The english Translation of the text of the statement by he Dutch Group of Friends of a Free Iran:
6 May, 2009
The Dutch Group of Friends of a Free Iran Praises the EP Resolution on the Support of Ashraf
The Dutch Group of Friends of a Free Iran, consisting of parliamentarians and freedom loving personalities has learned that the European Parliament during its session of April 24th adopted an important resolution, which emphasizes the protection of Camp Ashraf, where members of the main Iranian opposition movement PMOI reside. This resolution emphasizes the illegality of displacement of Ashraf residents and the guarantees of their rights under the Geneva Conventions.
This great victory for the Iranian people’s democratic opposition took place following the plots of the Iranian theocratic regime and some of its agents in Iraq, against the residents of Ashraf which could facilitate a massacre and humanitarian catastrophe by pressuring for their deportation or expulsion.
According to the Resolution of the European Parliament, the Iraqi government must guarantee that no Iraqi officials would carry out actions that violate the rights of the residents of Camp Ashraf. The European Parliament called on the Iraqi officials to protect the residents of Ashraf, both physically and mentally and to treat them based on the Geneva Conventions. The residents of Ashraf must not be displaced against their will, or deported from Iraq which will be considered a breach of the non – refoulment principle. The European Parliament also called on the Council of Europe, the European Commission and Member States as well as the Iraqi and American governments, the UNHCR and the International Committee of the Red Cross to obtain a long term legal status for residents of camp Ashraf that is acceptable and satisfactory to them.
The Dutch group of Friends of a Free Iran congratulates the residents of Ashraf for the passage of this resolution. We support this resolution in its entirety and call on the Iraqi government to confirm its guarantee and support in writing. If not, the international community must guarantee the security of Ashraf and the United States government must ensure their safety and protection based on their disarmament agreement with the residents of Ashraf.
We also call on the Dutch government to respond to its humanitarian obligation and oversee the implementation of the EP resolution. It is noteworthy that the international community is responsible for the security of Ashraf based on R2P principle and any hesitation could bring about a regrettable catastrophe.