Conference to Halt Making Camp Liberty a Prison For Ashraf Residents

Call by prominent personalities from U.S. and Europe, In a cross-Atlantic conference in Paris

Maryam Rajavi: Today, sanctions against the mullahs’ regime have evolved to an international will. However, the policy of engagement by the present U.S. government and hesitations on behalf of western governments weakens these decisions. To contain the nuclear threat of this regime, these sanctions need to be accompanied by support for the Iranian people’s struggle for a regime change.

In an international conference held in Paris on Friday, January 20, at the invitation of the CFID (French Committee for Democracy and Human Rights in Iran), distinguished American and European dignitaries warned of the compulsory transfer of Ashraf residents to Camp Liberty that the Iraqi government is turning into a prison. While the conference censured Iraq for the continuous breach of its obligations to the United Nations and the United States, including violation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), it expressed its concern of Iranian regime’s conspiracies to defeat the peaceful resolution to the Ashraf crisis.

The conference called on the UN, U.S., and the EU to adopt urgent action to break the Iraqi-shaped deadlock and revitalize the peaceful solution. Speakers denounced maintenance of the illegal terrorist tag on the PMOI/MEK by the U.S. State Department iterating that this unjust label that faces a broad opposition in U.S. and worldwide, is the principal element in the massacre of Ashraf residents and the main obstacle to residents’ relocation to third countries which makes the U.S. all the more responsible for the situation in Ashraf.

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Speakers at the press conference include: Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance; Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York and presidency candidate (2008); General Hugh Shelton, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (1997-2001); Judge Michael Mukasey, former US Attorney General (2007-2009); Ingrid Betancourt, Columbian presidential candidate; Porter Goss, Director of CIA (2003-2006); Yves Bonne, former head of the French Counter-terrorism Agency; John Sano, Former CIA National Clandestine Service’s Deputy Director ; Gen. David Phillips, Commander of U.S. Military Police (2008-2011); Philippe Douste-Blazy, the UN Deputy Secretary General and former French Foreign Minister; Geir Haarde, Iceland Prime Minister (2006-2009); Aiham Samarrae, a former Iraqi cabinet minister; Carlo Ciccioli, member of Italian parliament; Lord Ken Maginnis, member of UK House of Lords; Andre Glucksmann, a member of New France Philosophers. The conference was opened by Francois Colcombe, a judge and formenr member of the French Palrliaent, and presided over by William Bourdon, prominent French jurist.

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the keynote speaker of the conference said: “Unfortunately the western governments and in particular the United States continues its policy of appeasing the religious fascism ruling Iran. At the core of this policy is the insistence to illegitimately label the PMOI. As long as this label exists, the clerical regime is assured that its threats against the world and regional peace and security would not face any staunch reaction. In this viewpoint, it is merely a deception and illusion that a policy that enchains the main and the most organized opposition of this regime may at the same time demonstrate resoluteness against this regime.”

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi added: “Today, sanctions against the mullahs’ regime have evolved to an international will. We have continuously welcomed sanctions, especially the boycott of the central bank and sanctions on oil, although we know well that to contain the nuclear threat of this regime, these sanctions need to be accompanied by support for the Iranian people’s struggle for a regime change. Despite, the decision by the EU and legislations by U.S. Congress and Senate to prohibit oil trades with this regime is a sizeable stride in the right direction. However, the policy of engagement by the present U.S. government and hesitations on behalf of western governments weakens these decisions and postpones them to the greatest extent with a viewpoint not to irritate this religious fascism in any adoption of policies.”

“Rectifying this policy starts with its key part which is putting an end to this same illegal designation. This designation has so far been the pretext of two massacres in Ashraf and many other executions in Iran. Rectifying this catastrophic policy would serve the peace and security of the whole world in addition to the Iranian people.”

With regard to the safety and security of Ashraf residents, Mrs. Rajavi said: “Now, before we lose time for realizing a solution, we warn that the mullahs’ regime and the Government of Iraq are busy making a dangerous abuse of the UN bodies to transfer the Ashraf residents from a threatening situation to a disastrous one. The trust in the United Nations should not turn into a lever for setting up a prison inside a garrison following the GoI’s enticements. The world is witnessing that the GoI neither wants nor is able to live up to its pledges to the UN and the international community. However, the main question is why the UN has kept silent in this regard?”

“The UN has been given the highest trust and the most authority and hence the biggest responsibility in this case. Therefore, it should not disclaim its responsibility when it comes to the GoI’s destructive policy.”

“Five months after each and every resident of Ashraf has submitted his or her application, the UNHCR should not delay the refugee status determination process any longer. Ashraf residents’ emergency condition and the GoI’s hindrances makes it necessary for the UNHCR to follow the collective determination process for the residents. This is an inevitable step to guarantee safety and security of Ashraf residents against various irrepressible threats.”

Rudy Giuliani, referring to the residents of Ashraf stated, “We are not going to allow them to be oppressed. We are not going to allow them to be harmed. We are not going to allow them to be ignored and we are not going to allow the UN, the Iranian regime, Maliki, or even the United States to stand by watch them be forgotten because no matter what happens we will stand up for them, we are with them as if we are with them in that camp. Whatever they do to them, they do to us.”

General Shelton stated, “The mullahs’ nightmare is to see the United States remove the MEK from its list of terrorist organisations since the MEK is Tehran’s arch enemy…”

Referring to the conditions of Cmap Liberty and recent remarks made by Maliki, General Shelton stated, “Ambassador Kobler, the UN Secretary General’s Special Rep must bring the violations of the MOU to the attention of the UN Secretary General and to the Security Council. That is what Ambassador Kobler gets paid to do if Maliki does not comply with the MOU.”

Philippe Douste-Blazy stated, “Unless there is a minimum space of at least 5 km2, with the necessary means, as long as the minimum requirements of the inhabitants, particularly in terms of bringing their goods and their vehicles, respecting their privacy or cancelling arrest warrants fabricated to harass them and turn them over to the Iranian regime, are not met, the transfer to the new camp will be a forced displacement, unacceptable and contrary to all conventions. I request that the UN Secretary General does not sign an agreement about that.”

Me William Bourdon said, “By fighting for Ashraf, we fight for the ‘rights’. They became a symbol of the battle for human rights for all mankind.” Bourdon added, “The Iranian regime continues to fabricate, through the Iraqi government, arrest warrants against the democrats who want to establish freedom in Iran.”

Ingrid Betancourt affirmed, “It is time to reject forcible displacement of the Ashraf residents and stand up for their safety and security and not be misled by disinformation of the Iranian regime and its ally Nuri Al-Maliki.”

Shahriar Kia is a member of the Iranian opposition (PMOI /MEK). He is a human rights activist and political analyst on Iran and the Middle East.