In a letter to the UN Secretary General, the Bishop of Wakefield, Stephen Platten, condemned the oppressive measures of the Iranian regime against the Iranian people and Ashraf residents and called for an end to the inhumane siege laid on Camp Ashraf and undertaking its international protection.
The text of the letter, a copy of which is sent to US President Barack Obama and UN Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay, is as follows:
26th February, 2010
The Hon. Ban Ki-moon,
Secretary-General,
United Nations
sgcentral@un.org
Dear Secretary General,
Camp Ashraf
The oppression of the Iranian people by their government is deeply concerning as is the violation of
their basic humanitarian rights as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; including
“the right to life, liberty and security of person” (article 3) and the right not to “be subjected to
torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” (article 5).
I am equally distressed by the perilous situation of 3,400 Iranian dissidents in Camp Ashraf-Iraq
whose lives are threatened by conspiracies of the Iranian regime attempting to annihilate the
residents through the Iraqi government.
In 2004, Ashraf residents were recognized as ’protected persons’ under the Fourth Geneva
Convention by the US-led Multi-National Force in Iraq (MNF-I). The U.S. and Iraqi governments
have an obligation to ensure that these residents are properly protected under international law and
that their human rights are honored. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1883, adopted in
August 2009, gives the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) a mandate and
responsibility for the case of Ashraf.
Since the beginning of 2009, when responsibility of Ashraf residents’ protection was transferred to
the Iraqi forces, the Iraqi government imposed severe restrictions on the residents, cutting off their
communications with the outside world, and imposing a tyrannical siege on Ashraf in breach of
international law and conventions. In a clear case of “War Crime” and “Crime against Humanity”, in
July 2009, Iraqi forces launched deadly attacks on Ashraf residents that left 11 dead, 500 injured and
1000 battered. A further 36 residents were taken hostage. The Iraqi government was forced to
release them only after 72 days of immense international pressure and hunger strikes.
Regretfully, the Iraqi government carries out these unlawful and brutal measures against Ashraf
residents at the behest of the Iranian regime, while paying no attention to repeated objections by
thousands of parliamentarians in Europe and U.S. as well as international and human rights
organizations. The Iraqi government has shown that it has no intention to protect Camp Ashraf
residents.
In the view of the above account, I urge you to use your authority and personally intervene to:
• condemn the oppressive measures of the Iranian regime against the Iranian people and
compel it to observe Iranian people’s universal rights as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
• until Ashraf residents are transferred to a member State of the European Union or the
United States, urge the Iraqi government to officially recognize the rights of Ashraf residents;
especially recognition of European Parliament’s resolution of April 24, 2009 on Ashraf and
call for an end to the inhumane siege placed against Ashraf since January 2009 that prevents
essential daily life goods from reaching its residents;
• have UN peacekeeping forces undertake responsibility for protection of Ashraf residents
because the government of Iraq, being under the influence of Iranian regime, has shown that
it has neither the intention, nor the power or the competence to protect the residents of
Camp Ashraf;
• until the stationing of UN peacekeeping forces, urge USF-I to guarantee protection of
Ashraf residents from further attack, violence or forcible displacement inside Iraq.
Yours,
Stephen Platten