On the Anniversary of April 8 Camp Ashraf Massacre, ISDCI Calls on the International Community to Protect Members of Iranian Opposition (MEK) Living in Iraq

LONDON, April 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

On the anniversary of the April 8, massacre of the residents of Camp Ashraf, International Solidarity for a Democratic Change in Iran (ISDCI) calls on UN, US and EU to take necessary steps to guarantee safety and basic human rights of the residents. ISDCI also calls on US Secretary Clinton to, firstly, uphold her last year's December 25 commitment for a "robust Monitoring" by the U.S. at Camp Liberty and secondly remove the terror tag on the Iran's most important opposition movement, the MEK, which is an absolute necessity to facilitate resettlement to third countries.

The UN Security Council is expected to discuss Iraq, including the situation of Ashraf residents, next week. The Secretary General Special Representative for Iraq, Ambassador Martin Kobler is also expected to report to the Security Council.  

ISDCI also calls on the United Nation Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to ensure that the conditions at Camp Liberty meet minimum humanitarian standards which it currently lacks.

ISDCI further expresses its dismay that after one year past the April 8 Massacre, the perpetrators of this heinous crime against humanity are yet to be brought to justice.

ISDCI participated in an international conference in Paris on March 24, 2012 as a display of solidarity for the call to protect residents of Camps Ashraf and Liberty in Iraq as the international consensus have called for it for the past year.

On the one-year anniversary of April 8 massacre of unarmed residents of Camp Ashraf at the hands of the Iraqi Army, and by the orders of the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and the Iranian regime, ISDCI along with the families of the residents of Ashraf and supporters of the Iranian resistance remember the day of loss of their loved ones on April 8 of last year, knowing there is still much left to be accomplished as lives of the residents who still live in Ashraf or Liberty are in danger.

The Attack of April 8, 2011 on the unarmed residents of Camp Ashraf, who were declared "Protected Persons" under the "Fourth Geneva Conventions" by the American forces following the invasion of Iraq, left 36 residents dead, including 8 women, one as young as 19 years old.  

The Attack was the second of its kind.  The first attack, leaving 11 unarmed residents dead, took place in July 2009 shortly after the handover of the protection of the camp to Iraqis, despite persisting opposition on the part of residents, realizing the close ties between the governments of Iraq and Nouri al-Maliki and the theocratic regime ruling in Iran, foreseeing a human catastrophe.

Last February the residents accepted an international call supported by the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to move to Camp Liberty located in Baghdad under the condition that their safety and security as well as humanitarian and human rights standards would be guaranteed and honored in the new Camp.

About 1200 residents have moved to Liberty up until now despite the new camp's lack of adequate and basic accommodation particularly for so many people.  The inadequacies include drinking water, electricity, and proper sewage system, not mentioning the 24 hour presence of police guards armed with heavy machineguns.

At the March 24 Conference in Paris, speakers from the United States and Europe stressed on the need for protecting the rights of Ashraf and Liberty residents.  Speakers included Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian resistance,  Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York and US Presidential Candidate (2008), Michael Mukasey, US Attorney General (2007-2009), Secretary Tom Ridge, the first US Homeland Security Secretary (2003-2005) and former Governor of Pennsylvania; John Bolton, former US Ambassador to the United Nations, Patrick Kennedy, member of the US Congress (1991-2011); Glenn Carle, former Deputy National Intelligence for Transnational Threats; Col. Wesley Martin, former Commander of the MNF-I anti-terrorism unit and commander of Forward Operation Base in Ashraf; Lt. Col Leo McCloskey, Commander of Forward Operation Base in Ashraf until 2008.  Additionally, a number of European personalities also made remarks during the conference.  

Speaking in front of a crowd of about one thousand cheering supporters, the speakers stressed on the necessity for the U.S. Government to remove the unjust terror tag on the Iranian resistance, as the Europeans and the British have done,  paving the way for a smooth transit by the residents to other countries.

Website: http://www.isdciran.org/

Conference Details: http://www.isdciran.org/index.php?option=com_magazine&func=show_edition&id=10:Paris%20March%2024,%202012&Itemid=47

SOURCE International Solidarity for a Democratic Change in Iran (ISDCI)