Iranian Lobbying Group’s Moral Confusion
'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere' 

 


As Iranian-Americans we should ask organizations such as NIAC, PAAIA, NIPOC, and IABA, who claim to represent us why the discussion of human rights, religious freedom, racism, and freedom of expression are NOT given precedence over sanctions and economic issues? Why such issues are treated as secondary matters, as they have been treating them?
Perhaps a more sustentative question we need to ask them is, "What do we, as Iranian-Americans, expect from such organizations who claim to represent us and our interests?  Why are they very vocal on such non-essential and selective issues as recent “Restaurant Photo in Katy, TX, and why do they oppose Iran Sanctions? Why do they continue to remain silent or give only lip service to IRI’s blatant human right violations? Why human rights violation by the Islamic republic is not a priority for them? Wasn’t it Dr. King who warned us that "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere?"
NIAC, PAAIA and NIPOC claim to care for issues of importance for Iranian-Americans, but do they walk that talk? Unless they want those concepts to remain nothing more than useless rhetoric designed to deceive, they have to stop turning a blind eye and appeasing those who violate human rights and suppress religious minorities in our country, Iran.
As Iranians we demand that human rights and support for democratic movements in Iran should be their first priority.  They can use their influence to pressure the Islamic Republic in Iran to respect such values. If these organizations allow “self-interest” economic issues to be paramount at the expense of human rights and religious freedoms as they have done so, they are then part of the problem and not a part of the solution.
By ignoring blatant human rights violations in Iran and suppression of religious minorities, organizations such as NIAC, NIPOC, IABA, and PAAIA fail to shoulder their responsibility.  By doing so, they pronounce that our rights as Iranian-Americans for freedom of expression and human rights are for sale for the right price.

Arash Irandoost, Founder

Pro Democracy Movement of Iran (PDMI)

Source:پژواک ایران