which they described as political refugees and protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention
NCRI – 1,163 Iraqi tribal leaders, including 90 senior leaders and 1073 others from Baghdad, Basra, Qadesieh, Zeqar, Diyala, Salahiddin, Kirkuk, al-Anbar, Neinawa, Mosana, and Karbala, signed a statement condemned the Iranian regime and its lackeys for taking advantage of the Iraqi Reconciliation Plan against the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI). They stated: PMOI members have spent 20 years in Iraq, they are political refugees and protected by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Text of the statement is as follows:
"On Sunday, August 27, in an orchestrated move, Iranian media published false news and claimed that more than 600 Iraqi tribal leaders had called for the PMOI’s expulsion from Iraq so that peace and tranquility prevail there. Simultaneously, Tehran’s government-run media stated that Iran’s nuclear standoff with the United States could not be resolved at the negotiating table, rather it would be solved on the streets of Baghdad and Beirut, since the West would only succumb to the idea of a nuclear Iran when it is has no other choice. Iran’s regional superiorities are such that it would give it that leverage. (Semi-official daily Kayhan – August 27, 2006)
We the undersigned tribal leaders, who have fully supported the National Reconciliation Plan and some of who were present in that seminar in Baghdad, do not accept the Iranian regime and its lackeys’ diversion of the plan from its real purpose, which was to disarm militias and put an end to bloodshed, kidnapping of innocent people, and arbitrary attacks, as well as dismantle paramilitary groups, and turning it into an instrument of settling scores with its opposition.
We are obliged to honor the covenant for national reconciliation which was signed by tribal leaders to preserve national unity in all of Iraq, and we view the dismantling of paramilitary groups as a necessity and would use the positive experiences of former army personnel as was indicated in the closing statement of the tribal seminar. At the same time, we reiterate that the closing statement was prepared and published by a committee called Preparation Committee without our notification. We do not approve some of its articles including article 20 of the text entitled terrorism which is used to serve the Iranian regime’s intentions since, this is contrary to international law and the universal declaration of human rights and is being misused in a suppressive and undemocratic manner against the PMOI. PMOI members have lived in Iraq for more than 20 years and have agreed to the consolidation of their weapons. PMOI members have rejected violence and terrorism and have agreed to abide by Iraqi laws. They are considered political refugees and are protected by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
September 15, 2006
