Iran - MEP Paulo Casaca: Advocates of terrorism and secular violence in Iraq agitate against PMOI

NCRI
Saturday, 19 August 2006

The sit-in by Iranian exiles in Geneva, opposite the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) building, entered its third week today as a number of European dignitaries joined the event to express their solidarity with the main opposition group of the Iranian Resistance (PMOI).

Co-Chairman of Friends of a Free Iran Committee in the European Parliament, Mr. Paulo Casaca, joined the sit-in and mentioned that he considers himself as family to those in Ashraf City (PMOI main base in Iraq). "The people in Ashraf are among the most dignified and intelligent freedom-loving people who have been struggling against fundamentalism. I had the opportunity to visit Ashraf twice. It was there that I realized the PMOI is the most progressive and democratic liberation movement not only in the Middle East but in the entire world. Regrettably, the world has always realized the veracity of the PMOI's viewpoints with delay.”

Mr. Casaca added, "At a time the Iranian regime moved to build an Islamic Caliphate [Empire] in the Middle East no one took the PMOI’s warnings seriously… The Mojahedin disclosed the regime's clandestine nuclear program for the first time. The world, however, realized the truth of their revelations too late. The totalitarian religious regime in Iran pressures the Iraqi government in a conspiracy against the PMOI in Iraq. They have been deprived of food and fuel rations and their water pipelines have been blown up…" He reiterated that PMOI members have been considered as political refugees since 1986 and added that this needs to be reaffirmed by the Iraqi government again… Mr. Casaca said that political asylum status for the PMOI was not the only concern, and that “they are messengers of peace and freedom who should be supported. No doubt, we will prevail through our unity, resolve and endeavors."

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
August 18, 2006