EUROPOLITICS, EU/Iraq, 3 Jan 2012 – A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Iraqi government and the United Nations, on 25 December 2011, on the transfer of 3,000 Camp Ashraf residents to another transit location, where the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will proceed with the verification of their status and facilitate their repatriation to other countries. “The entire international community will be able to follow closely the whole process and the EU intends to bring its support to this whole arrangement,” said High Representative Catherine Ashton.
Iraq also agreed to extend the 31 December deadline for the evacuation of the camp. The residents and the international community now have until April 2012 to settle the situation. The only condition was that between 400 and 800 residents had to be transferred to other countries before the end of 2011. According to Maryam Rajavi, leader of the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (MEK), 400 residents were ready to move on 30 December.
“The EU fully supports this agreement and wishes to commend the goodwill and constructive spirit shown by all parties involved,” Ashton said. “I thank also the government of Iraq for having showed the necessary flexibility, including with the timing. We count on it to ensure that this process takes place in an orderly way, avoiding violence or coercion,” she added. Yet the camp reportedly suffered two mortar hits on the day the agreement was signed.
Since control of the camp was transferred from the US to the Iraqi authorities in 2003, residents have been victims of Iraqi attacks on numerous occasions on the grounds that they might have collaborated with former dictator Saddam Hussein. According to the United Nations, on 8 April 2011 Iraqi security forces killed at least 31 refugees and wounded another 320.