Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton following her meeting with Martin Kobler, the Special epresentative of the Secretary-General and hea

EUROPEAN UNION Brussels, 9 December 2011 A 505/11

Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission made the following statement today:

"Yesterday I met with Martin Kobler, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). As I did earlier this week in my meeting with the UN SG Ban Ki-moon, I expressed my full support for the efforts both UNAMI and UNHCR are making to solve the problem of Camp Ashraf.

I stressed that the safety of the people in the camp must be our primary concern.

The initiative by United Nations High Commissioner Antonio Guterres and the work of Mr. Kobler are essential to facilitate an orderly solution to the problem which fully respects human rights and international humanitarian law. I have stressed to all the parties involved, including the Iraqi Foreign Minister who I met this week and the EU Foreign Ministers, that the UNAMI and UNHCRled process must be fully supported as the best and only way forward. I have asked my Special Adviser Jean De Ruyt to continue liaising with the United Nations on my behalf, including on practical ways of working together.

I want to praise the work of Martin Kobler and reiterate my call on all parties to show flexibility and cooperate fully to find a satisfactory solution."

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf/11511-statement-by-high-representative-catherine-ashton-following-her-meeting-with-martin-kobler-the-special-epresentative-of-the-secretary-general-and-head-of-the-un-assistance-mission-for-iraq-on-camp-ashraf

U.S. warns Iraq against eviction of foes of Iran

Deadline for closing camp of 3,400 nears

The Washington Times By Ashish Kumar Sen Wednesday, December 7, 2011
A senior U.S. official Wednesday warned Iraq against using violence to evict unarmed Iranian dissidents from a camp north of Baghdad by the end of the month, as a top member of Congress accused the State Department of moving at a snail's pace to prevent what he called a possible massacre of the residents of Camp Ashraf.

"There is no doubt that the situation is serious. We are worried about the possibility of violence, and we are working flat out to ward it off," Daniel Fried, special adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Camp Ashraf, said at a House subcommittee hearing.

The Iraqi government has set a Dec. 31 deadline to close Camp Ashraf, home to about 3,400 members of the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK).

The State Department, which listed the MEK as a terrorist organization in 1997, is reviewing this designation after a July 2010 order from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs oversight and investigations subcommittee, snapped at Mr. Fried after he said the State Department is working at an "intense pace" to persuade the Iraqi government to extend the deadline.

"Maybe it's an intense pace for a snail," the California Republican said.

Mr. Fried told lawmakers the Iraqi government regards its decision to close the camp as a legitimate exercise of its sovereignty.

"Yet the exercise of a sovereign right does not obviate the need for care and restraint," he said. "We expect the Iraqi government to refrain from the use of violence."

"At the same time, the camp leadership must respect Iraqi sovereignty and refrain from acts of provocation, as we seek to resolve this matter," he added.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers called on the Iraqi government to extend its deadline to close Camp Ashraf and on the Obama administration to take the MEK off the terrorist list.

Mr. Rohrabacher warned of the consequences of not preventing what he said was the imminent massacre of the camp's residents by Iraqi forces.

"Why are we, the United States, being an accomplice to this crime? If they are deported or subjected to another massacre, the blood in the sand will also stain the Gucci shoes of the U.S. State Department," he said.

The MEK, also known as the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran, was responsible for terrorist attacks in Iran in the 1970s that killed several U.S. military personnel and civilians, according to the State Department.

Camp Ashraf's residents surrendered their weapons in 2003 as part of a cease-fire agreement with U.S. forces.

In June 2009, the United States turned over control of Camp Ashraf to the Iraqi government, which gave written assurances that it would treat the residents humanely.

However, Iraqi forces have attacked the camp several times, most recently on April 8, when the security forces killed 36 residents, including eight women.

The residents of Camp Ashraf fear that they will be arrested and executed if they are sent to Iran.

About the Author :Ashish Kumar Sen is a reporter covering foreign policy and international developments for The Washington Times. Prior to joining The Times, Mr. Sen worked for publications in Asia and the Middle East. His work has appeared in a number of publications and online news sites including the British Broadcasting Corp., Asia Times Online and Outlook magazine.

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf/11510-us-warns-iraq-against-eviction-of-foes-of-iran

Ashton gives support to UN for efforts in Iraq

NEW EUROPE ONLINE - DECEMBER 9, 2011

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton has met with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and the head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Martin Kobler.

“As I did earlier this week in my meeting with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, I expressed my full support for the efforts both UNAMI and UNHCR are making to solve the problem of Camp Ashraf,” Ashton said after the meeting.

The High Representative emphasised that the safety of the people in the camp must be the primary concern of all stakeholders involved.

“The initiative by the UN High Commissioner Antonio Guterres and the work of Mr. Kobler are essential to facilitate an orderly solution to the problem which fully respects human rights and international humanitarian law,” Ashton added. She pointed out to the Iraqi Foreign Minister and the EU Foreign Ministers that the “UNAMI and UNHCR-led process must be fully supported as the best and only way forward”.

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf/11512-ashton-gives-support-to-un-for-efforts-in-iraq

Iranian Quds Force Sets the Stage for Grave Massacre at Ashraf

THE WIP - By Shahriar Kia December 4, 2011

Confronting the international community’s efforts to find a peaceful and durable solution for 3,400 Iranian dissidents including 1,000 women residing in Camp Ashraf, the Government of Iraq increases its pressures and conspiracies against its residents. By such suppressive measures and upon orders of the Iranian regime, Nouri al-Maliki is planning and preparing for a massacre in a larger scale through a fabricated and unlawful deadline for closure of Ashraf by the end of 2011.

Based on information received from Iran, on November 23, 2011, the Iraqi Committee, tasked with suppression of Ashraf, sent a number of mullahs’ regime’s intelligence agents to the military operation headquarters of Diyala province to give consultation to this headquarters for designing operation of attack on Ashraf.

In order to justify future crimes of Iraqi forces in Ashraf, they repeated already exposed lies of mullahs’ intelligence and said that the Ashraf residents hold weapons and plan to shoot at Iraqi forces. These lies are said despite the fact that the U.S. forces have declared explicitly time and again that the Ashraf residents have delivered all their weapons. Iraqi forces searched every inch of Ashraf on April 18, 19 and 20, 2009 with police dogs and announced that there are no weapons in Ashraf.

According to another report, the mullahs’ intelligence (MOIS) and the Quds Force have asked Diyala Operation headquarters to have a number of intelligence agents fly over Ashraf by helicopter to identify ‘sensitive locations’ for targeting them in the next attack and also for spreading leaflets over those buildings.

All signs indicate that the Iranian regime and its Iraqi proxies are planning for an unprecedented massacre of defenseless resident particularly women and children. Through stonewalling and obstructing measures, they are preventing the initiation of the UNHCR’s process to reconfirm Ashraf residents’ refugee status in a bid to set aside all barriers in the path of this massacre.

While the Iraqi Prime Minister is going to visit the United States on December 12th, residents of Camp Ashraf are calling upon the U.S. President, Secretary of State and other relevant American officials, along with the UN Security Council and Secretary-General and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq regarding a predictable bloodbath. They are asking them to immediately expedite the beginning of Ashraf residents’ refugee status reconfirmation process and to prevent a new humanitarian catastrophe.

Shahriar Kia is a spokesman for residents of Camp Ashraf and a political analyst educated in the United States, who currently resides in Ashraf, Iraq.

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf/11497-iranian-quds-force-sets-the-stage-for-grave-massacre-at-ashraf

Statement of Senator Karl Vanlouwe Chairman of Belgian Senate Foreign Affairs Committee

To the Rally on Ashraf – Schumanplein Brussels - 1 December 2011

Dear relatives and friends of Camp Ashraf,

I commend you for this strong gathering in this cold and rainy weather.
I am sure that your friends in Ashraf are very proud to have such strong and persistent supporters all around the world.

I must say you have large numbers of supporters here in Belgium among members of Parliament and the Senate.

It is because we truly value human rights and democracy and we believe every people have the right to resist tyranny and dictatorship.

Your friends in Ashraf have made enormous sacrifices for their cause. I have seen the clips from the two previous attacks on Ashraf and I am shocked how they could allow soldiers to open fire on unarmed and defenceless women and men?

As our foreign minister said in the senate session last week, I too believe that the deadline by Iraqi government to close camp Ashraf 31 December is “neither reasonable, nor realistic”.

When the international community is so much engaged to help find a peaceful solution for Ashraf, the insistence of Iraq to keep this deadline can only be have one meaning: They don’t want a solution. They seem more interested in creating tensions and pleasing their megalomaniac religious friends in Tehran.

It is therefore very important, now that we have only 30 days left, that this deadline should be condemned loud and clearly by the Council of EU foreign ministers.

I believe that a strong EU position on this matter is urgent, and closer than ever. Iran is under fire for allowing and probably even organizing demonstrations that disrespect the international diplomatic rules.

Iraq must allow time to the UNHCR to conduct its work to establish refugee status for the residents. The EU must use its financial leverage over the Iraqi government to get them to make concessions on the subject of Ashraf. If not, Baghdad is clearly showing its allegiance to the tyrannical regime of Tehran.

We also reject forcible evacuation of the Camp and relocation of the people to unknown locations which could set the stage for more bloodshed.

I would like to repeat that the security of the residents should be provided by a UN Blue helmet peacekeeping force, and only then, the residents can be moved to other locations prior to their departure to third countries.

Thank you for your attention and please convey my best regards to the brave people of Ashraf.

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf/11498-statement-of-senator-karl-vanlouwe-chairman-of-belgian-senate-foreign-affairs-committee

The Conference by European-American prominent dignitaries : Calls on European Union to stop a humanitarian catastrophe

The Conference by European-American prominent dignitaries
on the eve of EU Foreign Ministers session-Disclosure of joint plans of Iranian regime and Iraqi government to relocate and slaughter Ashraf residents and calls on European Union to stop a humanitarian catastrophe

- Displacement inside Iraq without protection at new locations provided by U.S. forces or blue helmets would lead to massacre; Ashraf residents' sole option is to resist

- Mrs. Rajavi's call on EU: You have the means to lead a peaceful solution for Ashraf and stop a catastrophe; otherwise you would be responsible for another bloodshed

NCRI - In a major press conference on Wednesday, November 30, prominent international figures warned European Union of plan of the Iraqi Government for Camp Ashraf and its residents iterating on the urgency of an international measure to stop a humanitarian catastrophe. This press conference was held as the EU Foreign Affairs Council is preparing to meet to discuss the issue of Camp Ashraf and fresh sanctions against the regime of Iran.

Speakers in this conference which was presided over by President of European Parliament Delegation for relations with Iraq Mr. Struan Stevenson were: Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance; Alejo Vidal-Quadras, vice-President of the European Parliament, Howard Dean, Leader of Democratic Party (2005-2009) and U.S. Presidential candidate (2004); General Hugh Shelton, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (1997-2001); John Bruton, Prime Minister of Ireland (1994 – 1997) and European Union Ambassador to U.S. (2004 – 2009); Rita Sussmouth, former Speaker of the German Parliament; Günter Verheugen, European Commissioner (1999-2010); Patrick Kennedy, U.S. Congressman (1995-2011); Dirk Claes, Senator and President of the Belgian Parliamentary Committee for a Democratic Iran; and José Bové, French MEP.

Conference issued warnings of another humanitarian catastrophe in Ashraf as the Government of Iraq, under pressure from the mullahs' regime, iterates on the end-of-2011 deadline for closure of Ashraf, while at the same time obstructs the initiation of the UNHCR work through various pretexts.
Chair of the conference stated:

"There is no doubt that the relocation of Ashraf residents is part of a policy dictated by Iran. While the GoI is attempting to claim that the Ashraf residents would enjoy security and protection in the new locations to which they are moved inside Iraq and would fall under the supervision of the United Nations, it is concurrently conspiring under directives from the Qods Force to slaughter them.

"According to the plan, the GoI is to transfer and disperse Ashraf residents to various locations placing them under house arrest and siege. They are to be divided and separated. Women will be separated from men and young from old so that more pressure and influence could be brought to bear on them to return back to Iran.

Conditions are to be provided where PMOI officials and the camp's leadership would be turned over to Iran or Iraq would arrange for circumstances where they could be abducted by the Revolutionary Guards.

"The preliminary plan for this relocation is for a massive force to enter into Ashraf from the Iraqi Army and Police force, together with anti-terrorism forces from the prime ministry and special battalions under the command of Prime Minister al-Maliki surrounding the residents and cutting them into sections, secure full control of the camp, and then forcibly arrest and transfer the residents to designated locations.

"One of the locations is Al-Mothanna prison in Baghdad. The world was shocked by the Iraqi government’s crimes in this prison, which were widely exposed in April 2010; the place where Iraqi authorities tortured prisoners by electric shocks, rape, and severe beatings".

While commending the laudable cooperation and flexibility of Ashraf residents and the Camp’s leadership, and that they have foregone their explicit international rights despite their 25 year-long presence in the camp to solve this humanitarian crisis, the Conferenced expressed its concern that neither the U.S. nor the UN have not given any guarantees regarding security of the residents in case of their relocation and just rely on Iraq’s empty promises without undertaking any responsibility. It also underscored:

“The residents only stressed correctly that they would only accept displacement inside Iraq if their protection in the new place is assured by US forces or UN blue helmets. They quite logically stress that in the absence of such assurances Ashraf will be the safest place for them while they remain in Iraq.”

The participants emphasized that if Iraq is still after forcible relocation of the residents, no option would be left for them other than resistance. Should one ask them to surrender, he or she is targeting both their lives and political honor which is an unreasonable expectation. In the conditions where they have shown all kinds of flexibility, it is now our duty to protect them and their resistance.

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the keynote speaker at the press conference, said: “…The Iraqi government is trying to frame forcible relocation of the residents as a peaceful plan and obtain the approval or at least non-opposition of international community including the EU. But national sovereignty must not be used as a cover for committing crimes against humanity, war crimes, and breaching the principle of responsibility to protect.

Otherwise, Hitler’s death camps and the crimes of Libya’s former dictator and Syria’s dictator would also be interpreted as their right to national sovereignty. To hide behind “Iraqi sovereignty” to justify indifference to crimes committed by the Iraqi government against Camp Ashraf is totally unacceptable.”

“Any agreement with the Iraqi government about the future of Ashraf residents without the presence of representatives of the residents is not acceptable. Behind-the-scene agreements and imposing the notion of relocation is in contrast with the emphasis by the UN Secretary General in paragraph 66 of his 7th July report to UN Security council. He called on the UN member states that “any arrangement” for Ashraf must be acceptable to the Government of Iraq and the camp residents,” reiterated Mrs. Rajavi.

Referring to the EU sanctions to confront Iranian regime’s nuclear bomb project, she added, “Sanctions are necessary, but this alone cannot be a solution to the Iranian regime’s nuclear weapon. The only way to prevent the mullahs from obtaining a nuclear bomb and the only way to assure international peace and security is “regime change" and the establishment of a democratic and non-nuclear Iran. The Iranian regime wants to block the path to "regime change" with a massacre in Ashraf and the destruction of its legitimate opposition.”

She summarized the Iranian Resistance’s solution and its demands for Ashraf, which is in fact part of the solution for Iran, in the following articles:

First – Any forcible relocation inside Iraq must be "put aside". The illegal and suppressive deadline of 31 December, 2011 must be cancelled so that the UNHCR’s work and the transfer of all residents to third countries is accomplished.

Second – Considering the Iraqi government’s opposition to the UNHCR refugee status confirmation of the Ashraf resident, the only way to deny an excuse for massacre of defenseless and unarmed residents is a group determination of their refugee status by the UNHCR. This would allow enough time for individual application to be reviewed.

Third – The security of the residents of Camp Ashraf by the blue helmet UN forces , and the stationing of a UN monitoring team at the camp until the transfer of the last person to third countries must be guaranteed by the UN Security Council .

Fourth – the international community and especially the member states of the European Union accept any number of the residents, especially the ill and wounded, on an urgent basis.

Addressing the leaders of the European Union and Lady Ashton, Maryam Rajavi said: you have the power and the means to avert a definite humanitarian catastrophe. Baroness Ashton has the means to lead a peaceful solution for Ashraf. I warn that if immediate action is not taken, the EU and its leaders would be held responsible for another bloodshed in Ashraf.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
November 30, 2011

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/ncri-statements/ashraf/11479-the-conference-by-european-american-prominent-dignitaries-calls-on-european-union-to-stop-a-humanitarian-catastrophe

Speech by Struan Stevenson MEP, President of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq, to the Press Conference in Residence Palace

PRESS RELEASE

Extracts from a speech by Struan Stevenson MEP, President of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq, to the Press Conference in Residence Palace, Brussels.

Wednesday 30 November 2011- Brussels

IRAQ & IRAN PLANNING 'FINAL SOLUTION' TO THE ASHRAF CRISIS

"The Government of Iraq is continuously working on its plan to attack Ashraf and massacre the residents. Based on information received, on November 23, the Iraqi Government's Committee tasked with the suppression of Ashraf sent a number of the Iranian regime’s intelligence agents to the military operation headquarters of Diyala province to consult closely on the operation for the impending attack on Ashraf. According to another report, the mullahs’ intelligence service (MOIS) and the terrorist Quds Force have asked Diyala Operation headquarters to have a number of intelligence agents fly over Ashraf by helicopter, to identify ‘sensitive locations' that can be targeted in the attack. "Yesterday the Iranian regime orchestrated an attack on the British Embassy in Tehran. Weeks ago their plot to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to the US was uncovered in Washington. They continue to develop nuclear weapons with which they will threaten the peace and stability of the Middle East and the world. They are a pariah state and let’s be clear, it is the Iranian regime that runs Iraq. The Iraqi coalition government was created in Tehran. Nouri Al-Maliki takes his orders from the mullahs and the mullahs have ordered the annihilation of Ashraf.

"Our information from Baghdad points to the fact that plans have been developed to mount a massive attack on Ashraf within the coming month, involving the Iraqi military, the Iraqi police, special battalions under the direct command of Nouri Al Maliki, the anti terrorist force and representatives from the MOIS and Quds force from Iran. The plan involves dividing men and women and dividing the young and old, stripping them of all means of communication with the outside world and trucking them to various locations around Iraq. 120 of the leaders of Ashraf will be arrested, taken to the infamous Al-Mothanna prison outside Baghdad and subsequently deported to Iran, where they will face certain torture and execution.

"This is the plan of the Iraqi Government, who told us last week in a clear and detailed document that they regard the Ashraf residents as terrorists and do not accept that they are refugees or have any status in international law or have any protection under the Geneva conventions.

"This is the plan to which the UN and EU respond with mealy-mouthed whimpers about 'Iraqi sovereignty'. Well Hitler had sovereignty over the Jews in Nazi Germany. The Government of Iraq, aided and abetted by their puppet-masters in Tehran, is intent on committing a massacre in Ashraf. They repeat endlessly that they will respect the human rights and protect the safety of the Ashraf residents. The world witnessed twice before how they do that. They protect their safety by machine-gunning unarmed men and women and crushing them under armoured vehicles and tanks. They respect their human rights by blaring propaganda and threats through 300 loudspeakers at unbearable noise levels, 24 hours a day for the past two years. They observe their human dignity by denying access to fuel and medicine and allowing the injured and sick to die in agony.

"This is the same Iraqi government that the UN and EU ask us now to entrust the fate of 3400 refugees. This is the government which plans to implement the 'Final Solution' to the Ashraf crisis. But it can be averted. The EU foreign ministers and Baroness Ashton must show that they will not be bullied. They must show that they have some spine. They must denounce the deadline imposed by Maliki to close Ashraf by the end of this year and they must condemn any forcible displacement of Ashraf residents inside Iraq. The UNHCR must be given the time and space to register all 3400 Ashraf residents as refugees so that we can implement the EU re-settlement plan and evacuate these unarmed and defenceless people to countries of safety.

"The Iranian resistance and its President, Mrs Maryam Rajavi, have shown the utmost cooperation and flexibility in the past 8 months to find a peaceful solution for the Ashraf crisis. After endorsing the proposal of the European Parliament, they have been seriously working internationally to implement this proposal. But all their efforts have been blocked by obstructions from the Iraqi government.

"If Iraq is still intent on the forcible relocation of the Ashraf residents, then it must be made absolutely clear that those Ashraf residents are not at all prepared to be forcibly displaced inside Iraq and one should not expect them to volunteer to be slaughtered. If they are forced to be displaced, they will have no other option but to resist."

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf/11483-speech-by-struan-stevenson-mep-president-of-the-european-parliaments-delegation-for-relations-with-iraq-to-the-press-conference-in-residence-palace-brussels-on-camp-ashraf-crisis

Foil massacre at Camp Ashraf

Scoop Independent News - By: Zohreh Shafaei - 24 November 2011

I wrote about the story of my life in an article on August 2nd (American Chronicle) where I asked for help to save the life of my brother who resides in the camp Ashraf. He is the only member of family that I have left. Today, my brother and many others like him live in Camp Ashraf and are in a great danger.

The situation is highly critical now as the Iraqi government has stated that it is going to close the camp by the end of the year 2011. This ultimatum is a decision to carry out a massacre of the inhabitants of the camp, where 3400 Iranian civilians, including 1000 women live. The inhabitants have already experienced two similar attacks in July 2009 and April 2011, where 47 persons were killed and hundreds were wounded.

As for myself, I have already had six members of my family killed by the rule of the mullahs’ dictatorship in Iran. I now have only one brother left who happens to live in the camp Ashraf now. Many of the 3400 civilians in the camp have experienced similar situation as myself, and their lives are at danger now.

President Obama: The U.S. is responsible for securing the safety of the 3400 inhabitants of the camp, as the U.S. army accepted to protect their lives when they handed over their arms to the U.S. army. The fact is that by keeping the name of the MEK in the F.T.O. list, you are authorizing the Maleki government to carry out the massacre of innocent civilians

Is it right to call terrorist, those who have risked their lives to save their country from the mullahs’ dictatorship?

President Obama, is it not a well known fact that the U.S. administration decided to put the MEK in the FTO list in 1997, as a good will gesture to the supposedly moderate government of Khatami, and without having any legal grounds.

Is it not true that the DC's Appeals' court stated on 16th July 2010, that the Secretary of States needed to reconsider the decision to list the MEK, as the correct legal procedures had not been followed.

Is it not a fact that the Iraqi government has to date twice carried out deadly attacks in July 2009 and April 2011.

Is it not a fact that dozens of innocent persons were killed and hundreds wounded as a result of these attacks.

I am very worried over the state of my brother and the others in Camp Ashraf.

Why do you accept to pave the way for the massacre of our dear ones in the camp, by keeping the MEK in the FTO list.

Is it fine for the U.S. to collaborate with the mullahs and the Maleki government in Iraq in their crimes?

Mr Obama, as an Iranian woman, I ask you to delist the MEK and not allow the Maleki government and the mullahs to use the FTO list as the pretext they need to massacre the residents of Camp Ashraf.

I also urge Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to declare the ultimatum announced by the Iraqi government as illegal.

I urge all those reading this letter to pray for Ashraf and pray for freedom in Iran. Please let everyone know about my plea to save the lives of the civilians in the Camp Ashraf.

Zohreh Shafaei is a human rights activist and prominent figure in the Iranian opposition movement for freedom in Iran (NCRI)

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/iran-resistance/11473-foil-massacre-in-camp-ashraf