ANSA – Rome – July 6 – At Camp Ashraf in Iraq, where 3400 members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), the main opposition organization against Tehran’s regime, are residing under horrible violations of their human rights, Italy can play a leading role in finding an international solution for supporting citizens of Ashraf.
This is an invitation announced today at the Italian Parliament.
At the center of attention are the camp’s residents who have been given the status of “Protected Persons” guaranteed by the American forces. But on April 8, they became victims of an attack by Iraqi military forces during which 36 of them were killed and hundreds were wounded. Many of the wounded died later because they were not given permission to be transferred and receive immediate and appropriate medical treatment.
Maryam Rajavi, the President of the National Council of resistance of Iran said: Total destruction of the camp is on Iran’s agenda. She added: They are carrying out orders issued by their leaders.
Currently, Iraq plans to move these citizens to another location, but such relocation might lead to more bloodshed. This is what Irene Khan, the Secretary General of Amnesty International said.
For this reason, the international community, that condemned the April 8 attack, must intervene with a different plan, like the one presented by the European Parliament’s delegation.
A plan that considers immediate access of the residents to medical treatment and transferring them to other countries until protection of Ashraf is guaranteed by the U.S. and the UN.
One of many Italian guests, the Italian Senate’s Vice Chair Ms. Emma Bonino said: “It is definitely not difficult for the international community to save the lives of 3500 people and we see here a kind of resistance for avioding intervention. But it is possible for us to ask for the European Union’s intervention assuming that whoever asks for this should pay its price.”
Ms. Elizabetta Zamparutti, a member of Parliament from the Radical Party said that this issue would be very likely discussed next week in the foreign relations committee of the Parliament and added that it is highly possible that Italy will commit to accept some of the wounded on its land.
Mr. Carlo Ciccioli, President of the International Italian Committee of Parliamentarians and Citizens for a Free Iran, announced that 318 members of Parliament have signed a statement condemning repression in Iran and 160 senators should be added to that figure as well.
