Sawt al-Iraq Website, 30 Dec 2012 – 133 Iraqi Members of Parliament issued a statement calling on United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to declare Liberty as a refugee camp under the supervision of the UNHCR and guarantee the residents their rights to freely sell their assets in Camp Ashraf.
“10 months after the transfer of the first group of Ashraf residents to Liberty it has become completely clear the resettlement of Liberty residents outside Iraq needs a long period of time. Therefore, this camp is not a temporary camp and this designation is not in line with the truth,” the statement reads in part.
“The United Nations must assume responsibility of this camp and recognize it as a refugee camp under UN supervision and provide assistance to Iraq,” the statement adds.
“Camp Liberty residents are ‘protected persons’ under the Fourth Geneva Convention and the UNHCR has time and again recognized them as asylum seekers and people of concern,” the statement reiterates.
“Now that the United States has delisted the PMOI from its banned list and there is no party that considers them as terrorists, it is necessary for all these sanctions and imposed restrictions on Camp Liberty lifted and a fundamental change in the approach towards these refugees be implemented. The residents must enjoy freedom of movement outside of the camp and the right to meet lawyers, MPs and foreign delegations,” the statement emphasizes.