Iraqi forces of the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki attacked Iranian dissidents in Camp Ashraf on September 1 and executed 52 PMOI members. Seven others including 6 women were taken hostage.
Below is the text of speech by Hon. Alessandro Pagano, the president of the committee of Italian parliamentarian and citizens for free Iran:
On behalf of the committee of Italian parliamentarian and citizens for free Iran it is an honor to be here with you today after wonderful ceremony 3 months ago in Paris.
Before all, I want to express my condolences to Mrs. Rajavi and the families of 52 heroes who were massacred on September 1, to all of those who are here and those who are at Camp Liberty or across the world. Our foreign minister, Emma Bonito, has condemned this crime with strongest possible terms and demanded protection for Liberty residents and an independent and through investigation into the killings. Among many things that I can say today, I want to draw you attention to this matter that has been ignored repeatedly.
I want to shortly talk about the lying and deception of Iraqi government. It is time that a strong complain be taken of this oppressive regime. During these few years and in five massacres, the residents have repeatedly reported and documented these lies to the UN, US government and EU. If they paid attention to these documents, they would understand the ominous intention and plot of Iraqi government at the behest of Iranian regime and perhaps there was no need to mourn for these dead today, then every time with lies that insult the intelligence of the international community intends to cover his murderous actions to escape accountability.
After extremely brutal crime on September 1, Maliki at first denied any attack on Ashraf and said it was the result of internal conflict among camp residents because he thought no photo or video clips will be released so that the world would know what happened there. But he was surprised when he saw the photo and movies of his murderers appeared on YouTube and other websites.
After Iranian resistance disclosed that 7 residents were taken hostage in this attack and after many human rights organizations, European Parliament, UNHCR, and many parliamentarians from across the world demanded release of the 7 hostages, the Iraqi ministry of human rights said these 7 people are in custody of Iraqi security forces and the reason for arrest was these unarmed and defenseless refugees presumably attacked the Iraqi security forces who were armed to the teeth. Since liars do not remember what they have said, perhaps Iraqi ministry of human rights forgot that his prime minister in another lie totally denied that the security forces entered Camp Ashraf on September 1.
We are facing a government that its Prime Minister Maliki has no honesty and does not tell any truth and the blood of 120 residents is on his hands. Therefore, this government cannot be trusted. It cannot be trusted for protection of Camp Liberty and it is like trusting a wolf on sheep. And absolutely he cannot be trusted in the investigation regarding the crime he himself has committed. Guilty cannot the judge himself. He must be told with the most decisive tone that today not even one day later you must release the hostages. Also, He must be told with the most explicit form that he does not have the competency to protect these people. The responsibility to protect should be entirely with the UN and US government. H emust be told: If you do not release the hostages immediately and if you do not allow the UN Blue Helmets stationed in Camp Liberty, you must await the consequences in the economic and political relationship of Iraq the EU.At the end, I want to say that in my and Italy’s opinion, holding such a meeting in the international headquarters of UNHCR is very, very important and meaningful and today as the president of Italian parliamentarian and citizens for free Iran I call on Ms. Navi Pilay, the UN high commissioner for human rights, to put pressure on Iraq to immediately release the 7 hostages including 6 women who were kidnapped during the attack on Camp Ashraf. I also call on the US and the UN to put pressure on Iraq so that the 7 hostages are not extradited to Iran, something that Maliki wants. And I am calling on the UN in particular to establish a fact finding mission to do a precise and detailed investigation and shed lights on the facts with documents.
The truth in definition is one and regarding this truth if someone is found responsible, he should be brought to trial in The Hague court for this crime, something that the international community unanimously agree with.With regard to these cases, we are precise and inflexible. This is the demand of Iranian people. This is the demand of those who sacrifices their lives for freedom. This is the demand of all of those who hope for a better life.
Viva Iranian resistance
Viva Freedom