Madrid, July 12 (EFE – Spain News Agency) .- The Spanish Senate today unanimously approved a statement in the House which expressed its “deep concern at reports about the use of force” in the refugee camp of Ashraf in Iraq and said it “regrets the loss of human lives.”
In the statement, which was read to the House by the Senate President Javier Rojo, the House calls on the Iraqi government to allow access to the refugee camp for independent international observers, “so they can get an idea of the situation” in the Ashraf since last April.
On April 8, 28 people were killed and 300 wounded when the Iraqi army tried to dismantle the camp, which currently houses about 3,400 people, whose security is controlled by the Iraqi authorities.
In the statement, the Upper House recalls that both United Nations and the European Union have “continuously and repeatedly” called on the Iraqi government “to refrain from the use of violence and to respect human rights of residents in Camp Ashraf.”
“The Ashraf refugee camp raises complex challenges with no easy answer. But the Senate of Spain agrees that the solution is not to use force,” reads the statement signed by all groups in the Upper House.
It also emphasizes “the responsibility of the Iraqi government to respect human rights of those living in this area” and urges to “find a peaceful and sustainable solution to the situation.”
