• While transfer of residents’ utility vehicles is being barred, a consignment of essential spare parts previously agreed upon by Iraq and UNAMI and inspected in Ashraf and transferred to Camp Liberty was turned back at entrance gate
Yesterday, Captain Haidar Azab, a criminal officer of Iraqi intelligence that is tasked to harass and torment residents by the prime ministry, obstructed entry of a consignment of essential spare parts for the utility vehicles to Camp Liberty and ordered them returned back to Ashraf. These spare parts had been inspected in Ashraf by Iraqi officers and transferred to Camp Liberty.
This is while on May 4, during the transfer of the fifth group from Ashraf to Camp Liberty, six utility vehicles of residents were returned back to Ashraf from midway along the way in a banditry fashion and from that point onward, transfer of all utility vehicles of residents was prevented. During this period, drainage of black water was managed with great hardship by the limited number of vehicles that had been transferred to Camp Liberty prior to group five. Due to incessant work of these vehicles, many of them are in serious need of repair. After many discussions of this matter with Iraqi and UNAMI authorities, it was agreed that the needed spare parts for repair of the vehicles be transferred from Ashraf to Camp Liberty.
On 26 January 2013, Iraqi forces in Ashraf opposed transfer of 30% of these spare parts and after scrupulous inspection of the rest and using residents’ vehicles with Iraqi Police drivers, they transferred the spare parts to Camp Liberty.
After a stalling of two days at Camp Liberty’s entrance, Cpt. Haidar Azab who has been directly involved in two massacres of residents in 2009 and 2011and who has been summoned by Court of Spain, demanded the spare parts to be inspected and listed again. Then, he just allowed three pieces to get inside the camp and ordered the Iraqi forces to return the rest of the consignment to Ashraf. Residents’ many contacts and referrals to UNAMI to solve this problem proved fruitless.
Hence, it is expected that the condition of sewage in Camp Liberty that is especially critical due to winter and upcoming spring rains, turn all the more critical; a matter with serious consequences for residents’ health.
Reminding the U.S. government and United Nations’ direct responsibility for security and well-being of Ashraf and Liberty residents, the Iranian Resistance calls for their urgent measures to remove this inhuman siege.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
January 28, 2013