Opposition to Tehran Asks Stationing of UN Monitoring Team At Camp Ashraf; U.S. Involvement in Securing UN Monitoring Team

Maryam Rajavi: Deployment of a permanent observing team, recognition of refugee status of all residents, and pressing the Iraqi government to cancel the 2011 deadline, are three necessary measures to protect Ashraf

OfficialWire, Geneva, 22 Sept 2011- The conference held by the Swiss Committee in defense of Ashraf, had the task of collectively voice the urgent needs of a refugee camp 60 miles northeast of Baghdad in an effort to prevent a Humanitarian catastrophe ;
“Secretary General, UNAMI and the High Commissioner of Human Rights to put Ashraf under their permanent observation by stationing a team of observers at the camp while recognizing the refugee status of all residents; the United States to participate in provisioning and guaranteeing the rights and protections stressed by UNHCR,” for the residents earlier.
The speakers at the conference included; Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the elected president of the NCRI coalition in exile; Mr. Rudi Giuliani, former mayor of New; Edward Randal, former Governor of Pennsylvania and former Chairman of Democratic Party; Judge Mukasey, former US Attorney General; John Bruton, former Prime Minister of Ireland and the Ambassador of European Union to the US; General James Conway, Commander of US Marine Corps and Commander of US Marine corps in Iraq; Louis Ferry, Director of FBI; Günter Verheugen , European Commissioner and former German Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Ambassador Mitchell Reiss, head of strategy development for the US State Department ; and a number of European Parliamentarians including Jean-Charles Rielle, Eric Voruz, Eric Barthassat (Swiss); Senator Giorgio Bornacin (Italy); Dr. Matthew Offord (UK); Remy Pagani, Member of Geneva Administrative Council.
The conference emphasized that at a time when the Iranian regime is seriously at work, preparing the grounds for another attack on Ashraf, it is most urgent that efforts be made to safe guard the residents of the camp and to prevent another humanitarian crisis.
It also highlighted prime responsibility of the tragedy on inaction by pertinent international organizations, the US and the European Union in dealing with this crisis.
Participants were critical of US evasion of responsibility towards the tragedy which initially was the result of US intervention into Iraq and endangering Camp security with a promise to protect the residents that was not kept.
The conference participants reiterated that the US bares full responsibility in case of another massacre and blood bath in the camp.
Camp Ashraf, is home to 3,400 members of Iran’s principal Opposition movement -MEK, some 1,000 of the residents are women and one-third are former political prisoners in Iran, who survived the Iranian regime’s reign of terror and found safe haven across the border. In July 2004, they were recognized as “Protected Persons” under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The MEK is the largest component of the National Council of the Resistance to Iran (NCRI), Iran’s parliament in exile. They established several bases inside Iraq in 1986, when Iraq was locked in a war with Iran.
Today, as Iraq grows ever closer with Iran, the MEK is being targeted for annihilation in its temporary Iraqi home at Camp Ashraf.