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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 18, 2010
CONTACT: Majid Roshan
PHONE: (202) 640-1947
E-MAIL: info@usccar.org
WASHINGTON - U.S. Congressman Bob Filner (D-CA), Chairman of the House Committee
on Veterans Affairs, and Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking
Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, were joined yesterday by ten
of their colleagues, including three from the House Foreign Affairs Committee,
in a press conference to announce the support by a bi-partisan House majority
for the humanitarian rights and protection of residents of Camp Ashraf in Iraq.
In his remarks, Rep. Filner announced that following the last July deadly
assault by the Iraqi security forces against unarmed residents of Camp Ashraf,
home to 3,400 members of Iran's main opposition, the People's Mojahedin
Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), he introduced a resolution (H.Res.704) which
"deplores the ongoing violence by Iraqi security forces against the residents of
Camp Ashraf; calls upon the Iraqi Government to live up to its commitment to the
United States to ensure the continued well-being of those living in Camp Ashraf;
and calls upon the President to take all necessary and appropriate steps to
support the commitments of the United States" to ensure protection of Camp
Ashraf residents.
The majority of the members of the House of Representatives who have
co-sponsored the resolution include 11 Committee Chairs; 13 Committee Ranking
Members; 54 Sub-Committee Chairs; 49 Sub-Committee Ranking Members; and 30 House
Foreign Affairs Committee members.
Rep. Ros-Lehtinen stressed that in light of repeated breach of guaranties
provided by the Iraqi Government to the United States that residents of Camp
Ashraf would be treated humanely, "the U.S. is obligated to take all necessary
and appropriate steps to uphold our commitments." The Florida lawmaker added
that "we must send a clear message to the residents of Camp Ashraf that the U.S.
Congress stands with them."
Congressman Ed Towns (D-NY), Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform
Committee lauded the bi-partisan nature of support for Camp Ashraf and said
"it's so important that we continue to work together…to bring about the change
that is so needed today."
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Ranking Member of House International
Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight Subcommittee, remarked that "we must
make sure that anyone who is fighting the mullah regime and would replace it
with a democratic government is an ally of the people of the United States and
we should not allow them to suffer negative consequences if we can prevent it.
That is especially true of the people of Camp Ashraf."
Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee
on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade said: "It is important that we
constantly stay vigilant that we let the people in Camp Ashraf know that their
silent voices are heard here in the United States… We are not going to stand
idly by while those who wish to do harm to the residents of Camp Ashraf mend,
weave their wicked ways and they will not be dispersed into parts and regions
unknown to the rest of us."
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) described the Iranian regime as "regime of
thugs," and added "this is most impressive to have the majority of the U.S.
congress of one mind with regard to a critical issue and the travesty the
brutality that was engaged against the innocent people in Ashraf. And so we will
get this to the floor and we will pass it and we will stay on this issue."
Congressman Mario Diaz Balart (R-FL) described the attack on Ashraf as "a
cold-blooded murder" and emphasized that the only way that they "could ever be
totally safe is by having a free homeland."
Congressman Filner added that "the administration should encourage the United
Nations to play a much more active role in so far as it concerns Camp Ashraf and
strengthen the role of a UN monitoring team in Ashraf to one of protecting the
residents to ensure that their rights and safety are respected and all the
inhumane restrictions placed on them by the Iraqi government are lifted."
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of
Iran, also addressed the briefing via video from Paris. She emphasized that the
House majority support for Ashraf indicates its recognition of the Iranian
Resistance, especially Ashraf, as "a decisive factor in confronting this
anti-human regime" in Tehran. Addressing the co-sponsors of the resolution, Mrs.
Rajavi remarked that "While appreciating your efforts, I would like to ask you
to continue your noble and humanitarian work in order to ensure that: The
protection of the residents of Ashraf is guaranteed as long as the US forces
remain in Iraq; Mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq is
expanded to guarantee the rights of Ashraf residents. The United Nations assumes
the protection of Ashraf and a UN peace keeping force is stationed at Ashraf;
All restrictions and the blockade imposed by the Iraqi government against Ashraf
in the past 14 months are lifted."
Representatives John Boozman (R-AR) from the Foreign Affairs Committee, Trent
Franks (R-AZ) from the Armed Service Committee, Dan Lungren (R-CA) and Al Green
(D-TX) from the Homeland Security Committee, and Judy Chu (D-CA) of the
Judiciary Committee also addressed the Congressional briefing.
Members of the House and their staff as well as representatives of foreign
embassies, renowned foreign policy experts and human rights figures attended the
press conference.
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About Humanitarian Crisis for
Residents of Camp Ashraf
More than 3,400 members of Iran’s
main opposition, the People’s Mojahedin (PMOI/MEK) and their families, among
them nearly 1,000 Muslim women, reside in Camp Ashraf in Iraq. The PMOI
was the source of ground breaking revelation in the United States in 2002 about
Iran’s two until-then secret nuclear sites at Natanz and Arak.
On July 28-29, 2009, Iraqi forces
ordered directly by Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki acting at the behest
of Iran rulers, carried out a violent, unprovoked raid on Camp Ashraf, killing
11 residents, wounding 500, and abducting 36.
The brutal raid on Ashraf was a
blatant violation of the solemn commitment Iraq had given to the United States
that it would provide "humane treatment of the Camp Ashraf residents in
accordance with Iraq’s Constitution, laws, and international obligations."
The assault took place while U.S. service members on the scene were observing
the situation closely. Regrettably they took no action to prevent the
premeditated violence despite direct appeals by Ashraf residents at the outset
and during the attack.
International Humanitarian Law Obligates U.S. to Provide Continued Protection
for Camp Ashraf Residents in Iraq
On July 2, 2004, the United States formally
recognized members of the PMOI in Camp Ashraf as “protected persons” under the
Fourth Geneva Convention.
Both the U.S. and Iraq are parties to all four
1949 Geneva Conventions.
Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention specifies that:
“Protected persons are entitled, in all circumstances, to respect for their
persons, their honour, their family rights, their religious convictions and
practices, and their manners and customs […]”.
Article 45 of the Fourth Geneva Convention specifies that:
“In no circumstances shall a protected person
be transferred to a country where he or she may have reason to fear persecution
for his or her political opinions or religious beliefs.“
United States had legal and moral
obligations and responsibilities under international humanitarian law to protect
these Iranian exiles.
About
the U.S. Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents:
The U.S. Committee for Camp Ashraf
Residents (USCCAR) was established in December of 2003 by families and relatives
of residents of Camp Ashraf. The purpose of the Committee is to ensure the
safety and security of those Iranians and others living in Camp Ashraf. The
Committee will defend the proposition that the protections of the Fourth Geneva
Convention, as well as of other treaties and customary international law, must
be applied to the Iranians in Iraq. For more information please visit:
www.usccar.org |
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