Iranian Opposition MEK Should Be Supported, Not Blacklisted

The annual congress of the Iranian resistance in Paris on June 23 was a spectacular event and described as a turning point by policy makers and Iranian affairs pundits. It confirmed several points.

The unprecedented, massive turnout of 100,000-plus participants made it abundantly clear that the opposition the People's Mujahedin of Iran, or, PMOI – also known as MEK, and the political coalition of National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) led by Maryam Rajavi, enjoys widespread support among the Iranian Diaspora. 

The contribution of the PMOI to help organize such a huge and diverse event, by far larger than most Western party congresses or presidential conventions, undercuts the U.S. State Department’s assertion that the group is "marginalized" and "irrelevant." It also served to rebut similar allegations fabricated by the Iranian regime’s Ministry of Intelligence, which the State Department continues to rehash that this is a "sect" suffering from a "cult of personality" and "lacking popular support".

To my knowledge, never before in history has an opposition movement been able to organize such a convention outside of its homeland. The very diverse composition of the participants, representing different religious denominations, secularists, liberals, conservatives, young, the elderly and women, was striking.

Since no government provides material support to the PMOI, this huge event was only made possible after months of fundraising by Iranian volunteers and support committees throughout the world. I know of people who took bank loans or even mortgaged their houses to sponsor this convention.

Former U.S. Home Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge recently described the movement as "the strongest and most resilient advocates in the history of the world."

Despite its decades of efforts to establish freedom and democracy in Iran, western states have only cracked down on it in the framework of appeasement policies towards Tehran coupled with an ongoing fear of the mullahs' terrorism.

In fact, the support that this medieval regime has received from the West goes far beyond any other dictatorships in recent Iranian history. One might be astonished to know that the U.S. policy during the past decade has actually strengthened the ayatollahs and hampered their opposition. A few examples:

• The invasion of Iraq, which brought to power the pro-Tehran government of Nouri al-Maliki;
• Enchaining the only remaining organised opposition to the mullahs through its inclusion on different blacklists and confining their members in a de facto house arrest in Camp Ashraf, Iraq;
• Ignoring the NCRI’s repeated warnings about the mullahs’ nuclear ambitions and talking for the sake of talking with Tehran;
• Breaching the U.S. forces signed agreement, which guaranteed the protection of Ashraf residents in return for their voluntarily disarmament, which led to two massacres in 2009and 2011 by the Iraqi forces while U.S. troops simply watched.

The blacklisting of PMOI hamstrung nearly all the energy and resources of the democratic opposition in lengthy and exhausting legal battles in Europe and the US instead of allowing them to focus on bringing about a democratic change in Iran.

During the past decade, the Iranian resistance has filed no less than 36 lawsuits in Europe and America confronting various blacklists. And guess what? It has won in all 36. The latest ruling came last month in Washington when a three-judge panel unanimously ordered Secretary Clinton to make up her mind about the PMOI status or the court will remove it from the State Department's list of terrorist organizations by October 1.

As the historical leader of the resistance, Massoud Rajavi, once said: “Wherever there is still a drop of freedom and justice left, we can prove the righteousness of our movement."

The mullahs tried hard to prevent the June rally by sending numerous letters to French authorities as well as organising anti-PMOI pickets to frighten the participants.

No less than 55 distinguished political figures and personalities including former New York mayorRudy Giuliani, former Democratic Party Chairman Gov. Ed Rendell, former US Ambassador to UN Gov. Bill Richardson, former Congressman Patrick Kennedy, and former Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip J. Crowley were among the US dignitaries who addressed the event.

This week, a decade after the resistance exposed the mullahs’ twenty-year clandestine nuclear weapons program for the first time in August 2002, Europe has finally imposed oil sanctions on Iran. These latest sanctions had been demanded by the NCRI for the past three decades. Thus the Iranian resistance has shown its ability to change a world policy while swimming against the tide.

Now if the U.S. genuinely does not want to hand over a nuclear bomb to the mullahs, it should stand with the democratic opposition to overthrow this regime and recognize their demands. As Mrs Rajavi said in the Paris gathering, "Our demand is simple: an Iran free of suppression, a non-nuclear Iran, and a non-theocratic Iran."

Time has finally come for that


Maryam Rajavi, President of the  National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)

Iranian Opposition MEK Should Be Supported, Not Blacklisted

The annual congress of the Iranian resistance in Paris on June 23 was a spectacular event and described as a turning point by policy makers and Iranian affairs pundits. It confirmed several points.

The unprecedented, massive turnout of 100,000-plus participants made it abundantly clear that the opposition the People's Mujahedin of Iran, or, PMOI – also known as MEK, and the political coalition of National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) led by Maryam Rajavi, enjoys widespread support among the Iranian Diaspora. 

The contribution of the PMOI to help organize such a huge and diverse event, by far larger than most Western party congresses or presidential conventions, undercuts the U.S. State Department’s assertion that the group is "marginalized" and "irrelevant." It also served to rebut similar allegations fabricated by the Iranian regime’s Ministry of Intelligence, which the State Department continues to rehash that this is a "sect" suffering from a "cult of personality" and "lacking popular support".

To my knowledge, never before in history has an opposition movement been able to organize such a convention outside of its homeland. The very diverse composition of the participants, representing different religious denominations, secularists, liberals, conservatives, young, the elderly and women, was striking.

Since no government provides material support to the PMOI, this huge event was only made possible after months of fundraising by Iranian volunteers and support committees throughout the world. I know of people who took bank loans or even mortgaged their houses to sponsor this convention.

Former U.S. Home Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge recently described the movement as "the strongest and most resilient advocates in the history of the world."

Despite its decades of efforts to establish freedom and democracy in Iran, western states have only cracked down on it in the framework of appeasement policies towards Tehran coupled with an ongoing fear of the mullahs' terrorism.

In fact, the support that this medieval regime has received from the West goes far beyond any other dictatorships in recent Iranian history. One might be astonished to know that the U.S. policy during the past decade has actually strengthened the ayatollahs and hampered their opposition. A few examples:

• The invasion of Iraq, which brought to power the pro-Tehran government of Nouri al-Maliki;
• Enchaining the only remaining organised opposition to the mullahs through its inclusion on different blacklists and confining their members in a de facto house arrest in Camp Ashraf, Iraq;
• Ignoring the NCRI’s repeated warnings about the mullahs’ nuclear ambitions and talking for the sake of talking with Tehran;
• Breaching the U.S. forces signed agreement, which guaranteed the protection of Ashraf residents in return for their voluntarily disarmament, which led to two massacres in 2009and 2011 by the Iraqi forces while U.S. troops simply watched.

The blacklisting of PMOI hamstrung nearly all the energy and resources of the democratic opposition in lengthy and exhausting legal battles in Europe and the US instead of allowing them to focus on bringing about a democratic change in Iran.

During the past decade, the Iranian resistance has filed no less than 36 lawsuits in Europe and America confronting various blacklists. And guess what? It has won in all 36. The latest ruling came last month in Washington when a three-judge panel unanimously ordered Secretary Clinton to make up her mind about the PMOI status or the court will remove it from the State Department's list of terrorist organizations by October 1.

As the historical leader of the resistance, Massoud Rajavi, once said: “Wherever there is still a drop of freedom and justice left, we can prove the righteousness of our movement."

The mullahs tried hard to prevent the June rally by sending numerous letters to French authorities as well as organising anti-PMOI pickets to frighten the participants.

No less than 55 distinguished political figures and personalities including former New York mayorRudy Giuliani, former Democratic Party Chairman Gov. Ed Rendell, former US Ambassador to UN Gov. Bill Richardson, former Congressman Patrick Kennedy, and former Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip J. Crowley were among the US dignitaries who addressed the event.

This week, a decade after the resistance exposed the mullahs’ twenty-year clandestine nuclear weapons program for the first time in August 2002, Europe has finally imposed oil sanctions on Iran. These latest sanctions had been demanded by the NCRI for the past three decades. Thus the Iranian resistance has shown its ability to change a world policy while swimming against the tide.

Now if the U.S. genuinely does not want to hand over a nuclear bomb to the mullahs, it should stand with the democratic opposition to overthrow this regime and recognize their demands. As Mrs Rajavi said in the Paris gathering, "Our demand is simple: an Iran free of suppression, a non-nuclear Iran, and a non-theocratic Iran."

Time has finally come for that. 

Maryam Rajavi, President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)

Iran Opposition MEK Shown Capacity to Rectify World Policy

The annual congress of the Iranian resistance in Paris on June 23 was a spectacular event and described as a turning point by policy makers and Iranian affairs pundits. It confirmed several points.

The unprecedented, massive turnout of 100,000-plus participants made it abundantly clear that the opposition the People's Mujahedin of Iran, or, PMOI – also known as MEK, and the political coalition of National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) led by Maryam Rajavi, enjoys widespread support among the Iranian Diaspora.

The contribution of the PMOI to help organize such a huge and diverse event, by far larger than most Western party congresses or presidential conventions, undercuts the U.S. State Department’s assertion that the group is "marginalized" and "irrelevant." It also served to rebut similar allegations fabricated by the Iranian regime’s Ministry of Intelligence, which the State Department continues to rehash that this is a "sect" suffering from a "cult of personality" and "lacking popular support".

To my knowledge, never before in history has an opposition movement been able to organize such a convention outside of its homeland. The very diverse composition of the participants, representing different religious denominations, secularists, liberals, conservatives, young, the elderly and women, was striking.

Since no government provides material support to the PMOI, this huge event was only made possible after months of fundraising by Iranian volunteers and support committees throughout the world. I know of people who took bank loans or even mortgaged their houses to sponsor this convention.

Former U.S. Home Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge recently described the movement as "the strongest and most resilient advocates in the history of the world."

Despite its decades of efforts to establish freedom and democracy in Iran, western states have only cracked down on it in the framework of appeasement policies towards Tehran coupled with an ongoing fear of the mullahs' terrorism.

In fact, the support that this medieval regime has received from the West goes far beyond any other dictatorships in recent Iranian history. One might be astonished to know that the U.S. policy during the past decade has actually strengthened the ayatollahs and hampered their opposition. A few examples:

• The invasion of Iraq, which brought to power the pro-Tehran government of Nouri al-Maliki;
• Enchaining the only remaining organised opposition to the mullahs through its inclusion on different blacklists and confining their members in a de facto house arrest in Camp Ashraf, Iraq;
• Ignoring the NCRI’s repeated warnings about the mullahs’ nuclear ambitions and talking for the sake of talking with Tehran;
• Breaching the U.S. forces signed agreement, which guaranteed the protection of Ashraf residents in return for their voluntarily disarmament, which led to two massacres in 2009and 2011 by the Iraqi forces while U.S. troops simply watched.

The blacklisting of PMOI hamstrung nearly all the energy and resources of the democratic opposition in lengthy and exhausting legal battles in Europe and the US instead of allowing them to focus on bringing about a democratic change in Iran.

During the past decade, the Iranian resistance has filed no less than 36 lawsuits in Europe and America confronting various blacklists. And guess what? It has won in all 36. The latest ruling came last month in Washington when a three-judge panel unanimously ordered Secretary Clinton to make up her mind about the PMOI status or the court will remove it from the State Department's list of terrorist organizations by October 1.

As the historical leader of the resistance, Massoud Rajavi, once said: “Wherever there is still a drop of freedom and justice left, we can prove the righteousness of our movement."

The mullahs tried hard to prevent the June rally by sending numerous letters to French authorities as well as organising anti-PMOI pickets to frighten the participants.

No less than 55 distinguished political figures and personalities including former New York mayorRudy Giuliani, former Democratic Party Chairman Gov. Ed Rendell, former US Ambassador to UN Gov. Bill Richardson, former Congressman Patrick Kennedy, and former Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip J. Crowley were among the US dignitaries who addressed the event.

This week, a decade after the resistance exposed the mullahs’ twenty-year clandestine nuclear weapons program for the first time in August 2002, Europe has finally imposed oil sanctions on Iran. These latest sanctions had been demanded by the NCRI for the past three decades. Thus the Iranian resistance has shown its ability to change a world policy while swimming against the tide.

Now if the U.S. genuinely does not want to hand over a nuclear bomb to the mullahs, it should stand with the democratic opposition to overthrow this regime and recognize their demands. As Mrs Rajavisaid in the Paris gathering, "Our demand is simple: an Iran free of suppression, a non-nuclear Iran, and a non-theocratic Iran."

Time has finally come for that.

Outrageous Liars Slander MEK: Still Main Threat To Ayatollahs

by Fabian Mahmoudi

(OfficialWire)
These days, blaspheming MEK has opened prospects of a SEO marketing carrier for some, and a hobby for others. ParrotingTehran’s outdated lie is not the only insult to injury for respected journalists, but serving as enslaved docile pen-pals to the worst enemy of humanity is obnoxious..
 “The bigger the lie the more prone to be believed” is the outline for a round-the-clock  competition in a mud sliding campaign against the MEK, most probably groomed by Tehran, that outsmarts the famous World's Biggest Liar annual competition in Cumbria, England.
 The moral George Washington was brave enough to say, “I cannot  tell a Lie” while Mark Twain concluded “Washington could not lie. I can lie, but I won't."
Why is there such enormous gap of values between today’s’ American principals and that of their icons?
The answer is profoundly simple: The clerical fascists are at work in Tehran.
 We will go over some of the most colossal and significant lies on the MEK and their tragic results. Of course, such a list cannot be comprehensive since most of the victims of this atrocious hobby have not lived to tell the truth. It is said that the truth will set one free.
 The first grand liar was the founder of the present Iranian government Khomeini (1). When inParisin 1978, he equivocated a vague future forIranand lied about his plot to establish a theocratic jurisprudence and said, “when the Shah is gone, I will go back toQom," implying that he would retire.  When the MEK foiled his plot in an interview in keyhan- February 1979- revealing, “the intentions to derail the trend of change under the name of fighting communism for Islam," Khomeini called them “hypocrites."
In 1978 the MEK, with more than 500 000 supporters only inTehranbecame the popular pro-democratic organization that advocated a platform based on the ballot box and collective participation of people in the social –political change ofIran. Its meetings packed by youth eager to understand the new promoted antithesis to Islamic fundamentalism preached by the Ayatollahs became the deathly battleground for thugs hired by the clerics. Peaceful rallies were attacked by “anonymous” organized crowds equipped with knives' axes and chains. (2) Hundreds of participants were wounded, many arrested and disappeared.
Khomeini called the meetings “against Islam and hypocritical” thus paving the way for more slaughter on the streets. When the MEK objected to “mysterious” crowds attacking and promoting fear, Khomeini in an official broadcast outflanked MEK’s demand for the “right to assemble” and said, “they blind themselves and injure themselves in their meetings and blame it on others to taint the image if Islam."
When faced with a serious rival, whose popularity and fame had reached all corners ofIranattracting the youth from all social classes, Khomeini simply issued a religious fatwa and tagged them as “Anti-Gods” and terrorists being paid by Israeli Moussad and Saddam Hussein.
While Khomeini’s’ cold-blooded  massacre of 20,000 MEK supporters was being reported in the foreign press (3), he claimed the MEK was responsible for these deaths. Later survivors of the massacre from various political tendencies revealed that the plot to massacre the prisoners was initiated in 1977 and had nothing to do with any MEK action outside the prisons.
Khomieni left a legacy of outrageous lies and brainwashing campaign against the group after his death.
In a letter to the UN special reporter, a former deserter of MEK who was repatriated by the Iranian Intelligence service called Tafrashi wrote of his ordeal. “They approached all those who separated from the MEK. They would finally recruit them. We were to focus on a smear campaign against the organization. They said in order to show neutrality we should once in while lash out againstTehran, but hit harder against the group.”
 These instructions formed the foundations of a smearing policy by the mullah’s Intelligence agency, today advocated by Seymour Hersh, the Rubins and their off-springs.
As reflected in my previous articles, ethical journalism is diminishing. Noble journalism that once reflected the truth, remains as an asset for those writers who never bent to ego and Machiavellist journalism.(5)
One such example was a Washington Post article that clarified the truth about chimes involving the MEK in US military personnel assassination. (4)
 A partial list of spectacular lies is proof of the complicated challenge facing professional journalism in defying cheap journalism:
 - Stale gossips about MEK physical involvement in the US embassy hostage crisis in Tehran has repeatedly been disapproved by those responsible at the time (6) yet some find it best to “strike while the subject is hot” only to score in google search.
- The groups’ mutilating of Christian priests inIranhas been categorically rejected in a UN report (7) and yet, the subject is still spicing articles.
- MEK involvement in terrorist acts such as bombing of the holy shrine in Mashahd has been forgotten myths even in Tehran’s smear campaigns, yet they are still favored by some mystery writers today.(8)
- Paltering facts brazenly only to use them as a rouser is repugnant for any journalist, let alone when an expired Iranian Intelligence agent such as “Khodabandeh and wife (singleton)” are used as “experts” on the subject of MEK. A tactic recently used unethically by Seymour Hersh and roused by a number of potent pro-ayatollah sites. Rehashing expired, but colossal lies will not buy ethics for such “parrotists”. The same agent is still panting out lies rejected officially by the Iranian press, probably taking his counterparts as fools. (9)
 Unfortunately, it is true as Winston Churchill once said, “"A lie can be halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on." 
In the life staking struggle by residents incampAshrafand their leaders, an International campaign involving the European Union, The Security Council members and the United Nations is evading bloodshed on the behest ofTehranby Iraqi forces. A long term peaceful relocation of the refugees (some members of MEK) to their countries is planned after they undergo UN registration procession.
 The goodwill gesture of the residents and their leadership for a volunteered relocation to camp liberty has been applauded as courageous by high ranking US officials and their European Colleagues.(10) The new location is a looted garrison, only one sixtieth of the area of their owned town Ashraf, with no basic foundations such as; portal water, electricity, sewage system.
 Regardless of the unequivocal control of the Iraqi forces over living conditions of the residents, we are faced with magnified lies, no doubt cycled by the ayatollahs to impair the residents’ relocation to other countries.
-TabnakState-run news reported 58 residents “escaped Ashraf” for freedom. This is while all 3455 residents have already registered their applications with the UNHCR and are under the supervision of the UN. Earlier, the residents announced  the number of casualties by Iraqi attacks and suppressive measures to be 45 people. The claimed 58 escapees were never verified.
- During the 14-month  total siege of the groups’ residency ‘Ashraf’, which made any contact with the residents impossible, Iranian press claimed MEK women had carried out a kamikaze operation inBaghdad. Lawyers, families of the residents along with diplomats had complained they were not allowed visits to the camp, and the residents were practically imprisoned by Iraqi forces.
- On March 28, after a group of Ashraf residents had voluntarily relocated to the newcampLiberty, the half a kilometer residential area was attacked by mortars, whileBaghdadwas on maximum security alert for the Arab Summit. The Iranian state run Khorasan newspaper, December 27, 2011, attributed the attack to the MEK.
- As the forth group of residents were preparing for relocation toCampLiberty, the Iraqi SWAT brigade attacked residents who have already agreed to refrain from retaliation as a goodwill gesture. They were abiding the MoU signed by UNAMI and Iraq which legally allows their portable belongings transferred to the new compound. This was prevented by Iraqi forces by force.(11) At the moment armored vehicles,(12)  numerous police inspection posts, eavesdropping devices around the small compound and the legal presence of Iranian Intelligence agents at their doorsteps, have transitioned liberty into a prison camp.
The irony of it all is the victims are blamed for “being beaten, attacked by mortars and hampering the relocation process”.
 Villains are let loose while the victims are chained.
 It is rare to find integrity and honor akin to that of George Washington who “could not lie”.
In the annals of history it seems there are 10 dishonest scoundrels for every honorable hero likeWashington. This has often resulted in elaborate hoaxes, perjuries, and forgeries that had enormous ripple effects and humanitarian tragedies.
At the end it is people likeWashingtonand epics such as the resistance against ideological tyrants inTehranthat make history and not egoistic liars.

Annotations:
 1-http://www.flickr.com/photos/sabahaftbaradaran/7000618229/sizes/l/in/photostream/
2- http://www.flickr.com/photos/28353822@N07/2679341534/in/set-72157606234274925/
2-http://www.flickr.com/photos/sabahaftbaradaran/7000649299/sizes/l/in/photostream/
PLEASE DOWNLOAD TO BE ABLE TO READ THE TEXT
3-     http://www.flickr.com/photos/28353822@N07/2678524631/in/set-72157606234274925
4-     http://www.scribd.com/doc/86675201/Washpost1976-VAHID-AFRAKHTEN-coup-leader-against-original-MEK-responsible-for-attacks-on-Americans
5-     http://news.officialwire.com/main.php?action=posted_news&rid=318462
      6- The USstate department reciting cleric media have accused the MEK for participating physically in the US Embassy hostage crisis on November 4, 1979. Ervand Abrahamian’s report (1989, p. 57) suggest otherwise. While the MEK was following a policy of non-confrontation with Khomeini they chose not to support the student take over of the Embassy. ““It was later revealed that these university students were organized by Hojjat al-Islam Khoiniha, a prominent member of the IRP and the leader of the Tehran University komiteh [a morality guard organization].”. According to Massoumeh Ebtekar (Takeover in Tehran, Massoumeh Ebtekar, Talon Books, Canada, 2000, p. 234), who was the spokesperson during the hostage crisis for the radical students, the MEK “had been opposed to the takeover and the confrontation with America from the very first. In sharp contrast to lies mirrored by the State department and parroted by pro-ayatollah pundits, The MEK said the clerics had “engineered the hostage crisis to impose on the nation the ‘medieval’ concept of the velayat-e faqih.”
In return, Mohammad Reza Saadati- an MEK member was taken hostage by government thugs, trialed for treason and spying for the Russians and Mussad and executed. This was while the group mustered over half a million into the streets ofTehran. Its newspapers outsold those of the ruling clerical party by sixteen to one.
7--Accordingly, articles came out accusing the MEK of “mutilating” three dissident Christian priests. Explaining how Abdollah Nouri, a former regime Interior Minister, had admitted at his trial in November 1999 that MOIS had murdered the Christian leaders, the British member of Parliament ,Lord Avebury explained: “The concerted effort to attribute the atrocities to the Mojahedin was intended to demonize the resistance while at the same time ridding the state of troublesome Christian leaders who refused to submit to the dictatorship.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Tolerance, Abdelfattah Amor, in his UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Tolerance, 9 February 1996 stated:
“The Iranian government had apparently decided to execute those Protestant leaders in order not only to bring the Mojahedin organisation into disrepute abroad by declaring it responsible for those crimes, but also, at the domestic level, partly to decapitate the Protestant community and force it to discontinue the conversion of Muslims.”
8- On 20 June 1994, the first bombing of the holy shrine of Imam Reza took place killing 26 people. In several other attempts covert NGOs claimed that MEK planted the explosives at the holy shrine in Mashad. Khamenei publicly attributed the attack on the MEK andIran’s former Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Velayati summoned foreign ambassadors inTehranto demand that restrictions be imposed on the Mojahedin and the Iranian Resistance’s activities worldwide. During the public funeral held for the victims a large crowd chanted “Death to the MEK”.
A Cleric later revealed the act was the result of infightings and carried out by the MOIS (Iran’s notorious Intelligence service.)
(9) In 1998, during khatami’s presidency a chain of murders of dissidents occurred. The Judiciary spokesman Fotovat Savadkouhi blamed the murders on the MEK. A few days later, the Director of Islamic Propaganda Organization stated as fact: ‘These murders were carried out by the Zionists with the cooperation of the Mojahedin group.’ However, the Iranian regime was soon forced to admit that in fact the murders were the work of MOIS. A statement issued by the public relations department of MOIS in January 1999 read:
“With utmost deep regret, a number of our irresponsible and selfish colleagues at the
Ministry, who were no doubt in contact with foreign intelligence services, have committed these crimes.”( Salam’ Iranian newspaper, 6 January 1999)
 10- http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/iran-resistance/11870-honorable-marc-ginsberg-we-have-to-realize-the-danger-people-at-camp-ashraf-face-
 11- http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf/11872-injuring-of-29-ashraf-residents-due-to-the-iraqi-forces-attack-while-loading-fourth-groups-belongings-for-transfer-to-liberty
12- http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/ncri-statements/ashraf/11887-anti-riot-armored-unit-deployed-to-suppress-liberty-residents

Fabian is a freelance writer.

MEK: Do Not Enchain Iranian Peoples' Hope For Freedom

MEK: Do Not Enchain Iranian Peoples' Hope For Freedom

Favoring Mullahs Lobbies to American Rich Values
by S। Azad

(5PR Media)

David Amess, a prominent British member of parliament in an article wrote:

“The State Department is playing a dirty game. Anyone bold enough to express concern about dubious actions of the State Department regarding the PMOI(MEK) is chased by the Treasury, and yet the State Department expects the Iranian Diaspora to express openly its support for the PMOI. What an irony. Inside Iran, anyone daring to support them, if caught, would be sent to the gallows almost instantly. Now in the U.S., that seems to be the case, too. A different kind of gallows – defamation.”

Wide arrays of knowledgeable persons have recognized that there is no justification for MEK’s continued presence on the FTO list.

In Europe alone 4000 parliamentarians from four continents appealed to the US for a change of attitude towards Iran’s main opposition movement in 24 officially votes statements.

An array of former American administrative, military and state officials, including a former Attorney General, FBI director, Homeland Security Secretary, two CIA directors, three former Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a former NATO commander, two former US envoys to the UN, President Obama’s ex-National Security Advisor, and political heavyweights Howard Dean, Rudi Giuliani, and Patrick Kennedy support the call for the de-listing of the MEK.

In the Iranian New Year Nowrouz celebrations last week, in the European parliament, Mr. Struan Stevensson President of European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq said:“It is disgraceful that the US continues to maintain the PMOI-NCRI on the US State Department black list. This is used continually by the Iraqi government as an excuse to attack and persecute these innocent people. Now the State Department facing yet another demand by the American courts has come up with the lame excuse that Hilary Clinton has been too busy traveling around the world to have time to consider this issue.”

Mr. Jim Higgins, a member of the European parliament's Bureau from Ireland said: “Unfortunately, the story today is a sad one when the United States seem to have decided to turn a blind eye.”

The Italian senator Lucio Malan expressed his and his colleagues support for the main Iranian opposition MEK and said that both in the House of Deputies and in the Senate advocate the resistance and have declared their support for protection and rights of Ashraf residents on many occasions. The senator rejected recent smear campaigns of US supporters of the MEK and said : “This is unfortunately happening in the U.S. right now at the cost of discrediting some of the most trusted and trustworthy former officials of that nation who are brave men known for speaking out the truth and opposing injustice. They are following the path of the great heroes of American history. I deeply admire them. And I want to tell them on behalf of my Italian colleagues that we join our hands with yours and we join our voices to yours for the protection of the Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty residents.”

In an article David Amess, the prominent British member of Parliament while greeting the Iranian New year wrote: “I have been a supporter of the residents of Ashraf (and now in camp Liberty) for more than 20 years; I stand with them today. The pro-Iranian lobby in the U.S. is trying to smear brave American politicians, military officials, and human rights activists who have been defending our course. We were honored to have a number of these officials with us on our panel. Some in the American government claim the PMOI does not have the support of the people of Iran. This is their justification for the continued unjust designation - and what an absurd justification, as well as a totally untrue claim.”

MEK was classified as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” (FTO) (1) during the Clinton administration at the request of the Iranian government in a futile effort to placate the mullahs in Tehran whom Clinton believed were open to negotiations

Today, the organization has strong bipartisan support in both the U.S. House (2) and Senate.(3) The poisonous “terror tag” has been removed by both the United Kingdom (4) and the European Union by 22 court orders and 3 main High EU courts.

The inclusion of the MEK in the State Department list of terrorist organizations was a “goodwill gesture” by the Clinton administration to then newly elected President Mohammad Khatami. Martin Indyk, Assistant Secretary of State of Near Eastern Affairs at the time MEK was blacklisted, told Newsweek on September 26, 2002, “... [There] was White House interest in opening up a dialogue with the Iranian government. At the time, President Khatami had recently been elected and was seen as a moderate. Top Administration officials saw cracking down on the [PMOI], which the Iranians had made clear they saw as a menace, as one way to do so.”

Putting Iranian politics' considerations parallel to those concerning foreign terrorist organizations is unethical in the first place, and is detrimental to US anti terrorist policy in the second. At the end, it undermines democratic principles of coherent state behavior.

Tehran’s regime is the world’s first sponsor of State terrorism, according to State Department’s categorical definitions. Listing the main opposition movement to the same regime in the FTO list sends a wrong signal to all parties. It suggests that everything, including FTO lists, can be subject to opportunistic bargaining when it comes to short or middle term political interests.

Even if we were putting foreign policy considerations first, the worst policy is to continue a failed policy with no reason. Mohammed Khatami never delivered the promised “reforms”. On the other hand, the engagement policy or “walking behind” has only emboldened the ruthless clerics in Tehran. It has permitted them to quietly construct their array of enrichment centrifuges needed to produce more than necessary enriched uranium to bring the country close to making its first Bomb, creating one the most serious foreign policy challenges of all US administrations thereafter.

The brutal regime in power in Iran has definitely not changed its behavior, nor has the State Department in listing the MEK.

In a Paris conference Lieutenant Colonel Leo McCloskey who served at camp Ashraf,Iraq for 13 months said MEK is not a terrorist organization:“ The people of Ashraf are not terrorists. They are people trying to be a symbol of courage, as you are in here. They have willingly undergone years of isolation in a very difficult environment. They have cooperated with the United States military, U.S. embassy, UNHCR, International Red Cross, the government of Iraq. They have demonstrated that they’re willing to go to the extremes to help out the situation, as they’ve done now with the people that have moved to Liberty in the hope that by moving there they would find freedom. But they’re not finding that.”

The MEK is not a terrorist organization. It has neither the intent nor ability to engage in terrorism or terrorist activity.

Smearing the main opposition to the Clerical dictatorship in Iran, the MEK, is not only unjust to the people of Iran, who thirst for freedom, but it is an injustice to the notion of peace and stability in the Middle East and security of our world.

The FTO list is an important tool in combating terrorism, but its designations must stand to reason. If due process is completed in an impartial and objective manner and not influenced by the likes of an unsubstantiated, amateurish cut-and-paste job like the LHM, then it would lead to delisting the MEK.”

S. Azad, Analyst on Middle East affairs and security, freelance writer and film editor.

When Right Prevails in US, It Will Prevail in Iran

http://bit.ly/HdIgVS

By: Mahin Saremi
Mahin Saremi : former political prisoner who escaped from Iran last year, one of the active organizers of the 2009 protests in Iran and activist has recently entered the realm of freelance writers. Her articles have been published since she escaped from Iran.

State Department Foot-dragging to Delist MEK

Is Unlawful

Charles Montesquieu once said: “There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.”

In the case of the US State department and Obama Administration, this extraordinary simple quotation has become an inverted ideology.
“Rights” founded by Americas forefathers are deliberately neglected because of delusional overestimation of the Iranian cleric’s threat prompted by pro-Iranian pundits.
The first “Right” in the American Revolution was the right to fight for Independence and democracy. No one was tagged as terrorist and no group was enchained, demonised or terrorized for fighting for “democracy." On the contrary, it was an eternal obligation towards humanitarian rights not to refuse help, if given the chance to fight alongside those who strived for these Rights.
Resistance movements have shared a major concept throughout history; the need to be free and chose a Democracy. This becomes an existential need, when there is a blood-stained theocracy unbridled and in a clash with humanity.
The story of the Iranian resistance is the anatomy for “righteousness versus wickedness."
The right to life which a “resistance movement” strives to protect is the bridge between integrity and corruption for every individual regardless of background.

“In law a man is guilty when he violates the rights of others. In ethics he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so”
Immanuel Kant

The concept of “innocent before proven guilty” has long been buried in the grounds of immorality that prevail in current smear campaigns waged by Washington against Tehran’s main opposition; MEK.

MEK serves as the litmus test for all. It is the “bridge” and a passageway through which one can swiftly transcend from integrity to corruption.

Regime change is the core argument against the MEK. The bashing and hideous fouling campaigns all aim to pacify this resistance movement.
The landmark for all those claiming for “rights” and “peace” is: Are you with the MEK or the with the Mullahs?

The processions of political decisions taken to keep the main pro-democracy movement of Iran (MEK) prove it to be highly politicised than legal;

-Secretary Rice made the decision at the end of the Bush administration to keep the PMOI on the list, in the hope that the incoming administration would be able to have negotiations with the ayatollahs. This policy has failed up to date.
- Secretary Clinton said just a few weeks ago that the MEK’s handling of the transfer of the residents of Camp Ashraf to Camp Liberty would affect the State Department’s decision on the listing on the foreign terrorist organization list.
- For years, MEK families and affiliates have been persecuted, tortures and killed by the pretext provided for the mullahs in Iran through the US black list.
- The fatal slip in policy by the US administration has resulted in providing the ayatollahs ample time to build their terrorist networks; enhance the nuclear arsenal; engage in repugnant human right violations in Syria and the Middle East; kill and massacre the Iranian people while crushing uprisings. Enchaining the main opposition to the mullahs has emboldened a vile and irrational theocratic fascism in the region and the world.
- There is no legal, moral or ethical basis for keeping the MEK in the list and withholding the Iranian people from the chance of acquiring freedom and democracy.

As Louis Freeh recently said:
“In Washington if people wanted to leak information about the justification, such as it is, for keeping the PMOI on the list, they would do it. The information would be out in the public record. But there have been no such leaks. There’s no factual basis for this designation. It should be lifted.”

Ambassador Bolton recently in a Paris conference said:
“I believe that the declared policy of the United States government should be overthrowing the present government in Iran which is a threat to international peace and security through its role as the world’s central banker of international terrorism, and through its two decade long pursuit of nuclear weapons. Perhaps the most important way in which the United States can encourage regime change is to get out of the way of legitimate Iranian opposition.”

With regards to the FTO listing of the MEK, Ambassador Bolton said: “those of us who have had the opportunity when in government to see information about the MEK have seen nothing that justifies its continued presence on the list of foreign terrorist organizations.”

As Judge Mukasey said in the same conference, the original listing in the late 1990s was in hopes of getting negotiations going with the regime in Tehran. That was a decision not based on facts, but on a political determination as to what could be accomplished.

Judge Mukasey clarified the reason for the smear campaign wheeled by Washington:
“Look at the timing. The MEK tells the State Department and the Justice Department, “You know, you’ve been dragging your feet long enough with this designation. We’re going to go into court.” They gave them not only advanced notice that they’re going to do it, they gave them an advanced copy of the papers they were going to file. And they disclosed the names of the people, telling them on the basis of our experience and our knowledge that there is no basis for that designation. And behold a couple days later subpoenas get served on the speaker agencies that send those people out to express their views. I stopped believing in coincidences like that when I stopped believing in the Tooth Fairy, and that was a long time ago.”

The FTO listing of the MEK, is a mere rejection of the “Right to be” not only as a people but as a set of values, found deep in the hearts of every individual American; the need to be “FREE”. It devours the essential right to life for many and is anti-human.

“Freedom” has been at the centre of all movement where tyrants rule. It is irrefutably immoral to join the song of the “tyrants” in Tehran in the gradual strangulation of the movement for “freedom”.

In the case of the MEK, the State department has taken precedence over all preserved “rights” and is acting above the law.

Its foot-dragging and failure to timely comply with the DC Court’s mandate is itself powerful evidence that the continued designation of PMOI as a foreign terrorist organization cannot be justified.

Mek- State Dept. Vs Rule Of Law

The FTO-List Analysis: US State Department Appeasing The Mullahs By: Soharb safavi If there be any among us who would wish to dissolve the Union or to change its republican form, let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it. Thomas Jefferson Christopher Hitchens once said: A sure sign of ineptitude and malice is manifested when one's attacker is willing to cover himself with mud in order to try and make some of it adhere to his target. We have been witnessing the same repellant tactics in a smear campaign against MEK- US official supporters only to provide cover for the failed Policy of the US State department towards the Iranian crisis. The core argument behind the current smear campaign against the MEK and its US supporters is that this main Iranian opposition group to the clerical tyrants in Iran is still in the US black list. The term “terrorism” can be double standard unless defined by rule and established by the rule of law. It is to distinguish any group or persons that choose to challenge an establishment: “A person, usually a member of a group, uses or advocates terrorism, or;A person who terrorizes or frightens civilians. A popular saying that “One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter” simply indicates the struggle between good and evil and right and wrong. But the moral question remains, literally speaking: who are the terrorists, and who are the freedom fighters? The list of "Foreign Terrorist Organization" is a designation for non-United States-based organizations declared terrorist by the United States Secretary of State in accordance with section 219 of the U.S.Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). read more at : http://bit.ly/HJ1Xpz

Framing The Core Issue: MEK Court Appeal Against US State Department

By Sadegh Sistani, on March 27th, 2012 Foreign Policy is putting out cheap journalism by Josh Rogin demonizing the Iranian opposition. Josh Rogins’ mystery series in Foreign Policy, with a recent one titled “Terrorist group's supporters throw party in U.S. Congress |”repeat the Iranian regime’s stale allegations against the main organized opposition group People’s Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) and do a disservice to the Foreign Policy’s record of unbiased journalism. They are part of an effort by Iran’s intelligence ministry to demonize the supporters of the Iranian resistance. Some 22 courts in the UK, Europe and the US have ruled that the MEK is not involved in terrorism; furthermore, the European Union de-proscribed the group in 2009 after the courts rejected the very allegations that the articles have yet again brought up. The piece represents a desperate, albeit futile attempt to block, in contravention of the Rule of law and the statutory requirements, the removal of the MEK from the State Department’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO). Rogins’ shedding of crocodile tears for Justice over crime, appears disingenuous given the absence of a mere criticism, let alone condemnation, of the Ayatollahs vicious collective hangings ongoing and the last two blood lead attacks on the victims of an “inhumane massacre in Camp Ashraf.” As far as his concern for complications provided for US MEK supporters in “providing material” support is concerned, Mr. Rogin does not have a clue what these “material” supports are in the legal context and conceals his ignorance by assuming it may include “advocacy”. In a previous reply to similar salivated suggestions Former Trustee of President Bush and High judge Michael Mukasey had this to add: Suggestions that our conduct raises a question under the material-support statute is undone by the text of the law itself. The statute barring material assistance to organizations on the State Department’s list of foreign terrorist organizations (“FTO”) says that although “material assistance” includes “personnel,” and although “personnel” may include the person providing the assistance — here, the four of us — the “personnel” have to be working “under that [FTO’s] direction or control.” And then, just to make explicit what is already obvious, the law continues: “Individuals who act entirely independently of the [FTO] to advance its goals or objectives shall not be considered to be working under the [FTO]’s direction and control.” As a result, we felt quite secure, thank you, in relying on the protection Congress placed in the statute, backed up by the First Amendment. As far as Rogins mystery series are concerned “Things are not what they appear to be”. This hypothesis mediated by Mr. Rogin is to lure readers into anti-MEK sentiments. Thereafter; the wave of sentiments and the “much ado about nothing” would cleverly cover US – UNAMI dogged obligations in face of any humanitarian tragedy for the 3400 of Camp Ashraf. It would be a far more “crime” to accomplice readers into a “Crime against Humanity” and “sin” than any alleged financial controversy. The main issue which is being submerged under this entire anti-MEK blitz is that the Washington appeals court on Monday gave the US government until March 26 to examine quickly a request by the main Iranian opposition group to be taken off a US terror blacklist, which is causing immediate threat and deaths to their families and members. In a conference recently Governor Tom Ridge had this to say: “You will not silence us. Whoever is responsible has a moment of quiet reflection, I suggest that they just take a look at the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights, and particularly take a look at that first amendment. It’s called freedom of speech, the same freedom of speech that the men and women of MEK aspire to under the leadership of Mrs. Rajavi, the same freedom of speech that democratic opposition throughout Iran aspire to. at the end of the day we will continue to stand on the right side of history with the people of MEK, the freedom-loving people of MEK at Liberty and Ashraf until they are resettled. Mayor Rudi Giuliani reacted to the hsosh posh of the “treasurey” hunt : “Speaking for myself and so many of my colleagues, that anonymous, cowardly sources in the State Department or elsewhere who unknowingly are doing the bidding of the mullahs don’t frighten me, won’t stop me, won’t stop any of us, ever.” Former High Judge Michael Mukasey also commented on the “anonymous” comments recently used in mysterious press campaigns: “It’s a funny thing about anonymous sources, what are they afraid of? They must be afraid of something. They’re afraid to have their names used. Look at the timing. The MEK tells the State Department and the Justice Department, “You know, you’ve been dragging your feet long enough with this designation. We’re going to go into court.” They gave them not only advanced notice that they’re going to do it, they gave them an advanced copy of the papers they were going to file. And they disclosed the names of the people. Mayor Giuliani, Tom Ridge, others, many others, who would have also filed paper in court as friends of the court, telling them on the basis of our experience and our knowledge—many people on that brief directly involved in national security affairs—that there is no basis, no reason for that designation. They were told that in advance. And lo and behold a couple days later subpoenas get served on the speaker agencies that send those people out to express their views.” To be used or allowed to mislead the public into bogus issues in order to cover the main highlight is unethical and unprincipled modus operandi by Foreign Policy, which boasts of “FP's award-winnings” only, serves to pave the way for another massacre of the residents in satisfaction of the Iranian clerical fascists. Annotations: Sin : http://news.yahoo.com/bipartisan-political-leaders-urge-removal-mek-terrorist-list-043208692.html Washington Appeal Court : http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jst73NnEgd_19BuKsuM85Ag1OBYg Michael Mukasey: http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/256689/mek-not-terrorist-group-michael-b-mukasey-tom-ridge-and-frances-fragos-townsend Gov.Tom Ridge: http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf/11831-governor-tom-ridge-we-cant-be-silenced- Mayor Giuliani : http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf/11830-mayor-rudi-giuliani-anonymous-cowardly-sources-who-unknowingly-are-doing-the-bidding-of-the-mullahs-dont-frighten-me-

Why are American MEK supporters targeted now?

Why are American MEK supporters targeted now? Anything to do with the recent court ruling in DC in favor of the MEK?

By Sam Azizi
March 15, 2012

After the US court decision about the mandamus of the MEK (the main Iranian opposition movement known by their Farsi name, Mojahedin-e-Khalq) on their unjust designation as a foreign terrorist group, came an orchestrated campaign against US dignitaries, military and political personalities who have expressed their support for the MEK.

But why all these allegations now?

The simple truth is that if the State Department had any logical argument about this group and its links to terrorism, it would have provided it to the court and to the media in order to justify the designation. And that would have been the end of argument.

But as it is very routine, when there is no evidence, allegations and disinformation campaign is used as an instrument to undermine and derive the course of events.

Little by little we are witnessing footprints of well known lobbies of the Iranian regime disguised as a noble U.S. citizens or outfits, yet with a sinister intent and objective.

One of those is an indiviual called Trita Parsi. according to Washington Times, Trita Parsi, who heads the "National Iranian America Council", argues that the money is connected to the MEK and as such is trying to muddy the water for the US dignitaries who support the Iranian resistance and in particular believe terrorism designation must not be a tool of political deal-making, especially deals with the likes of the mullahs’ regime.

According to the Washington Times on March 9: "Mr. Parsi claims that officials from the State Department have privately told him that the MEK sets up 'shell organizations' to raise money. When asked about Mr. Parsi's claim, a State Department spokesman declined to comment."

So even the State Department is reluctant to confirm these allegations!

It is ironic that Trita Parsi is himself subject of an ongoing investigation for his role and function as an influence peddler of the Iranian regime in Washington, DC.

Actually this mud-slinging and slur campaign is nothing new in Iranian politics at all. The Iranian regime's notorious secret service, MOIS , is a master of tarnishing the image of the regime's dissidents.

But there is another side to this experience. Whenever the person who was targeted showed no fear and did not succumb, the MOIS had no choice but to retreat.

In this case, as they have no evidence against the MEK they try to conjure up evidences and as such to neutralize MEK supporters.

This group of U.S. senior former officials represent an impressive, bipartisan group that is a very rare in Washington, DC. They include three Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Director of FBI, the Attorney General, the State Department’s coordinator of anti-terrorism, the State Department’s director of policy planning, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, two Chairmen of the Democratic National Committee, two CIA Directors, the President’s National Security Advisor and the President’s Homeland Security Advisor, believe the U.S's principles and values are not matters of bargaining, with Baghdad tyrants, their masters in Tehran or anyone to that effect. They are the voice of conscience of the true values of the US.

They are the ones who dared to do the difficult right, instead of going with the easy wrong.

They do not want to witness again that US put MEK off its list after mullahs are gone, very similar to what happened to Nelson Mandela and its organization. He was targeted by the same allegations but nothing could stop him and his movement to restore freedom and democracy in their country.

But this could be a slough for mullahs' lobbies and those at the Foggy Bottom who have gone over the board over the years in their bid to appease Tehran tyrants. It seems they have not noticed that the end game is near and the death bell for the defunct policy of appeasement and all of its by-products, including the inclusion of the dissidents in the terror list is ringing.

Bipartisan Political Leaders Urge Removal of MEK from Terrorist List, Denounce Attempt to Silence State Department Policy Critics

WASHINGTON, March, 24, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX

With a federal appeals court deadline looming for the U.S. State Department to answer why it has defied earlier court rulings requiring review of a decision to maintain the main Iranian opposition movement, the Mujahedin-e Khaq (MEK) on the terrorist list, top former US officials and Members of Congress are urging the Department to remove the group immediately.

"I believe we will not only get our day in court, I believe we will succeed," former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge told an audience of Members of Congress, staff members, and Iranian-Americans during an event, marking the Iranian New Year, Nowrouz. "Sometimes justice takes a little longer than normal, but sooner or later, righteousness and the law prevail, and we will prevail."

Other speakers included Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), the House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) and retired Army Col. Wesley Martin, who commanded Camp Ashraf.

At issue is the fate of 3,400 Iranian dissidents now housed at Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty in Iraq; their safe relocation has been vastly complicated by the State Department's refusal the make a decision on the Status of the MEK.

In 2010, a three-judge panel in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously ruled that the State Department had violated the due process rights of the MEK and ordered the Obama administration to revisit the issue. Since then, the State Department continues to be in violation of the due process in virtue of its refusal to make a decision based on instructions given by the Court.

Earlier this month, attorneys for the MEK filed a writ of mandamus seeking the court's intervention in light of State inaction. The court did so expeditiously, and gave the government a deadline of March 26 to respond to the mandamus.

In the meantime, in a move which some observers believe is tied to the court developments, the Treasury Department is apparently contemplating a "potential" investigation into the source of funding for events where a number of senior former federal law enforcement, intelligence and national security officials had urged that the MEK be dropped from the State Department's terror list and the residents of Ashraf be protected.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-CA, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Oversight and Investigations subcommittee, has called this inquiry "a travesty," adding that it is "a sin that our government is going after these people trying to support the people of Iran."

"It seems that the method to silence those who are in favor of the liberation of the MEK from the foreign terrorist organization... is to attack them personally... That is not going to work. Whoever is behind the attacks on these good men and women with unbelievable credentials, who believe in the de-listing of the MEK, it will not succeed," emphasized the Texas Republican, Rep. Ted Poe.

Since the Court ruling, nearly 130 members of Congress, including House Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mike Rogers (R-MI), Oversight and Government Reform Chair Darrel Issa (R-CA) and Armed Services Committee Chair Howard McKeon (R-CA), have co-sponsored resolutions calling for the delisting of the MEK

SOURCE California Society for Democracy in Iran

Death In Camp Liberty vs. Washington’s Smear Campaign Against MEK

IviewIRAN

As Washington’s smear campaign fire away at MEK, Bardia Amir-Mostofian a 44 year old engineer and resident of Ashraf dies of cardiac arrest due to fatigue after 48-hour-long transit inspection after entering Camp Liberty.

Bardia was one of 700 residents who volunteered to go to the Camp described to be a “prison” by a recent statement by the Council of Europe. (Full statement of Council of Europe) International pleas by the opposition (MEK) alerting the US,UNAMI and International community of a plot to fail the relocation and blame it on the opposition has not been heeded when most needed.

The statement released by the opposition blames Baridas’ death on his extreme fatigue and stress cause by the rush imposed by Iraq and UNAMI to relocate before the Iranian New year. Reports of harassment, attacks, physical threats by Iraqi SWAT teams, who speak Iranian, on the residents at Liberty, have caused serious concerns on the “good will” of the Iraqi side.

The presence of numerous Iraqi police forces, their invasion in the “women’s quarters”, deliberate sabotage on the sewage system and spying instruments improvised around the camp all point to this necessity.

As reported by the opposition, Bardia’s death was caused by prolonged inspection and harassment: “The inspection of belongings began at 8 am on Sunday March 18 and went on until midday on Monday March 19, following which inspections of individuals began. At one point during this offensive inspection, the Special Forces known as SWAT attacked the residents and beat them with electric batons.

The Legal representative of the residents has released a report by Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill in a statement points the blame on Iraqi forces;

“After arriving at Camp Liberty, Iraqi officials under the command of Sadeq Mohammad Kazim (one of the commanders of the July 2009 and April 2011 massacres), sought to conduct yet a further thorough search. During the 48 hour process of search and transfer to Liberty, the residents were constantly subjected to insults. Many of their items were confiscated with no justification. All these matters were reported to representatives of UNAMI at the scene.” (read report at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/86521542/First-Legal-Report-transfer-Of400-Ashrafresidents18-Feb)

Mahin Saremi, relative of the Camp residents, former political prisoner and leading activist in the 2009 protests in Iran, reacted to allegations that the Camp leadership and residents are over exaggerating the harassment. While blaming the US FTO list as a pretext for such violations of rights by Iraqi forces she said:

“"Hawks will not pick out hawks eyes." Some pro-Ayatollah pundits have gone over the edge to accuse the MEK of imposing hardship and suffering over the residents. The smear campaign against nobel US officials who protect the truth about the Camp is working against the interests of the US. They are defending promised values by Washington only to keep a good face for it among Iranian people. Accusing the victim of self torture and harassment is not a new tactic. the first sponsor of such propaganda was Khomeini when he accused the MEK of killing its supporters in prisons and in public meetings during the 1980s.
The question is why do the "devils work " for him? Why side with the Ayatollahs against their victim?
"The MEK is not worried of the truth and when ever there has been an iota of justice, the MEK has been the first to out spur the truth. What Washington is doing is giving the Ayatollahs the best gift this new year: Keeping its main opposition as pawn in an illegal FRO list."

Apologies to US Supporters of MEK: Never Support Democracy

Monday, 19 March 2012, 2:45 pm Article: Steffen Hues Apologies to US Supporters of MEK: Never Support Democracy and Freedom Side with Mullahs and Tyrants for Immunity in US Elections by Steffen Hues March 15, 2012 What could be the reason for Nazi style defamation against certain line of US politicians who have spoken for basic American values: Democracy and Independence? They are either driven by expedient actions guided primarily by self-interested motives for election or misguided policy steered from Tehran. President Obama’s campaign mottos included “Organize for change and "Help me take back America". These embrace values embedded in the American Revolution for independence and democracy from British “Illegitimate tyranny” during the 17 century. If “change” and “American values” are still watchwords of the Administration, then it is unequivocal to presume any person “friend or foe” advocating and paying the price to promote them is a staunch. Read article

MEK- Liberty :Council of Europe Condemns Camp Prison

The Council of Europe has issued a statement on the lack of lack of humanitarian and human rights standards in Camp Liberty and has urged the Iraqi government to implement the minimum guarantees demanded by the residents, including the removal of all armed units from the interior of the Camp. The text of the statement reads:

•          [15/03/2012]  PACE’s Political Affairs Committee has repeated its call to the Iraqi authorities to stop turning Camp Liberty – a site near Baghdad where around 800 members of an Iranian opposition group are now living – into a prison. In a statement adopted yesterday, the committee called for armed units and surveillance to be removed from the camp, as well as free movement for its residents and improved conditions, including access to medical services, lawyers and UN monitors. The complete text of the Council’s statement:

Following the statement made in January and owing to the fact that

unfortunately no improvement has been made, the Committee on Political Affairs

and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe calls on

the Iraqi authorities to stop turning Camp Liberty into a prison. It also calls on

the UN Secretary General to ensure the minimum guarantees required by the

camp residents.

In spite of the lack of humanitarian and human rights standards, to date, 800

Ashraf residents have been moved to Camp Liberty in order to find a peaceful

solution. But this camp is suffering from a serious shortage of drinking water and

electricity. Open sewage has made the area terribly polluted and the danger to

human health and many of the trailers are extremely badly damaged, making

them unusable. Liberty residents are not allowed to leave the camp. They have

no direct access to medical services nor to lawyers. There is a police station and

nearly 150 armed Iraqi forces equipped with machine guns in this very limited

area of half a square kilometre in which 3400 people have to live. Several

surveillance cameras and eavesdropping devices have been installed in the

camp, the output of which has been passed to the Iranian authorities to threaten

the residents and their families.

The Committee urges the Iraqi government to implement the minimum

guarantees demanded by the residents, including the removal of all armed units,

surveillance cameras and eavesdropping devices from the camp; resolving the

infrastructure problem, particularly regarding water, electricity and sewage;

providing direct access to medical services, lawyers and UN monitors; allowing

free movement or at least increasing the camp area; and providing the security

of all residents until they leave Iraq preventing the arrest of even one resident.

We call on Council of Europe member and observer states to respond positively

and rapidly to resettlement demands of Liberty and Ashraf residents.

• Increasing police stations in Liberty and bringing them closer to residential areas

In the afternoon of Monday March 12 and the morning of Tuesday March 13, Iraqi armed forces opened up a 5-meter wide section of Camp Liberty wall and stationed police forces there. These points are at 10-meter distance from living and rest area of the residents. Therefore the number of police posts have been increased to seven. This is a clear threat to the residents and paves the way for attacking the residents.

Earlier on February 27^th, residents of Ashraf and Liberty in separate letters signed by all of the residents to UN Secretary General, his Special Representative and the US Secretary of State had stated their minimum assurances for the transfer of the remaining residents from Ashraf to Liberty, the most important of which was the withdrawal of police and Iraqi armed forces from Liberty