THE WAGES OF OUR “SUCCESS” IN IRAQ….BARBARIC CRUELTY TO IRAN REFUGEES FSM
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.5586/pub_detail.asp
Exclusive: As Uprising in Iran Continues, the Siege on PMOI Members in Iraq’s Camp Ashraf Intensifies
Shahriar Kia
The Iraqi government recently has intensified its cruel and inhumane siege on members of the Iranian opposition group People’s Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI) in Camp Ashraf, an Iranian refugee camp located in Iraq. The Iranian regime’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) has dispatched a number of its agents under the cover of families of Ashraf residents and are setting the stage for media shows.*** Meanwhile, new criminal acts by the Iraqi committee to suppress the camp’s residents are being perpetrated under Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s control to serve the religious fascism ruling Iran in the run-up to the Iraqi parliamentary elections.
This is combined with the denial of basic needs such as fuel and foodstuffs to Ashraf by the Iraqis. The residents are currently facing acute shortages of fuel, and Iraqi forces have also been obstructing consignments of rice, flower, hygiene items and other basic needs from being delivered to Ashraf since February 16th. Currently, there are over 150 patients in Ashraf who are in need of urgent surgery but there is no possibility for that. Some residents suffer from cancer and are in serious condition, but there are no necessary medical services available to them.
Additionally, more than 75 members of the Ashraf residents’ families, who had come to Ashraf during recent years to see their loved ones, or those who have relatives in Ashraf, have been arrested in Iran and some of them have been sentenced to death.
There are two factors urging the Iranian regime in its suppression of PMOI members, its main organized alternative, residing in Ashraf: first, the continued nationwide uprising in Iran against the regime has rung the alarm for the Mullahs. Second, the regime is worried about the Iraqi elections because the political balance may be tilted to the benefit of democratic and nationalist forces in Iraq. Thus, the Iranian regime pressures the Iraqi government to suppress Ashraf residents as a precondition for supporting Iraqi counterparts in the course of parliamentary elections. The recent visit of Larijani, Iran’s parliament speaker, to Iraq and his remarks about the elections in Iraq and the PMOI, as well as the remarks and deeds by Kazemi Qomi, a Quds Force commander and the regime’s ambassador to Baghdad, leave no doubt in this regard. In his interview with the Iranian News Network TV, December 20, 2009, Qumie said:
“Unfortunately because of the policy of the European Union and the pressures that European Union is exerting on the Iraqi government they are emphasizing that they must remain in Iraq and this is a political pressure. ..But of course you know, right now the Iraqi government is facing with different problems like security issue or the election and these are the issues that they are really facing and we are aware of these problems so naturally they cannot pursue the issue of expulsion as fast as they would like but this is something that definitely will happen. We are hopeful the situation will become such that the Iraqi government can pursue and finish this project easily.”
Now more than ever, it is clear that only a secular government not affiliated to Tehran’s regime would be able to establish security and stability in Iraq. Obviously, the way that the Iraq government deals with the PMOI in Ashraf is one of the indications showing the extent of the Iranian regime’s influence in Iraqi government. By the same token, there is no doubt that the unjust and inhumane siege on Ashraf since 2009 has been at the behest of the Iranian regime. It is common knowledge that collaborating with the Mullahs ruling Iran, which has no future with the expanding nationwide uprisings in Iran, bears no fruit other than abhorrence of the Iranian and Iraqi people and infamy for those Iraqi counterparts.
The cruel siege on Ashraf that has been going on for over a year by the Iraqi government is in blatant violation of International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law and Geneva Conventions, including Common Article Three of Geneva Conventions. Those responsible for the unlawful siege are liable for prosecution because of their violation of international treaties and law.
It is the UN Secretary General and U.S. government’s responsibility to take urgent steps to end the inhumane siege on Ashraf, since the Iraqi government has proven over the past year that it is influenced by the Iranian regime and that it has neither the intention, nor competence, nor power, to protect Ashraf’s residents. Therefore, the residents of Ashraf must be protected by the United Nations forces. Until such forces are stationed, the U.S. forces hold responsibility of protection of Ashraf residents.
*** The link above provides video showing Iranian MOIS agents who have been dispatched to camp Ashraf for the past few weeks, with full cooperation of Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki, using loudspeakers setting up a show at the main gate. A few Iranian agents are shown shouting to Ashraf residents:” I shall hang each and every one of you in front of Ashraf. We shall carry out a massacre in Ashraf and destroy it.” She adds: “Beware, these action by us will soon start in the form of an attack.” Another agent says: “Long live Islamic Republic of Iran. Hey folks come out; Islamic Republic of Iran will give you both money and wife. The choice is yours, the Islamic Republic or Rajavi? Make up your minds!”
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Shahriar Kia is a member of the PMOI in Ashraf.
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