Bi-Partisan Majority in the U.S. House Calls for Protection of Camp Ashraf Residents

WASHINGTON, March 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. Congressman Bob Filner (D-CA), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, and Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, were joined yesterday by ten of their colleagues, including three from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in a press conference to announce the support by a bi-partisan House majority for the humanitarian rights and protection of residents of Camp Ashraf in Iraq.

In his remarks, Rep. Filner announced that following the last July deadly assault by the Iraqi security forces against unarmed residents of Camp Ashraf, home to 3,400 members of Iran's main opposition, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), he introduced a resolution (H.Res.704) which "deplores the ongoing violence by Iraqi security forces against the residents of Camp Ashraf; calls upon the Iraqi Government to live up to its commitment to the United States to ensure the continued well-being of those living in Camp Ashraf; and calls upon the President to take all necessary and appropriate steps to support the commitments of the United States" to ensure protection of Camp Ashraf residents.

The majority of the members of the House of Representatives who have co-sponsored the resolution include 11 Committee Chairs; 13 Committee Ranking Members; 54 Sub-Committee Chairs; 49 Sub-Committee Ranking Members; and 30 House Foreign Affairs Committee members.

Rep. Ros-Lehtinen stressed that in light of repeated breach of guaranties provided by the Iraqi Government to the United States that residents of Camp Ashraf would be treated humanely, "the U.S. is obligated to take all necessary and appropriate steps to uphold our commitments."  The Florida lawmaker added that "we must send a clear message to the residents of Camp Ashraf that the U.S. Congress stands with them."

Congressman Ed Towns (D-NY), Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee lauded the bi-partisan nature of support for Camp Ashraf and said "it's so important that we continue to work together…to bring about the change that is so needed today."

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Ranking Member of House International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight Subcommittee, remarked that "we must make sure that anyone who is fighting the mullah regime and would replace it with a democratic government is an ally of the people of the United States and we should not allow them to suffer negative consequences if we can prevent it.  That is especially true of the people of Camp Ashraf."

Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade said: "It is important that we constantly stay vigilant that we let the people in Camp Ashraf know that their silent voices are heard here in the United States… We are not going to stand idly by while those who wish to do harm to the residents of Camp Ashraf mend, weave their wicked ways and they will not be dispersed into parts and regions unknown to the rest of us."

Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) described the Iranian regime as "regime of thugs," and added "this is most impressive to have the majority of the U.S. congress of one mind with regard to a critical issue and the travesty the brutality that was engaged against the innocent people in Ashraf.  And so we will get this to the floor and we will pass it and we will stay on this issue."

Congressman Mario Diaz Balart (R-FL) described the attack on Ashraf as "a cold-blooded murder" and emphasized that the only way that they "could ever be totally safe is by having a free homeland."

Congressman Filner added that "the administration should encourage the United Nations to play a much more active role in so far as it concerns Camp Ashraf and strengthen the role of a UN monitoring team in Ashraf to one of protecting the residents to ensure that their rights and safety are respected and all the inhumane restrictions placed on them by the Iraqi government are lifted."

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, also addressed the briefing via video from Paris. She emphasized that the House majority support for Ashraf indicates its recognition of the Iranian Resistance, especially Ashraf, as "a decisive factor in confronting this anti-human regime" in Tehran. Addressing the co-sponsors of the resolution, Mrs. Rajavi remarked that "While appreciating your efforts, I would like to ask you to continue your noble and humanitarian work in order to ensure that: The protection of the residents of Ashraf is guaranteed as long as the US forces remain in Iraq; Mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq is expanded to guarantee the rights of Ashraf residents. The United Nations assumes the protection of Ashraf and a UN peace keeping force is stationed at Ashraf; All restrictions and the blockade imposed by the Iraqi government against Ashraf in the past 14 months are lifted."

Representatives John Boozman (R-AR) from the Foreign Affairs Committee, Trent Franks (R-AZ) from the Armed Service Committee, Dan Lungren (R-CA) and Al Green (D-TX) from the Homeland Security Committee, and Judy Chu (D-CA) of the Judiciary Committee also addressed the Congressional briefing.

Members of the House and their staff as well as representatives of foreign embassies, renowned foreign policy experts and human rights figures attended the press conference.

SOURCE U.S. Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents