By Nima Shariff
Stop Fundamentalism, 17 Feb 2012 – Following months of discussions and threats by government of Iraq and pressures by UN Special Representative Martin Kobler, 400 residents of Camp Ashraf have agreed to leave their home for 25 today to go to Camp Liberty were they are expected to be interviewed by the United Nations Refugee agency, UNHCR, for resettlement in third countries (countries except Iran and Iraq).
The new location was characterized by Secretary General’s statement issued on Thursday, to be a “Temporary Transit Location” which is, in UN terms, referred to short-term logging facilities for refuges to stay for a few days before being sent off to their destination countries.
But all indications show that the stay in Camp Liberty will not be as short as it is stated.
For that reason, this camp lacks minimum necessities for 3400 residents, who include one thousand women, to stay. To begin with, the place has no running water. Also, the residents will not have free access to medical services, their lawyers and families and they are forbidden from leaving the camp. These conditions are not according to humanitarian standards but they resemble that of a prison.
Camp Ashraf residents are members of the Mojahedin-e Khalq or MEK who are Iranian exiles opposing the mullahs’ regime in that country. They have escaped atrocities of the Iranian regime and have been living in Ashraf, Iraq for over 25 years. Following last year’s April attack on the unarmed residents of the camp by Iraqi forces which left 36 residents including 8 women dead and hundreds wounded, the residents applied for asylum with UNHCR in order to be resettled outside Iran and Iraq into third countries. While Camp Ashraf was clearly and perfectly a suitable place for UNHCR to conduct its refugee determination process, the process was delayed for almost 6 months, apparently by government of Iraq, pending a relocation, demanded only by the Iraqi government and the Iranian regime to another camp, which has finally been determined to be Camp Liberty.
To show good intentions and willingness to cooperate with international organizations and community to arrive at a peaceful solution, 400 residents of Ashraf at the request of President-elect Maryam Rajavi, agreed to move to Camp Liberty, despite the fact that the place is hardly ready to accept people to stay for a long period of time.
Since discussions about Camp Liberty between the UN and residents started, the government of Iraq has built tall concrete walls around the half square kilometer area making it more resemble a prison.
In addition to lack of facilities and all the limitations imposed on the residents, the 400 Ashraf residents who are leaving their own home today literally expect to be walking into a prison risking their own lives.
The risky and brave transfer to Camp Liberty for the 400 women and men who are leaving today, to save the lives of other residents and send a goodwill gesture showing that the residents really want to resolve this matter peacefully, is of course commendable.
But it also sends a message to the government of Iraq, the United Nations and the United States that Ashraf residents have done all possible to them to resolve the issue peacefully and it is now time for the UNHCR, UN, US and EU to meet their obligations including preparing the situation at the new Camp for the rest of the resident to move.
Obviously, if such conditions are not met, no further move should take place as it will put more lives in danger.