Special Report: International Conference Marking Ramadan, Striving for Solidarity, Piety, and Fraternity

 

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Staff Writer

On Monday, April 4, marking the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community, the National Council of Resistance of Iran organized the conference, entitled “United Against Fundamentalism and Incitement to War, for Peace and Fraternity”, at its Headquarters in Auvers-sur-Oise, on the outskirts of Paris, France.

Thousands of members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (PMOI/MEK) residing in Ashraf-3 in Albania, joined the conference online.

A wide range of political, social, scholarly, and religious leaders from various Muslim countries, including Jordan, the Syrian Opposition Coalition, Algeria, Tunisia, Kuwait, Iraq, Yemen, and Palestine joined French Muslim, Christian, and Jewish community leaders and addressed the conference.

Connecting live from war-torn Ukraine, Kira Rudik, a member of the parliament and leader of the Golos Party, as well as former economics minister and presidential advisor Tymofiy Mylovanov attended the conference and gave moving speeches.

As keynote speaker of the event, NCRI President-elect Ms. Maryam Rajavi opened her remarks about the true spirit of Ramadan, where Muslims avoid naturally instinctive desires and perform self-restraint and discipline to gain constant awareness and consciousness that is summarized in one word, piety or in Quranic terms, Taqwa. Principles that were brought and taught by the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) to enhance peace, fraternity, and prosperity among people.

“If fasting is limited to abstaining from eating and drinking for a few hours, and if it does not awaken the conscience of society to rebel against oppression, poverty, and hunger, it would fall short of its objective,” Ms. Rajavi said. “So how could those who fast remain silent and ambivalent vis-à-vis the ruling theocracy that is destroying Iran’s wealth and people and is the embodiment of injustice, plunder, and corruption?”

Reminding about the inhuman policies set forth by the ruling clerics in Iran, she added: “Last year, the Coronavirus death toll in Iran exceeded half a million. Had Khamenei not deliberately paved the way for the spread of the disease, and had he spent a fraction of his predatory foundations’ $1 trillion fortune on containing Covid-19, the death toll in Iran would have been several times lower.”

Providing shocking statistics about the multitude of problems plaguing the Iranian society, including the rising absolute poverty, increasing number of suicides, selling body parts, selling new-born, malnutrition, child labor, homelessness, and the disturbing number of people without healthcare, Mrs. Rajavi pointed out: “Compared with all the other Middle East nations, Iran has the largest number of billionaires who, directly and indirectly, profit from their connection to Khamenei… He forces people to work without pay and has turned Iran’s labor force into the world’s cheapest. He starves the vast majority of people and plunders public wealth and properties, drives the sick to death and the people from their homes.”

Reciting different verses of the Quran that warn how greed and plunder of God’s children arouse the wrath of God, the NCRI President-elect said: “Fulfilling one’s pledges to God and the people in defending the rights and freedoms of the oppressed and achieving freedom, justice and equality is the greatest act of piety in our time. This explains why the People’s Mojahedin have been waging a struggle against the Shah and the mullahs for five decades. For thirty years, they have given up their homes and families to wage a relentless battle against sexism and self-praising individualism. They have embraced this great test of piety in our time to overthrow the ruling religious fascism and establish freedom and popular sovereignty.”

“Iran’s explosive situation empowers the forces of the uprising and the valiant members of the Resistance Units,” Ms. Rajavi said, forecasting the way ahead. “No doubt, the religious tyranny, having failed in all intellectual and ideological spheres, will not survive in the face of this enormous force, the Resistance Units and the great Army of Freedom. And this is how the Iranian people’s destiny will be decided,” she emphasized.

 

“The Iranian regime is constantly inflicting pain on the people of Palestine while claiming to be by their side,” Former Palestinian Chief Justice Sheikh Taisir Al-Tamimi told the meeting. “We stand with the Iranian resistance to free the people of Iran from the clutches of this regime. This regime abuses Islam and pretends to be an ally of Islamic countries. It indiscriminately kills people in the region and spreads war. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all people of the region to stand against this regime.”

Ukrainian MP and leader of the Political Golos Party Kira Rudik said: “I want every war criminal to be prosecuted. I heard about what happened to you in Ashraf, and I want to tell you that now I know what you went through. What is happening to Ukraine cannot be forgotten. I’m talking to all world leaders and organizations. You need to act now. Forty days was enough. You should know where the red lines are. There are small towns like Bucha, where children are being killed, and women are being raped. This must be stopped. We want to end this war and the horrifying things we are seeing. I would like to thank you and share the pain that your nation is going through.”

 

Tymofiy Mylovanov, Ukrainian Minister of Economic Development and Trade (2019-2020), and advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office, noted: “Tyranny can be fought only when all nations unite and fight them together. Until I got bombed and the bombardments started in Kyiv, and I saw massacred families, I didn’t understand the plight of other nations. The lesson today is that there are no borders when it comes to fighting tyranny. If I get out of this situation, I will focus on more than just Ukraine. I will care for your people, for the people of Syria, Georgia, and Afghanistan. This is a disease, and it must be stopped.”

 

“The opposition in Iraq has been struggling to free Baghdad from the clutches of the Iranian regime’s Revolutionary Guards, who are destroying Iran and its people, Aiham Alsammarae- Iraq’s former Minister of Electricity told the meeting. “We are with you and your struggle, and we wish you victory. Your victory is also ours. Iran must be freed and returned to its people.”

Ahmed Jarallah- Kuwaiti journalist, editor-in-chief of the Kuwaiti Al-Seyassah and Arab Times said: “People around the world are witnessing the activities of Mrs. Rajavi to end this regime, a regime that has caused suffering to the people of Iran and the people of the Arab World and around the globe. I hope that by the next Ramadan, you will have overcome this regime.”

Former Chief of the UN Human Rights Office in Iraq (UNAMI) and advisor to the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) in Iraq Tahar Boumedra said: “The residents of Ashraf were killed, deprived of medical services, but no one would talk about them. AP, Reuters… the press were silent. People in Ashraf were killed in silence, they were defenseless. The Ashrafis fought very hard. They resisted and their resistance paid off. It opened avenues for them to get out of the hell of Iraq and go to Albania to start their lives in Ashraf 3.”

“All these memories are there to show that when people want freedom, they sacrifice for it and achieve it,” Mr. Boumedra added. “You have come a long way in your struggle and your resistance to turning the situation. You now have international status. You are achieving victories every day. And with the wisdom and courage of your leadership, you will certainly achieve more victories. You will certainly bring those who persecuted you to justice. The process has already started. One of the perpetrators of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners is already being tried before a Swedish tribunal. This is the beginning. More trials will come soon. You are a resistance movement that will not give up. It will secure not only victory, but it will also bring the perpetrators of crimes to justice.”

Rabbi Moshe Levin, Deputy Chief Rabbi from France said: “For many years, I have witnessed your struggle for peace and equality in the region. All religions respect the separation of state and religion and I wish peace for all people around the world.”

“The people of Syria stand side by side with the people of Iran against the regime. Iran’s regime has always exported terrorism and fundamentalism around the world. The people of Syria have suffered greatly at the hands of the Iranian regime and its proxies in Syria. Our people have suffered greatly because of the atrocities they have carried out in our countries. Unfortunately, the international community has closed its eyes to what is happening in my country,” noted Salem Al-Meslet, Chairman of the Syrian Coalition.

“We are standing by your side, by the side of those standing against the terrorist regime of Iran,” Ahmad Al-Mosabli- Advisor to the Yemeni Minister of Public Affairs underscored. “Our wishes are the same, to get rid of our common enemy. This is why we support you and you support us. Iran-backed militias are inflicting suffering and pain on our people. We want to rid the people of this common enemy. I am sure that victory is within reach. If Iranian militias in Yemen are defeated, the mullahs in Qom and Tehran will be toppled. We get energy from you and your activities in Iran. Freedom is not given to anyone. You have to obtain it.”

Jordanian MP Ahmad al-Khalayeleh said: “The people of Jordan and Iran are brothers. I hope that our brotherhood and friendship continue and the next time we meet, you will have achieved your goal and Mrs. Rajavi has realized the ten-point plan for Iran. We hope that soon this regime will be toppled and we in the Arab World will be freed from its interference in our countries.”

NCRI’s Committee of Religions and Denominations Chair Jalal Ganjei noted: “Support for the Iranian Resistance sends an important message to the world. Muslims need a new interpretation of Islam, which exposes the fundamentalism that is being preached under the name of Islam. To support a Muslim woman who defends equality between all religions, and in particular, the equality between men and women is an important alternative to the fundamentalism of the mullahs ruling Iran.”

“People in Iran and other countries must unite,” Cheikh Dhaou Meskine, Secretary-General of the Council of Imams of France, said. “Iran must play its role in the international community and assume the position it deserves in the world. The people of Iran and the world need you, Mrs. Rajavi. We must stand and fight by your side against the dictatorship ruling Iran. This regime is a terrorist regime. The Quran is against dictatorship and the rule of one person.”

“It’s been 42 years that the massacre has been ongoing in Iran,” Khalil Merroun, Director of the Grand Mosque of Avery in Paris lamented. “I’m not an Iranian but I hate to see my religion misused for these kinds of activities. By freeing Iran, we will free Islam. We must put our efforts into realizing this freedom as soon as possible. The regime has falsified Islam.”

Jacques Gaillot, a renowned French clergyman, and social activist told the meeting: “Many Iranians have risen and are struggling for their rights. Their dream will let Iran get rid of the mullahs and become a free nation.”

“The Quran says that if you kill one person, you have killed humanity, said Sadek Abrous, President of the Muslims Regional Council of Ile-de-#France region. “This is what the Iranian regime does. The Iranian regime is stealing from the people. It promotes terrorism and violence in the region. When you struggle against this regime, you are defending our beliefs. I wish you success in your struggle to overthrow the Iranian regime.”

 

Special Report: International Conference Marking Ramadan, Striving for Solidarity, Piety, and Fraternity

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