NCRI- Concurrent with the cutoff of Ashraf’s water and electricity, Iraqi forces are stealing equipment and parts of Ashraf’s water system and transferring them with these forces’ vehicles to outside of Ashraf.
In the third week of water and electricity cutoff, as well as preventing entry of foodstuff to Ashraf, while Ashraf has the facilities of a modern city, its residents are forced to use wood for cooking and lamps for lighting.
In letters to the UN Secretary-General, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the High Commissioner for Refugees, the Amnesty International, Ambassadors of U.S., Arab and European countries in Iraq, and to members of the U.S. Congress and Senate and the European parliament, Ashraf residents called for an end to the cutoff of water, electricity, foodstuff and fuel.
They wrote that the cutoff of water and electricity “has had human consequences regarding the residents already. So far 8 people have been dehydrated because of severe heat and lack of electricity to use cooling devices. Patients with blood pressure have run out of their medication which was provided on a monthly basis. The monthly food & medicine consumption of the residents came to Ashraf on 18 Aug. 2013 but the Iraqi forces returned the truck by intimidating the driver.”
The letter goes on to add: “The Iraqi officials… claim that the electricity cut is a general problem regarding all Diyala people and the water cut is a byproduct of the electricity problem while this is absolutely not a technical problem and is being executed by military and intelligence officers.
“Cutting water & electricity and food & medicine of refugees protected by the international law that are officially recognized as asylum seekers and persons of concern by UNHCR numerous statements… as well as protected under the Geneva Fourth Convention is a war crime and a crime against humanity by all definitions. The perpetrators of such crimes should be prosecuted and punished.”
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
August 24, 2013