NCRI – Upon the order of the Iraqi Prime Minister’s office committee tasked to suppress Ashraf residents, the Iraqi forces continue their inhumane blockade on Ashraf and prevent the entry of many basic commodities purchased by the residents into the camp.
Yesterday, the Iraqi forces prevented the entry of a cargo container carrying items such as plates, clothes, shoes, irons, tables, chairs and insecticides into Ashraf and turned it away.
Under present conditions in Iraq, the insecticides are essential to combat attacks by dangerous pests. Insecticides have not been allowed to Ashraf for the past 20 months. Because of this, growing number of rats, scorpions, snakes and termites are seriously threatening the residents. Termites attack the foundations of buildings and trees. A large number of trees are currently dying. Before the siege on Ashraf, all the buildings, farms, trees and residential places used to be sprayed with insecticides four times a year.
In another repressive and inhumane measure, on September 15, the Iraqi forces did not allow the translator of two Ashraf female patients to accompany them to a hospital outside the camp. Without a translator, the two patients suffering from severe kidney problems had to cancel their long awaited appointments with a specialist. This happened while all the necessary coordination with Iraqi forces had been made two days in advance to facilitate the patients’ transfer to hospital.
The obstacles created by the committee to prevent Ashraf residents from having access to medical services, and not allowing them to be accompanied by their relatives, nurses and translators have stopped many patients to go to hospitals outside the camp. This has led to deterioration of their illnesses. If the patients received adequate attention in the early stages of their illnesses, they could have been cured completely.
These measures are part of the inhumane blockade enforced at the request of the Iranian regime since the beginning of 2009, after the transfer of the protection of Ashraf to Iraqi forces. This is a flagrant violation of international laws and conventions and a crime against humanity.
The Iranian Resistance calls on the UN Secretary General, the Security Council, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Iraq, as well as the U.S. ambassador and the command of the U.S. forces in Iraq and all human rights organizations to condemn these criminal measures and take urgent actions to lift the blockade on Ashraf.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
September 16, 2010
