NCRI – The International Committee in Defense of Ashraf was launched in a meeting at the European Parliament on Tuesday, September 12. Participants in the meeting were founding members of the committee among whom were European lawmakers and political and human rights figures. The meeting was initiated by the Friends of a Free Iran, a parliamentary committee at the European Parliament co-chaired by Euro MPs, Paulo Casaca and Struan Stevenson.
Speakers in the meeting strongly condemned the clerical regime’s conspiracies against the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran based in Ashraf City, Iraq, and called on the Iraqi government to safeguard the rights of the PMOI members under the Fourth Geneva Convention and not to give in to pressures by the Iranian regime. They also reiterated that the PMOI members have been living in Iraq since 1986 as political refugees and stressed that the new Iraqi government should reaffirm their status. They also called on the UN High Commission for Refugees and other international bodies as well as the Multi-National Forces in Iraq to reaffirm the political status of the PMOI members in Iraq.
Paulo Casaca, MEP, opened the meeting by expressing his delight for a widespread support to the PMOI among lawmakers across the world and emphasized that the clerical regime will never succeed in its ominous ploys against the PMOI in Ashraf. He then called on Dr. Abdullah Al-Jabouri, former governor of the Diyala province in Iraq to deliver his speech.
Dr. Jabouri who had been campaigning for democracy and freedom in Iraq for many years condemned the Iranian regime’s meddling in Iraq aimed at extending its suppressive rule to his country. He said that the Iraqi people are in solidarity with the PMOI in its struggle against the mullahs’ regime and reiterated that members of the PMOI have been staying in Iraq for over 20 years and enjoy widespread support among Iraqis. He also underscored the support given to the Mojahedin in Iran and in the international level.
Dr. Ibrahim Minas, Chairman of the Iraqi Christian Democratic Party followed Dr. Jabouri by reaffirming his party’s support to the PMOI and added that the clerical regime is exporting its suppressive policies to Iraq and the Christian minority in Iraq are now going through the same restrictions as those imposed in Iran. He particularly referred to the plight Christian women in Iraq who are now forced to observe strict rules on dressing. He enumerated the clerical regime’s conspiracies in Iraq and ended his remarks by saying that his party and the Iraqi people will stand firm in defense of the PMOI in Ashraf.
The next speaker was Brian Binley, member of the British Parliament, who reminded the meeting of the support given to the People’s Mojahedin of Iran by Majority of the House of Commons and 160 of members of the House Lords and stressed that they all called for removal of the terror label against the PMOI which is in no way justified. By referring to his visit to Washington to address a rally in support of the Iranian Resistance, he said that the PMOI enjoys a widespread support among Iranians in exile all over the world and in Iran. He added that the Iranian regime finds the PMOI as the main obstacle to its expansionist aims and the whole region and that was the reason why it is increasing pressure on Ashraf.
Struan Stevenson, MEP and Vice-Chairman of the Group of the European People’s Party, started by expressing his condolences for the murder of Valiollah Feiz-Mahdavi and stressed that the regime’s crime’s are not limited to political prisoners and the worst is its extensive attempt to destroy the PMOI in Ashraf City. He said: “With this the Iranian regime has two objectives: a) To get rid of its main opposition, b) To pave the way to advance in Iraq.”
Mohammad Mohaddessin, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the NCRI, thanked previous speakers for their remarks in support of the Iranian Resistance and said that while we are gathered here in defense of Ashraf which is the home to the backbone of the Iranian opposition, the Iranian regime is trying to deceive the world community over its nuclear weapons program. In the meantime the regime is trying to expand its influence across Iraq and undermine peace in the Middle East. The Lebanese war was a good example to this claim which was initiated by the clerical regime.
Mohaddessin added: “To forge its ominous plans, the regime is faced with only one obstacle and that is the Iranian Resistance. The leaders of the regime state that while the U.S. is engaged with Iraq, there is no threat of a foreign military intervention, therefore, it is making every effort to expel the PMOI from Iraq in order to proceed with its plans in the area.”
Mrs. Piia Noora Kaupi, MEP and the leader of the Finnish delegation in the Group of the European People’s Party, said that the Iranian regime has targeted the weakest section of the Iranian society which includes women and children. She expressed her deep regret that the only opposition which is fighting the clerical regime is designated as a terrorist organization which is absolutely unacceptable. She reiterated that all efforts should be concentrated on removing the PMOI from the terror list.
Tunne Kelam, MEP from Estonia, and Erik Meijer, Dutch MEP, concluded the speeches. In his remarks, Meijer stressed that by appointing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the mullahs’ president the Iranian regime declared war on the people of Iran and the international community particularly in regards to the issues of Iraq and its nuclear projects. He noted that the regime had decided to take another strategic step and that was to get rid of its legitimate and organized opposition, the PMOI as it is finding the Mojahedin as a serious obstacle to its expansionist ambitions.
International Committee in Defense of Ashraf have been sponsored by over 6o law makers and international political figures and jurists. At the end of the meeting a declaration was adopted unanimously by all participants.