Press release
18 April 2011
Following horrendous massacre of innocent civilians at Camp Ashraf in Northern Iraq which occurred during the early morning of 8th April, thirty four unarmed civilians were gunned down or crushed to death by armoured vehicles. Eight of the dead were women; young teachers and artists with their lives ahead of them. Over 300 residents of the camp have been seriously injured and even now the Iraqi authorities are preventing them from accessing proper medical attention.
The odious Foreign Minister from neighbouring Iran even congratulated Prime Minister Al Maliki on a job well done, revealing clearly who was the real driving force behind the massacre.
Last week we initiated an urgent appeal in the European Parliament which has been supported by over 70 MEPs including some of the leading politicians in our parliament including 6 Vice-Presidents. Some of the names are:
Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Vice President of the European Parliament
Gabriele Albertini , President of Foreign Affairs Committee
Eva-Britt Svensson, President of Committee on Women’s Rights and Vice-Chair of GUE group
Louis Michell, Member of bureau of ALDE Group
Gianni Pittella, Vice President of the European Parliament
Laszlo Tokes, Vice President of the European Parliament
Roberta Angelilli, Vice President of the European Parliament
Edward McMillan-Scott, Vice President of the European Parliament
Lidia Geringer de Oedenberg, Vice President of the European Parliament
Jim Higgins, Quaestor, Member of Parliament’s bureau
Jan Zahradil, President of European Conservatives-Reformists Group
Stephen Hughes, First Vice President of Socialists & Democrats Group
Glenis Willmott, Head of UK Delegation in Socialists & Democrats Group
Martin Callanan, Leader British Conservatives in the EP
József Szájer, Vice President of EPP Group
Jaime Mayor Oreja, Vice President of EPP Group
Gunnar Hökmark, Vice President of EPP Group
Kristiina Ojuland, Member of bureau of ALDE Group
Marian Harkin, Member of bureau of ALDE Group
Tunne Kelam, Member of bureau of EPP Group
Krzysztof Lisek, Vice-Chair of Subcommittee on Security and Defence
Norica Nicolai, Vice-Chair of Subcommittee on Security and Defence
Francesco Speroni, President, Europe of Freedom & Democracy Group
Soren Sondergaard MEP
Edit Bauer MEP
Marco Scurria MEP
José Ignacio Salafranca, Foreign Affairs Coordinator of EPP
A copy of this joint statement (see attached) will be forwarded to the UN, Baroness Ashton and the Obama administration.
Struan Stevenson MEP
President, European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq
Chair, Friends of a Free Iran intergroup