The Spanish National Court in its July 11, 2011 ruling accepted to investigate a complaint from residents of Camp Ashraf in Iraq who were subject of a raid by Iraq’s military forces on April 8, 2011. The court summoned General Ali Geidan, who commands Iraq’s ground forces, for leading the attack, Colonel Abdul-Latif al-Annabi who commanded the attacking battalion and Major Jassem al-Tamimi who was shut on video while directly targeting and shooting at the residents.
Stop Fundamentalism – In light of Dutch Appeals Court ruling about the responsibility of its government in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in a statement on July 8, warned the U.S. authorities about shouldering-off their responsibilities regarding residents of Camp Ashraf.
Mrs. Rajavi, NCRI’s President-elect, was quoted in this statement, “Nothing can justify United States’ non-interference to stop crimes of Iraqi forces.”
By: Ali Safavi
As Iran’s main opposition movement, the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), earns a well-deserved spotlight around the world, Michael Rubin’s sagging fortunes have compelled him to lambast the organization once more. In a commentary last week, Rubin churned out another rant against the MEK. Although coated with a thin layer of supposedly calm and rational argument, the piece is bloated with clear bias and unjustified accusations.
Nima Sharif
The United States Ambassador to Iraq, James Jeffrey, told McClatchy Sunday that he wants to move the members of the Iranian opposition “to a place that is a bit safer, a bit further from Iran.”
Mohammad Mohaddessin, official representative of Ashraf residents in Paris told McClatchy in response that any relocation within Iraq is tantamount to setting up a “death camp,” and that the residents “prefer to die in Ashraf rather than in an unknown location where the Iranian regime and its Iraqi agents will definitely have a more free hand.”
Stop Fundamentalism, 27 June 2011 – The Diyala province governor said that a security force, comprised of army and police personnel, is preparing for a new operation against Camp Ashraf under the supervision of the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, reported the Iranian state-run news agency Fars, Monday.
According to Fars, Javad Al-Tamimi, Diyala’s provincial governor told Al-Motour daily that the operation is in preliminary stages but is imminent.
By: Nima Sharif
Protection of Camp Ashraf and its 3400 residents from atrocities of the Iranian regime and Iraqi government was the main message a cheering crowd of tens of thousands of Iranian dissidents gathered at Villepinte, Paris tried to get across.
In the biggest demonstration in Europe since the start of the Middle East uprising for freedom and the Arab Spring, and in a clear show of power and popular support, the Iranian main opposition movement, the People’s Mojahedin Organization (PMOI/MEK) of Iran, brought in thousands of supporters on Saturday June 18 to France to rally for freedom.
The keynote speaker at the rally was Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran which also includes PMOI. Other speakers included the once presidential candidate, US Mayor Giuliani, former American Attorney General, Michael Mukasey, Tom Ridge the first US Secretary for Homeland Security and the Whitehouse Chief of Staff during the Bush Administration, Andrew Card.
Alireza Jafarzadeh
From weblogs of HUFFENGTON POSTTwo years after the June 2009 sham presidential elections in Iran and consequent mass anti-regime uprisings, the honeymoon seems to be over for the regime’s beleaguered president. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is now at loggerheads with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who actually secured his “victory” two years ago. Their floundering alliance may also signal a crack in the levee of repression, which for two years has stayed the nationwide anger from washing the mullahs from power.
Stop Fundamentalism, 11 June, 2011 – The members of the Iranian opposition Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) in Camp Ashraf, Iraq which was the scene of a massacre last April leaving 34 residents killed and over 300 wounded are the subject of a row between an American Congress Subcommittee delegation and the Nouri al-Maliki government.
The delegation headed by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, traveled to Baghdad Friday requesting a visit to Camp Ashraf to find out what transpired there on April 8 when Iraqi troops using armored vehicles and live ammunition staged an assault on the unarmed residents of the camp.
Ali Safavi
From Weblogs of Huffington Post
In his speech last month about the seismic shifts unfolding in the Middle East, President Obama referred to the “shouts of human dignity… being heard across the region” and said, “The question before us is what role America will play as this story unfolds.”
The ousting of several dictators in recent months, the latest being Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen, and calls for democracy echoing across the region, are clear signals that change is inevitable. That is partly why the president stressed, “There must be no doubt that the United States of America welcomes change that advances self-determination and opportunity.”
Sharam Taromsary
Following the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the European Union in Brussels, 23 May, speaking at a press briefing, Baroness Ashton, Vice-President of the European Commission told reporters that along with Syria and Libya, Camp Ashraf was one of the subjects of discussion. She had pledged earlier at a plenary session of European Parliament to bring up Camp Ashraf, at the meeting. The European Parliament Delegation to Iraq has proposed a plan to resolve the situation by removing the residents from the camp and relocating them in other countries in Europe and North America.
Any long-term solution however, first requires immediate and effective protection of Ashraf’s residents in place to prevent more killing. Europe needs to take the initiative to involve the United Nations and the United States in offering real safety to these unarmed people. If that is not possible, then Europe should take the lead and consider providing its own forces to prevent another massacre. The international mandate exists: parliaments in 35 countries, as well as all human rights authorities, have asserted the rights of Ashraf residents to be protected.
