Manouchehr Sakhaei died
Manouchehr Sakhaei, Singer, Sitar player, actor, Parliamentary reporter and a member of the National Council of Resistance died in California on Thursday April 28, 2011. He died of cancer at age 76. He is one of the first and most popular pop singers and actors who started his career in Iran before the revolution. Manouchehr joined NCRI at the age 60 and was politically active. Radio Irava sends its condolences to his family and fans.
According to a statement by National Council of Resistance of Iran, on Friday April 22, two weeks after the attack and massacre of the Camp Ashraf residents, the Iraqi forces prevented medicine and medical equipment which were obtained through hard efforts and at a high cost by the residents from entering the camp. The medical equipment and drugs are vital in treating the injured of the April 8 attack. Particularly after two years of medical siege the residents are deprived of the minimum equipments. NCRI added: The aim of the clerical regime and its Iraqi agents is to pressure and torture the injured. Of the 346 residents who were injured on the April 8 attack, 225 were wounded by bullets and grenades shrapnel and are in desperate need of drugs. NCRI said in another statement that Bahman Atighi, 38 year old member of PMOI who was wounded during the April 8 attack, passed away in Baquba Hospital on Friday after 16 days of agony due to being denied medical care, bringing the total of dead to 35. Bahman Atighi, who joined the PMOI in Ashraf 14 years ago, was shot in his back and vertebra causing incision of spinal cord. His condition deteriorated in the hospital because of not receiving medical care causing acute infection in his gunshot wound area. NCRI said: Maliki is twice accountable for the murder of Bahman Atighi; both for the savage attack on April 8 and for preventing his treatment.
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“Iran in Context: Regional and Global Implications” conference is set to begin on May 5th 2011 in Ottawa. This conference is sponsored by the CSIS and Canadian National Defence which has been faced protest in Canada. One of the speakers Trita Parsi is a well known Iranian regime’s Lobyist in United States and is the founder of National Iranian-Amercian Council or NIAC for short. National post published an article written by Kenneth R. Timmerman and Sayeh Hassan on Friday opposing the presence of Trita Parsi in the conference. This article writes: “We call on the Canadian Government and CSIS to be consistent: either they should withdraw their support from this May conference, or they should demand that the organizers disinvite the regime apologist, Trita Parsi. Canadian tax dollars should not be used to pay for a conference that features an individual who promotes an accommodationist line toward Tehran. Such policies not only threaten the security of Iranians, but of Canadians as well.” The Iranian community in Ottawa while outraged is planning a demonstration in front of the Delta Hotel 101 Lyon Street on May 5th.
Ahwaz's "Day of Rage"- Iran
The Ahwazi Arab 'Day of Rage' proceeded under a complete media black-out and brutal state repression, leaving at least nine dead, scores injured and more than a hundred people detained by security services. During the demonstrations, the Bassij used live rounds and shot indiscriminately at unarmed protesters. In Ahwaz City, protests were reported in the districts of Siah, Zwiehe, Hamidiya, Aziziyah, Qadisiya and other districts. Al-Arabiya reported that four killed by security forces and 150, including 30 women five of whom are pregnant, were arrested in the days before the protests. Control of information was strict as the Ahwazi region was put under a state of emergency. Human rights observers were prevented from flying from Tehran to Bushehr travel to Ahwaz City to watch the protests. Electricity and water supplies were cut to some Arab neighborhoods in Ahwaz City and internet and mobile phone communication was difficult if not impossible. In order to deflect attention from the Ahwazi "Day of Rage", the regime staged protests against the Bahraini royal family, bringing in people from outside Ahwaz City. The media and communications blackout has largely been successful in preventing dissemination of news on the Ahwazi protests and the regime's response. The Ahwaz Human Rights Organization has condemned the killings and arrests in a statement.
UN says 34 killed in Iraqi army raid on Iranian exiles at Camp Ashraf
The Washington Post reported April 14, that an Iraqi army raid last week on Camp Ashraf left 34 Iranian exiles dead, according to a U.N. spokesman who on Thursday offered the first independent death toll for the attack that drew sharp rebukes from Baghdad’s Western allies. The April 8 raid targeted the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, which seeks to overthrow Iran’s clerical leaders. According to news coming out of Ashraf, the 6 hostages are back in Ashraf. Also number of wounded who were transferred to Iraqi hospital died as a result of their injuries. Camp Ashraf residents received their bodies on Sat. The unarmed residents of camp Ashraf defended their camp only with their bodies.
Iraqi forces attacked Ashraf Camp
Iraqi forces stormed Ashraf Camp a settlement of Iranian exiles in the early hours of Friday April 8, 2011. To date 35 people have been killed, 8 of them women. Iraqi Lt. Gen. Ali Ghaidan confirmed the offensive early Friday morning at the Camp Ashraf compound in northeastern Diyala province but denied anyone was killed. The video footage on youtube shows the residents of Ashraf being shot at with live ammunition and run over by armoured vehicles and Hamvees. The lack of medical equipment in Ashraf due to limitations by the Iraqi government is said to increase the numbers of death in Ashraf. Saba Haftbaradaran a young woman died as a result of this. The National Council of Resistance of Iran said in a statement today that 2 men have died of their injuries in Baghuba hospital in Iraq. According to the New York Times, the government of Iraq continued on Saturday to block the delivery of American humanitarian aid to Iranian exiles who were wounded in clashes with the Iraqi Army at a camp north of Baghdad, an American military spokesman said. The State Department and the United Nations have condemned the attack at Camp Ashraf, but the exact details of the episode remained murky on Saturday, and the United States military has said the Iraqi government denied it permission to deliver humanitarian assistance. Reporters Without Borders, an advocacy group, condemned the Iraqi government, saying in a statement: “This news blackout is unacceptable. The security forces are denying journalists access to the camp to hide abuses committed against civilians. Anyone trying to take photographs of the clashes is being attacked in a systematic and targeted fashion.” On Saturday the government allowed some reporters to visit the camp but not to speak to residents. The Iraqis took responsibility for the camp from the Americans in 2009. According to NCRI statement Sunday April 10, local time the Iraqi forces attacked the unarmed residents of Ashraf Camp again wounding 13 people.
Iraqi forces attacked Ashraf Camp
Iraqi forces stormed Ashraf Camp a settlement of Iranian exiles in the early hours of Friday April 8, 2011. To date 35 people have been killed, 8 of them women. Iraqi Lt. Gen. Ali Ghaidan confirmed the offensive early Friday morning at the Camp Ashraf compound in northeastern Diyala province but denied anyone was killed. The vedio footage on youtube shows the residents of Ashraf being shot at with live ammunition and run over by Hamvy vehicles. The lack of medical equipment in Ashraf due to limitations by the Iraqi government is said to increase the numbers of death in Ashraf. Saba Haftbaradaran a young woman died as a result of this. The National Council of Resistance of Iran said in a statement today that 2 men have died of their injuries in Baghuba hospital in Iraq. According to the New York Times, the government of Iraq continued on Saturday to block the delivery of American humanitarian aid to Iranian exiles who were wounded in clashes with the Iraqi Army at a camp north of Baghdad, an American military spokesman said. The State Department and the United Nations have condemned the attack at Camp Ashraf, but the exact details of the episode remained murky on Saturday, and the United States military has said the Iraqi government denied it permission to deliver humanitarian assistance. Reporters Without Borders, an advocacy group, condemned the Iraqi government, saying in a statement: “This news blackout is unacceptable. The security forces are denying journalists access to the camp to hide abuses committed against civilians. Anyone trying to take photographs of the clashes is being attacked in a systematic and targeted fashion.” On Saturday the government allowed some reporters to visit the camp but not to speak to residents. The Iraqis took responsibility for the camp from the Americans in 2009. According to NCRI statement Sunday April 10, local time the Iraqi forces attacked the unarmed residents of Ashraf Camp again wounding 13 people.