Iraqi Christians’ solidarity with and support for the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran

Tuesday, 26 September 2006

The National Protestant Evangelical Church of Iraq and the Christian Democratic Movement of Iraq express solidarity with and support for the PMOI

In a joint statement addressing the Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF-I), the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Father Estaveri Haritonian, head of the National Protestant Evangelical Church of Iraq, and Father Bardelian Yousef, Secretary General of the Christian Democratic Movement of Iraq, declared: “Members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, who have resided in Iraq as political refugees for the past 20 years, have played a constructive and positive role for us as Iraqis and therefore we Christian priests would like to declare our support for this organization’s presence in Iraq. We condemn efforts and pressure to expel these people from Iraq. It is only the Iranian regime which is behind these pressures and we consider such actions to be a continuation of interferences with the aim of dominating our country.”

The declaration adds: “The Christian community in Iraq has maintained a very friendly relationship with as well as mutual respect toward the People’s Mojahedin. We must state that this relationship is the result of a deep respect for our traditions and laws by members of this organization. Many Christians pay regular visits, in confidence, to Ashraf City for business purposes and friendly meetings.”

Addressing the MNF-I, the ICRC and the UNHCR, the declaration concludes: “We hope that through your influential institutions you would make arrangements to enforce international laws and the right to asylum regarding members of this organization in the best possible way and do not allow our country to turn into a haven to fulfill the desires of a foreign power.”

A delegation from the Iraqi Evangelical Church headed by Father Estaveri Haritonian visited Ashraf City and read out prayers of blessings at the city’s Martyrs Museum and called for victory for the Iranian Resistance over the religious dictatorship ruling Iran. The delegation praised the PMOI for its endurance against pressures by the regime in Iran such as cutting off its food, fuel and medicine rations.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
September 25, 2006