Edalat Society-ADVT

The Association for Defending the Victims of Terrorism condemned a recent report released by the Independent website in defense of the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO), reminding the news website that MKO is responsible for the assassination and massacre of tens of thousands of innocent people in Iran, Iraq and other countries.

The following is the detailed text of the ADVT statement:

This letter is an explanation for the report published in the website of Independent on 12 April under the title of "Crime against humanity at Camp Ashraf". We consider it a responsibility for ourselves to mention some points about the terrorist group of Mojahedin-e Khlaq Organization (a.k.a MKO/Mek/PMOI) in order to increase the public knowledge about it. At first let’s take a look at the recent events which occurred in Ashraf Camp. On the day of the event and after two days of being stoned by Ashraf residents, Iraqi forces, stationed near the base, were forced to react.

Despite the constant demand of the Iraqi people and emphasis of the various parties on the expulsion of this group from Iraqi soil, this measure has faced delay for many years. The terrorist group of MKO has taken different reactions in the face of these demands including activities for weakening the legal Iraqi government, displaying human rights postures, propaganda fool plays like attacks against Ashraf residents, anti-human crimes and the violation of rights of the members. These are all conducted in order to represent a critical condition in Iraq which needs the interference of the US forces and accordingly the continuance of members’ residence in Ashraf. An evidence of such acts which once more proves the cultic structure of this terrorist group was the self-immolation of two Ashraf members for inciting other members on April 8th.

Self-immolation is the most common way of suicide in MKO which implies the cultic feature of this terrorist organization. The cultic characteristics of this group have been widely reported by former MKO members and Human Rights Watch report. Another example of the application of this technique was the self-immolation of 2003 in which a number of MKO members set themselves on fire in protest to the arrest of Maryam Rajavi. Ashraf Camp with its military framework is applied by MKO leaders for controlling the members. Let’s review some facts about this terrorist cult:

Investigating and identifying the efforts of this cult for defining itself as a banished opposition group worth consideration. A glance at the background of this terrorist cult clarifies that it has not been banished but its inhuman activities led to the disapproval of people and finally the cult chose a base outside the country in order to continue its terrorist operations. The more ominous fact is that MKO started cooperation with the Baath regime which was hated by Iranian people due to its aggression on Iranian territory. In fact Rajavi’s escape from country as the leader of this cult after the referendum and the sabotage activities of the cult including various measures for worsening the situation in the early days of the revolution shows that the name of Iranian opposition group is quite contrary to the nature of this terrorist group. Many international documents like Human Rights Watch report of May 2005 and US National Defense Institute report of 2009 along with the confessions of the defected members disclose the dangers of this terrorist cult to the global security. The agents of MKO have murdered more than 12000 Iranians and thousands of Iraqis. The assassination of 7 American counselors, high-jacking, armed robbery and attacks against the military units or civilians are among the other crimes of the MKO.

The second issue is the importance of Ashraf Camp for the MKO terrorist cult. The question is that why MKO leaders should make such a great deal of effort for keeping the members in Ashraf base? Why have the doors of Ashraf never been opened to the families of the members? Why are the members of this cult being kept as captives, being prevented from outside world? In other words, the Ashraf base, as a cultic structure, imposes inhuman features on its members which manifest the true identity of the cult.

The obstinacy of the MKO leaders in protecting the Ashraf Base should be sought in the following issues: the MKO finds its survival in resorting to various techniques like suppression of any suspicion and resistance through which it can give a new sense of attachment. It is an issue which frequently comes along with suppressing common emotional human senses and feelings. In this regard, removing the non-cultic ideas by repeating some slogans or limited phrases, the cult leaders try to deny the previous beliefs and establish some new values in which the cult is at the center and every instrument for attaining the defined goals is legitimate. Setting up the principles of a cult, any sense of personal judgment or valuation, individual decision or thinking are all denied and blind obedience is being developed between members. Wearing uniforms, confessing the internal drawbacks or any sense of doubt, isolation from the outside world, families and friends, exaggerating the faults and sins… are all among the common techniques that cults resort to for protecting their nature.

For the same reason the MKO terrorist group keeps its members in a socially and mentally isolated environment in order to pull out the members’ abilities to think and make decisions. The leaders of this terrorist cult are completely aware of the role of Ashraf camp in preserving the cultic structure of MKO and their authority over members. Therefore they have decided to keep the Camp by any possible way. In doing so, many capabilities have been displayed by MKO like the self-immolation of members or throwing them in front of the Iraqi vehicles with the aim of exposing the ability of the cult in degenerating the members and sacrificing them.

Based on the above, the necessity for the dissolution of Ashraf Camp as a cultic structure which imposes inhuman features upon its members, becomes obvious. Then the best efforts should be made in order to return back these members to the bosom of the family, relatives and society. Although the US department of State reported that its aim is to dissolve the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization which was involved in terrorist activities and to prevent it from rebuilding as a terrorist organization, but practically the coalition forces did not encourage the members to defect the group. They even violated many items of the Geneva Conventions in which the appropriate ways for the dissolution of this terrorist cell and reducing its power, were considered permissible.

According to the anti-democratic history of this group which is based on Marxism, the consecutive electoral failures and people’s disapproval in first Consultative Assembly elections, and their refusal of the constitution, one can understand the anti-human nature of this group.

The group fled to Iraq in 1986 and joined Saddam’s army during the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-1988) and helped Saddam to kill thousands of Iranian civilians and soldiers. It was funded by Saddam Hussein and helped the Iraqi dictator to violently suppress Shiite and Kurd uprisings in the country in 1991. These measures were conducted to strengthen the power of Saddam Hussein. Therefore, most of the Iraqi people consider the MKO as the private army of Saddam which acted on behalf of the Iraqi army against the people. The Iraqi people call for an investigation into all the crimes of the Iraqi dictator and accordingly the MKO as his tool in suppressions. People are now emphasizing on the expulsion of this group, as the ally of the former Iraqi dictator, from their country. People of the Al-Khalis city of Iraq have also complained against the MKO for committing crimes and seizing their lands. Meanwhile, the ratifications of the Iraqi parliament are supporting these legal demands. The people of the Diyala province have held many demonstrations for accelerating the expulsion of the MKO from Iraq and trial of its leaders. The resolution adopted in December 2003 by the Iraqi governmental council specifically asks for the MKO’s exit from Iraq. The Iraqi authorities have repeatedly emphasized on this stance too.

Having mentioned a few of the features and measures of this cult, we hope that fighting against terrorism would step into its correct path in which the Iranians, Iraqis, Kuwaitis and even Americans whose families were killed by the terrorists of this cult could achieve their rights. Also we urge the international authorities to take into consideration the way of confronting this cult which degrades its members and to call for Ashraf camp’s immediate dissolution. We wish to see the day when the incarcerated members of Ashraf Camp freely live a happy life with their families.