Hoshyar Zabari, former Foreign Affairs Chief and spokesperson for the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), said in an affidavit that the People’s Mojahedin was never involved in the suppression of the Kurds in the 1991 uprising.
The Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) submitted an affidavit in 1999 to a court in the Netherlands that stated the People’s Mojahedin was never involved in the suppression of the Kurdish rebellion or afterwards. In an affidavit, Hoshyar Zabari, Foreign Affairs Chief for the KDP, said:
“The KDP, as a major political party, has led and participated in the Kurdish spring uprising in 1991 in Iraqi Kurdistan. The uprising caused the collapse of [the] Iraqi government’s military, security, and administrative structure in the region.
“The oil city of Kirkuk was liberated by the people and Kurdish forces (pashmerga). When the Iraqi troops counterattacked and regained control of Kirkuk and other major cities, there were rumors of Mujahedin units assisting the Iraqi troops. But due to disorder of events and developments it was difficult to establish the truth. However, when the leadership of Kurdistan engaged in negotiations with the Government of Iraq from April to September 1991 and the situation stabilized, these rumors were found to be untrue.” 1 (emphasis added)
Reuters news agency reported that it had separately obtained a copy of the legal document signed by Mr. Zabari. In an article, Reuters quoted Zabari as follows:
“(‘We) can confirm that the Mujahedin (sic) were not involved in suppressing the Kurdish people neither during the uprising nor in its aftermath.’ (emphasis added) ‘We have not come across any evidence to suggest that the Mujahedin have exercised any hostility towards the people of Iraqi Kurdistan.'”2
The affidavit concluded, “The Mujahedin-e Khalq has its own political agenda in Iran and its members do not interfere in Iraqi internal affairs.”
1) Affidavit Addressed to Mr. M.F. Wijingaarden, Netherlands, from Hoshyar Zebari, Head of KDP International Relations, Kurdistan Democratic Party, July 14, 1999.
2) “US Says Iraq-Based Iran Opposition Aids Iraq Government,” Johathan Wright, Reuters, May 22, 2002.
