Dutch Iran group appeals to US to prevent humanitarian catastrophe in Ashraf

NCRI, 03 June 2009 – In a letter to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Dutch group Friends of a Free Iran (FoFI) condemned “the illegal and oppressive assault of Iraqi Police on Camp Ashraf,” and appealed to “the US forces and Government for an urgent intervention to prevent a possible humanitarian catastrophe.”
Camp Ashraf, located north of Baghdad is home to thousands of members of the Iranian opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) who have been recognized as “protected persons” under the Geneva Conventions.
Text of the May 29 letter of the Dutch group follows:
Dutch Group Friends Of a Free Iran (FOFI) condemns the illegal and oppressive assault of Iraqi Police on Camp Ashraf, which is the residence of 3400 members of the Iranian opposition in the Iraqi territory.
We were informed of a sudden entrance of a large number of police forces into Ashraf. This is a suppressive and unlawful action which prepares the ground for a humanitarian catastrophe in Ashraf. This measure is a violation of the Iraqi government’s obligation to the US government with regard to respect for the rights of Ashraf residents and it demands immediate intervention by the United States in order to return the Iraqi police forces from Ashraf.
The European Parliament on 24 April 2009 in a resolution titled: “The humanitarian situation of Camp Ashraf residents”, asked the Iraqi Prime Minister to ensure that no action is taken by the Iraqi authorities which violates the human rights of the Camp Ashraf residents and to clarify the government’s intentions towards them; calls on the Iraqi authorities to protect the lives, and the physical and moral integrity of the Camp Ashraf residents and to treat them in accordance with the obligations under the Geneva Conventions; and called on the Iraqi Government to end its blockade of the camp.
Recent developments and particularly today’s suppressive measure indicate that the Iraqi government posses neither the will nor the necessary independence of action to respect the rights of Ashraf residents and to implement the European Parliament’s resolution which determines the minimal rights of Ashraf residents.
Bearing in mind the international obligations of the United States and also in view of the fact that Ashraf residents, in a mutual agreement with the US forces, had delivered all their weapons to the MNFI in 2003 in return for a security pack agreed with the US security forces, it is up to the U.S. government to assume the responsibility of the protection of Ashraf residents under the supervision of the UN.
The Iraqi government has neither acknowledged Ashraf residents’ basic rights nor has it recalled its siege which has begun since last February and is still ongoing.
In view of the Iraqi governments’ failure to acknowledge Ashraf resident’s rights as stressed in the 24 April Resolution of the European Parliament, and its continued violations, Dutch group FOFI appeals to the US forces and US Government for an urgent intervention to prevent a possible humanitarian catastrophe and to guarantee the full implementation of the Resolution.