Iranians warn against next massacre at Camp Liberty
Call for immediate transfer of residents to Ashraf and assuming responsibility for Ashraf and Liberty by UNHCR
Support for regime change in Iran, requisite for peace and democracy in region and world
On Saturday April 13, almost 2,000 Iranian and French citizens warned against the next likely attack and the fourth massacre of PMOI members at camps Liberty and Ashraf in Iraq. They called on the United Nations, United States and France for immediate action to guarantee the lives of defenseless Iranian refugees.
In addition to Dr Saleh Rajavi, the representative of National Council of Resistance of Iran in France, French and international personalities including Sid Ahmed Ghozali, former prime minister of Algeria; Yves Bonnet, former Chief of the French Counter-terrorism Organization (DST); Mgr. Jacques Gaillot; and Pierre Bercis, Chair of New Human Rights Society, all delivered speeches to the rally and supported the demands of demonstrators.
Demonstrators pointed out that widespread social discontent, economic crisis, the explosive situation in society, unprecedented international isolation, the Syrian revolution and unbridled infightings within the ruling elite have left the mullahs’ regime in a totally unprecedented situation. The clerical regime has found the sole solution to these crises is by intensifying the repression of the people and escalating its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons on the one hand, and attempting to annihilate the organized resistance on the other. To this end, resorting to criminal attacks against more than 3,000 members of PMOI in camps Ashraf and Liberty in Iraq is among this regime’s priorities.
Iranians called for the guarantee of collective security for the residents of Camp Liberty, who are political refugees and ‘Protected Persons’ under the Fourth Geneva Convention, and they reiterated that the only solution is the immediate transfer of all residents without any exception to the US or to a European country before final resettlement to third countries is conducted from there. If such a step proves impractical, then the only other solution is to immediately transfer all residents to their home of 26 years in Ashraf which enjoys relative security in such attacks, and resettlement would then take place from Ashraf to other countries.
Demonstrators declared that they expect the French government, as a permanent member of the Security Council, to expeditiously play its role in this urgent humanitarian affair and assume a vanguard role in the EU in this respect.
Iranians with sons and daughters or close relatives in Camp Liberty protested at the actions of Martin Kobler, the SRSG for Iraq, and reiterated that the representative of Secretary-General sent defenseless refugees of Ashraf to Liberty prison against their will by offering them promises of safety, security, speedy resettlement and humanitarian standards. They stressed that Kobler knowingly and with specific political objectives, and to appease the Iranian regime and Government of Iraq, made Ashraf residents homeless; a matter that up to this point has caused the loss of many lives. In addition to the eight martyrs of the rocket attack, a number of residents lost their lives due to lack of access to medical services. Therefore, Kobler has to face a competent and impartial body to answer for the current catastrophe. Demonstrators stressed that responsibility for Ashraf and Liberty falls in the framework of UNHCR mandate and they called on the UN High Commissioner for refugees to assume this responsibility.
The demonstration in Paris was part of an international campaign in Europe and United States to guarantee protection of Iranian refugees in Iraq. Similar demonstrations have already been held in Berlin, Stockholm, Toronto and The Hague.
Camp Liberty is the temporary residence of 3,100 members of PMOI, the principal Iranian opposition force in Iraq. Last year, with repeated assurances from the UN Secretary-General and the US Secretary of State regarding their safety and security, residents moved from their home of 26 years in Ashraf to Camp Liberty.
On February 9, Camp Liberty came under attack from 40 rockets by elements of the Iranian regime, leading to the slaying of eight and the wounding of 100 of these refugees who are protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Elements of mullahs’ regime in Iraq assumed responsibility for the February 9 slaughter and unmistakably threatened that in the near future they would resort to tougher attacks against these defenseless refugees. In a communiqué on March 1, UNHCR expressed deep concern regarding the fate of these refugees and the prospect of further attack against them.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
April 13, 2013
