The situation of Camp Ashraf poses complex challenges for MKO leaders with no easy answers.
The group leaders are the same criminals who have the blood of Americans, Iranians and Iraqi
The recent clashes at Camp Ashraf were part of MKO’s propaganda campaign to buy support of the West. Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman, Mohammad Al-Askari attended a new conference a day after clashes, he showed the media a metal hook used by residents of camp Ashraf to attack Iraqi security forces. [1] While MKO websites claim that 31 Ashraf residents were killed during the clashes with Iraqi Security forces, Iraqi authorities say that these people were killed at Camp Ashraf on Friday when security forces responded to rock-throwing and threats by residents during an operation to reclaim land from the camp, according to Reuters.[2]
Along with their misinformation campaign MEK have posted videos on the Internet showing some soldiers appear to be Iraqi troops walking around and in one case targeting Ashraf residents. The videos also show an American Humvee bearing an Iraqi flag chasing some people on foot around. You see one man throw himself in front of the vehicle. The vehicle stops right away and reverses away. You may wonder who those dead and injured bodies MKO TV shows and claims the number to mount 31 are. The videos are so ambiguous that CNN declared that it could not confirm them.[3]
Haider Adel is an Iraqi policeman who was wounded by MKO forces on Friday. "We were at a checkpoint to provide protection for them (Ashraf residents), but all of the sudden they attacked us with stones and iron bars," he said.[4]
The comments from Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh came shortly after a United Nations Spokesman in New York said 34 people were killed in April8 raid on Camp Ashraf.[5]"Our security forces believe that this (the deaths) has been done by their (the PMOI) guards killing those who were willing to escape from the camp", Dabbagh said in a text message to AFP, adding that government was investigating the issue.[6]"Similar methods have been used before by them", he added.[7]
The Iraqi military, which rings the perimeter of the 19-sq-mil (49 sq km) Camp, denies using firearms and says only three residents were killed – when they threw themselves in front of military vehicles, according to an article by Rania Abouzeid of the TIME. [8]
Things can rapidly devolve into violence, given growing Iraqi frustration with the organization, whose members exhibit a cult-like obedience and willingness to sacrifice themselves for their cause, Abouzeid believes.[9]
Although the allegations of Iraqi officials and MKO propaganda on the case are entirely different, one thing is sure and that’s the victimization of a number of human beings whom unfortunately, among them there are intellectuals and educated people that have been caught in a destructive terrorist cult. Deprived of the most basic human rights, they have no way out except absolute obedience to a power-thirsty cult leader who doesn’t hesitate to sacrifice his followers just to guarantee his own survival.
By Mazda Parsi
References:
[1]Reuters, Iraq to probe Iranian camp deaths, April 12, 2011
[2]ibid
[3]NEW JESTIC, Iraq defends violence!, April 11, 2011-04-17
[4]ibid
[5]Agency France Press, Iran camp victims killed by own guards, April 14, 2011
[6]ibid
[7]ibid
[8]Abouzeid, Rania, TIME, Could the MEK Be Evicted From Camp Ashraf by Iraqi Military? , April15, 2011
[8]ibid
[9]ibid