs Jorjani and Feizi hospitals.
The same reports say that more than 1,000 residents in the poverty-stricken area of Borkhar in Shahinshahr, Isfahan, staged a demonstration at 9:00 AM on Wednesday, November 12, in front of the Governor's office to protest the lack of the most basic necessities of life, including water. They also chanted slogans against the regimeÕs leaders. The security forces and the Guards attacked the demonstration which lasted until 4:00 PM, and arrested many protesters.
The Iranian Resistance draws the attention of international human rights organizations to the fate of those arrested and demands immediate action to save their lives.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran - Paris
November 13, 1997
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