Defectors of Mujahedin khalq

Members of Nejat Society, Golestan branch visit Afshin Fallah

On Saturday, Sep 30th,a number of families whose children are captured in Camp Ashraf, visited Mr. Afshin Fallah who has recently been released from the bars of Rajavi’s Cult.The meeting was very useful for Nejat members.

During the meeting, a member of Nejat Society explained about the recent clashes at Camp Ashraf where “Iraqi Police wanted to establish a station and faced MEK’s violent resistance. The leaders of the cult made some of their dissident members to encounter Iraqi forces and then to be injured, killed or arrested. “

“Another trick, MKO played to abuse the members, was the hunger strike show to bring the West’s attention to itself” he added.

Then, Mr. Afshin Fallah Qareh Tapeh told his story introducing himself as an educated person who had traveled to Turkey where he had been recruited by MKO.

He told that in Turkey he met a person named Shahram and joined the organization after he was impressed by his words. He was told that he could earn more money in Europe but at first he should stay in quarantine in Iraq for some time. Afshin accepted to go to Iraq…

Mr. Fallah explained that he was threatened by the cult leaders to be handed over to Iraqi officials although he declared his opposition against the group from the early days of his entrance. He was also threatened to be labeled as IRI’s spy. “so I kept quiet for a while but I heightened my protest when I found out my life would be futile in that desert, so finally they sent me to American Camp where they introduced me as a criminal to American soldiers and asked them to look after me.” When the American camp (TIPF) was shutdown, he went to Iraqi society where he could get to know about Nejat society. He went to Iranian consulate and returned to Iran. “Now that I am here with you I am married and living a happy life with my family” he said.

At the end of the meeting the family members of Ashraf residents who were members of Nejat Society, Golestan branch, signed a petition and asked for:

The visit with their children in a free atmosphere without presence of criminal leaders of Rajavi’s cult and with presence of Red Cross representatives
The expulsion of MKO from Iraq, by Iraqi authorities and the support of other countries for the Iraqi decision
The possibility of making phone calls to their loved ones in Ashraf by the help of Red Cross and without the intervention of MKO leaders.

The names of signatories:

Mr. Hussein Ali Rigi,Barat Ali Rigi (MKO member)’s brother
Mr. Mohammad Aq Atabai,Hamid Aq Atabai (MKO member)’s brother
Mr. Sakheed saeedfar,Saeed Saeedfar (MKO member)’s brother
Mr. Ahmad Salim Nia (Ruzrokh),Shir Ahmad Ruzrokh (MKO member)’s brother
Mr. Abdul Halim Kalavi, Abdul Hamid Rau’fian (MKO member)’s uncle
Mr. Nazer Rahim Arbabi,Ahmad Rahim Arbabi (MKO member)’s brother
Mohamamd Qezel Qarsh,Ali Qezel Qarsh (MKO member)’s brother
Mohammad Dowlati,JanAli Dowlati (MKO member)’s brother
Mohammad Ali Qezelseflou,Nurollah Qezelseflou (MKO member)’s brother

Nejat Society Golestan Branch

October 17, 2009 0 comments

Former members of the MEK

Human shield in defense of Ashraf

An interview with Batool Soltani on MKO self-immolations – a précis of parts 27-28

Sahar Family Foundation: Ms. Soltani, if you will, let’s have a discussion on the issue of human shield and mass suicides and what necessitated its application. What are the parameters that influence the operations and to what degree and under what circumstances they extend?

Batool Soltani: At the threshold of the US invasion against Iraq and when threats were nearing the action, Rajavi was sensitive on two things; defending Ashraf against external threats including closing the camp and expulsion from Iraq and second, adopting an appropriate means to defend Ashraf and resist. He specifically reiterated that Ashraf had to be defended tooth and nail. But the premise developed into more objective form of defense when Saddam collapsed and the suggestion of human shield turned to be a serious option on the agenda of Rajavi. Of course, at the time the organization was busy preparing passports for high ranking members including the members of the Leadership Council to relocate when the right time came.

The option was first brought to attention in a session where Massoud Rajavi addressed the audience through a satellite broadcasted videoconference. Of the subjects he focused on were Ashraf and Auvers, stating that Auvers and Maryam were believed to be the brain of the organization while Camp Ashraf was the beating heart of the resistance against Iran. For sure the brain kept working until the heart beat. Ashraf was the heart that pumped the blood to brain and had to be protected by any means; the two were interconnected and one failed to operate without the other. It was what he talked about from a theoretical point of view.

Following the incidents of the June 17, it was broached that the members of the Leadership Council had to be prepared to protect Ashraf. It was the first time the human shield tactic was implicitly touched on in general. In one of his messages to Mozhgan (Parsai) Rajavi recapitulated that we would stay, die and bury here in Ashraf but never move. It was a question of resisting or dying if the Iraqis decided to repatriate members to Iran or evict from Ashraf to another location. Of course, repatriation to Iran was out of question because of the internationally guaranteed IDs issued for the members under the article four of the Geneva Convention. To tell the truth, it was not at all important for the organization to make any attempt for the safety of the members; all it cared about was survival of the organization and preserving Camp Ashraf and protect it against external threats. Then, the focal point was to think of means to accomplish the end.

The human shield was one of the opted options; mass suicides could effectively frustrate any effort that aimed at dismantling the integrity of Ashraf. It included any other threat like forced entry of American or coalition forces to temporarily close or deactivate the camp. Our first choice to resist against intruders had to be using non-firing weapons; needless to say that the organization actually made no resistance against the American forces and succeeded to take the control and hegemony of the camp in its own hands.

However, the human shield tactic was temporally removed from the agenda since Ashraf continued to be under the organization’s control and there was no need to make use of the ploy.

As Rajavi stated, he preferred the ‘arms carriers’, meaning the disarmed members, to the arms themselves; an incorporated armless army could be much functional and appropriate than the arms. The question of suicide operations and human shield were all directed at safeguarding the entity of the organization and its hierarchical order; it was the red line that could not be crossed and all members had to preserve. It was the policy adopted until 2006 when I left the organization. The deployment of the American forces at Ashraf made no change in the organizational structure and it took the liberty of acting according to its ironbound disciplinary.

The regular commute of individuals into Ashraf followed its routine and they brought anybody into the camp under the cover of the visiting families and they were even present when American forces inspected visitors at the check points.

There is a statement issued by the National Council of Resistance that specifically warns against the outbreak of what the organization refers to as human tragedy in the case of any possible attack against the camp by the IR forces or missile attack. It is what the organization expresses for the outsiders but its real definition for the insiders is the use of human shield to thwart any threat of eviction or expulsion enforced by the Iraqi government. The statement explicitly clarifies the responsibility of members in defense of Ashraf; any member has to become a human shield to impede disintegration of Mojahedin’s main bastion and heart. I remember a time when there came the news of Badr’s 9th army and groups of local Shi’its nearing the gates of Ashraf.

The organization announced full alert and all the members of the Leadership Council began preparations for mass suicide. Some brought arms and cyanides were checked and distributed. So serious were they in carrying out their mission that two members of the council, Marzieh Ali-Ahmadi and Darz Beigi, committed suicide when in their returning to camp they got an impression of being challenged.

SFF: What were the more highlighted factors about mass suicides, the manners, conditions or their reflection in the media?

BS: They were much sensitive to record the scenes of the immolations for immediate and widespread media coverage. In fact, the priority was having the control of media and resources in hands. To air first hand reports, the organization had positioned equips of photography in the vicinity of the scenes of operations.

SFF: How the suicides were planned to be launched and what conditions caused their materialization?

BS: the suicides had to be carried out first individually and one by one. In the next stage, if threatening forces behind the gates of Ashraf were resolute to break into the camp, the members had the order of committing suicides in groups. In the case of a widespread military intrusion that could lead to the fall of camp, all the members were to commit a mass suicide. The Leadership Council had clearly delineated anything to counter threats against the heart of the organization and to coerce a line of human shield before Ashraf.

To be continued

October 12, 2009 0 comments

Former members of the MEK

Neda had been tutored from the childhood

An interview with Batool Soltani on MKO self-immolations – Part 26

Sahar Family Foundation: Ms. Soltani, you know better that the organization had highly invested Neda Hassani,had been tutored from the childhood to become a devoted MKO memebr on Neda who was hardly of any weight and importance within and without the organization until she was burned to death, an anonymous girl who had suddenly become the focal attention of the media in a week. I believe she achieved preeminence in public and it can be said that she had great impact on the whole situation. Of course, that was exactly what the organization expected. As Neda’s case is sensitive, let’s talk about her and her life and struggle background and I will pose further question if necessary.

Batool Soltani: You are right. Neda was not a preeminent among the members before her immolation. It was possible that in the higher echelons they had given her some attention but nothing amongst the rank and file. Her popularity is considered to be for a variety of reasons especially her age. To talk of my acquaintance with her, we were once on the same team-work in Camp Ashraf before the US invasion of Iraq and when Maryam (Rajavi) was still in Ashraf. the organization had highly invested on Neda who was hardly of any weight and importance within and without the organization until she was burned to death, However, Neda left for the Europe simultaneous with Maryam’s relocation to France. Of course, Neda had been raised and living in Europe and came to Ashraf after she was graduated.

SFF: Pardon me, Ms. Soltani, I prefer to pose questions on the spot. Was Neda an active member of the organization abroad?

BS: Not from the very beginning. The organization first worked on Neda’s family and they became sympathizers through participation in rallies and protest meetings. Gradually, the organization succeeded to recruit Neda and her brother to transfer them to Ashraf. The family, however, remained just sympathizers. You know, it is one of the approaches through which the organization recruits members. There are countless instances of the families that ceased their support for the organization while their children are still enthusiastic cadres who gainsay their own families. There are also instances of the parents detached from the organization while their children are active members or vice-versa; a real tragedy that has been going on all these years within the organization.

SFF: There is a photo of Neda in her seven or eight busy fundraising for the organization. Have you seen the photo?

BS: Yes, I have seen. The very same year Neda set herself on fire, it was one of the many photos they publicized in a biography of her. It is an indication of the organization’s impact on her family to have convinced them to let their daughter to engage in fundraising activities because of her low age. So she was somehow a sympathizer from the childhood. She was naive and emotionally sensitive and could be easily impressed. I think such photos talk enough to condemn the organization of abusing the sympathizer’s children.
SFF: Were Neda’s family political refugees?

BS: I do not know. But it was typical of the organization to establish contacts particularly with the political refugees since a cause of sympathy could easily convince them to cooperate with the organization especially when the families were on the fence or were facing problems. Because of its influence abroad, the organization could attract some of these families under its umbrella to exploit them for its political aims. Noteworthy, many of these families that had been granted political asylum through mediation of the organization faced troubles after they announced their detachment.

SFF: Was Neda born in Europe?

BS: I do not know, but I know she was raised in abroad.

SFF: What about her education?

BS: I have no exact information but I have seen a videotaped celebration of her graduation as well as her photos.

SFF: I think there is something ambiguous about her academic education because of her age. How old was she when she committed suicide?

BS: I think she was twenty-one.

SFF: Naturally, she could not have possibly been a university graduate. Beside her age, she was on a continuous process of moving and relocation.

BS: I may have seen a videotaped party of her becoming a high school graduate. So she must have been nineteen when she came to Ashraf. (Here Ms. Soltany pressed some keys on the laptop at her hands to make sure) Yes, it is here, she was nineteen. However, she was in Ashraf for a year and then left for the Europe accompanying Maryam; she came in 2001 and left in 2002.

SFF: How did she behave in Ashraf?

BS: She was a kind of friendly, I mean, she was warm and intimate and very active.

SFF: What organizational rank did she carry?

BS: She was a K2, the lowest organizational rank. But she caught their attention because of her active potentiality and they were satisfied with her activeness. At the time, they hardly sent anybody abroad and they were sensitive to select one if one had to be sent to Europe. But they selected Neda to send abroad and she was one of the few who accompanied Maryam.

SFF: Did not it raise question when they decided to send someone in her eighteens abroad especially after she had just arrived at Ashraf?

BS: She was too close to organizational standards and was well melted in the relations. These parameters were influentially decisive.

SFF: How is it possible that a young, europeanized girl who had just detached from a common, bourgeoisie world to join a remote camp and whose only distinctiveness was to have been recruited from a sympathizer family could so fast become the main focus of the organization’s attention. Could she in a one-year span reach a practically ideological maturity?

BS: You know, a great drawback that disputed sending members abroad was a risk of sticking to the tastes of the bourgeoisie life there. In contrast to what you think, the age and
struggle background were not the fixed canons to pick a member for a mission abroad.

There were members with a forty-year record of struggle who the organization never consented to send abroad because they could be easily enticed by the threats of the bourgeoisie life. Nasrin Asadi, for example, was a real expert in accounting who had long lived in abroad. Then, she could be a suitable choice to be sent abroad since she was well acquainted with the social atmosphere there to play an influential role but they opposed her dispatch.

Even I, who had been already sent to England for some time to receive computer trainings, had failed to win their trust since there was a possibility of making contacts with my family and children. In general, they never selected exhausted, questionable members to dispatch to abroad where they could be probably magnetized by the bourgeoisie life. It was of great importance for the organization to learn that the selected members had truly despised the bourgeoisie life and abhorred returning to it in the same way that they loathed the imperialism and the regime.

SFF: How is it logically acceptable that a girl in Neda’s age had reached a point to despise such a life? Of course by logic I mean the very logic that rules within the organization. Possibly that is because the organization had worked on Neda from her childhood when values deeply form in man. It can be said that Neda received her ideological trainings from the very childhood which precisely differentiated her with the adults who received their trainings in their young and mid-ages. Besides, Neda voluntarily came to Ashraf while the organization insisted her stay in Europe. She had reiterated many times that she preferred a militia life to political activities and she was absolutely opposed to her transfer to Europe and even cried and begged to stay in Ashraf while others like Laleh Tariqi and Zelal Habibi who had been picked to be sent abroad submitted to orders with pocketed pleasure. I want to know how Neda could overcome the threats of being melted in bourgeoisie life while the more experienced, old members had failed?

BS: Neda was selected for abroad because she felt no attraction for the bourgeoisie life. There was no doubt and the organization had been convinced. She had no craving to return to the world she had divorced. As a rule, the organization dispatched recruits to Ashraf to caulk their bourgeoisie appeals and to obviate threats of returning to it. Talking about Neda, it is different. She was young and standing at the beginning of a long path full of costs and threats and she lacked the organizational maturity to understand these facts in a theoretic, political and ideological framework. Her sympathy for the organization was the result of her childhood enthusiast and the information the organization had instilled into her in a one way relation. Above all, she was so young to face any challenge and adversary.

She was different with those who had been tied in with the organization at least from its post-revolution phase and had long been witnessing repeated losses and Rajavi’s promises that never came true. They had surmounted a tortuous path that had raised further doubts in each step; they had been broken many times but remodeled through Rajavi’s justifications and promises. They know how Rajavi dealt with the dissidents and they were well aware of the costs they had to pay to defect; they have long been engaged in a never-ceasing battle with the past and future and the organization has to devise approaches to monitor them and to discover what passes in their mind. How busy is the young mind of Neda to know anything of these wrestling?

Unlike Neda, these members have lost a precious life with no hope to refurbish. At least they try to take advantage of any possible opportunity to rebuild the remaining days of an unsecure future, let them call it threats of reunion with the bourgeoisie life or anything, for them it is closeness to freedom. They have long been filled with promises but nothing has ever changed. That is the reason why the young Neda is selected while the old veterans are kept behind the closed doors.

To be continued

October 10, 2009 0 comments

Former members of the MEK

Defining an MKO organizational jargon

An interview with Batool Soltani on MKO self-immolations – Part 25

Sahar Family Foundation: Ms. Soltani, one of the intriguing subjects to talk about is the unlike the world outside, a member of Mojahedin has established a relation of ‘pardakhtgar’ with the family and associates organization’s use of an internal jargon on which one can collect a book. You have repeatedly used such jargons in the course of you interviews and that may be because you have failed to find equivalents for them or you are used to using them. One of these jargons is the term ‘pardakhtgar’. If you please, start by explaining about this jargon.

Batool Soltani: Frankly speaking, you are right and one can compile a terminology of jargons used in the organization’s internal relations. More interesting is when you listen to an inter-organizational debate and for sure you need a jargon expert to interpret so you may understand what they mean. To talk about the stated jargon of ‘pardakhtgar’, the organization always insisted that in contrast to rumors outside that the members displayed no sign of emotion towards their children, families and relatives and denounced them just as heartless people devoid of love and amity would, we do value emotions and are sentimental beyond ordinary people.

To prove, the organization gave examples to show that much of the affection and friendliness dominating the society are conditional, superficial and shows of formality; a trademark only to secure interests. It reasoned that as soon as people felt their interests were threatened, all love and friendly passions would vanish and brothers tried to cheat and tear each other to protect their interests.

It holds the persuasion that unlike the world outside, a member of Mojahedin has established a relation of ‘pardakhtgar’ with the family and associates. To have a better understanding of the term, they would say a member of Mojahedin establishes his relations with his family and associates according to the prevalent social norms but he never engages in an interest-rated relation to turn his back on them for personal interests. A member of Mojahedin, they would say, is a clear-sighted revolutionary highly appreciating feelings and sentiments and who intends to purge them of the filth of caste and exploitation.

It is only possible through cleansing the society and people’s living milieu, or as they would say, to purify the oxygen they intake. In a purged society, motivations transcended worldly interests and feeling were no more means to trick and hoax the intimates and people. In that case, no class system and personal interest could possibly blur the feelings with illusions of materialism and unconditional and true love would find its real value with no relative bond to define it.

Then, they raised the question that the most appreciated love and affection was the unconditional kind the organization was after and it was impossible to achieve unless the society could be purged. As the revolutionary elements undertaking the responsibility to implement the cause, Mojahedin saw no other way but to temporary sacrifice whoever they loved.

Here the term ‘pardakhtgar’ can be defined; that is to say, a member of the organization sacrifices his love and affection for the family and associates so they may transcend the limits of the material world and achieve the sphere of an unconditional love and affection that could include not only the beloved around them but the humanity in general. His struggle and immolation is to stop people paying for the attention and affection they receive and to purify the atmosphere and set up a utopia wherein the unconditional love will reign.

This is a one-way demonstration of love and feeling and only a Mojahed is believed to fully discern the meaning of love and passion for the close and the humanity. He curbs all his feelings and deprives himself of a common give and take interest-rated love for a permanently stable tender and unconditional love. To achieve the goal, one side has to sacrifice and he is a Mojahed.

SFF: Ms. Soltani, the fact is that such claims are much alluring and idealistic. But a question to ask, were they really truthful in what they claimed or it was another abused means to achieve organizational ends? Was Rajavi after creating the claimed utopia or he was channeling the feelings towards a milieu of highly committed relationship?

BS: To tell the truth, Rajavi is a real, ingenious sophist. I have reiterated many times that when you look at the organization from the inside, you see an integrated order wherein everything looks to be at its own place. But the problem begins when you look at it from the outside and try to discern the encountered ambiguities and paradoxes according to the existing system before you, nothing is at its place and you are left in the middle of complete disarray. It is the very same matter with the term ‘pardakhtgar’. In contrast to its internal interpretation, it is meant be spent for and direct all love and affection to the leadership alone and to force all in his obedience. Of course, you will notice a flagrant contradiction in Rajavi’s claims. I think even a revolutionary struggling for a certain cause has to secure an emotional bond first with his own family and relatives before trying to universalize it.

Those who easily turn their back on their children, parents and any beloved one are in fact practicing to cut all attachments with the outside world. When Rajavi states that all love and devotion has to be directed to him, he means to be replaced with all the sources of attachments; he must be the sole entity without whom the promised utopia could not possibly be established.

Such a theory works for a variety of abusive purposes. A member devoid of familial attachments, for instance, can easily carry out a mission of purging a member of his own family just because the victim is claimed to be an agent of the regime. Thus, I believe such rhetoric is mainly aimed for personal interests to guarantee Rajavi’s egocentric dominance over the organization.

To be continued

October 7, 2009 0 comments

Former members of the MEK

The members were coerced into dedicating themselves to Massoud and Maryam

An interview with Batool Soltani on MKO self-immolations – Part 24

Sahar Family Foundation: Ms. Soltani, in our last session, you pointed to instances of the The members were coerced into dedicating themselves to Massoud and Maryam organization’s persuasive approaches in its contact with the victims’ families with particular emphasis on Neda’s family. Did not such dual behavior raise any suspicion when the family saw that on the one hand the organization eulogized Neda as a holy martyr but on the other hand claimed her immolation as an impulsive and willful act? Did the organization or Maryam have any other scenario to justify the dual deal?

Batool Soltani: it is a good point. In General, the organization had adopted a dual position concerning the immolations. You could easily make out two images of the victims; an image was to demonstrate them as holy individuals to fuel its propaganda machine and encourage others to take the same line, and the other, to put the responsibility of immolations on the victim themselves to dodge any charges against the organization. But, as you pointed out, the organization is clever enough not to err and prepares an exact scenario before stepping into action. To make Neda’s family to believe, for example, the organization forged a journal that it claimed belonged to Neda.

It contained some personal photos and some recollections from her family and friends and especially notes indicating her enthusiastic devotion and commitment to Maryam. Neda’s parents were simple people who could simply believe as if their daughter’s life was tied to Maryam and finally, they appeared to be convinced to show no reaction even if they could not believe it all at the bottom of their hearts.

At the end, they came to be persuaded that their daughter had committed suicide and they could change nothing for her loss. Then, the organization put two choices before them; to move in parallel with the organization’s scenario in glorification of their daughter’s death or take an opposite side and spoil everything and sully their daughter’s name. Facing such a dilemma, of course they preferred to consent to the organization’s will and follow its scenario. Thus, in spite of the fact that they might have discerned the contradiction in the organization’s manner, they faced the bitter truth that they could in no way change anything. Of course, I am not sure if Neda’s parents or other victims’ families had ever become aware of such contradiction. In any case, the organization had thought of a plan to ward off any criticism or charge. The first priority was to make them reconcile themselves to the organization through a variety of offers, threatening, deception and smearing the reputation. Each can be a different subject to talk about.

SFF: In relation to the approaches you pointed out, what could have been the reaction of the organization if Neda’s family took a different turn against it?

BS: Naturally, the organization would face a rocky road to ride but not impossible. It always had a trick up its sleeve and the best working one would be to classify them as the opponents. Everything would be clear then and the organization did to the family whatever it would do vis-à-vis its opponents. To mention, remember Reza Asadi the father of Zohreh Asdi. The father separated from the organization while his daughter is still a member. Or the case of Somayeh Muhammadi whose father strives to get his daughter out of Camp Ashraf. The least charge against them is that the organization has labeled them the agents of IR regime. The organization does everything to spoil their characters and indicting them for a variety of baseless charges of theft, immorality and the like.

Imagine a defector in its worst become the agent of the regime, it might be possible. But being so scoundrel an individual was impossible especially when he had served the organization for some time and they had disclosed nothing about such a rogue. Anything for the organization is either black or white, nothing in the middle. You have to be either on its side or the opposite against whom it has adopted an antagonist attitude to the end. Even if a defector had once been exalted as a hero, nothing can save him from the wrath of the organization by joining the opposite side.

I mean to say that it could be the same thing with the families if they failed to compromise with the organization. Only if it happened that Neda’s family had taken an antagonistic route against the organization, the first person who stood against the family would be their own son living in Ashraf. And only God knows what charge would be posed against them and they would be accused of what untold scandals; and it was enough to mobilize the sympathizers against them to disturb and annoy them and turn their life into a real hell.

The organization had always a coin with two sides at hand; a brilliant, alluring side and a hell of a bad side and I have seen the bad side abroad when it decided to treat the opponents. The simplest approach was to instigate hatred among the sympathizers and the opponents; there was nothing more to do but to sit and watch them finish the job themselves. For sure, the organization had shown the other side of the coin to Neda’s family and what it was capable of doing to change things completely; they could choose to become wretched, dejected people who could not even dare to visit their daughter’s tomb.

It is a tactic for the organization not to open a war front at the first stage and to arrive at a compromise through other approaches and promises. That is because it may inflict much cost on the organization and a longer process to follow if it shows an antagonistic attitude from the very beginning. Of course, there is a red line nobody should ever transgress; the sanctity of leadership, Maryam and organizational principles should never be violated. Now imagine Neda’s family had taken a different path and had fallen with the organization; their very first move to make preparation for their daughter’s burial and mourning would turn as a backlash against themselves and they would face accusations of being provisioned and provided for by Iranian regime and more.

An odd but common approach was to coerce members to endorse in their own handwriting that they had entrusted whatever they had to Massoud and Maryam, as I did myself. We put it in writing to announce we were possessions of the two and had willingly chosen our path of struggle and devotion. We also stated that our emotional communion with family and relatives was not a superficially common and limited but relatively ‘pardakhtgar’ (an organizational jargon meaning sacrificing all love and emotion for a greater cause).

Our real love and devotion all had to be spent for the accomplishment of higher and dearer causes and for Massoud and Maryam; they were the central integrity of all love and devotion and all families had to be grateful of entrusting the life of their children into the hands of the two. I am sure Neda too had signed such papers before committing immolation and had conceded her life and love to Maryam which could be used as a winning card before her family.

To be continued

October 5, 2009 0 comments

Former members of the MEK

Neda’s family feeling obligated to the organization

An interview with Batool Soltani on MKO self-immolations – Part 23

Sahar Family Foundation: Remarkable in the immolation’s observation is the subject of the compare the organization’s indifference to Khata’s death and its manner and conduct with Neda’s family before and after her suicide operation. organization’s establishment of relation with the family of the victims. First, it is of significance to learn from what angle the organization does look at the families.

Second, how it opens relations with them; third, is the family background ever important to select the suicide, and forth, what deterrent role this family backgrounds plays to affect selection of the victims? And last, elucidate the impact of the 17 June self-burnings on families as you have witnessed.

Batool Soltani: Your questions although they all focus on a single issue, they can be discussed from a variety of aspects concerning the organization’s furthering relations with families. Let’s begin with some introductory details and I will further explain if needed. The organization keeps a confidential file for members with whatever ranking and organizational background in which there is certain sub-file containing information about the members’ family; the individual statistics of any family member, social class, job status, political inclinations and where they live, that is to say, inside or outside of Iran.

The latter information is highly important for the organization and it cares about the families’ dwelling in foreign countries. All supervisors were sensitive to find out if the members under their command had any member of their family residing in any foreign country.

It was much because the presence of a family member in a foreign country could be challenging and would cost the organization a lot. From a political-security point of view, they could possibly infiltrate the organization under any pretext to get it into trouble. As a result, members whose family or some member of their families lived abroad were suspected to be bonded with an infiltrator. I will explain how they could cause trouble. The organization became hypersensitive to families especially in the case of occurring suspicious deaths, suicide operations, missing of members and imprisonments and the like. When, for instance, a member like Soheil Khata died of a suspicious cause, the organization cared not the least because he had nobody abroad. Nobody knew he died of suicide or was murdered. His death was no cause of trouble because he had nobody abroad to question the organization, but it could be different if he had.

Now compare the organization’s indifference to Khata’s death and its manner and conduct with Neda’s family before and after her suicide operation. That is because Neda’s family lived abroad since long and they could push the organization into real crisis if they wanted and reacted against her death. So the organization mobilized all its power to bring her family under its control and, I believe, the organization had been in close contact with her family even before her self-immolation. It is even of magnitude to work first on her father or mother and I am sure they worked according to a scenario as I know that is how they act.

Here is the evidence to prove my claim. Following the immolations, Mozhgan Parsai stated that the immolations had inflicted heavy responsibility on the organization abroad. She meant Neda’s immolation with regard to her family’s living abroad could get the organization into big trouble and that calculated steps had to be taken when dealing with her family.

It was not important in the case of Marzieh Babakhani because she had nobody living abroad. Mozhgan insisted that all had to be mobilized to concentrate on Neda’s family and especially on her brother who was in Camp Ashraf. She issued additional orders to watch him directly and closely and to establish specific contact with him to further and justifiably clarify the issues. They in the organization know the right time for the right action through the proper means.

It is also of great concern in what country the families live, in England, France, Germany or any other European or non-European country. That is because the juridical systems in these countries could influentially affect the results of any lawsuit by the families against the organization. Remarkable in the organization’s ploy was Maryam’s showy behavior with Neda Hassani’s family. From the very beginning, Maryam started with a ceremoniously emotional demeanor and would weep tears in their presence to show her grief over her death. She wept for her and, at the same time, praised her spontaneous act in a show of her ultimate commitment to repudiate responsibility of her death and avert any lawsuit by her family.
The organization had even purchased gifts and presents to give her family on occasions. It moved just according to a preplanned scenario. Noteworthy in this entire affair was that all these factitious manners were filmed and photographed for widespread propaganda shows that were heavily reflected in the media.

SFF: Sorry to interrupt Ms. Soltani. Let’s continue the subject corroborated with your evidences in the next session. What were other issues the organization explicitly stressed on in relation to Neda’s family? Did they merely intend to gratify the family or implicitly made threatening to deter the family from engaging in any lawsuit against the organization?

BS: As I said, the organization mainly tried to persuade them that Nada’s immolation was not an organizationally persuaded action but impulsive. Of course all was implicitly stated otherwise it could imply organizational disobedience and Maryam was reluctant to use such terms directly. She rather meant to persuade the family that Neda’s death was the outcome of her great devotion and commitment to her leader and thus, on the one hand Neda would be the sole responsible for her own death and on the other hand, it would be Maryam who pocketed the merit of her action. Of course, Maryam showed so distraught with grief for Neda’s death that her parents who, impressed by Maryam’s performance, forgot about their own grieves and began to condole her on their own daughter’s death. Although it might be hard to believe and digest, but it really happened and the organization acted much cunningly in its role playing; to send an innocent to her death and then to sit weeping along with her family and then, not only escape trial on charges of her death but to make the family feel indebted to the murderer.

To be continued

October 3, 2009 0 comments

Former members of the MEK

17 June immolations, orchestrated or willful acts

An interview with Batool Soltani on MKO self-immolations – Part 22

Sahar Family Foundation: Ms. Soltani, significantly noticed in the course of the self-burnings was the TV coverage of the incidents; I mean the footages shot by the organization itself. It can be analyzed from different aspects especially when the organization claims immolations as willful and self-initiated acts. The very originally filmed scenes of the immolations prove that anything had been orchestrated beforehand. Will you give a further explanation of the outlook?

Batool Soltani: First I have to point out that I was not in the Europe at the time and saw noting directly. Whatever I impart is personal inferences. Concerning your question, it is explicit that the footages of the immolations were all filmed by the agents of the organization itself. The fact was accentuated in the internal meetings held in Camp Ashraf that it had been all filmed by the organization and distributed to a variety of foreign TV networks. Even they displayed the footages of Marzieh Babakhani and Mohsen Sharifi’s self-burnings and underlined it had all been filmed by the equipped agents of the organization. But they never said a word about it for the outsiders and claimed the footages were random TV reports filmed by other networks. Although they had done their best not to err, you could clearly identify the members in the frame of the camera.

Besides, there are other evidences to prove the footages were the work of the organization itself. Footages are usually licensed for a certain network and any second coverage carries the original licensed logo attached to it. It is natural since there exists a competition among the Western networks and agencies to have the leading role in an incident and to own the copyright on the footage; the footages of the self-burnings all lacked the licensed logo which proves the leading role of the organization in recording all scenes.

As soon as a member sets himself/herself on fire, the camera starts recording and it is exactly positioned where it had to. The big mistake made by the organization is that the scenes are all filmed by professional hand recorders rather than ordinary cameras or mobiles, which reduces the possibility of any random record.

The used sophisticated equipments proved that it was also a simultaneously orchestrated operation. It is strange to see someone walk to gas station to procure gasoline and then march to a certain location where he sets himself on fire; nobody ever think of it as a random shot, it is a film making. How people may come to believe the claims of the organization that the immolations were unplanned but self-initiated is too amazing. No doubt, they were exactly pre-planned and followed a written scenario. Another point to notice is the reflection of these operations outside of the organization.

After her release, Maryam Rajavi claimed the French police had prevented distribution of a prepared videotaped message in which she had asked members to cease self-burnings. The claim seems to be true since termination of an action is possible when you have issued orders for its commence. No member dared to engage in any act unless authorized and approved by the leader but no outsider had a clear image of internal affairs; they had to be kept in dark about the plans to prevent further negative costs and consequences. As you saw, in the course of some held trials in European courts, they could convince the court about the voluntariness of decisions.

There are other evidences that support the idea of organizationally schemed operations. To enumerate them, the first is the widespread TV coverage of the incidents; the authentic record of events is clear and widely distributed while each is filmed in a certain part of the Europe. The second is the vast propaganda blitz they staged following the operations, and second, and the most important, is Rajavi’s message mainly focusing on the operations and referring to the victims by names. Last but not the least, there are evidences of the organization’s past threats.

I remember Massoud and Maryam once threatened the French government of staging self-burning operations which was endorsed by many members who volunteered in the letters of the ideological revolution. They would read these letters to us in the course of training classes. As Rajavi stated in one of his speeches, the identical aspect in all these letters was volunteering for self-immolation. Thus, there remains no doubt that the operations were all organizationally orchestrated and aimed to achieve certain goals.

SFF: A question to ask, had all these self-burnings been planned to kill or the priority was laid on the propaganda and political aspects of the operations? Is it possibly justifiable that the organization had already promised members that it would interrupt to survive them immediately as soon as they had staged the operations?

BS: I know nothing of these details in particular. If they had resolved on such a policy, it would have been worked out in councils out of Auvers-sur-Oise. I cannot exactly impart anything.

SFF: Well. In your opinion, is it of any significance for the organization to focus on the political aspects and convince the members that it never lets anybody get harmed but betrays them in practice and sends them to their death?

BS: I do not think it is a proper angle to look from since there is actually no need for the organization to make such preparations. When members volunteer to risk their life, it means they have given their final acquiescence to die. There is no need to trick them and nobody hesitates to set himself on fire when the command is issued. It is possible that the organization decides to limit the killings to one or two but there might come times when the span of propagation borders no limitation and the circumstances require further continuation of the operations. The momentous approach the organization utilizes to overcome its crises is directly risking the life of the members.

As a result, it has the upper hand in having a particular situation in its own control by sending multitudes of victims to their death. If ever it discriminates in favor of a ranking member and makes an attempt to save him/her, that is because of his/her organizational status and has nothing to do ever with caring for the humane attitudes and the victim’s individual values. Still, the organization regretted the attempts made for the survived. Marzieh Babakhani was badly burned when they smothered the fire and she was a pitiful creature to look at with all those burns that had damaged her face and hands. She was badly deformed and suffered a lot and it was disputed why she had been allowed to live and they openly wished she had died.

SFF: Have you seen the photos of these operations’ victims?

BS: Neither themselves nor their photos. They said the doctors had failed to treat them well and from the bulk of their propaganda it could be discerned that the victims had made a great impression. Once Mozhgan (Parsai) applauded Marzieh saying she was a living martyr of the organization. She would say Neda and Sediqeh had passed away once for ever but Marzieh was suffering and dying in any moment. It is easy to picture how emotionally they impressed the members and alleviate the psychological and physical agonies of the victims.

To be continued

September 29, 2009 0 comments

The cult of Rajavi

Requisite interaction between Iraq and quitters of MKO

The recent events in camp Ashraf shows that the Iraqi government has to use parallel levers beside the legal ones in order to control Mojahedin and set its members free from the cultic relations of a closed group.

The reason maybe the cultic nature of this group and its unpredictable aspects like unconventional suicide operations carried out by the members who have been persuaded through convincing procedures and brainwashing techniques that entirely neutralize external influences.

The interviews with MKO former members and their eyewitnesses have convinced Iraqi officials that MKO like other cultic groups welcomes any violent reaction as a strategic issue. The question of violence is a broad one to be elaborated on from different aspects. There are numerous articles and studies in this regard but it has to be investigated more extensively.

Almost all cult experts are unanimous that coming to a clear understanding of cults, their motivations and nature is inevitable for averting their potential dangers. There are some levers for achieving this objective like covering communicative activities, studying historical models, and continuous interaction with former cult members to arrive at a realistic relation with them. In this regard, Singer writes:

My warmest thanks and deepest appreciation go to the more than three thousand cult victims who shared their stories, their pain, and their healing with me, helping me to learn about cults and the harm they have brought upon so many. 1

She also refers to the necessity of using clinical consultants beside cult ex-members and writes:

Exit counselors typically charge between $500 and $1,000 a day, plus expenses-a fee schedule similar to that of many other consultants. Exit counselors have to study and keep abreast of the ever, changing cult scene and collect data, films, and documents from and about the various groups. Many exit counselors do not charge for the extensive phone time that is involved. Most offer free clinics for ex-members and donate hundreds of free hours lecturing to schools, churches, and other organizations. 2

Although making use of consultants seems impossible regarding Mojahedin, it seems that MKO’s quitters, many of whom are active in different organs and NGOs, can achieve this objective. They may offer some information on camp Ashraf, classification of members, and their mental inclinations. Even these limited pieces of information may pave the way for minimizing the costs imposed on Iraq.

The Iraqi officials have to notice that MKO quitters are from different organizational layers based on which they can offer solutions for the current challenges from different aspects. For instance, those quitters from the Leadership Council have valuable information on the aspects of human tragedy focused on by Masoud Rajavi.

The information provided by these separated members helps Iraqi officials to recognize the objectives pursued by MKO leaders at the time being. The fact is that they are not aware of the true nature of MKO and its potential dangers for Iraq in this phase.

Despite camp Ashraf is a part of Iraqi soil, Iraqi officials are unaware of the transitions and changes made there and also its facilities. Even some MKO members are unfamiliar with the structure of this camp where they have lived for years. Undoubtedly, the lack of information may present Iraqi officials with serious problems. It seems that the only option before Iraqi officials is turning to MKO’s separated members for advice to get acquainted with camp Ashraf and its structure. In this regard, Iraqi officials can interact with MKO former members on following issues:

1. General information on the headquarters, buildings, media and telecommunication facilities, possible hideouts and prisons in camp Ashraf.
2. Advice on developing relation with Ashraf residents.

If Iraqi officials manage to take full control of MKO relations, they can use information of separated members and classify Ashraf residents accordingly. Undoubtedly, there are many MKO members in camp Ashraf that are willing to leave the organization and MKO former members can help Iraqi officials in identifying these individuals. It may lead to the interaction of Iraq with MKO members according to their characteristics and organizational order.

3. The possibility of giving information to Ashraf residents by separated members.

The relation of separated members with Ashraf residents at least leads to the weakening of mental and political bounds imposed on Ashraf residents. The quitters can draw a clear and real picture of the present and future conditions for the remnant Ashraf residents. The role of face to face dialogue is of utmost importance in this regard.

4. The possibility of identifying leaders and key members of organization for separating them from rank and files. Although Iraqi officials have managed so far to identify some MKO leaders, but due to the organizational complexity of MKO it is believed that there are many more unknown leaders and no one but MKO members can identify them. The separated members can help Iraqi officials in revealing the identity of MKO’s leaders to be isolated from the rank and files.

5. Receiving primary information on the degree of human tragedy and violent reactions of Mojahedin.

The issue of human tragedy is now the most serious threat posed by Masoud Rajavi and the presence of some key members like Mrs. Batool Soltani of the Leadership Council may help Iraqi officials to get information on the quality and quality of this threat. There are also some other aspects in which MKO former members can help Iraqi official to attain a better understanding of the true nature of Mojahedin.

References
1. Singer, M. Thaler, Cults in Our Midst, JOSSEY-BASS ,A Wiley Imprint, 2003, XV.
2. ibid, 289

September 28, 2009 0 comments

Former members of the MEK

17 June immolations and the test of commitment

An interview with Batool Soltani on MKO self-immolations – Part 21

Sahar Family Foundation: What impact did immolations have on the relations within Camp Ashraf, and what objectives did the organization aim to achieve in particular?

Batool Soltani: The impact was widespread and it can be studied from a variety of angles. One was to promulgate and propagate the incident through a variety of means like video-clips, music, plays and TV programs. To impress the members, they had collected many old, impressive and devotionally themed music and songs and made new compositions that were then mixed with self-burning clips that were repeatedly displayed in dining halls and canteens.

To be a volunteer of suicide operations motivated in any form defined a high parameter for organizational promotion

The ends they strived for were to provoke and encourage members to identify with the models, to eulogize victims as heroes and heroines, to create a sense of self-criticism for failing to fully fulfill obligations, to coerce them to increase their frequent attendances of weekly hold sessions of ablution and confession to outpour what passed inside them, and above all, to frustrate formation of and doubt and question concerning the operations themselves.

In such an emotively moving atmosphere nobody dared to propound any question or utter any raised doubt; any logic and challenge had to be stifled and critics had no choice but to act in accordance with the whole climate. One interesting point to mention, the members were indirectly encouraged to register as volunteers for suicide operations and apply to burn themselves to death. They also arranged especial sessions to carry out a survey of opinions to have an assessment of the percentage of the volunteers for the operations at the time of Maryam’s arrest.

It was important for the organization to have an exact assessment of members’ allegiance whether to the organization or other external factors. The sessions were organized so cleverly that the attendants unconsciously uttered their internal reflections. To be a volunteer of suicide operations motivated in any form defined a high parameter for organizational promotion, but of further importance was the degree of organizational loyalty and commitment.

As the prerequisite for membership following the so-called ideological revolution was preparedness for death and suicide; to volunteer for operations worked only as a gauge of ideological, political and organizational commitment. The decrees of organization were the laws everybody was obliged to obey with no question; it was the first organizational principle. In the case of the June 17, it was a test of members’ loyalty and commitment.

I remember members who insisted to set themselves on fire at the time but the organization somehow convinced them that their deed was of no use. However, some were displeased of the antagonistic attitude and sought to execute their willingness. If they succeeded, it would question the organizational principle. Of the greater priority was obedience and the one who set himself on fire when unauthorized by the organization would be assessed a defiant.

Regardless of the nature of the defiance, the organization was concerned about its generalization which could cost it irreparable damage. In fact, all was a test of a critical article of the ideological revolution to assess its degree of reliability in the face of any similar crisis. We have already talked about the articles of the ideological revolution and Rajavi’s stabilized status as an ideological leader whose commands had to be consciously and unquestionably obeyed.

The volunteers of self-burning first had to request permission of Massoud and Maryam for the act, a signification of absolute submission to leadership. Any form of disobedience, even unauthorized suicide and sacrifice, was condemned since it could be a possible challenge against organizational principle and had to be strongly confronted.

A practical, regular and invisible assessment of members’ obedience, chiefly at such critical junctures, well identified the potentiality of overcoming a crisis in the future. In fact, it was not the multitudes of volunteers for sacrifice or the passive but the level and amount of obedience. Of course, nobody was aware of the real intention behind all these, otherwise the plan failed altogether.

SFF: What was the main source to break the news of immolations? I mean, was it important for them to be the sole breakers of the news or quote it from other news agencies?

BS: The first channel of information was the Resistance TV but the organization did not mind if other known news agencies covered the news. But the problem was that all information channeled to Ashraf were biased and direct access to original sources of information was prohibited and was highly controlled. It was mostly because the organization behaved in anomalous way with some media and believed they were the mouthpiece of imperialism and the enemies in shadow.

However, some of these agencies were known to be the sole reliable source of information and the organization could not neglect their role in global information exchange. Wherever there were concordance between its own news and that of the agencies, the organization did not hesitate to blow them up to get desired results. However, they received the least attention if their information failed to side with the organization. BBC, for instance, was and is one of those news agencies the organization has despised above all, and that is why you hardly encounter any of the agency’s news and information quoted and reflected by the organization.

Its open hostility towards BBC is based mainly on a once description of the agency by Shamloo that has continued so far, and the organization is really desperate what to do when the agency releases news when it is preciously to its advantage. Suppose, BBC covers one of Maryam’s political visits and meeting while taking an impartial stand and no further analysis. It is an ample opportunity to grab at and to exert the propaganda impact, but the organization shows no direct excitement and quotes the news along with vituperative attacks directed at BBC.

In many cases, the organization applied a clever propaganda technique and aired its own distributed information quoted from well-known news agencies and TV networks for greater impact and desired propaganda advantages. On the one hand, the organization could convince the insiders of Ashraf that it was the center of global political and media attention and on the other hand, it took advantage of exposing its capacity as an alternative. In fact, apart from its attempts to repel the French government, the organization had entirely aimed to be the focus of the global media and to influence the news headlines for some time.

It appeared that domination of the mass media was more serious than Maryam’s release, it is a fact that can be well understood by the amount of the reports and news reflected by the media throughout the world. A look at the organization’s own media at that time and later reveals that it had designated a big bulk of its propaganda space, both cyber and non-cyber, for the reflection of the relevant issues and news and did not spare to stick even at the trifles. The origin of these news was often the organization itself and most often used them quoted from other news agencies; as it benefitted the effect of media coverage on the incidents of 17 June immolations.

To be continued

September 27, 2009 0 comments

Former members of the MEK

Pride and joy among MKO defectors

Three more defectors of Rajavi’s Cult who were banned behind the bars of Mujahedin at Camp Ashraf returned home and joined their families.

Within a friendly atmosphere at Nejat Society Gorgan Office, Mr.Ahmad Sarayee, Mr.Jamshid Sarayee and Mr. Yunos Yanpey gathered together and shared their bitter memoirs of the days of their being captives of MKO and that their new life in their motherland is filled with joy and peace.

Nejat Society Golestan Branch

September 27, 2009 0 comments

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