Meeting between families of the victims of the MKO and UNAMI

By: Iran Interlink

April 25 2010

Meeting between families of the victims of the MKO and UNAMI (United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq)

Three members of the families met with Mr Madoo Ejaria at the office of UNAMI in Baghdad.

Mr Madoo Ejaria received the family members in his office and greeted them. After they introduced themselves, he asked them to explain in detail what they had to say.
One of the family members told him,

"Dear Sir,
"It is now 75 days that families are sitting in front of the gates of Camp Ashraf demanding a simple visit and meeting with their children. Unfortunately, up to this point in time, the leaders of the Mojahedin Khalq Organisation (MKO, MEK) have refused to allow us see our children. According to all international laws and norms it is acceptable for immediate families to visit their loved ones in any circumstances. But as you know, the Mojahedin Khalq obey only their own internal laws, which are different from the rest of the world.
"We have been even more worried about the fate of our children after we found out about the exposures of Ms. Batoul Soltani, an ex-member of the Mojahedin Khalq's Leadership Council, who is currently in Europe.

"Also, a couple of days ago, Mr. Iman Yeganeh managed to escape the camp after 22 years and we had the opportunity to meet him. What he is saying about what is happening inside this camp is horrifying.

"The Mojahedin Khalq Organisation has been residing in this land (Iraq) for nearly 30 years. They have built military fortresses etc, etc…

"Unfortunately during these years no government, not even the government of Iraq itself, has been overlooking or investigating the internal rules and regulations of the group.
No-one has a clear picture about what is going on inside the camp. For us families who have arrived here, it is shocking to see this. How it is possible for some people to live in a country, but the government of that country has no clue about the internal rules and regulations they have inside their camp. How it is possible for the government of a country not to have the power to exert its sovereignty over its own land.

"Dear Sir,
I would like to mention just a few rules out of hundreds which the cult is imposing inside the camp. I will say them in the same jargon language the cult itself uses.

1. "Daily meetings (daily brainwashing sessions, which include regular shouting and insults and often violent beatings etc);

2. Level 'J' [jensiat] (refers to purging the sexual actions, thoughts or even dreams and fantasies of a person, which he or she should expose in daily meetings in order to be purified by the attacks carried out by others). It is now over two decades that marriage, sex, children or even dreaming about the opposite sex is forbidden and punishable;

3. "The 'Put' Law (meaning that one person should be put in the middle of others, which can be up to thousands of people, and these others should attack her or him verbally and physically in order to purify the person in question. Not having anything done against you is not acceptable and all members have to bring some reason to be put in this situation when asked).

4. "Dear Sir, in this camp it is known - we have the evidence – that:

5. "Marriage is forbidden. Anyone coming into the organisation must divorce his or her spouse, and the ones who are not married have to sign-up promising not to get married ever.

6. "Individuality and living individually in any shape or form is forbidden.

7. "Any communication with the outside world and beyond the borders of the camp is forbidden.

8. "Telephone conversation, email, or any other form of contact with the closest families is forbidden.

9. "Members are denied their most fundamental human rights which are taken for granted in any normal society.

10. "Women's hegemony is forced on both men and women without their choice, and any kind of complaint or questioning is punished severely.

"We ask your good self to send some representatives to this garrison and investigate these claims in a free atmosphere, away from the threats of the group's leaders, which send shivers down the back of hostages and stops them from talking about what us really happening. We believe having done this you will find out more about the crimes the leaders of this organization have committed against the people of Iran, Iraq and against others.

"Massoud Rajavi and Maryam Rajavi are criminals. They should be put on trial in presence of the families and international bodies. They should be accountable for their crimes and their abuse of the human rights of our children. Some of their crimes are:

1. "Deceiving people and kidnapping people in European countries and Turkey, promising them work and pay, and sending them illegally to Iraq, and then cutting off all their ties with their families and normal society.

2. "Buying slaves (POWs) from Saddam Hussein and transferring them from the POW camps to their cult bases during Saddam's war against Iran.

3. "Brainwashing people with the most brutal psychological techniques available to them.

4. "Our families are used as human shields to save the leaders of the cult.

5. " Abusing all social laws and rights of the people trapped in Ashraf camp and abusing the rights of their families.

"Dear Sir,

"According to the documents we are presenting to you, at 22:30 on Thursday April 14, 2010, a large number of Mojahedin Khalq members came to the gates of the camp and, with a clear, planned programme, started attacking and insulting the families and the Iranian government all together. We ask them to allow us meet our children. In response, they insult us and attack us.

"Some of them (men and women) managed to reach our place and tried to attack us with knives. They were clearly aiming to harm us physically. Fortunately, the quick reaction of the Iraqi army and our own awareness made sure that they did not harm anyone in this instance. They were clearly aiming to start some sort of physical, violent engagement with the Iraqi army and clearly were after leaving the scene with some deaths and serious casualties.

"At 1:30 next morning, on the advice of the Iraqi commander, we left the place and went to rest. But the MEK agents continued shouting insults, etc. until 3:30 and in the end broadcast an audio tape of the Mojahedin anthem "Victory" and threatened that if we do not leave, their reaction will become worse and worse. The next day, we discovered that their leader, Maryam Rajavi, in contradiction to all available evidence, has sent a letter of complaint to the head of the UN."

Another family member continued that,

"We thank you for your time and would like to add that many of these people have been looking for work outside Iran and have been deceived and smuggled to Iraq illegally. Some of them have serious medical conditions, including advanced cancer. The Mojahedin Khalq leaders do not let them come out of the camp even for medical treatment. Many of them are disabled and need continuous care and treatment. Their situation should be looked at by the international bodies ASAP. Some are POWs from the time of Saddam's war against Iran and are registered with the Red Cross. But after so many years after the war, they don't even have the right to visit their families.
We would like to see that Rajavi and his organization be dealt with in the same way as Saddam Hussein, his Baath Party and other criminals in Iraq. We would like to see the ordinary members freed to live a free life and begin a family of their own.

"Dear Sir,
"Are not the obstacles, which the Mojahedin put in the way of meetings between families, an abuse of the human rights of these people and their families? We ask you to order an investigation into this case. People in our country feel that the United Nations is only a looking after the interests of United States and European countries. You can prove otherwise by simply investigating this issue on humanitarian grounds. You can change these views simply by helping us to free our children from this garrison." Another family member said,
"I am very old and sick. But even in my condition I have been sitting in front of the gates for the last 75 days, hoping to see my son one more time. I beg the leaders to let me see my son. But the leaders and commanders of the Mojahedin Khalq just swear back at me."

Mr. Medoo Ejaria said in response,

"It is painful listening to what you tell us. We had suspected some bad things, but never believed that there are things like this happening inside Camp Ashraf. We thank you for informing us. We have listened and noted carefully what you say, and will do our utmost to help. However, we should let you know that we are not allowed to follow the case directly. The security of Ashraf camp is with the government of Iraq. We will, of course, try to solve the problem with the help of the Iraqi government so that you will be given access to your children."

Another family member continued,

"The Mojahedin talk a lot about democracy. The laws they have should therefore be equal for all of them. Why is it that marriage is forbidden for all members but it is O.K. for the cult leader?"

The representative of the UN in Baghdad said,

"You are aware that responsibility for Camp Ashraf is with the Iraqi government. The United Nations, with the help of the Iraqi government, will definitely attempt to solve this problem.
"We, as the UN, will send a delegation to camp Ashraf and follow this. We, of course, are representing the UN for human rights as well. Indeed, the Iraqi government should have an observatory role in this case as well. The way forward is that we will contact the government of Iraq and follow your demands through this channel. I thank you again for your presence as well as providing these films, documents and evidence. I promise you that we will act to solve your problem immediately."

Mr. Madoo finally asked,

"What is the response you receive when you call your children?"

The families answered,

"The leaders and commanders start swearing at us. They have attacked us on many occasions. The last instance was three days ago. We have repeatedly announced over the loud speakers that we have nothing to do with politics and we only want to see our children outside this garrison and without the presence of the commanders and leaders. This is our only demand. But is seems that they think they are caretakers of our children and our children are not capable of deciding for themselves. The Iraqi commanders have repeatedly discussed the issue with them, but the Mojahedin refuse to allow any meeting or visit."