Iranian opposition’s Camp Ashraf attacked – Statement 68
NCRI – It has been for over ten days that food stuff have not been allowed into Camp Ashraf due to the ongoing siege and criminal attacks by Iraqi forces. In these circumstances more than 500 Ashraf residents are suffering from injuries and among the residents there are over 1,000 who have been beaten by the suppressive forces and there are many patients. This is yet another war crime against protected persons and an obvious example of crime against humanity.
Since July 26, the Iraqi forces have not allowed any food stuff and fuel to enter Ashraf and food consignments have been turned away. Suppliers of essential commodities to Ashraf have also been threatened not to go to Ashraf otherwise they would be arrested or killed. The Iraqi forces under the orders of the religious fascism ruling Iran are planning to continue with pressures and starving Camp Ashraf residents, in order to leave them with no option but to kowtow and submit to illegitimate demands of the Iranian regime.
1 – The entrance to Ashraf is completely closed with roadblocks and piles of sand and no transit into the camp is possible.
2 – Iraqi police and Army commanders have said that from now on, food and vehicles carrying basic staples must go through several checkpoints, scrutinizing the vehicles and their contents, and changing vehicles, through the northern section of Ashraf, which is controlled by the Iraqi Forces, in order to enter the Camp.
3 – In current situation with high summer heat of over 50 degrees Celsius and a lot of dust in the air and given the state of hygiene which causes rapid decomposition of food stuff, the food suppliers are not prepared to sign contracts.
4- Threats to arrest and kill dealers and contractors, scrutinizing their identity cards and the forms they have to fill in and the documents they need to present on their vehicles still continue.
From 2003 to 2009, all commodities and food stuff for Camp Ashraf residents were purchased through Iraqi contractors and were delivered at the checkpoint near the main entrance gate to the Camp. All costs were paid fully by the residents. But, Ashraf is now turned into a prison camp and the Iraqi authorities have set restrictive conditions on every kind of food making it practically impossible to bring food into Ashraf. This has become a lever in the hands of the suppressive forces to increase pressure and force the PMOI members to surrender.
In light of the Iraqi forces inhumane treatment, the Iranian Resistance holds the American forces and the International Committee of the Red Cross responsible for supplying Ashraf with food and calls on them to open up the gates of the Camp and remove all suppressive and inhumane obstacles so that the food stuff which are all paid for by the residents of Ashraf could reach them.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran calls for immediate intervention of the United Nations Secretary General and the Security Council, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and all international human rights organizations in this respect.
The only way to resolve this matter is that the American forces would receive the food purchased by Ashraf residents at the checkpoint from the Iraqi contractors and suppliers and then hand over to the residents.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
August 4, 2009
