Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, former Senator Robert Torricelli, former Congressman Tom Tancredo, former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Canada, David Kilgour, and Col. Wesley Martin (Ret.), Camp Ashraf commander in 2006, were among the event’s speakers.
Below is message by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi to New York rally
Dear Compatriots,
Distinguished speakers,
Secretary Tom Ridge, Amb. Bolton, Senator Torricelli, …
Your demonstration is a source of pride for the Iranian people and the people around the world.
Because you have not remained silent in the face of the representative of a regime, which is the enemy of humanity.
Because you are protesting against the presence of the representative of the Central Banker of terrorism at the United Nations.
Because you are showing the world that the Iranian people’s yearning for freedom has reached its peak as never before.
As the representative of a regime which has executed 120,000 political prisoners, what is Ahmadinejad doing at the United Nations? This regime has executed at least 430 in the past eight months alone.
This is regime is now faltering in light of the revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa and the fall of its allies.
Iranian society is poised for an uprising and the mullahs are terrified of that day and night.
The feuding between Khamenei and Ahmadinejad has created a schism at the top.
Indeed, the mullahs are facing the crisis of being overthrown from every direction.
Dear Compatriots,
In order to confront the crisis of being overthrown, the Iranian regime is intent on destroying the Mojahedin in Camp Ashraf, thinking that it could rid itself of its powerful and organized opposition. For this reason, through its proxy government in Iraq, it has killed 47 residents of Ashraf and wounded more than 1,000. It has put them under an inhuman blockade for 33 months.
For the past 20 months, the psychological torture of the residents of Ashraf has continued unabatedly.
Nevertheless, Ashraf has turned into a symbol and an inspiration for young people, women and the rest of Iranians as never before.
There is no doubt today that the United States has clearly abandoned its international obligations towards Camp Ashraf. Documents makes is palpably clear that the U.S. was fully aware of the fact that by transferring the protection of Ashraf to Iraq, a crackdown and massacre would certainly occur. This was a blatant breach of international conventions. Following the massacres in July 2009 and April 2010, the U.S. bears even greater responsibility. In addition, by maintaining the unjust terror tag on the Mojahedin, the U.S. has provided the most important pretext to the Iraqi government to crack down on Ashraf.
Under the circumstances, the United Nations carries a critical responsibility toward Ashraf. The residents, as protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention, as political refugees, are under international protections. The UN and its relevant agencies are responsible to provide and guarantee that security.
Here, I ask the UN Secretary General and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to carry out their responsibilities and at least station UN observers at Ashraf. They should not allow the Iraqi government to set arbitrary deadlines and continue the siege on Ashraf or launch attacks to cause further tragedy. The International community, especially the United States, must facilitate the accommodations for the UN mission. I again declare that the families of the residents of Ashraf and Iranians all over the world are prepared to provide the expenses the protection of UN observers would entail.
I warn that from now on, the US and the UN would be responsible for any harm to the residents of Ashraf.
We have not come to ask anyone for money and weapons to liberate our nation. We want you to be neutral in the show down between the Iranian people and the oppressive regime. You should not be a party to the suppression of the Iranian people and Resistance by assisting the Iranian regime through the illegitimate terrorist label against the PMOI.
The Iranian people demand decisiveness vis-à-vis the criminal mullahs and the removal of shackles such as the terrorist list from the Iranian Resistance. The people of Iran would then settle their score with the mullahs.
While the president of this illegitimate regime sends his message of death and hatred from the podium of the highest world authority, a resistance which has offered 120,000 of its members to the cause of Iran’s freedom is included in the terrorist list to mollify this very regime.
The Iranian regime must be expelled from the United Nations. Iran’s seat must be turned over to the Iranian people’s true representatives, the Iranian Resistance.
Doubtless, the Iranian people and Resistance will ultimately bring down this regime and restore freedom and popular sovereignty in Iran.
Hail to Freedom,
Hail to the Iranian people.