By Admin 
Any single picture of any movement becomes its identity. The picture says it all which is worth remembering for a long time. A similar picture is also of an Iranian woman who is burning the picture of the country’s supreme leader with a cigarette pressed to her lips. This is a symbol of the protest which is the reason for dissatisfaction with politics. The fire of protest that has been burning in the hearts has been extinguished. When pictures of today’s protests come to light, memories of a young woman killed years ago, named Neda Agha Sultan, come to mind. Even today his name is felt associated with every voice rising against the regime in Iran.
The death of Neda Agha Sultan in 2009 showed the world how heavy the cost of opposition can be in Iran. An ordinary citizen, who was not part of any major political platform, suddenly became a global symbol of oppression and violence. On June 20, 2009, Neda was watching the protest against the fraudulent election results passing through the road when a bullet rang out and Neda died within 2 minutes.
Neda’s mother considered her daughter to be an independent girl.
During this time someone made a video of Neda. It went viral on social media and Neda became an icon. She became the voice of Iran. Neda itself means voice and call. Neda’s mother considered her daughter to be a free-spirited girl, who liked equality between men and women, hated going out wearing a sheet and raising her voice for women’s rights was her favorite pastime.
Currently, voices are being raised against political repression in Iran.
The youth, women and working class involved in the ongoing protests seem to be carrying the same memory within themselves. The only difference is that now the protest is not limited to elections or any one incident, but is against every restriction of life which crushes the dignity of the individual. Today, Iran has once again taken to the streets and is going through a mixed feeling of anger, fear and hope. The voices being raised against inflation, unemployment, social restrictions and political repression are not just expressions of immediate dissatisfaction, but they are a continuation of a long struggle.
Neda’s memory connects with today’s movement
In the present situation, social media and digital mediums have given a new language to protest, but the pattern of harshness in the reaction of the government appears to be the same. Internet shutdown, arrests and atmosphere of fear, all these have been seen before. This is the point where Neda’s memory and today’s movement come together. Neda’s viral video had proved that the truth cannot be completely suppressed. Even today the protesters move forward with the same belief that their voice will reach beyond the borders.
The participation of women in these movements is especially noteworthy. Neda was not just a victim; She became a symbol of the female consciousness that demands its place in public life. Today, when women are coming forward and raising slogans, facing arrests and taking risks, it seems to be an extension of the same incomplete story which was left in limbo in 2009.
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