Camp Ashraf massacre: Who's to blame?

Dozens are brutally massacred but the world is largely indifferent. Why hasn't the murder of a large number of Mujahedin Khalgh members in Camp Ashraf, north of Baghdad, received the kind of media attention it deserves?  The images released by the organization paint a horrific picture, one we have seen many times in recent years, although not with this level of violence or number of casualties.

The reasons or perpetrators of this latest atrocity are not clear. According to some news reports, it seems that the camp initially came under mortar fire on Sunday, which killed a number of Mujahedin. The residents reacted angrily against the Iraqi forces stationed outside and in the ensuing clashes, there were more casualties. The Mujahedin claim there were more than 50, including a number central committee members.

In Iran, the Revolutionary Guards issued a statement praising "the sons of Iraqi Mujahedin" for carrying out the attack. It was another indication of the close relationship between the Islamic Republic and the Iraqi government and ties to the Shia militia which again brought heavy blows against Tehran's bitter longtime enemy. It now seems that the few remaining Mujahedin members will have to evacuate and Camp Ashraf will soon close after 27 years.

In the past year hundreds of Mujahedin have been transferred from Ashraf to Camp Liberty in Baghdad, waiting to find a home in other countries. But the process has not gone well as only a few have so far been accepted as refugees -- by Albania, of all places. Camp Liberty itself came under mortar and rocket attacks last February, leaving more than 45 casualties. The Mujahedin say the new camp is less secure and the residents should be allowed to go back to Ashraf. But there's little chance that will happen.

The situation has dragged on for too long. The Mujahedin leadership have shown little willingness to compromise. The organization's statements are often unreliable. All these and the world's focus on the Syrian crisis has led to less media coverage of Sunday's atrocity.

The Mujahedin are in a very difficult position. Although the Americans removed them from the list of terrorist organization, they have not had an active role in the protracted negotiations between the organization, the Iraqi government and UN officials. Meanwhile the Mujahedin have been exposed to these sorts of bloody attacks ever since the American troops left and ended their protection of Camp Ashraf.

A significant portion of the responsibility for these tragic attacks lays with the organization's leadership. They have treated Camp Ashraf as their own property and resisted Baghdad's demand to leave Iraqi soil. They have also dealt poorly with UN officials, often accusing them of colluding with the regime in Tehran. And the camp residents have been under enormous psychological pressure: those who have turned against the organization have been tortured, imprisoned, and in some cases executed. (See Human Rights Watch report)

But in spite of all that, it is the Islamic Republic and the Iraqi government who are most responsible for this human tragedy. Iran's military and security officials have used their influence in Iraq to crush an organization whose members were disarmed long ago and were no threat to the Islamic Republic. The attacks on the Mujahedin in Iraq were not a strategic necessity, but only an act of revenge for the organization's past terrorist attacks.

The latest killings were particularly cruel coming on the anniversary of the massacre of political prisoners -- many of them Mujahedin members and sympathizers -- in the summer of 1988. But the organization has shown that it can survive seemingly devastating blows. In fact we should expect that they will show their strength and resilience by redoubling their lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill to impose more sanctions on Iran.

What suffering the Iranian people haven't endured from both sides...