By Syma Sayyah, Tehran
The Tehran snow season is still going on and we have just had
our seventh round of heavy snow since after Christmas. If I could talk to God I
would beg him to stop and let the weather get warmer. We look with envy at the
TV when it says that London or Frankfurt are 10C or 12C degrees and here it is
minus something, so cold that when the temperature climbs to 2-3C we are
delighted.
To make matters worse, I came home from work the other day
and saw half of the ceiling of our balcony was lying on the floor. The weight
of snow and ice on the metal roof had distorted it and melting ice had got into
the roof-space. The roof is leaking and nothing can be done unless and until
this cold spell goes away and things dry out.
Syma
clearing snow from their roof
(at a very slow pace J )
Paul and I went up onto the slippery sloping roof and managed
to get all the snow and ice off on that side but there are so many icicles in
between the roof and the guttering as well as many other places. Our roof is
all metal and normally has not given us much trouble but this year things are
different. We had not had the builders in for anything major for nearly six
months!
But
what has made me absolutely mad despite the roof and snow and traffic was the
terrible news that Zanan (Women) Magazine has been closed down. I am not one of
their regular readers but I know that it is one the best things in Iran, and as
a citizen I am proud that we have such a good magazine. It is very educational,
interesting and informative. Their reports are of highest journalistic
standards and many of the ladies who work there with such dedication and
enthusiasm should be real role models for Iranian girls who often just want to
find a man to keep them and look after them. When I see these hard working
young ladies I become optimistic that so many like themselves will help to make
Iran a better place for all of us.
|
Shahla Sherkat, Editor of
Zanan |
Recently I met the Zanan editor and manager Ms Shahla Sherkat
whom I respect highly and who has managed to keep the magazine running since
1991 despite all the financial and so many other shortcomings. She has worked
hard and sincerely to help educate and inform many Iranian women all over the
country. Not everyone has access to the internet but most women and girls in
the far corners of our land are literate and read magazines and Zanan was a
great source of information for them.
This was truly a sad day for Iran for many different reasons
when people in authority allow themselves to take such condemning action.
Who was it who said either you are with us or you are against
us? The person who ultimately ordered this closure should hang his head in
shame, as his action demonstrates that he does not care for Iran and he believes
that education is bad for the nation.
I can only hope that Zanan is back in operation as soon as
possible so that it can continue to do the good work that it has done for many
years. In the meantime I am sure you join me to wish all the Zanan editorial
board, writers and workers strength and let them be reassured that all freedom
loving people are with and behind them. And I ask them to please let us know
what we can do to help this good magazine.
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