NCRI – The United Nations knowingly sent Iranians in Camp Ashraf, Iraq, into danger when they moved them to Camp Liberty, and must now commission an independent inquiry into the recent deadly attack on the camp, former senior UN official Tahar Boumedra has declared.
Mr Boumedra was the chief advisor to the UN’s representative in Iraq for three and half years and was involved in plan to move of residents of Camp Ashraf to Camp Liberty.
But he has resigned in protest the conduct of Martin Kobler, the UN representative in Iraq.
Camp Liberty, located near Baghdad international airport, now houses thousands of members of Iranian opposition, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, forcibly evicted from their 26 years home in Camp Ashraf.
Mr Boumedra told a conference in UN Headquarters in Geneva on February 27: “Camp Liberty was known to be a serious threat to the Ashrafis (residents of Camp Ashraf). The UN was aware of that and still we moved them there. Now that we have witnessed the attack, we know that it is vulnerable. People died.
“Whoever is behind this attack must be held accountable. There must be an inquiry into the attack and the killing of seven people and the maiming of over 100 others.
The UN has played a fundamental role in this operation. It must send an independent commission of inquiry.”
Mr Boumedra also outlined the crucial reasons why Camp Liberty residents should now be returned to Camp Ashraf.
He added: “It’s just a question of a safe haven, where if an attack takes place they can go underground and be protected.
“In Camp Liberty there is no such thing, but in Camp Ashraf there are safe havens.
“We must protect them before we do anything else. Let’s forget about the refugee status determination process. Let’s forget about the relocation process. Imminent danger is there, so protect these people!
“I’ve said this before and I’ll repeat it, there is an imminent danger and you will hear in the next few weeks that there has been another attack and everyone has been killed, and people will condemn what has happened and that will be it. Danger is imminent and we need to take action now to protect these people.”
