Following the adoption of a Written Declaration on Camp Ashraf at the European Parliament, Maryam Rajavi said:
• The U.S. must reassume protection of Ashraf. This is essential in fulfilling commitment to international law and mutual agreement with the residents of Ashraf and to prove allegiance to moral values
• The U.S. terror label against the PMOI and unlawful transfer of Ashraf protection to Iraqi forces both constitute participation in suppression of Iranian opposition and obstructing the way for change in Iran
NCRI – It was announced in today’s plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg that the Written Declaration number 75 on Camp Ashraf, Iraq, home to 3,400 members of the opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), was adopted with absolute majority.
By referring to crimes committed by the Iranian regime and its agents in Iraq against the residents of Ashraf and their families in Iran that are justified by the U.S. terrorist label against the PMOI, the declaration calls on Baroness Catherine Ashton, European Union’s foreign policy chief, to urge the United States to remove the PMOI from its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, as it was done by the EU, and call on the United Nations to provide urgent protection to Ashraf residents.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, described the adoption of the declaration as the reaction of 500 million conscientious people of 27 European nations against violations of human rights by the Iranian regime and its proxies in Iraq and also against Western governments’ policy of appeasement towards the regime. The adoption of the declaration underlines the outstanding and growing support of the European people for the Iranian Resistance and in particular the PMOI members in Ashraf, who have turned into a symbol of hope and resistance for the people of Iran.
She reiterated that after the adoption of this declaration by the European Parliament and also the support of more than half of the members of the U.S. Congress for resolution 704 and 110 of them for resolution 1431, there is now no ambiguity that the U.S. must reassume the protection of Ashraf residents and a monitoring team of the United Nations to be stationed in Ashraf. This is essential for the U.S. in order to fulfill its obligations under international law and its mutual agreement with the residents of Ashraf and to prove is allegiance to moral values and political norms.
She added that after the European Parliament’s adoption of Written Declaration 75 and submission of resolution 1431 by members of U.S. Congress in addition to Washington D.C. Court of Appeals ruling that describes maintaining the PMOI on the terror list as unlawful, the U.S. State Department is now facing a choice between complying with justice, law and the demand of the majority of representatives of American and European peoples or to continue with giving concessions to the religious dictatorship in Iran out of the pocket of Iranian people and their Resistance and in particular the residents of Ashraf.
Mrs. Rajavi emphasized that for the past 13 years the unjust terror label against PMOI has been a major destructive strategic mistake on the part of the U.S. that helped tremendously to maintain the regime in power in Iran. In the absence of this unjust designation the political scene in the region would have been different today and the regime could not threaten peace and security in the world and cause bloodshed in the region.
The cruel blockade of 3,400 residents of Ashraf, restrictions imposed on supply of basic needs to them, obstructing medical services to patients in Ashraf that has placed a number of them in critical conditions, are being justified with this shameful terror label. A large number of freedom-seeking people of Iran have been executed because of this designation and currently many political prisoners are on the death row or sentenced to long term prison sentences charged with connection with PMOI or simply supporting the movement.
The President-elect of the Iranian Resistance said maintaining the PMOI on the terror list and unlawful hand over of protection of Ashraf residents to the Iraqi forces by the United States are two sides of a same coin. Both are considered as participation in suppression of democratic opposition to the clerical regime and obstructing the way for democratic change in Iran; a change that is only possible by Iranian people and the Iranian Resistance. The most essential aspect of change in the U.S. policy towards Iran is to remove the PMOI’s designation.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
November 25, 2010
