NCRI – Addressing a conference on Iran in Berlin on March 19, Patrick Kennedy, son of late Senator Edward Kennedy and Member of the US House of Representatives until 2011, said: When you point out the very real disconnect between us fighting against terrorism, against Ahmadinejad, and then also calling MEK which is opposing Ahmadinejad, a terrorist group, I say yes, let’s repeal the listing of MEK as a terrorist organization that only serves the current regime.
Excerpts from his transcribed text of speech follow:
Governor Dean began his speech by saying how difficult it was to follow a president. Well, President Rajavi, I can say, rights now I can understand how he felt because every chance I get to speak when they introduced me by rolling a clip of my uncle President Kennedy, it is downhill after that.
But I will say: Maryam Rajavi, Thank you for your leadership in our time. My uncle 50 years ago came to Berlin, to utter the words: “Ich bin ein Berliner.” – Today I come back to a free and united Berlin to this National Council of Resistance of Iran and repeat his immortal words with just a small change: “Man Irani hastan. – Man Ashrafi hastan” (I am an Iranian and I am from Ashraf).
My uncle’s speech was a speech that echoes trough time, because it’s a message that resonates today. The struggle for human rights that he spoke about that day in Berlin is a struggle that continues today in Iran, in the Middle East, in every corner of the world where people are struggling to be free. When my uncle addressed human rights in his own country during in the 60s, he spoke about the principle of treating other people as we ourselves would like to be treated. He said: “Who are amongst us would be willing to trade places at that time with African-Americans in our country. And be content with those councils of patience and delay from those who said: “Not now, later.”
My answer to the President’s call for action when Maryam Rajavi said that we should have sanctions against Iran, I think we should and my answer is: “Yes”. When she said we ought to have a war crimes tribunal for those responsible of Evin prison – the famous torture chamber in Iran that is seen the death and torture of too many who struggled to see a new Iran, I say: “Yes to the war crimes tribunal that you called for.”
When you point out, when you point out the very real disconnect between us fighting against terrorism, against Ahmadinejad, and then also calling MEK which is opposing Ahmadinejad, a terrorist group, I say: “Yes, let’s repeal the listing of MEK as a terrorist organization that only serves the current regime.”
And finally, when you say “Yes” to a New day for Iran, I say “Yes” and Nowrooz as well. Let’s have a Nowrooz for Iran, a Nowrooz for human rights, a Newrooz for democracy and in the words of you, Madame President: “Metavan va bayat. – Yes, and we must! “
Thank you very much.
