About two weeks ago, Gonu, a tropical storm, hit Oman and the Sistan and Balouchestan province in Iran. Iranian bloggers report that victims in this impoverished province have not received enough government help, and that lots of people are deprived of food, water, and health care. They criticize the government's inaction and media silence.

Victims of storm and silence

Nazi Kavyani writes that thousands of victims are in danger, and that many Iranians have heard no news about the conditions of the victims.

The blogger says:

350,000 people are now threatened with Malaria and Cholera, as well as other diseases and disasters. Drinking water is at best available for only 30% of the population. Management of emergency assistance has always been a problem in Iran, judging from the horrific conditions of earthquake victims of recent times. With the disappearance and obstruction of roads in the area, however, even the slow emergency assistance cannot reach the region to help. Dissemination of news about the tragedy has also been scant and weak, as the state-owned Iranian radio and television (IRIB) have mostly kept quiet about the extent and depth of the disaster, and the imminence of more complications, is escalating by the minute. In fact many people inside Iran are not aware of the details and proportions of this unfolding tragedy.

Razeno says [Fa] a few months ago he/she traveled to the Sistan and Balouchestan province. The blogger says people living there proudly identify themselves as Iranians athough all they get from Iran is poverty. The blogger says because of Gonu 30 per cent of the population do not have access to water and are at risk of infection by various diseases. The blogger adds it is surprising that Iranian government and media mobilized for a flood in Latin America for example, but did not so far move to help Iranians in this poor province.

Futurama asks [Fa] bloggers and journalists to focus on this news and help informing people about this disaster. He says the most urgent need of the people is food and water, and then health care.

Natural disaster in Iran is not only issue the only thing Iranian bloggers reacted to. Several spoke of the Palestine crisis.

“A surprised God and a dying democracy”

Haminjori says [Fa] even God must be surprised about the recent war in Palestine between Hamas and Fatah. The blogger says their main goal must be war… Now they cannot go to war against Israel, they must fight with each other instead.

Jomhour says [Fa] that 100 members of Hamas and Fatah were killed in one week – not by “occupying forces” – but by Palestinians. The blogger says members of Hamas were dancing around a dead body of a Fatah member, and that Islamic Republic’ TV is silent on it.

Mohmmad Ali Abtahi, former vice president and a cleric, says[Fa] that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday dismissed the unity government led by Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, and that the United States backed this decision. Abtahi calls this act the death of democracy. He says the United States policy in the Middle East is a real obstacle for democracy in region.

Suspended Stoning

It was not all negative in Iranian blogs this week. It seems there is at least one news item making many of them happy, for now. Iranian authorities have temporarily suspended a stoning order.

In Myedan, we read that:

The stoning of Mokarrameh Ebrahimi and the father of her 11-year old illegitimate child was stayed by the written order of the Head of Judiciary in Tehran addressed to the head of the judiciary branch in Takistan. The stoning had been scheduled for Thursday morning, local time, and the order came less than 24 hours before the scheduled time.

Mokarrameh Ebrahimi is a 43-year old woman who has spent the past 11 years in Choubin prison in Ghazvin after being sentenced to stoning. The father of the child has also been in prison for 11 years and is scheduled to be stoned with her. They were accused of having illegal relations with each other.

Zeytoun thinks [Fa] the reason they suspended the stoning is for fear of people’s protest and that digital media will put the video film of this horror on internet.