Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20515
February 23, 2012
The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
US department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Clinton,
As co-chairs of the Iran Human Rights and Democracy Caucus, we write to first and foremost express our appreciation for devoting your personal attention to the situation of Camp Ashraf residents.
As you are no doubt aware, after being informed of your recommendations and assurances, Ashraf residents agreed to relocate the first group of 397 residents to Camp Liberty.
However, reports from Camp Liberty indicate that the Camp and its infrastructure fail to meet the minimum human rights standards. Apart from the unacceptable facilities and infrastructure, there is a lack of freedom of movement and of access to lawyers, journalists, and visitors. The on-site presence of armed Iraqi forces indicates that the minimum assurances of protection against harassment promised by the UN and US are not being met.
This is a critical time for the Camp Ashraf residents. We write to urge you use your good offices to ensure that;
1. The Iraqi police station at Camp Liberty is moved to outside the facility, otherwise other residents will not agree to go to Camp Liberty. Iraqi sovereignty is not in question. Iraq has full sovereignty because it is controlling access to the Camp.
2. The residents have access to their lawyer, and families should be allowed to visit them in Camp Liberty. This would normalize volatile situation.
3. The agents and proxies of the Iranian regime should not be allowed either inside or around the camp where UNHCR will hold its interviews of Ashraf residents.
4. Immediate action needs to be taken in order to resettle the first group of residents in third countries since Camp Liberty is not appropriate for all the residents to set up residence.
Sincerely,
Bob Filner Dana Rohrabacher
Member of Congress Member of Congress
CC:
Honorable Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nationm NY
Ambassador Martin Kobler, the Secretary General’s Special Representative for Iraq