01/03/2013 / IRAN
Water spouting from the damaged pump on February 22. The water flow has since been cut off by the authorities, stopping the leakage.
Protesting farmers lined up alongside the road near the pump on February 22.
Protesters clashed with police on Wednesday near the pump site. Firing can be heard sporadically throughout the video, though it is unclear where it is coming from.The buses in the distance were burned by protesters.
Our Observer sent us this video showing how little water flowed from her tap on Thursday.
A tale of two Iranian cities, battling for water
Outraged that precious water from their local river is being diverted, last week a group of farmers in Isfahan, Iran destroyed a pump channelling water to the city of Yazd. They’ve been guarding the pump day and night ever since, refusing to let the authorities fix it. Meanwhile, residents of Yazd are suffering from a severe water shortage, leading to fears of unrest there.
All week, the farmers guarding the pump, which is located just outside Isfahan, have been clashing with police. According to opposition news sites, Wednesday and Thursday's night’s clashes have been the worst yet, with police opening fire on protesters with rubber and lead bullets, wounding many. Despite this, the demonstrators – whom our Observer in Isfahan says number in the several thousand – have stayed put.
The local branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard blames "rebels" for fostering violence, and says the clashes have resulted in injuries and arrests, without specifying any numbers. It also accuses them of attacking a local base belonging to Basij paramilitary volunteers.
Meanwhile, about 300 kilometres away in Yazd, water is being rationed. The local governor has called on Isfahan to promptly suppress the farmers’ protest and repair the pump.
“Between a recent drought and government mismanagement of water distribution, farmers are really suffering now”
Mehran (not his real name), who lives in Isfahan, is an expert on water distribution issues.
Farmers have been angry for a long time now, ever since the government started diverting water from our river, the Zayanderud, to the city of Yazd, out in the desert. This was about 15 years ago, back when Mohammad Khatami was president – it was a gift from him to Yazd, his hometown. Then, under our current government, more water was diverted to another nearby province, Charmahal-Bakhtiari. This has forced Isfahan to rely more on wells, but between a recent drought and mismanagement of water distribution, farmers are really suffering now. Many have lost their crops. There have been protests for months now; but when the farmers realised they weren’t being heard, they decided to take this drastic step of blowing up the pump.
“If they distributed water based on need, rather than politics, there would be enough water to go around”
I’ve spoken to farmers, and they say they will keep fighting for their water, whatever the price. They refuse to let the authorities go near the pump unless they agree to stop giving any water to the city of Yazd. I don’t think this is a reasonable demand, but I do think they have to raise their voices in order for the government to start managing water more equitably. I have studied this matter, and I am convinced that if they distributed water based on need, rather than politics, there would be enough water to go around.
Meanwhile, in the eastern suburbs of Isfahan, near where the pump is located, the police are on high alert and out in force. Clearly, they are afraid unrest will grow. The water shortages affect farmers the most, but they also affect lots of other industries here – metal work, tourism, etc… It’s terrible for our economy.
“The water that now trickles from my tap tastes really bad”
Mahrokh is an engineering student living in Yazd.
About half of our water comes from the Zayanderud River. So after the pump was destroyed, the authorities linked up extra wells to the regular water network. However, there are rumours that the water from the well is not filtered, and that it is located dangerously close to sewage pipes. Indeed, the water that now trickles from my tap tastes really bad.
Ordinary people who don’t follow the news or politics are blaming this shortage on the Isfahan farmers. Some are even saying we should stop supplying iron ore to Isfahan's factories. At my university, I’ve seen some arguing with other students from Isfahan about who is responsible for the water crisis. But when they really get to debating the issue deeply, everybody ends up agreeing that the real problem is the government’s poor management of water supplies for decades now – not the people of Isfahan.
The local media don’t talk much about the crisis, probably because they are afraid that this will cause panic to spread and incite people to rebel in the streets. However, the authorities sent text messages to our phones warning us that the water shortage is a serious problem and that we should reduce our consumption and drink as much bottled water as possible.
Post written with the assistance of journalist Omid Habibinia.
Comments
Calling Ayatollah Whatzisname
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 03/03/2013 - 18:20.Looks like the Grand Supreme Ayatollah of Iran and the entire earth better put in a personal appearance at that pumping station
Maybe he can pull a staff out of his hat, strike a rock, or two, and have cool sweet water flowing for them farmers in a flash.
Ayatollahs tend to be a bit lazy these days, and it shows.
But I thought God loved Iran?
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 03/03/2013 - 13:34.But I thought God loved Iran?
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leave iran alone
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Fri, 01/03/2013 - 23:13.thus is what iran Government are trying to avoid by furthering for development, all you bully power have to do is to hider development with sanctions, alot of sanctions have been hit b NATO and US on iran, yet you are publishing a crisis caused as a result from your action, let Iran be, they have full right for nuclear enrichment, why will you all have this to develop your country and treatened other nations with guns and bombs not to have?
Simple-western power doesn't
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 03/03/2013 - 14:34.Simple-western power doesn't threaten to wipe out entire nations or terrorize countries if they don't get to spread their religion.
Funny that "my mood Im in a Jihad' has truckloads of cash for his nuclear intentions, but cant seem to get the water running...
Its never going to change until YOU, the people of Iran-decide to change it.
OH but America goes into Islamic countries creates war and steal
Submitted by Antoinette Jackson (not verified) on Fri, 08/03/2013 - 08:53.OH but America goes into Islamic countries creates war and steals their oil and this is OK? IT may not be in the name of religion but they use their Christianity the same way Musliims use Allah and the Koran.
Americans use war and nuclear war and drones with the approval of their Christianity beliefs, and their "bible" so that war is justified. Killing is justified yet they are so quick to shake their finger at others when they themselves create wars to over throw governments to steal more oil and force Christianity on other country man and this is OK?
I think not.
Peoples in America specifically big corporations are fraking and destroying the earth and polluting whole communities for more greed of money for oil No matter who it destroys even in their own country. It is just people in other countries do not hear about it.
I agree leave Iran alone
Submitted by Jon57 (not verified) on Sun, 03/03/2013 - 12:42.Iran should indeed be allowed to develop nuclear enrichment, and no one should stop them from doing so. However, Iran should understand that if, as many in the west suspect, Iran does develop nuclear weapons, then western countries should reserve the right to exercise the Kennedy Doctrine of the days of the Cuban Missile crisis, where Kennedy stated that an attack on any country in the west by Cuba or the Soviets would be considered an attack on the U.S. Such an attack would invite an "in kind" response.
Therefore if Tehran decided to do as the Iranian President has hinted, and attacked Israel, and (for example) conducted a nuclear strike on Tel Aviv, then Tehran should expect an attack "in kind" on Tehran.
What on earth poor water
Submitted by JVD (not verified) on Sun, 03/03/2013 - 11:11.What on earth poor water management has to do with sanctions?? Your argument does not make sense.
به قول معروف گوز چه ربطی داره به شقیقه!!!!