UNHCR is the only competent int’l organ to assume duty of protecting Ashraf-Liberty residents
Maryam Rajavi, on Thursday, February 28th, in a meeting at the headquarters of the United Nations, referred to the immediate danger threatening the lives of 3,000 residents of Liberty Prison at any moment, said: “Due to the clerical regime’s crises and the Iraqi people’s uprising against Maliki, repeating crimes similar to the February 9th massacre in Liberty is imminent. Therefore, we must with full force prevent the outbreak of another catastrophe against Liberty residents, especially since the non-resistant and inflammable ceilings and walls, and high population density, greatly increase the vulnerability level of this site. As a result, the insecurity of this camp is a vital and immediate threat, demanding an urgent solution. Iraq has officially declared it cannot prevent further attacks, and guaranteeing protection through Iraq is not an option.”
Maryam Rajavi described the only options available to solve this humanitarian catastrophe as “the one-phase transfer of all the residents to America by the United States” or “returning all residents to Ashraf until their transfer to third countries,” adding:
“In such conditions, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees is the only competent international organ that must quickly assume its full responsibility of Ashraf and Liberty residents as refugees, officially demand their return to Ashraf, and enter dialogue with relevant governments and the UN to realize this security necessity.”
In this meeting, organized by the Foundation of France-Libertés and MRAP, and attended by political personalities, NGOs and human rights activists, Maryam Rajavi, Struan Stevenson, MEP and Chairman of the EP Delegation for relations with Iraq, Tahar Boumedra, former advisor to the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Iraq and former chief of the Human Rights section of UNAMI, Anne-Marie Lizin, Honorary President of the Belgian Senate, former Special Rapporteur on human rights and extreme poverty, Alfred Zayas, Special Rapporteur on democratic and equitable international order, Sid Ahmed Ghozali, former Algerian Prime Minister, Michel Joli Secretary-General of France Libertés – Fondation Danielle Mitterrand, Ryszard Czarnecki, MEP from Poland, Juan Garcés, international lawyer, former adviser of Chilean president Salvador Allende, Paulo Casaca, former MEP and President of Archumankind, and Christian Zimmerman, Chairman of the Office for Human Rights and Minority Affairs in Berlin, gave speeches.
Maryam Rajavi said in her speech, “The criminal massacre of Resistance members in Liberty is the result of the mullahs facing the phase of overthrow and their fear of their organized opposition. However, if the UN had acted based on its duties, this catastrophe could have been prevented because time and again, especially two days prior to the attack, in a letter to the Secretary-General, we had warned that the inaction of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Iraq paves the path for another massacre.”
In describing the mandatory transfer of Ashraf residents from their 26-year residence, Maryam Rajavi revealed Martin Kobler’s continuous deceits and lies, and asked: “Was the Special Representative facilitating the formation of this killing field out of his negligence or inexperience? No, because we had warned him more than 20times in this regard. ”
While expressing regret for silence of the High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding the human catastrophe of February 9 in Liberty Prison, Rajavi stated, “Even more regretful is her silence in face of waves of executions, torture of political prisoners, and repression of the Iranian people. She has not insisted on investigations concerning two massacres in Ashraf that she herself had called for. ”
Expressing gratitude for UNHCR’s timely stance in condemning this attack, President-elect of the Resistance said, “But this Commission as the highest body involved with refugees has not lived up to its direct responsibility regarding the PMOI members in camps Ashraf and Liberty. Rejection of pressures from Government of Iraq for residents’ forcible eviction and confirming their collective and encompassing refugee status could have worked as an obstacle against repressive measures of Government of Iraq. Unfortunately, this did not happen.”
Maryam Rajavi noted, “Mullahs, in the struggle for survival of their regime would resort to any crime. These very days throughout Iran they are incessantly mass executing the prisoners. Torture and violation against prisoners or tormenting them to death is continuing unabated. Arrests and censorships, together with all types of controls are outrageously ongoing. The ruling mullahs want to see the United Nations and its bodies silent and passive in this barbaric war. We, our people, and our resistance are calling on United Nations to guard the human rights and the rights of refugees and to stand against the religious fascism and its evil front committing crime against humanity.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
February 28, 2013
