Inversely portraying realities, letting Iraq escape from consequences of medical siege, and blaming the victim instead of oppressor by Martin Kobler
In a letter to Ms. Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, nine physicians in Camp Liberty as well as the residents’ legal advisor elucidated the procedure of illness and treatment of Behruz Rahimian and the way Iraqi intelligence agents treated him, particularly on 25 November 2012. In their letter, they wrote that if the agents had not prevented Behruz from being hospitalized in the coronary care unit (CCU), most probably he would not have been faced with such a condition.
As doctors who have been dealing with medical affairs of Ashraf residents for 25 years, they pointed out the medical situation in Liberty and asked the High Commissioner to intervene in this matter in order to put an end to the inhumane medical siege imposed on Liberty.
The letter, which is also signed by Behruz’s interpreter in his last visit to the hospital, has described Martin Kobler’s remarks in his letter of December 26 to the residents’ representative and his remarks to Associated Press a day after on December 27 as a failed attempt to portray the realities inversely and to let the Government of Iraq escape from the consequences of tormenting patients to death. Kobler had written, “his condition was assessed by doctors there as not requiring hospitalization” and he “does not have any indication so far that treatment was obstructed by the Iraqi authorities.” The physicians wrote in their letter that hereby he is blaming the victim instead of oppressor.
Part of the letter, copies of which have been sent to the UN Secretary-General and his political deputy, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, special representative of U.S. Secretary of State, Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Iraq and his deputy, and many other international personalities, says that Behruz’s interpreter talked twice on phone and asked for assistance from the head of UNAMI monitoring team who recommended to show restraint and that he would follow the issue. But nothing was resolved and due to instigation created by the agents, the patient and his interpreter returned to Liberty. The physicians’ report adds that although Behruz was very tolerant and patient, however, on the way back from the hospital and the days after, he was very upset with those agents’ behavior and he said their behavior was a psychological torture for him.
Underscoring that Behruz was not the first example, and should this situation continue, he would not be the last either, Liberty physicians explained restrictions and obstructions caused by the Iraqi government against the residents to prevent them from having free access to medical services; they also wrote:
• The number of serious patients at Camp Liberty is over 800 and among them are a big number of those injured in July 2009 and April 2011 attacks in Ashraf. An Iraqi general practitioner at Camp Liberty is unable to prioritize over 800 patients in need of appointments with specialists in Baghdad. This primary health center can just see up to 15 patients a day.
• From 20 February to 20 December 2012, equivalent to 10 months (304 days), in total only 255 patients were taken to Baghdad for treatment, and 216 patients who have been recommended by the camp clinic to go to a medical specialists in Baghdad, are still waiting in line. They have not been taken to Baghdad even once. Also, 148 patients are in line for surgery. The charts are attached.
• This clinic has only one ambulance and most of the times the patients and their caretakers are taken in very cramped and harsh conditions in this ambulance. Therefore, even if we presume no new patient is added, it will take more than two years just to finalize the cases of current patients.
• Conditions in Liberty are much harder. The Iraqi government has not allowed our own hospital and medical equipment, including the CT scan device in Ashraf’s internal clinic, to be transferred to Liberty. We used this equipment to provide treatment for our ordinary patients and keep our dire patients under observation. These devices and equipment were used by the residents during the past 26 years, including when US forces were in charge of Ashraf’s security. Depriving the residents of these facilities is aimed at tormenting to death ill refugees at Liberty.
• Since two months ago the agents affiliated to Iraqi Prime Ministry office have been accompanying patients. They cause serious obstructions in treatment affairs such that the patients constantly complain of psychological torture, insults and humiliations imposed by them. These agents sometimes even do not allow the patient to visit a doctor privately. They insist that the patient or his interpreter talk to the doctor only in Arabic.
These persecutions and harassments have been reported in 31 reports in November and December 2012 to Messrs. Kobler and Busztin, the SRSG and his deputy; Mr. Francesco Motta in UNAMI Human Rights Office; and Ms. Claire Bourgeois in the UNHCR. Besides, in October, November and December 2012, the residents’ representative and legal advisor brought up these problems with Iraqi officials in Liberty in the presence of UNAMI representative in at least nine meetings on October 16, 30 and 31; November 4, 6, 13 and 20; and December 6 and 18. Those officials promised that the agents would not interfere in medical affairs and would not harass the patients anymore. But those pledges not only have never been met, but harassments have been intensified.
• In meetings with UNAMI officials on October 9, 15, 17, 18, 23 and 25; November 1, 2, 5, 6, 20, 25 and 27; and December 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 13, 15, 22 and 23, the issue of patients’ problems and their harassment and torment in going to hospitals have been brought up by residents’ representatives and legal advisor, but to no avail.
• In all abovementioned reports and meetings, all cases of violation of basic rights of the residents such as their free access to medicine and doctors, having interpreter and a nurse to accompany the patient, privacy of doctor and patient relationship, as well as various examples of preventing patients from being hospitalized, cancelling appointments, preventing purchase of medication, and deliberate delays in leaving the camp have been explained.
In the end of their letter to the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the nine physicians residing in Liberty asked her to intervene and resolve three specific problems:
First – preventing any interference by Iraqi Army intelligence and Prime Ministry Office elements in the medical affairs of residents;
Second – increasing to 10 the number of patients that are taken to hospitals in Baghdad each day. If it is necessary to increase the number of ambulances and drivers, the residents’ ambulances could be brought from Ashraf to Liberty, and drivers will be hired at the residents’ own expense.
Third – transferring residents’ medical equipment from Ashraf to Liberty to be used as before to improve medical care for them.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
December 30, 2012