Will the NIAC receive the message?...........we'll see.............I commend you, JJ...........It was a brave move, a necessary move...............

Thanks for an honest open opinion. I love your impartiality, Jahanshah.

Yes, Niac has many qualities, but also many defaults, as we see in the case of Human Rights activities.

You spoke my mind Jahanshah! Like you I also have respect for what NIAC has done on number of fronts, but as myself and other Iranians across the world and in U.S. gathered on their local streets yesterday to denounce lack of respect for human rights in Iran in solidarity with Nasrin and protest murdering of Sattar, NIAC was nowhere to be found an d I wondered why, no announcements no interviews, NOTHING!!!. It’s time for NIAC truly define itself to the Iranian-American public; I want to know what they stand for! I wonder what is NIAC going to concentrate on, since possibility of war on Iran has diminished and is almost non-existence by re-election of Obama and democrats having control of the senate. I want them to move from being mostly being concerned about a single issue mainly war and sanction to a broader agenda to include human rights as a one of the most important item on their agenda. Are they willing and able to do that? We shall see.

JJJ,

Your message and feelings resonate with many of us, with me for sure.  It has been sad to see how human rights violation in Iran has taken a back seat by nearly all, the Americans and West in general, by organization such as NIAC AND sadly by ordinary people like many of us.  The “prisoner of the day” on the main page of original IC or blogs about brave opposition such as Nasrin Setoodeh received the fewest visits and support and few even tried to use it for their own propaganda.

I believe this lack of genuine interest and support by ordinary people is at least a partial reason for other organization such is NIAC or much bigger power like the US to just deal with it with the slights priority.

Mehrdad

‘Hambastegi’ is one of the main key to victory

Those who say NIAC is concerned about human rights issues in Iran, or that it cannot condemn every abuse committed by the Islamic Republic, I say the least NIAC has to be proactive on human rights just as it is on anti-war and sanctions issues. If Washington hints at new sanctions NIAC is right on it with a new statement, interviews and articles about the negative effects on people, etc. But when it comes to human rights, no such luck. It is no exaggeration that there are daily cases of civil rights activists, writers, Bahais being arrested and handed heavy sentences. The number of executions are at all-time high. NIAC says it is worried about the impact of sanctions on people. So what about the impact of these abuses on people? There is absolutely no right, honorable excuse to be silent on cases like Sattar Beheshti who was simply hacked to death. A simple statement of condemnation, a mere acknowledgement, a brief piece of news on NIAC's human rights page would only earn it respect from the Iranian American community. But the record shows that the organization is only quick to respond to threats of war and sanctions.

Jahanshah jan, I hope NIAC doesn't release a solidarity press release tomorrow as a public relations gesture and lip service just due to public pressure and articles such as yours and others who has questioned their silence, in my book that would be much more questionable than their silence!

As you correctly point out they need to be proactive on matters of human right abuses in Iran, as they are on matters of war and sanction. NIAC have to truly define its mission on Iran for the Iranian-American public.

Can't agree more JJ jaan, their narrow focus on sanctions and MEK has made them irrelevant. 

Why do they, or anyone else for that matter, have to take a stand on specifically Sattar Beheshti's matter?  Do you know WTF happened?  This is like saying because I don't exactly like the way Obama handled the 2009 election protests in Iran, I don't like Obama at all.

Those seeking freedom and willing to stick their neck out for it get busted and abused in Iran.  That is the human rights violation in Iran.  The prisoner of day page on i.com has become a joke.  Is that better than what NIAC has done in this specific case?  I don't have to show my support by clicking on that page every day and write a stupid comment day in and day out.  It's not supposed to be a prayer page!  Is it?!

I find your blog stupid and childish.  As I've said before I value your position and what you are doing in general because you are using your real name and sticking your neck out for the cause that you believe in which I respect.  The rest I believe is theatrics = !ننه من غریبم

As for NIAC I found these 3 links, one as new as Nov 1st and something about Zahra Kazemi from 2009 which is a similar case.  I think any organization goes by their general principles whether we like them or not.  In this election the most conservative and right wing Republicans such as Sean Hannity are now supporting amnesty for illegal immigrants as a new principle.  Amnesty!  Does that mean that all rank and file Republicans are going to support amnesty?  No!  Same is the case with NIAC and how people view them.

http://www.niacouncil.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Policy_iran_human_rights

http://www.niacouncil.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8672&security=1&news_iv_ctrl=-1

http://www.niacouncil.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5978

NIAC has perfected the art of SHOTOR SAVARI DOLA DOLA policy on Iran!! I keep on hearing NIAC is "not a Human Rights organization" , you don’t have to be a HR organization to be socially conscience and to take a position on abuses of human rights.  Vasalam.

I hardly think they have become irrelevant, but I do believe they will earn a lot more support if they make exposing human rights violation in Iran one of their main objective, perhaps as high of priority as opposing air tight sanction and MEK, then they will garner far more support.

Mehrdad

'Hambastegi' is one of the main key to victory

Well, it took you long enough to realize this simple point JJ, but I'm glad that you finally did.  One cannot possibly expect criticism of the IR by an organization whose founder, Houshang Amirahmadi, will be a candidate for IR's presidency in 2012.  :-)

Every thing in this world is relative!! Niac is relatively better organization than let's find a similiar organization!! Aipec, that Israeli lobby,!! is it fair to compare an apple with an apple?? just the colour is different!!

why niac is better?? well, let's see what the israeli lobby has to say about israeli daily crimes against humanity??At least niac would not deny harsh treatment of prisoners in Iran by IRI

Though I am a late joiner to this debate I just wished to pay a little tribute to NIAC: at least they are sincere in their careful acquiescence to the Islamic republic's definition of justice.

Gosh, this is an old thread yet very still very relevant and telling

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