Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, July 17, 2021—On Friday, people in different cities of Khuzestan province held demonstrations in protest to water shortages. The people are struggling to carry out their lives in an especially hot summer season and the regime is doing next to nothing to solve their problems.
While protests were raging across the province and videos of demonstrations were being posted on social media, the governor of Khuzestan claimed that reports about protests were fake.
Protests were seen in Susangerd, Ahvaz, Hoveizeh, among other cities. The regime dispatched security forces to quell the protests. The protesters, who are fed up of the regime not addressing their problems, resisted security forces.
In Ahvaz, the people blocked the Ahvaz-Shush-Andimeshk road. In South Ahvaz, the protesters lit fires and blocked roads. Protesters in Shadegan also blocked roads.
According to other reports, the regime’s security forces opened fire on protesters. Several people were injured in the attacks of security forces. Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, the regime’s new chief of judiciary, has ordered more forces to be dispatched to the area.
Khuzestan is faced with a severe water crisis, mainly due to the regime’s destructive policies. In recent weeks, reports from Khuzestan show the Hur ol-Azim marsh drying up and livestock dying due to lack of water.
At the same time, the province’s inhabitants are facing additional problems due to electricity outages. Last week, the people have held protests over power blackouts.
According to the official IRNA news agency, the governor of Khuzestan claimed that videos being posted on social media are outdated and out of context and meant to incite the people to protest against the government. In response people recorded new videos and explicitly stated that these protests are taking place in Khuzestan’s cities. “The governor said videos posted on social media are fake. Hear the voices of protesters,” a local said in a video that shows a large protest in Susangerd.
The unjustified creation of dams on the Karun river in the region is the main reason the people are facing water shortages. Khuzestan is one of several provinces that are faced with water shortages due to government policies. In May, the Arman newspaper published a column about hte water shortage crisis and wrote, “This is a struggle that, according to some, is rooted in the inefficiency of government officials in managing water sources and has resulted in the destruction of the lives of many citizens who rely on these water sources to make a living.”
