++ To mark the anniversary of 30th June, many former members have written their memories about the start of the MEK’s armed struggle. Most discuss the question ‘after such a strong beginning, how did the MEK end up in the mess they are in now?’
++ Hashemi Nejad from Habilian (representing the families of victims of MEK violence in Iran) was interviewed by ISNA agency about the end of the MEK in Iraq. He explains, using evidence, that before and after the fall of Saddam the Americans directly interfered in the fate of the MEK and whenever the group was in danger of collapse they resuscitated them through the auspices of the Saudis and Saddam. After 2003 the curtains fell away and the Americans were forced to help them directly themselves. It is known that the Americans tried to find another country to keep the MEK in, but the group is so dirty nobody accepted. Even the warlords governing no-man’s land war zones refused to help. So Albanians – a notoriously corrupt country – were paid to host the MEK. While doing this, the Americans have made sure the group is kept intact and – as with Ashraf and Liberty – that it is extremely difficult for anybody to run away from the cult. It is clear that, contrary to what is said publicly about accomplishing the transfers this year, the Americans will again interfere and the process will drag on, even though it is known this is the last step and soon the Middle East will be rid of the MEK.
++ Farsi articles about the MEK’s media presence this week focus on the fact that in spite of spending money and hiring lobbyists and being fed behind the scenes by anti-Iran intelligence services, the MEK has lost its place in the media and can’t get it back. Only Saudi or Saudi-backed papers cheer them on when they say anything against Iran. And in return the MEK are obliged to say things – like praising Arab sheikhs – that make Iranians despise them. The MEK are aware of this contradiction but can’t refuse because they are paid to do it.
++ Omid, a recent survivor of the MEK, sent an article to Iran Interlink on the occasion of 17 June and the self-immolations over Maryam Rajavi’s 2003 arrest in which two women died. Omid explains that Neda Hassani had been recently recruited from Canada so nothing much could be said about her. But Sedighe Mojaveri’s background was unknown and the MEK therefore claimed her as an ideological MEK member, deeply devoted to Maryam Rajavi. Omid says ‘I knew her, and I knew she wasn’t ideological nor was she a member of the MEK. But she was badly deceived. The proof is that at the time of her death the MEK announced she had a nine-year old son. This places her pregnancy four years after the internal ideological revolution and forced divorces. Omid goes into detail about the how the MEK have always tricked unsuspecting people into getting killed and that their own members would never perform such acts because they are aware of the deception.
In English:
++ Nejat Society published the open letter of former MEK member Issa Azadeh who spent 30 years with the group. He warns the French Interior Minister about the MEK’s planned rally at Villepinte. He says that the MEK will be bussing in a large number of Arab refugees from all over Europe and that tolerance of this event does not tally with French counter-terrorism efforts.
++ Faryad Azadei website in Paris reports on a letter signed by 127 human rights activists to Ban Ki-moon condemning the MEK’s unprovoked attack on family members outside Camp Liberty when they tried to contact their loved ones there.
++ Iran Didban website reports that over three years, 958 residents of Camp Liberty in Iraq have been transferred to Tirana. The Albanian government announced that the remaining 1900 residents would be relocated there by the end of 2016.
June 17, 2016