“The hospitable hotelier”

In the article "The hospitable hotelier” (Parsiana, January 21, 2007), Byram Avari has made inaccurate and misleading statements about The World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO), London.

The WZO is a properly constituted organization under the relevant laws of the United Kingdom. It has an international board which is duly elected by its members. One-third of the board members retire every year by rotation and stand for reelection at a properly convened annual general meeting. This meeting is normally held in September each year. Members receive an annual report and audited accounts well in advance of the AGM, together with proxy forms, just as in any international company. From this you will observe that the comments made by Avari are totally at variance with the facts.

Since 1980, WZO has been and is the only world body of Zoroastrians throughout the world, acting as a world body in all aspects of communal life: representing Zoroastrians displaced or incarcerated (including Iran), uplifting poor Zoroastrian farmers of Gujarat (none knew of their destitution, till it was highlighted by WZO and a relief program instituted by it), establishing senior citizens’ homes at Navsari, building high quality residential buildings for the weaker sections of the community in Navsari, introducing small scale self employment schemes, etc. The list is fairly long and well known to Zoroastrians throughout the world, and we are sure Avari knows this as well.

With regard to WZO "controlling” (Avari’s word) each section of the community on the question of acceptance, etc, this is nothing but a red herring. The community is splintered on this issue and each association/anjuman follows its own ideas of what it should be. Many associations in America allow non-Zoroastrians to enter their darbe mehr and welcome their participation in the religious life of the community. Here, in London, we understand that the Zoroastrian Centre was rented recently to a mixed marrying couple for a reception. The couple’s marriage ceremony was performed by an Iranian priest. In Bombay, the Association for Revival of Zoroastrianism puts into practice the true teachings of the universality of the Zoroastrian religion. Others in Bombay practice their Parsipanu. It would appear from your article that Avari seems to have yielded somewhat from his strong orthodox views, thanks to his wife Goshpi’s influence, and we of course are happy to read that.

Avari alludes to WZO seeking repatriation of its funds collected over a long period of time in Karachi and not agreeing to his request for him to use it for the khandhias of Karachi. It is correct that WZO did not accede to his request for the simple reason that the Karachi Parsi Anjuman and many other trusts there are very wealthy and should have dealt with their local problem themselves.

SHAHPUR CAPTAIN

Ex chairman and member, WZO International Board

London