Soraya M. And Neda S.
Tuesday, September 15th, 2009On July 23, 2009, U.S.A. Today published an op-ed entitled “Voices of Iranian Women” suggesting tha Neda Agah Soltan had become through her death, Iran’s Joan of Arc. The horrific video of Neda’s death was seen worldwide and it gave poignant gravity to the post election riots in Tehran. Neda is a martyr for Iranian freedom. She put a human face to the abstract politics and wall to wall media coverage of the near disintegration of Ayatollah Ali Khomeni’s regime.
Over the weekend of June 26, 2009, the motion picture, The Stoning of Soraya M., was given limited theatrical release before its nationwide opening on the weekend of July 10th. The film had been the second place runner-up at the Toronto International Film Festival, being beat out by Slumdog Millionaire. It adapts French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Shaebjam’s 1994 bestseller of the same title.
Without any way diminishing the heinous death of Neda Soltan, it is much more apropos to suggest that Soraya M. is Iran’s Joan of Arc. The parallels connecting Soraya and Joan of Arc are numerous and chilling.
Joan of Arc was a French peasant girl born in Domremy, in Champagne, France in 1412. At age 17 she heard voices commanding her to take up arms and lead the French Army against the English invaders who occupied Orleans. Her ultimate goal, which she succeeded in achieving was to place the Dauphin on his rightful throne enabling him to be crowned as Charles VII. Shortly thereafter, she was captured by the Burgundians, handed over to the English, tried before an eccleissiastical court and condemned to death as a relapsed heretic for the “crime” of wearing men’s clothing. Joan was burnt alive at the stake in Rouen in 1431. She was 19 years old.
Like Joan, Soraya faced trumped up, spurious charges. Her husband, Ali wanted a divorce so he could marry a 14 year old girl and get rid of his responsibility to Soraya and their children. Ali conspired with the village Mullah and manipulated the law accusing Soraya of infidelity. Consequently, Soraya was condemned to death by stoning. She was buried up to her waist and stoned to death while her children watch and her fellow villagers cheer her brutal death knowing all of the time that Soraya is innocent. More appalling is the fact that Ali, her sons and her father participate in the stoning and her murder.
After Joan’s death, she was denied a proper burial. Her ashes and entrails were collected and thrown into a river. After Soraya’s death, she too was denied a burial. her body was left exposed by a river to be consumed by animals. After Neda’s death, her family was evicted from their home, her body was kept by the government, buried without a funeral and all mourning at the Mosques were banned.
So powerful is the film that by watching Soraya’s death, the viewer bears winess to an validates not only Soraya’s personal tragedy, but also that of every toher woman – like Neda Soltan -not only in Iran, but all other women living under the tyranny and oppression of theocratic, Islamic rule and sharia law throughout the world.
Ultimately, The Stoning of Soraya M., for all of its emtionally wrenching moments, for all of its horror, and ro all of its seeming despair, is a story of beauty and triumph. It is a testament to truth and bravery. Joan of Arc was retried after her death and in 1456 she was declared innocent. Joan was canonized in 1920, becoming the only saint in history who had previously been declared a heretic. Karma is a bitch. Truth always prevails. She was declared patroness of France in 1922. The pride of her nation.
Soraya’s story declares her innocence. Now it is up to brave Iranian’s like Neda Soltan to hold up Soraya as demaocracy, and the end of theocratic rule and subjugation under the present law. It is up to the moderate Iranians to assure that these women’s stories are heard around the world, for solidarity and FREEDOM!
Michael A. Wachter
July 12, 2009