Swiss Newspaper, Le Temps, August 9, 2011
This crowd that have occupied part of the Nation square, as always are determined. “Freedom for Iran, Freedom for Ashraf” (Iran, Ashraf, Azadi), this was the slogan of the crowd who were carrying yellow balloons and flags with pictures of Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
This coalition (NCRI), whose main members are Mojahedin (MEK), has been proposed as the opposition to the Iranian regime for a few decades. It has been hundred days since they started a sit-in protest in Nation Square in Geneva, demanding protection of 3400 Iranian refugees, member of Mojahedin, who are in camp Ashraf.
On April 8th of this year, 36 of them lost their lives in an attack by Iraqi army (on camp Ashraf). This attack was condemned by Navi Pillay, The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Suddenly, in a meaningful silence, the crowd stopped moving. Maryam Rajavi has come to the podium. It is the first time that she has come to Geneva from Auvers-sur-Oise, the headquarters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. Like other gatherings, photographers and cameramen are present to make the moment eternal. A compact enforcement oversees the security of the symbol of the resistance. In 1990, Kazem Rajavi, NCRI’s representative in Switzerland was assassinated in Coppet, outskirt of Geneva, by agents of Iranian regime.
Maryam Rajavi with a green scarf and a charismatic smile, praises the courage and persistence of her followers; and at the same time, she criticizes the “brutal repression in Iran”, and promises end of “mullahs’ dictatorship.”
She asked the international community, including American and the UN, to “stop bloodshed in Ashraf”. A group of Swiss personalities including Lawyer Nils De Dardel, co-chair of Swiss committee in defence of Ashraf, and Alice Glauser, member of Swiss parliament, asked the same thing. Then, Maryam Rajavi addressing the compressed crowd, in a blitz talk explained the reason for her visit to Switzerland and emphasized
Then, Maryam Rajavi next to the compressed crowd, to explain the reason for her visit to Switzerland, in a blitz talk emphasized: “It is clear that UNHCR, that has its headquarter in Geneva, has a responsibility toward protection of Ashraf.”
A demonstrator, an elderly man with glasses who has come from France, says: “I have come here to defend Ashraf”. He says, pointing out the UN Headquarter: “I hope that they have hearing ears”.
On Wednesday, the Iranian resistance will once again have a gathering in defence of Ashraf in which prominent figures will participate.