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Siavosh Rajizadeh

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Iran's Democracy Movement Deserves Support

Posted: 03/09/11 00:11 BST

While the people of Syria, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia and Iraq have been rising up against their dictatorial regimes for freedom and democracy, the Iranian regime is panicking that this Arab Spring could soon reach Iran. They seem to feel that the only way to stop it, is to keep suppressing the main opposition movement, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran PMOI/MEK which has been able to fuel protests for a regime change inside Iran in the past.

The MEK is a well-known Iranian prodemocracy movement which is now celebrating its 47th year anniversary. 3400 of its members are based in a Camp called Ashraf in north of Baghdad in Iraq. Because of their commitment to the cause of freedom, the Mullahs' dictatorship has executed more than 120.000 of their members during the past three decades. In Iran it is forbidden to speak their name or even have a family-association with the organization. In the beginning of 2011, three political prisoners, Ali Saremi, Jafar Kazemi and Mohammad Ali Hajaghai were executed for having relatives in MEK. Saremi and Kazemi had their sons in Ashraf.

The MEK was also the first group which revealed crucial information about Iran's secret nuclear activities in 2002 and the regime's role in exporting terrorism to Iraq, Afghanistan and the rest of the region.

Although, given the harsh consequences for any expressed sympathy for the movement, it is currently very hard to have an estimation of MEK's support inside Iran; they have a huge support among Iranians outside Iran. In their annual June gathering in Paris, more than 100.000 people convened and recently on August 26, thousands demonstrated in front of the US State Department in support for MEK.

In 1997, as a "goodwill gesture" to then new president Mohammad Khatami of Iran, the MEK was blacklisted as Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. State Department. For more than 14 years, the Iranian regime has invested in plots to keep them in that list which has guaranteed its own grip to power.

In July 2010, a Federal Appeals Court in Washington called on the State Department to review this designation, given that there was no credible evidence. One year and two months later, Hillary Clinton is now expected to announce her decision. Earlier, the MEK succeeded to remove its name from blacklists in UK, EU, Germany and France following 22 court rulings, all in its favor.

The Iranian regime knows very well that the terrorist tag on the MEK is the main instrument to contain any serious step for a change inside Iran. That is why they have activated all their lobbies and agents in the U.S. to prevent MEK's delisting.

These lobbyists and agents claim that they are representatives of the Green Movement and that delisting MEK would harm Iran's "prodemocracy movement". They label MEK as a cult, undemocratic and a terrorist organization. They are repeating exactly the same false accusations invented and distributed by the Iranian intelligence service against the group in the past decades.

But the question is, if these people are really pro Iran's freedom, why are they focusing on bashing the best organized opposition which has an internationally recognized platform for the democratic future of Iran? Why are they working so hard to keep a popular anti-regime force enchained?

The reality is that these lobbyists are neither democratic nor even an opposition to the regime. They are rather the regime's representatives. They follow the famous Gobbles rhetoric of telling big lies and repeating it enough so that the world would start believing it. The problem is that, with today's communication technology, you can't hide the truth for long.

As an Iranian who fled his country a decade ago, I can't wait to see freedom coming back to my country. I support the MEK just for one reason. Because I see that they are genuinely committed to their cause and seem to have no barriers when it comes to the price that has to be paid for freeing their country. I am also sure, from the time I lived in Iran, that there are thousands and millions like me looking up to the MEK as a serious force to bring a democratic change to Iran.

 
 
 
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05:33 PM on 10/11/2011
The MeK is still on the terrorist list, and meanwhile Iran is developing nuclear technology. The government says it's only for civilian purposes, but to quote a former chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, "You don't need 20-percent enriched uranium to generate electricity for light bulbs." He says Iran may have a nuclear bomb by the end of next year. This is the regime the United States are trying to appease. For how long ?
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09:17 PM on 09/14/2011
The MEK is responsible for the murder of thousands of Iranians. It has absolutely no support within or outside Iran save for its fanatical members. All Iranian historians, social scientists and academics more generally concur. There is no equivocation irrespective of the lies they deploy. They have no support among Iranian-Americans. A vast PR campaign is underway, flooding the comments section of this page and others; paying former high ranking officials to speak for them; engaging in complete fabrications and outright lies; But it will have little impact. They have absolutely no support, for they are a fanatical fringe movement whose deliberations are undemocratic and not open to scrutiny. If their organization is undemocratic, how could any reasonable person expect any future dystopia with them as leaders to be any more free? They should not, and will never be, removed from the terror list.
05:30 PM on 09/07/2011
Nobody could put it better than the writer. Of course Iranians won't admit tto supporting the PMOI when doing so will get them jailed, tortured and probably executed. I was at the Washington demonstration and how I hope it influences Mrs Clinton. What's she waiting for - for Tehran to get the bomb ? Is it just that the State Department can't bear to admit it was wrong, and how many innocent lives have to be lost before it does ?
01:30 AM on 09/07/2011
I would like to thank you for such an ENLIGHTENING Article.

“Delisting the MeK from the US terrorist list would “send a very strong political signal to Tehran, that for the first time in the past 30 years, Washington means business.”
“It would also send a very strong message of encouragement to people in Iran.”

There will be no peace and tranquillity in this region so long as the mullahs rule Iran.

The Iranian regime is not only one of the worst on record for its violence and suppressive measures against its own people, but a threat to the whole Middle East and wider world due to its determination to spread Islamic fundamentalism and fulfil its nuclear ambitions.

The whole world should unite behind the people of Iran and their democratic resistance,

It is time for other Medias to follow your steps by reflecting Mrs Rajavi’s ideas of a free Iran, where women would hold the leading positions in key roles of leadership contrary to anti women mullah’s regime.

A country free of Nuclear Arms, that does not sponsors and export terrorism...

A country that would live in peace with others and enjoy its freedom..., prosperity and economical growth, contributing its rich historical wealth and heritage to others...

Let’s support delisting the MEK and support the Iranian People by Protecting Camp Ashraf and speeding up the regime change in Iran and make everyone happy around the world
02:14 PM on 09/06/2011
Demand for change in Iran started well before the Arab spring in the early 80s with the MEK in forefront to challenge a brutal dictatorship in Iran yet the policy makers in the West were mislead with a false assumption that the regime can be influenced to change their behaviour. Thirty years on the Iranian regime is still the main sponsor of terrorism and source of instability in the Middle East and beyond. It is time for the West to acknowledge this fact and allow the Iranian opposition and the Iranian people to determine the future of this brutal regime. MEK has been the most consistent opposition outside of this regime calling for change for thirty years and the reaction of the Iranian regime is good enough evidence to know who they really fear, the MEK.
01:58 PM on 09/06/2011
I am totally agreed with the author.
12:49 PM on 09/06/2011
The international community must support a democratic change by the Iranian People and its Resistance. Maintaining the legitimate Iranian opposition in the U.S. FTO-list is just to carry favors for the Mullah’s barbaric regime and ultimately just a bad and displaced policy.
10:43 AM on 09/06/2011
The writer is correct in his statements. As an Iranian woman, I am disgusted to see the insistence of Obama’s administration to keep the MEK on their terror list. The time has long past to de-list the MEK. When does the US government want to wake up to the realities of Iran and correct its disgraceful appeasement policy towards the Iranian regime? Remove MEK from this unjust list now and side with millions of Iranians who demands regime change in Iran. The unlawful terror tag continues to encourage the mullahs to execute their opponents inside Iran and for the new Iraq dictator, Nouri al-Maliki to massacre members of this organisation in Camp Ashraf.
I have only one more thing to say to Clinton and Obama: Shame on you both!
09:25 AM on 09/06/2011
The author is absolutely right. Those who, disguised as “Human Rights defender”, focus on keeping the MEK in FTO list are Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing!
Iraqi authorities have repeatedly used the US terror label on MEK to justify the massacres of Ashraf residents. How could you ever pave the way for slaughtering 3400 defenseless refugees and be in favor of human rights?