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Extract from Ali Ghashghavi’s interview with
Farhad Javaheri Yar
As has been publicized in Arab and international
media, the Iraqi draft constitution has been signed. There were several
obstacles; bombings, killings and many threats. Even a Sunni group, which
was the most powerful group when Saddam Hussein was in power, expressed its
opposition to the constitution very openly, didn’t take part in the
elections, didn’t introduce any candidates and everyone was waiting to see
what will happen.
Finally, a large number of Iraqi lawyers wrote this draft. This is, I think,
a modern constitution, which will benefit today’s society of Iraq. It should
now be put to a referendum and all Iraqis should vote in order to say
whether they want it or not.
But the amazing point is the opposition of an Iranian group to one of the
articles of this constitution, and it’s really surprising that they’ve
become this much upset. The constitution states clearly that the enemies of
Iraq, those who have damaged Iraq and Iraqis, can’t get asylum from Iraq.
Now they [MKO] want to seek asylum and take advantage of the rights of
Iraqis, of the taxes they pay, and of their social security!! This is the
right of Iraqis to reject it. The constitution states clearly: “those who
are accused of taking part in terrorist operations and those who have
damaged Iraq.”
The MKO and its international lawyers (who, I believe, have been deceived)
always said that the MKO was independent in Iraq and that it was never mixed
up with the government. So, there’s nothing to worry about.
The MKO says that it has never performed terrorist operations and that they
have the right to seek political asylum in Iraq. Of course, I have something
to say about the term “political asylum” that Mojahedin is seeking in Iraq.
There’s no doubt that they are looking for a different kind of “political
asylum”. They have protested to the article of constitution, saying that it
has endangered their members!! A Persian proverb says: “take the rod,
glutton cat escapes”. The MKO claims to support democracy, human rights,
free elections. It claims that it has never been involved in the crimes of
Saddam Hussein in Kirkuk, Suleimanieh, Mandali, and Khaniqin. So, why is it
frightened? Let the draft constitution be accepted. Does the MKO rejects the
fact that new Iraqi government doesn’t want to serve, support and fund
former enemies on its soil? I don’t know the MKO's logic exactly. The MKO
has hired lawyers to protest to this constitution. They’re thousands of
kilometers from the realities of life, and then they come and interpret an
article of Iraqi constitution. Yes, they can play with this article. But the
MKO’s role in killing Iraqi people can’t be denied. The MKO was deeply
involved with the [former] Iraqi security services. It controlled Iraqi
prisons. It was involved in following and killing the opponents of Saddam
Hussein. There is undeniable evidence for this; for instance, Rajavi’s
confessions beside Taher Haboosh- he admitted to the crimes and missions he
performed for Iraqi and said that the interests of Saddam’s government and
the interests of Mojahedin are interwoven. They received money and patrolled
in the streets, identified opponents and assassinated them. There are
documents and tapes published. I now remember that one of the missions that
Haboosh gave to Rajavi was to eradicate one of the bases of Iraqi
opposition. It was called Badr’s 9th base in Mosian region. Haboosh asked
why they had not killed Iraq’s oppositions inside Iran. This was in Iran. We
have several cases inside Iraq. Those who were involved in suppressing Iraqi
opposition groups at that time are now here. Many of those who took part in
“Morvarid” operation, in suppressing people’s uprising in the north and
south, have written their memories which can be cited. We welcome this
article of the Iraqi constitution. We hope that it opens a way for us to
pursue those who tortured us in Iraq. We hope we can take our complaints to
the court of Saddam Hussein and participate as private plaintiffs.
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