AFP, 17 Jan 2012 (Translated from Arabic Wire) – Numerous Iraqi lawyers and jurists called on the Iraqi government to refrain from breaching its commitments towards Camp Ashraf residents belonging to the Iranian opposition, calling on the government to provide assurances for their transfer to Camp Liberty near Baghdad.
1125 Iraqi lawyers and jurists, representing the Iraqi Committee of Jurists in Defense of Ashraf residents, signed a declaration calling for the relocation to the new camp to be annulled due to lack of necessary minimums for a dignified life in Camp Liberty.
“The Iraqi government to this day has prohibited Ashraf residents’ committee of engineers and technicians to become informed of the conditions of Liberty’s shortages for residence and logistics,” said Mohammad al-Robai’i, one of the signatories of this statement.
“Iraqi officials also prevented the residents to transfer their basic needs such as their personal vehicles, power generators, various devices and appliances for cooking, heating and cooling, and medical supplies to Liberty,” al-Robai’i added.
Al-Robai’i said Camp Liberty “in its current conditions lacks the minimums for a decent life, especially since we are in the winter season and if heating devices are not provided for they will be faced with life-threatening dangers.”
The jurists’ statement “criticized transforming Camp Liberty into a prison by taking advantage of UN approval and installing using new concrete walls.”
It is worth noting that a memorandum of understanding signed on Sunday between the Iraqi government and UN, stresses on the importance of 3400 refugees affiliated to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – the most significant member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran – from Camp Ashraf to another location in Iraq, where they will be accepted until the issue of their status as refugees is resolved by the UN and this is the first fundamental stage before their relocation outside of Iraq.
It should be noted that Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance (opposition in exile) announced last month the first group of Iranian refugees, consisting of 400 refugees, are “ready” to leave Camp Ashraf to another location for temporary residence in Iraq.
The name of Camp Liberty was mentioned the first time by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who welcomed the Sunday agreement and became obligated to send US Embassy officials in Iraq to visit the new site periodically.
According to the Iran opposition council, Camp Liberty near Baghdad Airport is located in a former US military base.
Iraq, which has postponed closing Camp Ashraf until April and according to the UN, has become committed to “providing security for the residents” in the new site, to this day has not specified the position of this temporary camp and also the timing of the residents’ relocation.
It is worth noting that Iraqi officials had decided to close this camp (Ashraf) before the end of 2011. This camp for nearly 30 years has been under the control of Iranian opposition in Diyala Province.