NCRI – A French radio station interviewed a number of members of families of Camp Ashraf residents on the July attack by Iraqi forces against the camp that left 11 residents killed and hundreds wounded.
During the attack on the camp which has been housing some 3400 members of the people’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) for the past two decades, 36 residents were taken hostage to be freed only after their 72 days of hunger strike and calls by international human rights organizations.
The Part two of the English translation of excerpts of the report by French radio ID 98.0 FM in Paris on October 22 follows:
Host: We know that Iranian community in France had not forgotten you and staged demonstration and press conference?
Afshin: A great mobilization occurred in the Iranian community. Demonstrations and protests formed in many cities. Many families and friends of Camp Ashraf residents and the hostages went on hunger strike. The hunger strikes were in many cities around the world, in U.S. across from the white House, in London, in Australia and many other cities. Many international and humanitarian organizations, such as Amnesty International, International Human Rights Federation, International Organization Against Torture, and United Nations issued statement on the issue.
Host: This attack against men and women was a crime against humanity. At some point it was claimed that the issue was Iraqi sovereignty. However, we now know that, first, Ashraf is a property of its residents and second, there was an agreement signed between the US government and each individual Ashraf resident to guarantee their safety. However, the Americans betrayed their commitments. We ask Afshin Alavi to explain to us about the US position in this regard.
Afshin Alavi: US officials did not respect and carry out their responsibilities and obligations to ensure the safety of Camp Ashraf residents. Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, the residents must be protected and the US has certain obligations in accordance with this convention.
What is important about Ashraf is that there is still a threat of displacement confronting its residents, which would lead to their massacre. We must prevent this from happening in any way possible.
The issue is not at all about jeopardizing Iraqi sovereignty. The residents of Ashraf have had full cooperation with American and Iraqi officials to reach a consensus on that front. The attack took place despite this cooperation and the aforementioned obligations.
Arman from Camp Ashraf aptly explained that the only reason for the attack was pressure exerted by the Iranian regime. There is no other reason. The Iraqi government has no reason for such brutal actions against Camp Ashraf residents.
The pressure on Camp Ashraf is the direct result of instability and insecurity of the clerical regime. The regime has a need for destroying its main organized opposition. This matter is a humanitarian one and nothing can justify the eluding of responsibility.
Several months ago, the European Parliament passed a resolution demanding that the safety of Ashraf residents be ensured in accordance with International Humanitarian Law and other international legal instruments. Ashraf residents must be guaranteed these rights.
We also have to remember that the 3,400 members of the Iranian Resistance have faced many tragic challenges before, including a large scale massacre [in 1988]. Some of them have been resisting against fundamentalism for the past 20 years. Many of them are well-educated and have graduated from Iranian or other universities in the world.
There are people of all ages living there. They have given up their normal lives for the sake of obtaining freedom in Iran. That is why they have become symbols of resistance for young people inside Iran.