++ Reports from Albania indicate that in spite of Maryam Rajavi sitting with MEK members trying to convince them to stay, the situation is getting worse to the point that just about everyone wants to leave. She has resorted to bringing in the ‘big guns’, that is using threats of ‘the CIA’ to intimidate dissidents. They are told, you can stay in a separate building where you will have to obey certain rules and you must not go out or talk to anyone. If you do, you will suffer attacks.
++ Tehran Tasnim News published an interview with the cultural attaché of the Iranian embassy in Albania. The interview discusses the many issues which connect Iranians and Albanians, including literature. Albania’s most famous poet wrote books of poetry in Farsi. The attaché said that due to the hostility of Israel and the Americans who have a hold over the country, there are no Iranians here and not much contact. Albania’s attempt to open an embassy in Iran was stymied because of the backlash it provoked. According to the attaché, the only Iranians in Albania are the embassy officials or the MEK who have been imposed on the country by the Americans. He explained how ordinary Albanians see their country: the sea of Albania belongs to Italy, the air belongs to NATO and the land belongs to the Americans. But the people and their culture, says the attaché, belong with Iranians. The two countries share a near culture and have a good understanding of one another. Unfortunately, the Albanian government does not encourage this. In recent weeks, there have been many demonstrations against the interference of the Neocons and the corruption of Albania’s government (and opposition politicians) along with the mafia, drugs and arms dealing. Generally, the people of Albania are not happy about life there although they do not have much choice. Out of a population of approximately three million, at least half don’t live there permanently and have dual citizenship. It is a very poor country, its citizens are very poor and yet it continues to be robbed and plundered.
++ This week marked the anniversary of the stand-off at Camp Ashraf between the MEK and the Iraqi army in April 2011. Abdul Karim Ebrahimi writes his memories of that day. He reminds us that on that day, the MEK signed an agreement that the Iraqi army could take land which formed part of the camp and return it to the farmers from whom Saddam Hussein originally stole it. Then, when the army began to take the land the MEK attacked them resulting in 36 MEK and several police and army deaths. Ebrahimi and others who survived and eventually escaped the MEK are witnesses to what really happened that day. Because of the agreement, the army did not expect the attack. The MEK intentionally sent unarmed people to confront the soldiers, telling them ‘the Iraqis won’t shoot you so you can easily disarm them and take their weapons. They frightened the members saying the Iraqis were there to capture them and hand them over to Iran where they would be tortured and killed. The ordinary MEK members didn’t know anything about the land agreement. The MEK leaders wanted people to be shot. The MEK filmed the events and edited them to claim that the Iraqis had intended to kill the MEK. In fact, Rajavi wanted to blackmail them to give money in exchange for the land.
In English:
++ Nejat Society reviews an article in which a CIA veteran examines the myth of regime change using the MEK cult.
++ Eli Clifton in Lobelog digs up revealing information in ‘AIPAC Gave $60K to Architect of Trump’s Muslim Ban’. Inevitably the name of the MEK comes up among the murky deals.
March 31, 2017