In Iran: Courageous People & Cowardly Regime

Courage is the Art of loving the "One thing beside Your Self" and creating a new value by paying the price to preserve it.

25 May 2007- Evin Prison

Torturer (Famous as the notorious Zarghami): You will never get out of here; no one will hear your voice except these walls. Now tell me who is the Hypocrite? When you went to Ashraf City, did you see the Hypocrites?
The young Houd, with much confident only replied: "What I saw in Ashraf were the Mojahedin (saviors of the people) and not hypocrites (a label created by Ayatollah Khomeini to deface its opposition the PMOI)
A thrust of batons and punches awaited young Houd as he knew very well the consequences of not insulting the PMOI. He was resolved to not weald to what his torturer expected and not let them use him against another.

Houd has been in solitary confinement for the past 9 months and is in a devastating physical condition. Some former cell mates contested he was vomiting blood but was extremely cheerful as usual and insisted that there is a voice out of these walls that would echo his will for "truth and the rule of the Law".
His last location was reported to be in Rajaii Shahr prison, known as the" last destination", although he has been given a 3 year prison sentence with maximum penalty but the human right activists in Iran have expressed deep concern for his fate since the Iranian torturers have been killing prisoners of conscience discretely recently.
As the consequence his mother, his father and brother have also been arrested and subjected to harassment and torture.
Houd is a student of Industrial engineering, his brother is an aeronautical engineer and his Father is a surgeon.

What is young houd's crime? And how distinctive is it amongst millions of other facts and figures in daily lives of each and individual of" Us"?

He visited Camp Ashraf in an effort to see his aunt who is a member of the PMOI and is under much repression by the pro-Iranian Iraqi authorities and police. He wished to see his aunt whom he had heard so much of; her bravery, resolve and determination to vanguard basic values lost at the moment in Iran; Freedom and Democracy and Peace.
These values had always enchanted him since he was a small child but this time he had seen and felt them in contact with her. THIS was the great threat for the Tyrants ruling Iran. It would be a thistle in their throat since their multi-million dollar propaganda had in the past 30 years envisioned another face of the PMOI and their members in Iran: Brutal terrorist who would do anything at any price and who as a cult kill, burn and torture their own members. He knew so little about Camp Ashraf since all news was censored in Iran. All he knew was that her aunt was extremely kind and amiable and brave. This alone gave him the desire to find more about the truth and the PMOI. Like hundreds of other youth eager to know about a better Iran to be, he traveled to Ashraf with his mother to see his aunt. The family spent a week of happy moments together in the Camp unaware of lay before them.

Why is a Camp posing such threat to an Islamic fascism which boasts on being the Godfather of State terrorism?

Camp Ashraf is situated in approximately 60 miles from Baghdad, the capital of Iraq.
Ashraf is the residents of the survivals of a of mass execution ordered by Khomein in a religious fatwa between 1980 and 1986, in order to for eradicate its only rival and threat the PMOI. The mass murder of three generations of the PMOI is one of the crimes committed against Humanity in scripted in piles of documents provided to the Special Reporters of the UN in 1987.

It was in 1986 that the PMOI members fled to Iraq. At that time the United Nations Security Council had called for a ceasefire and an end to the Iran-Iraq war. On the other hand, the peace plan of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) enjoyed the support of more than 5,000 parliamentarians and political personalities from throughout the world. The Iraqi government had also officially accepted the peace plan of the NCRI and had declared its readiness to end the war.
Another significant event of that time was the issue of the French hostages in Lebanon. The Iranian regime had tied the release of the French hostages in Lebanon to the expulsion of the PMOI leaders from France.
Ashraf later grew to be the largest Camp of Iranian dissidents and members of the PMOI in Iraq.

As reported by a Parliamentary report ;

Ashraf is made up of a complex of roads and buildings. It contains all sorts of educational, social and sports facilities. These include four Olympic size swimming pools, a shopping centre, a zoo, a park, a university, a full size football pitch, a 'museum of terrorism' containing details of attacks on the PMOI and its personnel by the Iranian regime, a 'museum of martyrs', a mosque and even a cemetery. Due to its size and in order to function effectively, Camp Ashraf also has services such as shops and bakeries, a petrol station and its own traffic police. Camp Ashraf even has its own Cola production factory, which produces thousands of bottles of 'Ashraf Cola' per day

Ashraf was reported by the LA Times correspondent as:

"MEK members have built a bustling, idyllic sprawl of self-contained mini-villages with barracks-style living quarters, dining halls, recreational facilities and carefully maintained gardens. Camp Ashraf has its own swimming pool, ibrary, monument to fallen comrades and a museum where visitors can view gruesome videos of Iranian regime brutality…. Whatever their idiosyncrasies, MEK members also project a progressive streak and political ethos unusual in the world, much less the Middle East. They're ardent feminists. Women make up 30% of the fighters but hold an outsized number of political and military leadership positions… Far from the noise, traffic jams and ambient daily dread of Baghdad, Ashraf feels like a quiet rural retreat. Earlier this week, the entire camp mobilized for a raucous celebration of Wednesday, a pre-Islamic holiday that precedes the Iranian New Year."

International observers visiting the life of Ashraf camp residents have often expressed astounding surprised by the sprightliness and cheerfulness of spirit of its inhabitants despite dangerous political situation and deploring weather conditions. This esprit in the face of difficult conditions stems from a profound and knowledgeable decision of the people in Ashraf to endure the hardships and from their faith in freedom.

Their inventions, innovations and hard work to create and stay independent under harsh conditions has always been a source of inspiration for Ashraf neighbors and warmth and hope for the Iranian people in Iran who see it as a bastion for Freedom. Ashraf as seen by 5,200 000 Iraqis as declared in a detailed petition: "The People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran came to Iraq in 1986 with the aim of establishing democracy in their homeland, Iran. They have had absolutely no role in the internal affairs of Iraq and no one among the people of Iraq, including Sunnis, Shiites, Arabs, Kurds, etc. have ever experienced anything except decency and compassion from them. The solidarity of various social strata of the people of Iraq with this organization best attests to this truth."

Signed by: 121 political parties and social groups, 700,000 women, 14,000 lawyers and jurists, 19,000 physicians, 35,000 engineers, 320 clerics, 540 professors, 2,000 tribal sheikhs and 300 local officials among 5.2 million signitaries of the declaration *2

In the second half of the year 2003, in view of the events covering the Iraq War and subsequent changes in Iraq, Tehran intensified its conspiracies to fish from muddy waters and . Under pressures from Tehran, even food and fuel rations of Ashraf were terminated; elements affiliated with the regime blew up the water pipelines to Ashraf; members of the PMOI were abducted in Iraq. Even a bus carrying Iraqi laborers to the city of Ashraf was blown up killing 11.

Only yesterday the Iraqi Police Squads raided the camp in an attempt to militarily take over control of the lives and everyday rituals of the camp residents. This incident came a couple of days after Ahmadinejad reminded Iraqi government of its treaties and ties with Tehran on one side and a well known pro-Iranian MEP in the EP, Emma Nicholson asked for the shut down of the camp.*3

This initiated a series of appeals on behalf of International Bodies and Inter- Parliamentary groups who have so far followed the sensitive situation of the camp.
British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom in an urgent letter called on Mrs. Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State to intervene in order to prevent a human catastrophe in Camp Ashraf, Iraq. In part of their letter the MPs note: "Iraq has refused to acknowledge the rights of Ashraf residents, and since February its forces have besieged the camp. The European Parliament on 24 April adopted a resolution urging Iraq to respect the rights of Ashraf residents in the framework of the Geneva Conventions, end the siege of the camp, and refrain from forcibly displacing, deporting, or expelling the residents in violation of the principle of non-refoulement."*4

This committee is comprised of 5 UK members of Parliament and is supported by 200 Peers.

In a separate letter the International Committee In Search of Justice (ISJ) to the US secretary of State, the committee representing 2000 MEPs wrote: " By suppressing the opposition, specifically the PMOI [the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran], Khamenei is striving to pave the way for appointing Ahmadinejad for a second term as Iran's President". The ISJ concludes " In return the Iraqi government has neither acknowledged Ashraf residents' basic rights nor has it recalled its siege which has begun since last February and is still ongoing.
In view of the Iraqi governments' failure to acknowledge Ashraf resident's rights as stressed in the 24 April Resolution of the European Parliament, and its continued violations, the ISJ appeals to the US forces and US Government for an urgent intervention to prevent a possible humanitarian catastrophe and to guarantee the full implementation of the Resolution". *5

Sometimes history should not be repeated

What we should have learned after nearly 30 years is that neither humiliating concessions nor bending over redlines nor ethical values, keeping a shut eye on catastrophic butcheries in the Iran nor secret deals have advanced our interests with respect to the ruling fascism. On the contrary the policy of appeasement has only bolstered the power and prestige of the worst elements in the Iranian autocracy.

There is definitely a correct way to solve the Iran Crisis and safeguard our ethics, humanism and principals. The solution is what Iran's courageous democratic dissidents have long implored us to do is to stop "chastising" the Iranian resistance for wanting to protect its people against "professional-murderers" and terrorists of the mullahs from Tehran. The Iranian people only seek democratic change from inside Iran with its own sources and the Iranian resistance.

This is the value young "Houd" has endeavored to safeguard with all his merit and might, so let us not let his hopes down and prove the torturers wrong;
HIS VOICE IS HEARD BEHINDE PRISON WALLS.


Further notes on the article:

Chronology Ashraf Camp

- Since 2003, the ayatollahs' regime has been relentless in sowing terror and mayhem in Iraq. Capitalizing on a series of U.S. errors, both strategic and tactical, Tehran has accelerated its drive to force the Multi-national forces out of Iraq and become the de-facto power-broker in Iraq. the Qods Force, aided by Arabic-speaking agents of the Lebanese Hezbollah, has been training Iraqi Shiite assassination teams in four locations inside Iran

- Tehran's terrorist campaign in Iraq has been widely reported, little has been written about its concerted efforts to eliminate its principal opposition, the People's Mujahedin Organization (MEK/PMOI), which is based in Iraq. In recent months, Tehran has tried to exploit the complicated negotiations between the United States and Iraqi government over the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), to advance its strategic aims, including the elimination of the 3,500 MEK members in Camp Ashraf in Iraq.

- Hassan Kazemi Qomi, a senior commander of the notorious Qods Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp, who is now Tehran's ambassador to Iraq, told the state-run media on August 21, 2008 that the MEK "has six months to leave Iraq," and that the Iraqi security forces intend to take over the control of Camp Ashraf. The camp has been protected by the United States military since 2003.

- Members of the PMOI in Ashraf are under the protection of the Fourth Geneva Convention, the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the principle of non-refoulment. Following the voluntarily submission of all the weaponry at their possession to the Multi National Forces-Iraq in 2003, the residents of Ashraf signed an agreement with the MNF-I in which they denounced terrorism and violence. The right to protection and security for Mojahedin is the requirement of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the US government has recognized that for all the residents of Ashraf. Following the signing of the agreement by all the PMOI members in Ashraf, Deputy Commander General of the MNF-I stated in a letter to the residents of Ashraf on 2 July, 2004: " The United States has confirmed your status as '' protected persons" under the Fourth Geneva convention and has communicated that determination to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva. The acknowledgement of this determination will assist in expediting the efforts of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations High commissioner for Refugees in your disposition as individuals in accordance with applicable international law''.

- The European Court of First Instance annulled the EU Council's decision to include the PMOI in the terror list and called it unlawful on 12 Dec 2006. A year later, on 30 Nov 2007, the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC) in the UK ordered the British government to remove the PMOI from UK list of terrorists. Following the 2 rulings, today it has been completely proved that designation of the PMOI as a terrorist organization has taken place at the behest of the religious fascism ruling Iran and has had no legal basis from the beginning.
- In July 2004, after a vigorous 16-month review by seven different U.S. agencies, including the State Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation, every MEK member in Camp Ashraf was cleared of any violations of American law. U.S. Forces recognized the Ashraf residents as ''protected Persons'' under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Multinational Force-Iraq has been responsible for the protection of the base.

-According to letters by UNHCR officials, on 6 and 9 March 2007 , and the Human Rights Report, dated 11 Oct 2007 by UNAMI to warn against a planned human catastrophe and mass murder of the residents of Ashraf City (the base for members of the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran) by the mullahs ruling Iran.

-During its independent stay in Iraq, the MEK has openly defied any interference in Iraqi affairs. It has maintained close ties with its Iraqi neighbors, who share its aversion to Tehran's agenda in Iraq. This common bond was underscored on June 17, 2008, when it was announced that more than 3 million Iraqi Shiites had signed a petition condemning Iranian meddling and declaring support for the MEK and Ashraf residents.

- In retaliation, Tehran is trying to compel Washington to hand over the protection of the unarmed residents of Camp Ashraf. The Iranian regime has taken advantage of the exceptional situation of Iraq to annihilate the 3500 Human rights defenders in Ashraf city: I has embarked on its psychological war and terrorist conspiracies against the residents of Camp Ashraf, Iraq. One can, for example, refer to the August 2005 kidnapping of two Ashraf residents, the May 2006 bombing of a bus carrying Iraqi workers to Ashraf (which resulted in the death of 11 passengers), the July 2006 bombing of Ashraf water pipelines, the October 2007 attempt to poison the water going to Ashraf, the November 2007 bombing of a vehicle carrying Ashraf workers, the murder of Iraqis who support the residents of Ashraf and the February 2008 bombing of the water pumping station which deprived residents of Ashraf and 20,000 Iraqi citizens from water.

- In paragraph 7 of a resolution on Iraq, adopted unanimously on 12 July 2007, the European Parliament declared that it "Strongly rejects the threats of expulsion and cutting off supplies of fuel and drinking water made by some senior officials in the Iraqi Government against 4000 members of the Iranian opposition who have been political refugees in Iraq for the past 20 years and have the legal status of "Protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention" and calls on the Iraqi Government to respect their rights under international law. "

- In its October 2007 report, UNAMI stated, "UNAMI continues to assess any risks faced by residents of Camp Ashraf of repatriation to their country of origin, and takes the view that the residents must non-voluntarily not be deported, expelled or repatriated in violation of the principle of non-refoulement or displaced inside Iraq in violation of the relevant provisions of international humanitarian law."

-The International Committee of Jurists in Defence of Ashraf sent a communication to the ICRIC , reminding a catastrophe and suggested a guarantee that would secure the residents of Ashraf and avert a human catastrophe.They emphatically demanded that the ICRC confirm and make public the rights of the residents of Ashraf consistent with the principle of non-refoulement, International Humanitarian Law, International Law and in the framework of the Fourth Geneva Convention, especially the Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, which according to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1770 can be applied to the residents of Ashraf.

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Reference and links - Los Angeles Times, 19 March 2005
2- http://ncr-iran.org/content/view/1791/70/
3-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5grN-5v40w&feature=channel_page
4-http://ncr-iran.org/content/view/6416/1/
5- http://ncr-iran.org/content/view/6418/1/