Written declaration 516
Coinciding with the Iraqi Prime Minister’s recent visit to Tehran, pressure on residents of Camps Ashraf and Liberty has been intensified. The Iraqi government deployed armoured vehicles in Camp Liberty on 20 April and has removed T-walls surrounding the trailers, which are protective shields against explosions and sand storms. It is also refusing to implement agreements with the SRSG concerning the police presence in the camp. Inhumanely, the government is preventing the transfer of special vehicles and trailers for people with disabilities.
The state of the infrastructure in Camp Liberty is critical. The water supply per resident represents only one-third of per capita consumption of water in Iraq. Residents have constantly petitioned the government and the UN to connect the camp’s water supply system to the urban network, but have received no response. Nevertheless, pressure on other local residents to move to Camp Liberty has been stepped up.
We urge the member States, the United States and the United Nations to stop further relocation of residents to Camp Liberty until minimum requirements, such as the withdrawal of armoured vehicles, the connection of the water and electricity supplies to the urban network and the transfer of at least some cars and the necessary facilities for patients have been met. The United Nations and its special representative must take a firm stance in the face of the Iraqi government’s breaches of its commitments.