THAI EXPAT
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Here is your story that never made the News in USA.
Now try and use your brain to learn.
Camp Ashraf & Liberty
Camp Ashraf had for over 25 years been home to thousands of members and sympathizers of Iran's main opposition group, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The camp is situated north of the Iraqi town of Al-Khalis in Diyala Province, about 44 miles from Iran's western border.
Camp Ashraf was created in 1986 after the PMOI leadership relocated from France to Iraq. It began as barren land with only a handful of deserted buildings and no facilities, paved roads, or running water. Over 25 years, however, Ashraf was built by its residents into a modern city with a complex of roads and buildings with many educational, social and sports facilities, and it became the PMOI's main enclave in Iraq.
Camp Ashraf, otherwise known as Ashraf City, was named after Ashraf Rajavi, a famous political prisoner at the time of the Shah who was among the last group of political activists released from the Shah’s prisons in 1979.
For any foreign observer who visited Ashraf, the most striking characteristic was the democratic nature of relationships that existed there. The democratic nature of relationships within the PMOI gave Ashraf residents the ability to maintain their unity under harsh conditions of the past 25 years, which included aerial bombardment and missile attacks by the mullahs’ regime. Diverse opinions converged through dialogue, and evolved to what was acceptable to all members; thus, the enormous efforts by the Iranian regime to create rifts among the ranks of the PMOI and to overwhelm Ashraf failed.
Foreigners were also astounded at the high morale in Ashraf. Such a level of liveliness under such difficult conditions came from the depth of the residents’ profound belief in freedom.
The residents of Ashraf enjoyed excellent community relations with the people of surrounding towns and villages in Diyala province. Ashraf invested heavily in infrastructure projects in the region. A water purification plant provided water to tens of thousands of people in surrounding towns. Local Iraqi residents were welcome at Ashraf medical clinics which served the local communities. An electricity grid and roads benefited the entire region.
Meanwhile, the mullahs’ regime spared no effort to annihilate the organized Iranian opposition in Camp Ashraf.
Some 5.2 million Iraqis signed a petition in June 2006 warning of the Iranian regime's dangers in Iraq and describing the PMOI as the main bulwark against the regime's interventions. More than 3 million Iraqi Shiites signed a declaration in June 2008 calling for eviction of the regime and its agents from Iraq and the removal of restrictions imposed on PMOI members residing in Ashraf City. The Iranian regime put immense pressure through its proxies to have the PMOI dismantled.
Camp Ashraf and the 2003 Iraq War
Prior to the 2003 U.S.-led war in Iraq, the PMOI publicly declared its neutrality and played no part in the conflict. In the early part of the invasion, as a result of quid pro quo between Washington and Tehran, PMOI bases were repeatedly bombed by Coalition forces, inflicting dozens of casualties and enormous structural damage.
In April 2003, US forces signed a cease-fire agreement of "mutual understanding and coordination" with the PMOI. Finally in May 2003, as a result of negotiations between the PMOI and US forces led by General Ray Odierno, the PMOI agreed to a "voluntary consolidation" and disarming of its forces in exchange for US protection of Camp Ashraf and its residents.
Protected Persons Status under the 4th Geneva Convention
After an extensive 16-month investigation of every member of the PMOI in Camp Ashraf by seven different US government agencies that began after the US agreement, PMOI members were found not to have violated any US law [New York Times, July 27, 2004]. In addition, the US Government declared them to have been "non-combatants" during the 2003 war.
In 2004 the US led Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I) formally recognized all the residents of Camp Ashraf as "Protected Persons" under the Fourth Geneva Convention [Coalition Statement, July 2004], and U.S. forces took up their protection.
The MNF-I reiterated its obligations towards Ashraf residents under the 4th Geneva Convention on numerous occasions. This can be seen in a February 16, 2006 letter by the then-Deputy Commanding General, and it is also specified in the October 7, 2005, letter by Maj. Gen. William Brandenburg which says: "The residents of Camp Ashraf have the right to protection from danger, violence, coercion, and intimidation, and to special protection for the dignity and rights of women."
In January 2009, despite strong opposition by the residents and several legal opinions by distinguished jurists, the camp's security was transferred to Iraq without necessary credible guarantees. The US stated that the Government of Iraq had given written guarantee respecting the rights of the residents.
Massacres at Camp Ashraf
On July 2009 and April 2011, the Iraqi Army under the direct order of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki launched deadly attacks on Camp Ashraf. The first attack left 11 Ashraf residents dead and nearly 500 wounded.
The 2011 attack - described by then U.S. Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as a "massacre" - left 36 dead and hundreds wounded. The attacks drew widespread condemnation from the international community.
From 2009, the camp came under a barbaric siege where delivery of food, fuel and medicine was hampered and visits by family members, human rights organizations, residents' lawyers, and independent journalists were disallowed. For nearly two years the Camp residents were constantly subject to psychological torture by agents of the Iranian regime using some 320 powerful loud speakers threatening the residents with death and using abusive words all through day and night.
Transfer to Camp Liberty
Following an agreement between then-UNAMI chief Martin Kobler and the Government of Iraq, and at the behest of the Iranian regime, Ashraf residents were subject to a forced eviction and involuntary relocation to Camp Liberty, a former U.S.-base in Baghdad. Martin Kobler, the then-Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Iraq, misled the residents and the international community with repeated assurances about the residents’ welfare and protection at the new site which later proved to be blatantly false. In 2012, some 3,200 residents moved to Camp Liberty, but Iraq denied them freedom of movement, basic humanitarian needs, and the right to transfer or sell most of their property.
In 2013 some 100 residents remained in Camp Ashraf to look after the property. According to an agreement with the UN, also endorsed by the US, the residents were supposed to remain there until the issue of all the properties was settled.
September 1, 2013 massacre at Camp Ashraf
On September 1, 2013, a massacre was carried out at Camp Ashraf. Iraqi Special Forces under the command of al-Maliki raided the camp, brutally murdering 52 residents and abducting seven others, including six women. Al-Maliki was thus hoping to curry favor with the mullahs in Tehran to gain support for a third term as prime minister. Although the attack was condemned by the UN Secretary General, US Secretary of State and the EU foreign affairs chief, it was never investigated by the international community and none of the perpetrators were ever brought to account.
Conditions at Camp Liberty
About NCRI | Camp Ashraf and Liberty - National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)
Now try and use your brain to learn.
Camp Ashraf & Liberty
Camp Ashraf had for over 25 years been home to thousands of members and sympathizers of Iran's main opposition group, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The camp is situated north of the Iraqi town of Al-Khalis in Diyala Province, about 44 miles from Iran's western border.
Camp Ashraf was created in 1986 after the PMOI leadership relocated from France to Iraq. It began as barren land with only a handful of deserted buildings and no facilities, paved roads, or running water. Over 25 years, however, Ashraf was built by its residents into a modern city with a complex of roads and buildings with many educational, social and sports facilities, and it became the PMOI's main enclave in Iraq.
Camp Ashraf, otherwise known as Ashraf City, was named after Ashraf Rajavi, a famous political prisoner at the time of the Shah who was among the last group of political activists released from the Shah’s prisons in 1979.
For any foreign observer who visited Ashraf, the most striking characteristic was the democratic nature of relationships that existed there. The democratic nature of relationships within the PMOI gave Ashraf residents the ability to maintain their unity under harsh conditions of the past 25 years, which included aerial bombardment and missile attacks by the mullahs’ regime. Diverse opinions converged through dialogue, and evolved to what was acceptable to all members; thus, the enormous efforts by the Iranian regime to create rifts among the ranks of the PMOI and to overwhelm Ashraf failed.
Foreigners were also astounded at the high morale in Ashraf. Such a level of liveliness under such difficult conditions came from the depth of the residents’ profound belief in freedom.
The residents of Ashraf enjoyed excellent community relations with the people of surrounding towns and villages in Diyala province. Ashraf invested heavily in infrastructure projects in the region. A water purification plant provided water to tens of thousands of people in surrounding towns. Local Iraqi residents were welcome at Ashraf medical clinics which served the local communities. An electricity grid and roads benefited the entire region.
Meanwhile, the mullahs’ regime spared no effort to annihilate the organized Iranian opposition in Camp Ashraf.
Some 5.2 million Iraqis signed a petition in June 2006 warning of the Iranian regime's dangers in Iraq and describing the PMOI as the main bulwark against the regime's interventions. More than 3 million Iraqi Shiites signed a declaration in June 2008 calling for eviction of the regime and its agents from Iraq and the removal of restrictions imposed on PMOI members residing in Ashraf City. The Iranian regime put immense pressure through its proxies to have the PMOI dismantled.
Camp Ashraf and the 2003 Iraq War
Prior to the 2003 U.S.-led war in Iraq, the PMOI publicly declared its neutrality and played no part in the conflict. In the early part of the invasion, as a result of quid pro quo between Washington and Tehran, PMOI bases were repeatedly bombed by Coalition forces, inflicting dozens of casualties and enormous structural damage.
In April 2003, US forces signed a cease-fire agreement of "mutual understanding and coordination" with the PMOI. Finally in May 2003, as a result of negotiations between the PMOI and US forces led by General Ray Odierno, the PMOI agreed to a "voluntary consolidation" and disarming of its forces in exchange for US protection of Camp Ashraf and its residents.
Protected Persons Status under the 4th Geneva Convention
After an extensive 16-month investigation of every member of the PMOI in Camp Ashraf by seven different US government agencies that began after the US agreement, PMOI members were found not to have violated any US law [New York Times, July 27, 2004]. In addition, the US Government declared them to have been "non-combatants" during the 2003 war.
In 2004 the US led Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I) formally recognized all the residents of Camp Ashraf as "Protected Persons" under the Fourth Geneva Convention [Coalition Statement, July 2004], and U.S. forces took up their protection.
The MNF-I reiterated its obligations towards Ashraf residents under the 4th Geneva Convention on numerous occasions. This can be seen in a February 16, 2006 letter by the then-Deputy Commanding General, and it is also specified in the October 7, 2005, letter by Maj. Gen. William Brandenburg which says: "The residents of Camp Ashraf have the right to protection from danger, violence, coercion, and intimidation, and to special protection for the dignity and rights of women."
In January 2009, despite strong opposition by the residents and several legal opinions by distinguished jurists, the camp's security was transferred to Iraq without necessary credible guarantees. The US stated that the Government of Iraq had given written guarantee respecting the rights of the residents.
Massacres at Camp Ashraf
On July 2009 and April 2011, the Iraqi Army under the direct order of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki launched deadly attacks on Camp Ashraf. The first attack left 11 Ashraf residents dead and nearly 500 wounded.
The 2011 attack - described by then U.S. Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as a "massacre" - left 36 dead and hundreds wounded. The attacks drew widespread condemnation from the international community.
From 2009, the camp came under a barbaric siege where delivery of food, fuel and medicine was hampered and visits by family members, human rights organizations, residents' lawyers, and independent journalists were disallowed. For nearly two years the Camp residents were constantly subject to psychological torture by agents of the Iranian regime using some 320 powerful loud speakers threatening the residents with death and using abusive words all through day and night.
Transfer to Camp Liberty
Following an agreement between then-UNAMI chief Martin Kobler and the Government of Iraq, and at the behest of the Iranian regime, Ashraf residents were subject to a forced eviction and involuntary relocation to Camp Liberty, a former U.S.-base in Baghdad. Martin Kobler, the then-Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Iraq, misled the residents and the international community with repeated assurances about the residents’ welfare and protection at the new site which later proved to be blatantly false. In 2012, some 3,200 residents moved to Camp Liberty, but Iraq denied them freedom of movement, basic humanitarian needs, and the right to transfer or sell most of their property.
In 2013 some 100 residents remained in Camp Ashraf to look after the property. According to an agreement with the UN, also endorsed by the US, the residents were supposed to remain there until the issue of all the properties was settled.
September 1, 2013 massacre at Camp Ashraf
On September 1, 2013, a massacre was carried out at Camp Ashraf. Iraqi Special Forces under the command of al-Maliki raided the camp, brutally murdering 52 residents and abducting seven others, including six women. Al-Maliki was thus hoping to curry favor with the mullahs in Tehran to gain support for a third term as prime minister. Although the attack was condemned by the UN Secretary General, US Secretary of State and the EU foreign affairs chief, it was never investigated by the international community and none of the perpetrators were ever brought to account.
Conditions at Camp Liberty
About NCRI | Camp Ashraf and Liberty - National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)
