A brutal attack on members of Iran's opposition based in Iraq is a demonstration of the Iranian regime's influence over the nation
By: Lord Corbett of Castle Vale, chair of the British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom
Source: guardian.co.uk
Early Tuesday afternoon, Iraqi forces entered a camp housing Iranian dissidents north-west of Baghdad, killing at least 11 and injuring more than 400. The violent attack on the residents of Ashraf City was a clear indication of the Iranian regime's growing influence in Iraq and the coalition's failure to uphold international law.
In scenes reminiscent of those seen on the streets of Iran: unarmed civilians were attacked with batons, chains, hot-water cannons, rocks, armoured personnel carriers and machine guns. In video footage released by the residents, civilians inside the camp are brutally beaten, while bodies of the dead victims show gunshot wounds as the cause of numerous deaths.
The underlying message of the attack, which is still continuing, is the incredible influence that the Iranian regime now holds. However far it has infiltrated Iraq and caused violence there since the 2003 invasion, it seems that the regime now has a willing partner in Nouri al-Maliki to do its bidding in eliminating the main Iranian opposition group, the People's Mujahideen Organisation of Iran (PMOI), which is based in Ashraf.
PMOI members there are "protected persons" under the Fourth Geneva Convention, but the attitude of the US administration and UK government has been far from forceful. To look on as civilians are killed and wounded is nothing but shameful.
If the coalition is to stand aside and allow such brutality against civilians, where does that leave the establishment of an Iraqi society built on the foundations of human rights? Failure by the US and UK governments to support international conventions will leave Iraq in an abyss of human rights abuse and suppression.
Although this attack is taking place on Iraqi soil by Iraqi forces, the orders are likely to have come from Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who would see this as revenge against Iranians who have spent the last six weeks demonstrating against his dictatorial regime. The message is clear: you will be beaten, tortured and killed in Iran and we will crush the largest Iranian opposition group on Iraqi soil.
The timing of this attack is highly relevant, as Iran builds up to an Islamic day of mourning for those killed in the recent demonstrations. The regime is fully aware that the residents of Ashraf and their focus on democracy and freedom is the greatest threat to the Iranian regime.
The world must act immediately. Amnesty International has called on the Iraqi government to immediately reveal the whereabouts of 50 residents who were arrested and to ensure that they are protected from torture or other ill-treatment as well as forcible return to Iran.
The crimes committed at Camp Ashraf are crimes against humanity and are worthy of proceedings in an international court against those who perpetrated them. The Iraqi forces must immediately leave Camp Ashraf and return responsibility for the safety and security of the Ashraf residents to US forces. Immediate access must be granted to human rights organisations and lawyers.
At a time when the people of Iran are demanding democracy in their millions, to allow the Iraqi government under the command of Iran's supreme leader to continue this brutal violence sends the message to the Iranian people that the US and UK governments stand alongside those who have taken freedoms away from them.
It is a humanitarian duty and legal imperative that the Ashraf residents are protected. The continued brutal actions in Ashraf by Iraqi forces will turn the camp into a version of Evin prison, where torture and execution are the norm.
