decision of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to end the presence of the MKO aka MEK/PMOI at the end of this year, noting that Iraq needs international support and expertise in the field of democracy, while a British parliamentary group wanted Najifi to intervene with the Iraqi government for approval of the British parliamentary delegation’s visit to Camp Ashraf.
The real challenge for international officials is not about the fate of these members, but how to deal with the cult leaders, Maryam and Massoud Rajavi. This challenge will continue until the day the Rajavi’s allow cult members choose their own futures, and unfortunately that day might never occur. But last week, Barbara Slavin of IPS reported that an agreement was reached about 10 days ago through the MKO’s/MEK/PMOI legal counsel in London…
Although UNHCR won’t require the dissidents to disassociate from the group, it said in a recent statement that refugee status could be granted only to individuals and not to the group as a whole. In effect, the MEK aka MKO/PMOI, as its known by its Farsi language initials, appears to be on the verge of accepting the demand by U.S. Ambassador James Jeffrey in July to disband as a military formation.
Mr. Arango submitted questions by email, which elicited a lengthy response from the MEK.The problem was not cured, however, because so little of the MEK response was incorporated in the story. One simply does not learn from this story why the group seems so intransigent about its unwillingness to relocate, disband or accept an end to American protection. The MEK’s point of view on this was an essential, but missing, element in a story that so thoroughly reported on the ambassador’s perspective.
Mojahedin will resort to every possible means to throw a spanner in the works of the UNHCR. Now Maryam Rajavi the wife of the leader of the Mojahedin has issued the following clear statement from her HQ in France: “ … we will not allow the line of the mercenaries Maliki and Barezani and the strategy of their masters, the Iranian regime, to prevail under the pretext of interviewing people one by one and …” and she continues “… all the Mojahedin members should only be taken for interviews using helicopters …” ..
In the past, the MEK leadership has refused to allow most residents of Camp Ashraf to apply for refugee status or to speak with UNHCR representatives without MEK officials present.Former members of the group, who contend that the MEK is a cult that fosters blind obedience to its leaders, say that many Ashraf inhabitants have been held against their will and would eagerly leave the camp if they could. ..
The Minister expressed the reservation and objection of the Iraqi government to the request of the European Commission to designate a special representative to Camp New Iraq (formerly Ashraf) but stressed that the government of Iraq has consistently appealed to and asked European countries and other countries to receive and resettle residents of the camp in their countries. He also stressed that the government is committed to close the camp..
The information received shows that Rajavi has instructed his cult’s commanders to prevent any escape attempt no matter what the cost and they must stop them even if they have to shoot them. What is certain is that one of the most brutal and constant examples of violation of human rights is going on in Ashraf garrison and unfortunately for some delusional political interests, there is no reaction against it.
The people inside the camp are described as “non status” and they are not accepted as refugees or even asylum seekers. The Iraqi government is adamant it will carry out the decision to close the camp – which is one of the last remains of the Saddam regime – and on the other hand the leaders of the Mojahedin inside the camp insist on keeping the status quo without any logical, legitimate, legal or other reasons..
Leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, Ammar Hakim, has said that the members of the terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) based in Iraq must leave the country by the end of 2011. Elsewhere in his remarks, Hakim stated that the security situation in Iraq has improved and the Iraqi forces have become more equipped and are capable of identifying terrorists