Despite of attempts to demonize the Iraqi government to show a strong objection to the decisive decision of its expulsion from Iraq, Mojahedin-Khalq Organization (MKO, MEK, PMOI) seems not to be intelligent enough to realize that it fails to dupe all the world as it has done with its own insiders. There are those who may be misled by its propaganda blitz that the Iraqi government has packed a number of innocent people inside an isolated camp just in the middle of a scorched desert and imposing all kinds of rough and inhuman pressures on them. And there are also those who may come to believe that it has won a great victory against the Iraqi government to press it return back 36 arrested members on many charges that need to be brought a legal court of justice.
And that is what has to be done concerning these terrorist culprits whose file is open to be dealt with. But are the world’s responsible organizations and bodies unaware of what is truly passing and happening in Ashraf? It is not at all as some may think. All the humanitarian organizations have the camp under their monitor in spite of MKO’s strong objection to any interference in its internal affair as it harshly reacted when the Iraqi forces tried enter the camp and to establish a police station within its walls just to monitor its suspicious activities and stop further exploitation of its members. And the United Nation knows all about Ashraf.
In paragraph 6 of resolution 1883 (2009), adopted on 7 August 2009, the Security Council requested the Secretary-General to report to the Council on a quarterly basis on the fulfillment of the responsibilities of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). On 11 November 2009, the first report pursuant to that resolution was released. Here is the part dealing with MKO’s Camp Ashraf:
With regard to the situation in Camp Ashraf, tensions escalated on 28 and 29 July between Iraqi security forces and the camp’s residents who belong to the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran. When Iraqi security forces entered the Camp to establish a police station within its boundaries, the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran strongly objected and the ensuing confrontation resulted in 11 residents killed and approximately 200 wounded. Iraqi security forces further arrested and detained 36 residents, who then staged a hunger strike in conjunction with another 136 residents. On 7 October, the detainees were released and returned to the Camp, after agreeing to appear before an Iraqi court if summoned and to leave Iraq for third-country resettlement if the opportunity were made available. Subsequently, Iraqi Government officials have called for the closure of the Camp, but have repeatedly given assurances to UNAMI of their commitment to treat the residents in accordance with international humanitarian law and the principle of non-refoulement. In response to numerous requests UNAMI, supported by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has undertaken monitoring of the humanitarian situation in the Camp as part of an effort to find possible solutions involving various interested parties.
Blacklisted a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) whose activities are banned in the US, the terrorist group was amongst the firsts to come under the US protection rather than the Iraqi people. Emboldened by the given protection, the terrorist MKO is combating versus the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s earlier announced decision to expel it from Iraq according to the Iraqi Constitution and in an attempt to uproot terrorism there.
Evidently, the group’s harsh reactions have even jeopardized Iraq’s internal and national security to some extents. Its own threatening tone and some of its advocates inside and outside of Iraq against the taken decision is just a repetition of MKO’s hostile attitude shown at the inception of its armed phase immediately after it fell out with Iran’s Islamic regim. Regardless of MKO’s potentialities to onset yet another military phase in spite of trying to be taken off the terrorist lists, MKO is doing its manipulating all ploys to force the Iraqi government to consent to its stay in Iraq.
Mojahedin’s presence in Iraq has no rational justification after Saddam’s fall. Getting advantage of the chaotic situation in the region, MKO’s leadership in 1986 moved the organization’s headquarters to Iraq which was considered an opportunistic decision at the time for some reasons and to achieve desired objectives. The main strategic goal for both MKO and Saddam on which the two were making the alliance was overthrowing the newly formed Islamic regime in Iran. The Iraqi soil offered MKO the opportunity to form the Liberation Army so it could stage cross-border attacks at the right time.
Saddam’s fall frustrated their political arithmetic all. The possible regional transformation and Mojahedin’s disarmament on the one hand and Iraq’s internal, political transition as well as the new government’s policy to establish friendly, cooperative ties with the neighbors on the other hand led Mojahedin to isolation to desperately wait an unknown future. But the protected status granted to Mojahedin by the coalition forces offered them a prolonged opportunity to stay in Iraq until a final decision was made or they would be transferred to a third country.
No country has yet accepted to receive Ashraf residents although the group is delisted from the UK and the EU terrorist lists. It is only a matter of legal enforcement and the very same countries are well aware of the group’s terrorist nature and thus, they will actually avoid letting it roam in the streets of their countries to jeopardize their social-political security.
