London SW1A 0PW

MPs reject Kobler’s “roadmap”for Ashraf residents
Hon. Ban Ki-moon
UN Secretary General
United Nations
New York, NY 10017
23 July 2012

Dear Secretary General,

We are deeply concerned by the report that your Special Representative Martin Kobler
gave to the UN Security Council on 19 July regarding the case of residents of Camp
Ashraf and Camp Liberty in Iraq.
While laying the blame for the current stalemate in the relocation process on the
residents, he threatened them that the Iraqi government’s patience was “running thin”.
Regrettably, Mr. Kobler failed to bring up the serious and legitimate concerns of the
residents in his report. We are concerned by the fact that he is not impartial in this crisis.
The residents’ demand that they take their property to Camp Liberty could certainly not
constitute a violation of Iraqi law or sovereignty. How can a demand for easy access to
water, at the residents’ own expense, violate Iraqi law or sovereignty? How can having
sunshades to protect them from the torturous heat, or paved passage and ramps for the
disabled, or forklifts to unload heavy daily logistics for thousands of people be in
violation of Iraqi law or sovereignty?
Mr. Kobler failed to mention any of the breaches of the MOU that he signed with the
Iraqi government and all the hassle that the Iraqi forces made during the relocation of 5
groups of people from Ashraf to Liberty. By covering up these hideous acts and failing to
mention them in his report he is giving a green light to Iraqi government to continue the
malpractices.
Mr. Kobler has lost our trust as an impartial facilitator. He ought to be replaced by a
special envoy for Ashraf and Liberty. The UNHCR must have an independent mandate to
deal with the crisis. Camp Liberty must be recognised as a refugee camp, and property
rights of the residents must be recognised and respected. They must be allowed to transfer
their property to make their lives easier in Camp Liberty and sell what they don’t need or
cannot carry. Only by observing these basic and humanitarian principles could a peaceful
outcome to the crisis be guaranteed. Anything short of this, I am certain, is not acceptable
to you or us.
We look forward to receiving your urgent response.

Yours sincerely,
[Peter Fraser] Rt. Hon. Lord Fraser of Carmyllie QC
President, International Parliamentary Campaign in Defence of Ashraf
Former Lord Advocate for Scotland