Marc Cardinal Ouellet, Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada, the highest ranking catholic eminence in Canada, in a letter to the United Nations High Commissionaire for Refugees (UNHCR), emphasized: “We hope that you take a strong action and reaffirm the position that the protection of Ashraf residents must remain in the hands of Americans and coalition forces in Iraq, in line with your obligations and mandate to safeguard the rights of refugees in need of protection.”

The full text of the letter to the UNHCR is as follows:

We have learned that the Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) is in negotiation with the Iraqi government to transfer the protection of Camp Ashraf to the Iraqi authorities.

Recently the Iranian media have reported this development at length as a victory and a first step for extradition of these individuals.

We understand that the Iraqi government’s statement of June 17, 2008 that shows its intention to deport these individuals in a clear violation of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the non-refoulement principle, which the international Committee of the Red Cross and the UNHCR have stressed upon.
The transfer of the protection of the Camp Ashraf residents to any other party who does not recognize the non-refoulement principle is an invitation for a humanitarian crisis. The UNHCR must intervene and not let the Iraqi government to act in grave breach of international law. The Iraqi security forces are deemed to have been infiltrated by the Iranian agents and proxies in Iraq.

We hope you take a strong action and reaffirm the position that the protection of Ashraf residents must remain in the hands of Americans and coalition forces in Iraq, in line with your obligations and mandate to safeguard the rights of refugees in need of protection.

Sincerely,
Marc Cardinal Quellet
Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada