Europe vs. MKO: West controversial act in war on terror
Foreign Ministers of EU voted for the removal of MKO from terror list. An act that shows west’s contradictory behavior in its war on terror.
Protection of human rights is going to the opposite way in the West, although MKO is still designated as a terrorist organization by many countries.
EU couldn’t declare a group’s being or not being terrorist by itself, rather a just court should announce such a ruling and determine terrorist designation. In fact, terrorism is an international crime that according to international laws and an international fair court is the only competent tribune for terrorism designation.
It seems that EU didn’t obey Vienna Convention (which is binding for all individuals) and removed the group from terror list in a political act.
MKO has committed numerous crimes worldwide especially in Iran and Iraq and its terrorist designation is perfectly documented based in true facts.
Terrorism evidences in a legal view:
In various concepts of human science and specially politics the determination of a standard is neither possible nor acceptable. Therefore, lack of a standard for terrorism definition, makes it mixed with political or sometimes beneficial interests.
According to the International law commission the below-mentioned issues are considered as terrorist acts:
(i) Any act causing death or grievous bodily harm or loss of liberty to a Head of State, persons exercising the prerogatives of the Head of State, their hereditary or designated successors, the spouse of such persons, or persons charged with public functions or holding public positions when the act is directed against them in their public capacity (A large number of Iranian politic men were assassinated by MKO after the Islamic Revolution)
(ii) Acts calculated to destroy or damage public property or property devoted to a public purpose (So many governmental or non-governmental buildings, buses, cars have been bombed by MKO or damaged in MKO mortar attacks)
(iii) Any act likely to imperil human lives through the creation of a public danger, in particular the seizure of aircraft, the taking of hostages and any form of violence directed against persons who enjoy international protection or diplomatic immunity ( MKO’s violent acts include a large range of attacks, such as their simultaneous attacks to 13 Iranian Embassies all over the world in 1992)
(iv) The manufacture, obtaining, possession or supplying of arms, ammunition, explosives or harmful substances with a view to the commission of a terrorist act.( MKO has formally declared its armed struggle to overthrow the Islamic Republic)
A lot of international conventions, acts, treaties and agreements on the terrorism phenomenon, have been signed. There are numerous international bodies involving in fighting terrorism, having various plans to control such inhumane, immoral acts.
Indeed, the most important motive to cause terrorism is political but the efforts to control terrorism have just had legal aspects.
One can claim that the international laws in this case are only a cover for the political interests of the states to whether support or condemn a terrorist incident.
It should be noted that the war on terror is caught between various paradoxes which gives the superpowers and their agents an opportunity to abuse the current atmosphere.
Evaluation
The EU’s move is violation of the international laws and implies their political benefits.
The EU’s position regarding MKO’s case will bring about heavy damages. It might become a new approach to deal with other terrorist groups.
Values like human rights and freedom are nowadays a tool for implementing political pressure by those who claim to call for freedom.
However, the West does take no position against Israelis who massacre civilians in Gaza, the EU removes MKO from the black list. The file of various crimes committed by MKO against Iranians is achieved on the so-called human rights’ table of the West.
The dual standards of the West considering terrorism and human rights is viewed as funny by the international community.
War on Terror will never be successful unless the superpowers put away their ambitions or reckless political interests. Terrorist acts of evil MKO group might continue in the safe haven of the West.
Islam Abad-Ahmad Farahani – Translated by Nejat Society