Iraq: Order Independent Probe into Camp Ashraf Violence

Iraq: Order Independent Probe into Camp Ashraf Violence

www.hrw.org

(New York) - Iraq should ensure that a promised investigation into deadly clashes between the Iraqi army and Iranian Mojahedin-e Khalq dissidents at Camp Ashraf be thorough, independent, and transparent, Human Rights Watch said today. On April 14, 2011, the United Nations said that 34 camp residents were killed and dozens wounded during clashes six days earlier, on April 8. Human Rights Watch expressed concern that the army used excessive force against the unarmed Iranian dissidents.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I apologise if this has been previously posted, a search has yielded no results. Human Rights Watch, is an extremely reliable source in my opinion. They are reporting that the United Nations siad that 34 of Camp Ashraf's unarmed residents were killed. The camps dissidents are siad to be Iranian. Human Rights Watch is concerned that the military used excessive forced in supressing the dissent within the camp. This comes in as yesterday I posted a thread from another camp, camp Bucca, where PressTV reported that the U.S military was engaging in Human Rights Violations killing prisoners. The thread is availabl here. Numerous ATS members have given there opinion in that thread claiming the footage from Camp Bucca was training footage even though the camp itself has a contreversal past.. The Camp Bucca footage was endorsed on www.infowars.com. However this new information from Camp Ashraf has been verified by a far more reliable source.

www.hrw.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

I was going to mention this incident on the Camp Bucca thread. Lets not play tit for tat, about this one is right or that one is wrong. The semantics get old. That PressTV clip was nonsense. More shoddy reporting and propaganda to garner a knee-jerk reaction.

This Camp Ashraf massacre appears to be a blatant human rights violation? I say massacre because thirty-four people were killed by Iraqi authorities. Like anything coming out of Iraq right now, it only got a little attention from the MSM. As the Iraqis continue to cannibalize each other through shootings and bombings, the MSM is hush? Can't afford to have any information come out that would jeopardize President Obama's complete withdrawal plan set for the end of December 2011. Moreover, at that time campaign season should be in full effect.

Why no PressTV or Infowars coverage on the heavy handed approach by the Iraqis in Camp Ashraf? I know PressTV will not touch this story with a ten foot pole, because they are allegedly in the pockets of the Iranian government. Moreover, the Iranian government has lauded and congratulated the heavy use of force by the Iraqi government against their dissidents.

Massac re proves the dangers of Iran’s influence in Iraq

As if to crow over Tehran’s predominance in Baghdad, the Iranian foreign minister declared a day after the killings, “We appreciate the move by the Iraqi government.’’

The Iraqi government wants these dissidents removed in order to smooth over relations with Iran. A serious human rights violation was committed here, and someone has got to intervene. This camp has been there since the Iran/Iraq war, and now all of a sudden they are a illegal aliens or a threat to Iraq? To be fair, the organization that runs the camp is known as a the People's Mujehadeen of Iran (PMOI) or Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) and have been opposed to the Iranian regime since the Iranian Revolution of '79, and has been labeled as terrorists by some governments.

Why Is the Iraqi Military Cracking Down on an Iranian Camp?

Although the camp was disarmed in 2003 by the U.S. military, both Baghdad and Washington consider the MEK a terrorist organization. Washington has blacklisted the group for its attacks against U.S. interests in the 1970s and '80s. Iraqi officials have frequently said the Iranian exiles are "illegal aliens" with no legal right to remain in the country and that they must travel to either Iran or another country.

The group claims to have denounced violence and has acquired intelligence for the US about Iran' nuclear program.

Iranian opposition group claims discovery of secret factory serving Iran's nuclear program

The MEK and its supporters meanwhile say the organization has given up its armed struggle, embraced Western political values and has proven itself to be a valuable ally to the U.S. and its allies in their shadowy conflict with Tehran's government.

Since the group was disarmed in 2003, and have renounced violence; why the brutal crackdown? The camp was administered and protected by the US military before, and nothing like this ever happened? This looks like an appeasement play by the Al-Maliki led Iraqi government to his benevolent supporters in Tehran? Lets toss human rights to the side, and kill unarmed civilians to satisfy a regional neighbor? I understand this is a hot button issue, and normalized relations with Iran will happen at sometime as the US pulls out. However, killing 34 people and wounded over 300 is unacceptable! These people are sitting ducks, and need to be relocated before 34 people become hundreds or even thousands.

I was at FOB Grizzly in Ashraf from Dec 05 until Grizzly closed 01 July 2010. The Iraqi's have wanted the PMOI/MeK out since Saddam's overthrow. When FOB Grizzly shutdown the UN was going to "monitor" the camp. Of course they were "monitoring" it from Baghdad. Supposedly the Iraqi Army was returning farm land to farmers who had it taken away when Saddam created Camp Ashraf for the PMOI, was the reason for the fighting April 8th..

The group is almost cult like. There is constant political indoctrination. Men and women are basically segregated in separate barracks, no marriage allowed. It is a very secular, well educated group. Most hold degree's from universities throughout Europe. Women hold major positions within the hierarchy. The town itself had a mosque (never heard a call to prayer). During a tour we walked inside the mosque. It was like a large metal warehouse, with prayer rugs, etc. The outside was a facade, like a Hollywood sound set. There was a pristine soccer stadium (no soccer matches ever played there), a children's playground (there were no children in Ashraf). It was all a production to show new members how "idyllic" their existence is. They'd truck in new members regularly. Once they entered Ashraf, they couldn't leave. The entire town is fenced, with entrance gates at various locations.

They had the "Museum of Martyrs" in the town. It showed pictures and personal effects in glass showcases of PMOI/MeK members who had been assassinated over the years by the Iranian govt.

Also the PMOI/MeK is very internet savvy with a strong propoganda machine. There are many YouTube videos of the attacks. The PMOI/MeK isn't afraid to die. They will leave Ashraf only if they can go to the US or back to Iran with guarantees of their safety and no persecution.

There was a previous attack on them by the Iraqi army in 28 July 2009, that killed 12 and injured around 400.

08 Apr attack:
www.time.com...
www.bloomberg.com...
ap.stripes.com...
ap.stripes.com...

July 09 attack:
blogs.abcnews.com...
www.guardian.co.uk...

PMOI website:
www.mojahedin.org.../links/other/900123_BBICmmprilc.flv*509

These poor slobs are just more cannon fodder for the various factions that overshadow their existance.
The US will no doubt have used these people for espionage in Iran since they came to Iraq.
The MEK may even have been complicit in assassinations of various Irani scientists or bigwigs for the US govt or even the Mossad.
As i understand that several bomb attacks in Iran in the last couple of years are attributed to the MEK, i wonder if they have ALL sworn off violence ?
maybe they have a few out there who are not so inclined yet?