Middle East Online, Baghdad, 7 Nov 2012 – Dozens of Iraqi tribal sheikhs called for respecting the rights Iranian dissidents as refugees and preventing prison-making measures in Camp Liberty.
Organizations consisting of Iraqi activists and tribal sheikhs issued a statement calling for freedom of movement for the opposition movement People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran residing in Camp Liberty near Baghdad.
This statement, signed by dozens of sheikhs, called for “refraining from prison-making measures in Liberty and recognizing their rights as refugees”, and demanded “freedom of movement for Liberty residents and the entrance of human rights and parliamentarian delegations and journalists to the camp.”
This statement added, “Following the removal of the PMOI from the US terrorist list, we announce with a loud and clear voice that the time of taking advantage of this shameful accusation to continue crackdowns and imposing restrictions on them has come to an end.”
After years of pressures from this organization, with its leadership based in Paris, the US State Department revoked the PMOI from its black list in September.
At Iraq’s request, nearly 3,000 PMOI members from the historic Camp Ashraf – established in the 1980s – were transferred to a camp near the capital, Baghdad, by the name of Camp Liberty.
These Iranian dissidents have complained of the ‘security atmosphere of the new camp’.
This relocation took place following an agreement between Baghdad and the UN in a step to transfer these individuals to third countries.
Saddam Hussein’s regime allowed this organization – which the US considered a terrorist group from 1997 – to reside in Camp Ashraf with the goal of supporting it in its war against Iran (1980-1988). This was in response to the establishment of the Supreme Islamic Revolution Council of Iraq led by Mohammad Baqer Hakim (the current Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq) by Iran.
This camp was disarmed following the invasion of Iraq by US and its allies in 2003, with US forces assuming protection of this camp afterwards. This mission was transferred to the Iraqis in 2009.
The members of this organization stress they have rejected armed resistance yet Tehran considers them responsible for the murder of thousands.