International Shia Cultural and Human Rights Organization (ISCHRO) condemns the attacks against the Shiite pilgrims and asks the Iraqi government to take a stronger stance against such terrorist act.  A government that is not capable of protecting the majority of its citizens needs to reassess its security apparatus.

Furthermore, ISCHRO calls on the Obama administration to not give up the principles of freedom and human rights which it so strongly encourages for political purposes.

A recent visit by the US vice-president Joe Biden “encouraged” the Iraqi government to include many of those banned from running in the Iraqi elections due to their affiliations with extremists and the Baath party.  Furthermore, the recent US policy in Iraq is to bring into Iraq’s security structure many former extremist insurgents to facilitate what the Obama administration claims is for unity among the different ethnic groups within Iraq.

Although the attempt to categorize an extremist ideology into an ethnic group is in itself problematic, what is interesting is that the Obama administration has not taken a similar approach in other parts of the world.  The case of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia is one example were the Obama administration did not encourage the participation of an actual ethnic group in the government or take steps to do so.  Hence, if such a policy is going to be encouraged in Iraq it should not be at the expense of the rights and lives of the Shiites in Iraq who comprise the majority of the population.

Ever since the US occupation of Iraq, Shiites have been the victims of extremists Sunni groups and ex-Baathists.  This is despite the fact that the US goal for the invasion of Iraq was to stop the killing of civilians by extremists whether they be American or Iraqi.

ISCHRO also asks the international community especially those who yield considerable influence within the Sunni community to discourage all attacks within Iraq whether for ideological or political purposes.  It has to be noted that having a certain political situation in a country is not sufficient reason for a group within that country to pickup arms and attack and kill civilians which include children, women and men.

International Shia Cultural and Human Rights Organization (ISCHRO)