UN rights body hears of Iran regime’s threats in Iraq

NCRI
Wednesday, 16 August 2006

The UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights heard a statement by a Euro MP on the Iranian regime’s meddling in Iraq and its ploy to eliminate its main opposition, the People’s Mojahedin (PMOI), based in Ashraf City in Iraq.

Speaking at the fifty-eighth session of the UN body in Geneva on Monday, August 14, Paulo Casaca, MEP from Portugal, enumerated mullahs’ terrorist activities in Iraq and called on the UNHCR to reaffirm the political refugee status of the PMOI members in Iraq. The following are excerpts from his statement:

As a member of the European Parliament and as a long-time activist of the cause of human rights, it is for me a great honor, Mr. President, to be able to contribute to the worthy mission of your sub-committee - and specifically to the struggle against violations of human rights of such importance as the respect of the rights of refugees.

In the name of all those relatives of Iranian refugees in Iraq - that came here to Geneva to call for international help - and of all those million Iraqis who are now being forced to be exiled in their own country - or sometimes in their Western neighbor countries - I would also like to convey my deepest gratitude to the Women's Human Rights International Association that sponsored this intervention.

Being in the human-rights sub-committee in Geneva, I have necessarily to pay my respects to one of the most famous political refugees that this generous city gave shelter to, Mr. Kazem Rajavi, who was murdered here, in a blatant disrespect not only for his human rights but also for this city, for this Committee and for the concept of refugee rights.

Mr. President: the right of refuge, be it in religious temples, country embassies or foreign countries has been one of the eldest and most sensitive human rights, the non-respect for it being one of the most certain symbols of the existence of severe human-rights disruptions.

The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) have been in Iraq for twenty years, fully enjoying political refugee status until 2003, and as protected persons under the IVth Geneva Convention afterwards, as following 16 months of investigations, in July 2004, the United States-led Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF-I) recognized that all the accusations made against them were unsubstantiated.

As I was able to testify personally in two missions to Ashraf City in 2004 and 2005, apart from the civic intervention in support of the Iraqi people - be it in water supply, medical treatment, logistic center for free discussions among different Iraqi parties and associations - they never interfered in Iraq's internal affairs.

This is the main reason why five million two hundred thousand Iraqis signed a petition supporting the refugee rights of the PMOI; Iraqis know who their friends are!.... Read More