Secretariat of the National Council of Iraqi Tribes – Press release
In the closing months of 2011, and with unbridled meddling of the Iranian regime in Iraq and its efforts to dominate our country’s affairs, our society is in a state of great concern and anxiety about the future and the fate of our country. The national partnership has not been materialized yet and the political agreements upon which the government was formed have been violated. Patriotic figures like Dr. Allawi, the leader of victorious bloc in the parliamentary elections, have been eliminated from the political stage; with democracy on the demise and dictatorship fortifying its grip on power. It was for this very reason that Dr. Allawi’s refusal to head the National Council for Strategic Policies is a nationalistic reaction and the desire of the Iraqi people who widely welcomed it. Clearly such a big rift undermines political legitimacy and popularity of the government which from the outset was to be a national partnership, underscoring the need, as indicated by many patriotic leaders, for the current situation to be rectified either through early elections or by the ‘Spring of Iraq’.
It was in such crucial circumstances that the National Council for Tribes of Iraq embarked on a nationwide campaign for dialogue with Iraqis in all provinces. It is a known fact that here in Iraq, the manner in which one treats opponents of the Iranian regime, is a significant criterion for independence and adherence to democracy. Unfortunately, during the past three years – since responsibility for camp Ashraf’s security was transferred to the Iraqi government, the residents of which are protected persons and have political asylum – rather than being respected, their rights have been violated excessively. An inhumane and tyrannical siege has been imposed on the camp, and its residents are deprived of the most basic needs. During numerous aggressions against the camp, a total of 47 residents were killed and more than 1000 wounded. Instead of heeding calls by the international community and Iraqi political factions – for an independent and international investigation – the Iraqi government has made an illegal announcement to close the camp and expel its residents by the end of 2011. No doubt, notification of this cruel and illegal decision for relocation of the residents to international parties and insisting on it is only a prelude to another massacre and is an Iranian demand. This decision was strongly condemned by the international community and Iraqi political factions including 94 Iraqi nationalist leaders and members of the parliament. It was on this basis that Iraqis throughout the country, from all walks of life, including 2,317 tribal sheikhs, 7,056 lawyers and jurists, 5,069 physicians, 10,297 engineers, 1,125 university professors, 2,091 writers and journalists, 516 clergymen, 45 human rights and social organizations, 119 provincial level officials condemned gross violation of the residents’ human rights, especially the illegal deadline to close the camp by year’s end, demanding that it be canceled by the government. The statement, signed till this moment by 1,050,000 Iraqis from across the country, including 375,195 noble Iraqi women, underscores the following points:
1- As the international community and the U.N. have announced repeatedly, we urge the Iraqi government to treat the Camp Ashraf residents in accordance with the international law, and refrain from closing the camp and forcibly relocating or expelling its residents.
2- While stressing the need for MEK to remain in Iraq, as our special quests and until democracy is established in Iran, we insist that any attempt to relocate them within Iraq, as well as the 2011-end deadline, are merely excuses to pave the path for their slaughter as desired by the Iranian regime. We reject and condemn, with the strongest words, such efforts and urge the UN Secretary General, the UNHCR, the UNHCHR, the EU, the European Parliament, the speaker of the Iraqi parliament and Iraqi political leaders to take urgent actions to prevent another massacre.
3-We urge the UN Security Council to dispatch a UN contingent force and UN monitors to protect Camp Ashraf residents, who are protected persons under the 4th Geneva Convention, and prevent another aggression and slaughter which promises to be much larger, in scale, than previous instances.
4-We demand that the inhumane and illegal siege, especially the medical siege, imposed since early 2009 against the residents, be lifted and the psychological torture of the residents with 300 loudspeakers be stopped. These measures are in stark contrast with the Islamic teachings, Arab traditions and the international law and are enforced only at the request of the antihuman and anti-Islam rulers of Iran.
5-The Spain’s National Court’s ruling, carrying out investigation over the April 8 atrocities, and prosecution of its culprits serves our national interests which we welcome and underscore because it exposes the Iranian regime’s meddling within the Iraqi government and its military and security organs and has been the source of many atrocities in Iraq.
Secretariat of the National Council of Iraqi Tribes
November 23, 2011
