I have stayed open minded about not judging NIAC sometimes at the cost of biting my fingers!
The problem is that I see a great potential in such organizations but at the same time cannot ignore some of the criticisms, so given that we desperately need to unite I am opening debate on NIAC. Why NIAC? Because for better or worst they seem to be more often grabbing headlines than other organizations
I do not believe in trial by media and some of the accusations made against NIAC need to go through the judicial process and I believe in innocence before a court proves the accused as guilty.
I also make a distinction between the NIAC leadership and members, no doubt IRI would try to infiltrate any significant Iranian organization and with all the power and money that they have I’m sure they have been very successful and if so it doesn’t mean we have to rubbish the entire organization (well depending on how badly the organization has become corrupted or if the entire thing was a confidence trick to waste what would otherwise be useful legislative and positive lobby power).
No doubt some of the accusations such as the correspondence between Mr Parsi and Mr Zarif even if for the sake of Book research seems at the very least for someone heading a non-partisan organization rather naive if not sinister.
This is from the NIAC web site:“Parsi suggested that the first step towards such diplomacy would be to talk to the Iranian UN ambassador in New York. In a few occasions, US lawmakers asked if Parsi could introduce them to the Ambassador, since Parsi had interviewed him on numerous occasions for his book. Parsi obliged and did make introductions”
Living in Europe perhaps I did not even bother to pay too much attention to U.S. based organizations but given that like many I have been asking for unity, and a democratic means to find a leadership I look for those who take action rather than deliver words.
Now it is easy to ask IRI not to arm the Basij knowing very well they would not listen, what I am looking for is this:I believe that we need to create a constant media presence outside Iran for the benefit of Iranian Human rights issues and this needs to go outside the bubble of Iranian community.
I see this in the form of rallies and Marches, flashmob events, concerts, conferences that would capture the heart of the general public and not just a handful of the politicians. By my experience of doing my small part to fight the apartheid regime, I know that when you capture the heart of people politicians follow.
Given the turn of events and an overwhelming case for the regime being uncompromising, we should now be looking for a complete regime change rather than negotiating with its leadership and provide a neutral ground so that all political factions of opposition could join. I’m not sure if NIAC manifesto allows for this.Given the current state of a country we should be seeking legal means for bringing about long-term change so for instance in Europe where I discovered that using the citizens’ initiative clause of the Lisbon treaty if I was to collect one million signatures I could go and make a law change I have been asking for support from our IC community.
I see pursuing legal change as more effective and unlike short-term feel good moral booster campaigns law change shows real lobby muscle power.
I am not a NIAC member, and NIAC and its members do not owe me an explanation but if I was one of the decent members I would very much try to get the house in order because as an asset such organizations when they actually work towards Human rights issues can be extremely valuable and with Tanks rolling on the streets of Tehran we seem to be running out of time and options and we do need a very powerful united lobby not just in U.S. but a global organization to highlight the Human rights issues, provide a presence and challenge foreign powers when they act outside our interest. If existing organizations do not deliver this then perhaps we should create one.
It seems such a waste though, so I urge the NIAC members as well as their critics to put their case.
Perhaps you should answer me for this:
Because NIAC is sending me emails ( I never registered with them or provided my email) about a leadership for the Iranian community and the text seem to suggest a kind of leadership beyond your membership, and because you talk to foreign powers as the representatives of the Iranian view and that seem to include your non-members. And because we need to unite and bring all building blocks across the globe together and in our dire strait situation we have to work with the material at hand so I would like to know how many of our cousines across the water ( as the Brits call the Americans) can actually be trusted!
