Any country, especially if it is torn by a critical post-invasion disorder as Iraq is, has the right of speculating any measure that may quench the chaos and guarantee the national integrity and social order. The chief problem in the Iraq at the present is the widespread activities of pro-Saddam insurgents and terrorists as well as the US using certain terrorist groups, particularly MKO, for intelligence conspiracies and as proxies for what it calls counter-terrorism activities. Saddam’s dictatorship threatening its neighbor countries now being ousted, the new national Iraqi government has to respect the integrity of its neighbors to maintain its own. It has to reciprocate pledges of friendship with them all. The first sign of its good-will is, at least, to disband whatever hostile group that is involved in violent activities against Iraqi neighbors.
The recent decree by the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki labeling pro-Saddam MKO, that advocates the overthrow of the Iranian regime, a terrorist entity and its call on the removal of the group from its safe haven in the eastern Camp Ashraf well indicates that it is moving on the right path that fosters hope of constituting a free, safe Iraq. Living under the protection of coalition forces, MKO has recurrently overpassed limitation of its refugee’s status in Iraq and has engaged in activities that are regarded open interference in Iraq’s domestic affairs. Its Camp Ashraf safe haven has reportedly turned into a bastion of conspiracy against the Iraq’s integrity and sporadic gatherings there are only aimed to escalate ethnic tension and intensify the hostilities the Iraqi government is hard working to end.
Reportedly, the Iraqi government has already informed the U.S. and multinational forces in Iraq that they should discontinue involvement with the group and hand over all related checkpoints to Iraqi authorities. The U.S. military is accused of using PMOI as a proxy for its counter-terrorism activities in Iraq. However, enjoying the US protection, the group dares to challenge the government made decisions that amounts to interfering in Iraq’s internal affairs. In a backlash against the government’s decision to disband the group, reported by Voices of Iraq, the group’s spokesman Mahdi Aqbaee said the government decision amounts to a violation of the Geneva Conventions. He said: "The decree violates the principle of not using forced deportation, international laws and the international laws pertaining to the Red Cross. Threatening to deport (PMOI) personnel and handcuffing their freedom of expression can be considered a war crime."
Known as Saddam’s accomplice who has to be brought before the justice for a variety of crimes done against the Iraqi people, not speaking of its atrocities against its own nation, MKO makes bold to consider a legally adopted decision as a war crime. The Iraqi government has to take precautionary measures since it is a proven fact that MKO’s threatening tone takes the form of action if sensing danger against its entity.
