NCRI – The UN Secretary General raised worries about the situation of Camp Ashraf, Iraq, in a report to the Security Council in the context of resolution 1936 this week.
In his report, the Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon says, the Iraqi “Government has banned a number of items from entering the camp, such as building materials, metal pipes and plumbing supplies, herbicides, insecticides and poisons for pest control. Additionally, a number of checkpoints have been established within the camp and more loudspeakers installed in the east and south of the camp to broadcast messages to the residents.”
The report points to several instances when Iraqi forces perpetrated violence against the residents of Ashraf and injured some of them. It adds, “UNAMI has called for restraint on both sides, respect for human rights and humanitarian standards.”
According to Article 1 of the report, In paragraph 6 of Security Council resolution 1936 (2010), the Security Council requested the Secretary-General to report to the Council every four months on the progress made towards the fulfilment of the responsibilities of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). The present report is the first submitted pursuant to that resolution.”
The full Article (41) on Ashraf is as follows:
“The situation in Camp Ashraf continues to be of concern since the departure of United States Forces in Iraq on 2 July 2010. Citing security concerns, the Government has banned a number of items from entering the camp, such as building materials, metal pipes and plumbing supplies, herbicides, insecticides and poisons for pest control. Additionally, a number of checkpoints have been established within the camp and more loudspeakers installed in the east and south of the camp to broadcast messages to the residents. The camp leadership maintains that such measures are intended to tighten control in preparation for their relocation, something they have repeatedly resisted. The Iraqi authorities have declared that the situation in Camp Ashraf will not be allowed to continue indefinitely and that they will notify UNAMI and the International Committee of the Red Cross when the time comes to relocate the inhabitants. Several small disputes between residents and local Iraqi officers reportedly turned violent several times in October and some residents sustained injuries. UNAMI has called for restraint on both sides, respect for human rights and humanitarian standards, while respecting Iraqi laws and recognizing Iraqi sovereignty in further decision-making, taking into account relevant provisions of international law.”
