The world should be concerned over MKO’s potentiality of waging all kinds of vendetta
All sides involved in the humanitarian issue of relocating the members of Mojahedin Khalq Organization MKO/MEK/PMOI from their military base, Camp Ashraf, to a transit facility near Baghdad seem to have been locked in a protracted battle over the plan. The Iraqi government, encouraged by the UN and the US, has so far maintained the credibility of practicing a humanitarian approach towards the residents and has respected human rights principles. In contrast, MKO has been insisting on exacerbating the tension it has generated.
Six months ago, the Iraqi government extended an extra six-month period to MKO’s deadline to leave Iraq upon a UN request that lasted on July 31. During the period, MKO members have displayed the least form of cooperation with the Iraqi authorities and only two third of the residents have been relocated to transitory camp. In an international conference held on the last day of the extended period, Iraq’s National Security Adviser Faleh al-Fyadh announced that the only option left for the terrorist group is to leave the country or face prosecution by the Iraqi justice system:
The Iraqi Government has shown cooperation with the UN and the UN had asked Iraq to give the MKO six months before being expelled. The six months have passed and their continued presence is not an option. If they refuse to leave, Iraq with deal with them as a group which is a threat to Iraq’s sovereignty.
By creating a variety of unjustifiable excuses, MKO has refused further relocation of its members. The group M complains of poor conditions at the transit camp while there are evidences of appropriate humanitarian and standard conditions at the camp according to UNAMI’s report corroborated by the US. In a press statement released yesterday, Patrick Ventrell, Acting Deputy Spokesperson, called on MKO leaders to cooperate since all its demands have been met by the Iraqi government:
We also call on the Ashraf leadership to immediately resume cooperation with the relocation of residents to Camp Hurriya, especially following the Iraqi Government’s delivery of a cargo convoy of goods as demanded by the residents on July 15. Allegations of dire humanitarian conditions at Hurriya are inconsistent with observations made by U.S. Government officials who have visited Hurriya, as well as reporting from UN monitors. Based on these reports, and other information, it is clear that the quality of life at Hurriya exceeds accepted humanitarian standards. The continued intransigence of the residents’ leadership in placing preconditions and making demands prior to any agreement to relocate further Ashraf residents is unacceptable and puts in danger protections established in the MOU.
Despite all efforts for seeking a peaceful solution in handling the MKO’s exit from Iraq, the group is resolved to heighten the tension to a point that might provoke a violent reaction, just what MKO dreams to happen. MKO never observes nor has any respect for human rights and international laws; it is getting ready for causing an appalling human tragedy rather than to end it. Although it is not in the interest of anyone to witness repetition of the provoked tragic clashes that took place in 2011 and led to many casualties from the both sides, MKO is not uninterested to make all residents martyrs to demonize the Iraqi government as well as securing a much more extended period of stay in Iraq with all needed sympathy directed in its own favor. The world should be concerned over the possible violent reaction from the terrorist MKO with a proven potentiality of waging all kinds of vendetta.
