We demand immediate action to recognize Camp Liberty in Iraq as a refugee camp under UNHCR supervision

H.E. Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General of the United Nations
The United Nations
New York, NY 10017
December 19, 2014

Dear Secretary-General:
Adverse security conditions of Iraq and the presence of paramilitary gangs and ISIS have by themselves made life perilous in that country. The efforts of the new Iraqi government to improve the situation is admirable, however what cannot be tolerated is the continued pressures and inhumane blockade imposed on nearly 3,000 Iranian refugees in that country who have been attacked and massacred several times. However, the camp is still under UN monitoring, pressures and restrictions, especially medical and logistical siege and psychological torture through blaring and earsplitting noises via powerful loudspeakers by the agents associated with the Iranian regime in the Iraqi government.

While the residents of the camp are in dire need of selling their property to cover the heavy expenses of their resettlement, not only are they are not allowed to sell their belongings, but also a significant number of them have been looted by the militias affiliated with the Iranian regime without any protection from the Iraqi government.

These issues are happening despite the fact that these refugees moved to the prison-like Camp Liberty until their resettlement in third countries upon the pledges made by the UN and U.S. for their safety and security and guarantee to be able to sell their property.

Considering that after nearly three years, more than 75% of these refugees have not yet resettled, and there is no near prospect for their resettlement, it is imperative that the UN and the U.S. live up to their commitments regarding the safety and security of these refugees. The first step is to recognize Camp Liberty as a refugee camp under the supervision of the UN High Commission for Refugees and to lift all the medical and logistical restrictions on the residents. It is also necessary to ask the Iraqi government to prevent the residents’ property in Ashraf from being looted, and let the residents sell their property.

We, the undersigned Nobel Laureates, ask you, Mr. Secretary-General, to use your good offices and ask the UNHCR and your Special Representative for Iraq, to take immediate practical steps in this regard.

The signatories are:
Sir Richard J. Roberts, Medicine 1993, U.S.
Professor Thomas C. Schelling, Economics 2005, US
Professor John C. Polanyi, Chemistry 1986, Canada
Professor Robert H Grubbs, Chemistry 2005, US
Professor Edmond H. Fischer, Medicine 1992, US
Professor Elias J. Corey, Chemistry 1990, US
Professor Dudley Herschbach, Chemistry 1986, US
Professor John C. Mather, Physics 2006, US
Professor Jack Steinberger, Physics 1988, US
Professor Arvid Carlsson, Medicine, 2000, Sweden

Copy of this letter also sent to:
Hon. Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Hon. Nickolay Mladenov, Special Representative of the Secretary-General
Ambassador Stuart E. Jones, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq
Hon Gy.rgy Busztin, Deputy Special Representative for Iraq UNAMI
Mr. Neill Wright, the UNHCR representative for Iraq