Nejat Newsletter - Issue 2

BRIEFING PERIODICAL OF NEJAT SOCIETY

Nejat Newsletter

IS S U E N O 2 S EP T EM BER 16 , 2 00 6

INSIDE THIS I SSUE:

About This Edition Two weeks ago we presented the first edition of Nejat Newsletter. In that issue we emphasised that our purpose to publish this briefing periodical is to try to inform a selected audience on a particular subject regarding the defected or willing to defect members of Mojahedin-é Khalq Organisation (MKO) in Iraq. We also mentioned that we would try to keep this publication appearing monthly. But before coming to the next edition that was intended to be out on the first day of October, we

came through two crucial incidents that were so important we decided to publish our next edition two weeks earlier. On this issue we are going to deal with the selfimmo lation of a me m b e r of MKO in Ashraf Camp in Iraq, and also the subject of Mohammadis who have a daughter captive in Iraq willing to disassociate from MKO. They are going round the world trying to find someone who might

be willing to help them. Both cases which are going to be presented in more details in coming pages need careful and thorough consideration by intern a t io n a l bodies a n d w o r ld ’s public o p in io n. T h e r e must be an end to the abuses and mistreatments conducted in Ashraf Camp in Iraq by the officials of the terrorist Cult lead by Mas’ud and Maryam Rajavi.

MKO in Iraqi Court Al-Ghad newspaper, September 3, 2006 General prosecutor in Iraq's Supreme Court announced that the court is investigating the issue of plundering Iraq's resources. This case includes oil revenues, granted

by the former regime to the groups and individuals. In an interview with Aswat Al-Iraq, Jaafar Mosavi said: "In this case, the issue of oil revenues is on the agenda." In January 25, 2004, Al-Mada newspaper published a list containing 275 former

ministers, representatives, journalists, national and international figures and some organizations such as the MKO; these groups and individuals received oil revenues in exchange for being faithful to Saddam and conducting his orders.

About This Edition

1

MKO in Iraqi Court

1

Editorial: Where is MKO heading for?

2

A Debate on Cults and Terrorism

2

Letter to UN Secretary General

3

Letter from Somayeh Mohammedi's parents

4 5

Self-immolation in Ashraf Camp in Iraq

6

Letter to Iraqi Prime Minister

7

Latest News

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NEJAT SOCIETY • Nejat Society is aiming to rescue the members of the MKO who are still captive in Ashraf Camp in Iraq. • Nejat Society is in constant contact with the families of members of MKO, trying to connect them to their beloved ones. • Nejat Society is trying to build a good international support for its cause to save the MKO members from cultic relationships. • Nejat Society is organising meetings and conferences for the members and the families in order to bring them together and ease their grieves. • Nejat Society is willing to use all means possible to reach its goals and therefore seeks and needs your support.

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Editorial: Where is MKO heading for? The Iraqi Prime Minister’s visit to Tehran and his remarks that MKO should soon leave Iraq has had some major impacts on the Organisation. Arabic News reported on September 14, 2006 that: “Regarding the members of Mujahedeen Khalq Organization (MKO), who are still in Iraq, al-Maliki said they have six months time to leave Iraq.” MKO has heavily invested on: first Iran’s Nuclear Energy turmoil, second keeping Iraq’s facilities to isolate the members from outside world in order to carry on controlling them. Last Friday Mr Yaser Ak-

bari-Nasab committed selfimmolation in Ashraf Camp. The Organisation hinted that this was as to the result that the Iraqi Authorities mentioned MKO members are going to be expelled from Iraq. One might ask what would happen if Iran’s Nuclear dispute is settled down and at the same time MKO is forced to leave Iraq. Certainly this would be the end of them all together. One might also try to predict their reaction to it. We witnessed the disastrous incidents after their leader Maryam Rajavi was arrested on 17th June 2003 in Paris. More than ten people at-

tempted self-immolation in different cities of Europe. The self-sacrificing idea, like many cults round the world, has been theorised and taught inside the Organisation. There are some 3000 members living in Ashraf Camp in Iraq at the present time which are subject to systematic brainwash. They apparently would do anything asked by their superiors. This is certainly a very delicate matter to deal with. There are many lives at risk and the families of the members in Iraq are ever so eager to know that what is to be down and how they could be saved.

A Debate on Cults and Terrorism A Symposium on the Connection between Cults and Terrorism in Contemporary History is held in the University of Esfahan on 30th of September 2006. Nejat Society along with the Faculty of Human Studies of the University of Esfahan have jointly organised the debate. The topics which are going to be discussed are as follows: -Cults and Groups in Contemporary History -Emergence of Cults and Groups -Social and Cultural Effects of Cults -Role of Governments and States in the Formation of Cults -Role of Cults in Toppling States -How Cults deal with their Followers - Role of Cults in Creating Violence

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Letter of Nejat Society to the Secretary General of the United Nations On the Occasion of his visit to Tehran Nejat Society Tehran, Iran September 3, 2006 His Excellency Kofi Anan Secretary General of the United Nations Your Excellency Initially we, in Nejat Society, would like to welcome you to Tehran . Subsequently we wish you every success in your journey, and we hope that you would have a pleasant and productive stay in Iran. Nejat (Salvation) Society consists of former members of the Mojahedin-é Khalq Organization (MKO) who have organized themselves in order to strive to help those members who are still mentally and even physically captive within the Organization in Camp Ashraf in Iraq.

manipulated into serving the evil demands of the leaders; and how they have had the experience of being a mind and mental prisoner. MKO is well known as being a cultic group with all its peculiar and yet typical characteristics. The Organization is led by a self-appointed charismatic leader who enjoys absolute control over the wealth, the lives, and even the minds of the followers. Some of the common manners widely reported inside the Organization are as follows:

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Exer cis ing the Process of Brainwashing, Psychological Coercion, and Thought Reform. Tearing Apart Families and Harming Children.

You may well be aware that MKO has been listed as a Proscribed • Appling Violence and HarTerrorist Group by the US State Deassment against Critics and partment, the Council of EU, and the Opponents. British Government. This Organi• Engaging Hundreds of people, who have zation has a long into Conspiracy record of violating managed to flee the and Fraud. the most basic principals of HuOrganization , have described Taking Away the man Rights within Members Freeits establishment horrendous practices conducted dom as well as including imprisontheir Possessions. against the discontented ment, torture, child abusing, and even members . we also murder. wish to draw your The Human Rights Watch good attention to the Case of Ashraf in its latest report under the title of No Camp in Iraq. There are some 3000 Exit has tried to describe “Human people living under tight control of Rights Abuses inside the Mojahedin-é MKO in that Camp. These unfortunate Khalq Camps in Iraq”. This report individuals find no way to free themexplains how the “Exiled Armed selves from the sever domination of Group Abuses Dissident Members”, the Leaders. They must receive help and how this so called “Opposition urgently. Group Seeks Recognition in Western we, in Nejat Society, hence Capitals”. urge you to the followings: Hundreds of people, who have managed to flee the Organization • Launching a Fact Finding and have managed to return home to Committee to start investitheir families, have described horrengating inside Iran as well as dous practices conducted against the Iraq and other countries and discontented members and defected to contact the numerous followers. They have also explained Former Members of the how they have been persuaded and

Organization in order to reach a good understanding of the Nature and Behavior of MKO. Many ex-members around the world are willing to cooperate with such Committee.

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To bring the Organization under careful and thorough Scrutiny done by Officials of UN, something MKO has always escaped from, and to publicize the findings of such procedure.

The issues of Terrorism, Violating Basic Right, and Functioning Cultic Approaches in the Organization’s History be under Close Inspection. Nejat Society would be more than pleased to be able to offer any form of Cooperation in this manner. You are certainly acquainted to the severity of damages Cults can cause to the people and their relatives and families. Therefore you would realize how urgent and important the matter is and how essential it is to do something about it. We in Nejat Society are anxiously awaiting your positive reply to our request to save and rescue the above mentioned inmates and give them a chance to start a dissent normal life along with their beloved ones back at home. Sincerely Yours Nejat Society

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The MKO leaders have betrayed the people's trust now we end our silence

Open Letter from Somayeh Mohammedi's parents MKO and thought that they her. Unfortunately, despite were trying to get her citiall claims and propaganda by zenship from Canada. At that MKO leadership on the freetime, no one outside the dom of members for making MKO knew about the illegal decisions, and despite the and undemocratic behaviour protests of the Canadians, of the MKO Behzad SafMustafa_mohammady leadership and farian, one of @hotmail.com the abuses of MKO com“In her conversations, in August 26, 2006 human rights in manders in the absence of MKO the NLA Camp Ashraf, Dear Iranian-Canadians, [National Lib- supervisors, she asked us was present In 1997, Somayeh - then, an eration Army of d ur ing t he inexperienced teenager - had to return her to Canada.” Iran] camp, whole process a positive view of the MKO therefore we of interviewing because of her family's supdidn't seek pub(The letter of port for this group. In a lic help and instead, tried to Canadian embassy to the forwidespread, inhuman plan by return Somayeh to Canada eign ministry is available). the MKO leadership, a large through the MKO itself. Wiretapping and controlling number of teenagers aged 14 In 2003, following the ouster the meetings indicate that the to 18, who lived in Europe of Saddam Hussein, we had members of MKO are under and North America, were to take the risk and travel to continuous censorship and deployed to Camp Ashraf in Iraq. We spent three months supervision. Iraq in the name of visiting in Camp Ashraf with high Iraq and Jordan. But the real Knowing the lack of legal costs. purpose was to boost the ordocuments from any country ganization that In her converand due to security concerns was suffering a sations, in the in US-run camp [next to lack of young “In a widespread, inhuman absence of Camp Ashraf], Somayeh reforces. MKO supervifused to go there. plan by MKO , a large Somayeh, 16, sors, she asked Because of financial probnumber of teenagers aged along with a us to return her lems and concerns over our 14 to 18 were deployed to number of other to Canada. She other children in Canada, we Camp Ashraf in Iraq” teenagers, was repeatedly rereturned to Canada without first taken to quested the Somayeh. This time, we folPirayesh base in same from her lowed the case through the Washington and then, after a brother. In a letter to CanaCanadian immigration ofshort stay, she and others dian embassy in Jordan in fice. were taken to Jordan with 2004, Somayeh asked CanaIn May and April 2006, in fake documents by the ordian officials to pave the spite of having financial ganization. Then they went way for her return to Canada. problems, we travelled to to Iraq from Jordan. Due to this request, delivered Jordan to meet Somayeh to the Canadian embassy After a while, we tried to since she was supposed to through American troops return her but we couldn't have a court session for Caprotecting Camp Ashraf, the because we had not at that nadian immigration office embassy decided to visit time received full citizenship via video conference. After 2 Camp Ashraf to interview from Canada; we trusted the months in Jordan, we couldTo free people, relevant officials, and human rights activists For the security and freedom of Somayeh in MKO's Camp Ashraf in Iraq

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The MKO leaders have betrayed the people's trust . . . (cont.) n't get the visa for Iraq. This and Canada to military base cluding pressuring and brainnecessary but unsuccessful in Iraq. Those behind exwashing young and even vetact caused the MKO leaders ploiting teenagers should be eran members to speak to become aware of our efheld responsible in The against their own families. forts for saving Somayeh. Rejecting the TV interview Hague. Why did the MKO leaders with Somayeh Mohammedi, All MKO members are under broadcast an interview with we announce that the MKO systematic brainwashing and Somayeh on MKO TV chanleaders are responsible for can only access the MKO's nel on August 20, 2006? the safety and own news beShowing Somayeh during security of cause of censormilitary practices [in Iraq], Somayeh. “If a member asks to ship. They can leave the organization, in the current situation, watch only the Since 1978, we means shutting the windows MKO 's T V he/she will be accused of the members working for the Iranian for her being accepted in channel (Simaye regime and consequently of MohamCanada or other democratic M o j a h e d ) , he/she will be pressured.” medi family countries. which reports have struggled If the MKO believes that unreal victories for the freeSomayeh - and many others of the group and they hear dom and independence of like her - should express from their commanders that Iran alongside the early Motheir desire to stay in the they're heading towards the jahedin-e khalq organization. MKO in Iraq through TV final victory, that the uniTherefore, the accusation of interviews, why are they verse is moving with the per"being dependent" [to the afraid of sending these mission of MKO leaders and regime] better suits the MKO youths to free countries in that the sun comes up from leaders who have already Europe and Canada so that the east only to see the MKO acted in the favour of Iranithey can decide freely for ans' enemy, namely Saddam leaders! their future? If these young Hussein. Preventing MKO members people are really from making We didn't open the case to interested in the contact with public, now that this inter“It is a crime against MKO's leadertheir families view with Somayeh has been humanity to bring ship they will (through mail broadcast, we believe there young people (like certainly join and email) is no obstacle to publishing the MKO again. Somayeh) from Europe s h o w s t h e documents, letters and films and Canada to military news censoron MKO leaders' inhuman MKO leaders base in Iraq.” are well aware ship in order to treatment of youths like prevent rebelthat allowing Somayeh. Somayeh to leave equals the lion by the members. We urge all Iranianexit of nearly all members, If a member asks to leave the Canadians, as well as free kept captive by the inhuman organization, he/she will be people of the world, to act to and wrong policies of the accused of working for the return Somayeh to her famMKO leaders who themIranian regime and conseily. We ask for your help to selves live in safe places and quently he/she will be pressave Somayeh and many othkeep our children as hostages sured. ers like her. in Camp Ashraf. MKO leaders have shown It is a crime against humanthat, to reach their goals, The Mohammedis ity to bring young people they are ready to conduct all Richmond Hill, Canada (like Somayeh) from Europe kinds of immoral acts, in-

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Self-immolation in Ashraf Camp in Iraq On the morning of Friday Nearly two decades ago 15th of September 2006 in MKO’s self-appointed leader Ashraf Camp, the Camp of Mas’ud Rajavi decided to Mojahedin-é Khalq Organimove to Iraq and to engage sation (MKO) in Iraq, Mr the Organisation in the IranYaser Akbari-Nasab, who Iraq war against the Iranians. had joined the Organisation He had predicted from Germany as a that soon he would youngster some conquer Tehran years ago, commitwith his National t e d s e l f Liberation Army immolation. (NLA) by receiving Reports indicate aids from former that he was under Iraqi dictator SadVictim Yasser enormous cultic dam Hussein. mind pressure by Akbari-Nassab This strategy came his superiors reto complete failure cently. after Iraq was invaded by the MKO released the news after allied forces in 2003. a delay of two days implying Now the Organisation, which that Yaser had committed is lead by Mas’ud’s wife self-immolation as an act of Maryam after his mysterious protest against the decision disappearance, has invested made by the Iraqi Governall its wealth on Iran’s nument to expel the members clear energy dispute with the of the Organisation from West. They try hard to play Iraq. the Iraqi Prior to Mr Akbari-Nasab’s opposiloss, there had happened tion’s roll some other mysterious to perdeaths such as Khoddam suade US Gol-Mohammadi, Sediqé that the Rajabian, Kamran Bayati, other side Alan Mohammedi, and many is holding s o m e others. c h e m ic a l Morteza Akbari-Nasab and of nuclear Musa Akbari-Nasab who are weapons. members of MKO in Iraq are in turn the father and the At the same time MKO tries to safeguard their Camp in brother of the victim . Iraq since it provides them Mr Akbari’s unpleasant incithe unique opportunity to dent needs thorough and bound the members and keep careful consideration. To do them isolated from the outso it is very important to anaside world. lyse the present situation of MKO politically.

The new strategy is coming

to total collapse since the nuclear talks are progressing and MKO’s presence in Iraq is heading to an end. This of course would put the Organisation strategically on a culde-sac. MKO is trying to use the loss of Mr Akbari-Nasab to solve its problem of being expelled from Iraq. They intend to utilize his blood to put pressure on Iraqi government while they are the ones who should be questioned about the case. Sacrificing members for political purposes has been a well known practice of cultic groups through the years, and MKO has a long record of doing so. It is worth mentioning that Yaser’s father had a daughter and two sons when he first moved to Ashraf Camp m a n y years ago. The children soon were sent to Germany as a cultic plan to separate parents from children. Musa and Yaser the two sons were returned back to Iraq from Germany to become the new members of the Organisation. They obviously, like other people who had been recruited from Europe had no idea about MKO in Iraq.