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| Samad Pourmusavi |
Political and cultural activist and researcher Samad Pourmusavi, in an interview with Voice of America, stated that the Iranian government is trying to deflect responsibility for the drying up of Lake Urmia by shifting the focus of the issue elsewhere.
Pourmusavi commented that the Iranian government is attempting to normalize the ecological disaster at Lake Urmia.
"The Iranian government not only suppresses protests about Lake Urmia but also uses other methods. We need to stay alert. For example, they create a sense of hopelessness, as if it's all over and nothing will change by protesting. They try to normalize the issue by saying it’s a global problem and such disasters happen everywhere. But we have a reference point: In a neighboring country, Lake Van is still alive and healthy," said Pourmusavi.
He also stated, "The government deliberately dried up the lake and tries to redirect public anger elsewhere. They want people to turn on each other and drain their energy. Some even blame the farmers in the area, while others point to the negligence of non-governmental organizations."
Pourmusavi emphasized the importance of organizing protests and campaigns related to Lake Urmia and stressed the need to document the events surrounding this ecological disaster.
"It is crucial to document the drying of the lake. What mistakes has the government made? The names of the officials in charge and their actions, as well as the mistakes and flaws, must be clarified. The names of those responsible and their obligations should be known. The budgets allocated from the past to the present must be outlined. What happened to those budgets? A report should be issued. Which departments, companies, and individuals were responsible for Lake Urmia, what did they do or not do, and what was the reason? These must be documented."
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Səməd Purmusəvi: İran hökümətinin Urmiyə gölü ilə bağlı səhvləri sənədləşdirilməlidir