The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) yesterday lambasted the Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria Mr. Saeed Koozechi and the United Kingdom-based group Amnesty International for their meddlesome and unnecessary interference with the proceedings of the different investigative panels set up by both the National Human Rights Commission and the Kaduna State government to unravel the circumstances surrounding the recent fracas between the Zaria based Islamic movement known as Shiites and the Nigerian Army.

HURIWA said Iran has no moral rights to criticise the panels investigating the incident and allegations of extra legal killings during the encounter between the Army of Nigeria and the local Islamic group because according to the rights group Iran has the most notorious human rights records worldwide following the constant suppression of free speech and Iranian government’s clampdown on pro-democracy campaigners.

The Nigerian rights organisation said it is unbecoming of a diplomat of Iran to launch unwarranted media attacks on the sovereign nation of Nigeria and for attempting actively to railroad Nigeria into what measures to adopt to resolve her internal social and security dynamics when it is very clear that Iranian government wouldn't tolerate such meddlesome interlopers in matters concerning Iran.

HURIWA has, therefore, called on the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister to take stern diplomatic measures to reprimand this recalcitrant Iranian Ambassador and check any subterranean plots he might have hatched with his Nigerian affiliates to endanger Nigeria’s national security interest.

“Iran mustn’t be allowed to dictate to a Sovereign nation of Nigeria on how to use constitutional mechanisms to resolve internal conflicts when such arise. His provocative statements on the recent Shiite Islamic movement and Nigeria Army's encounter recently which led to unfortunate casualties is wholly and substantially dubious and must be looked at strongly as a threat to our Sovereignty,” it said.

HURIWA recalled that Iran had described the continued incarceration of the leader of the Shi’ite Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, as illegal and unfair.

HURIWA said Iran's notoriety for human rights violations is ruthlessly unprecedented and that the United Nations Human Rights Council has recently condemned the widespread abuses of human rights of Iranians and foreigners by the Iranian government just as the rights group wondered why the Iranian Ambassador should celebrate high level of hypocrisy when he should focus on improving the international human rights image of his country.

HURIWA said thus: “The World is aware that in Iran Journalists are randomly arrested or prosecuted and religious and ethnic minorities also continue to face violations of their rights, both in law and policy. Members of the Bahai faith are systematically deprived of the rights to university education, state employment and business licenses.”

HURIWA also faulted the position of Amnesty International which criticised the inclusion by the Kaduna State government of Representatives of the military and paramilitary in the judicial commission of inquiry set up by the Kaduna State government on the Zaria clash between Shiite Islamic movement and the Nigeria Army.

HURIWA said the inclusion of few members drawn from the Armed forces even when some of those nominees are retired is to create plurality and far reaching determination of the remote and immediate circumstances surrounding that unfortunate incident which the Army blamed on the attempts by suspected armed members of the Shiites movement for plotting to assassinate the Army Chief Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai.

HURIWA asked Amnesty International to allow local investigative mechanisms to complete their assignments before jumping to conclusions.

“Whilst Nigeria tries to resolve the crisis it's sad that Amnesty International is pouring fuel literally on the fire of discord which these panels are set up to resolve comprehensively.”

•Photo shows Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.

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