Camp Liberty: 40 NGOs condemn attacks against the residents

By Staff Writer, Iran Probe
Tuesday, 12 July 2016

Today, an international committee supporting the residents of Camp Liberty in Iraq announced that following the Iranian regime’s led missile attack against the camp last week on 4 July, 40 non-governmental organizations and human rights associations from 5 continents, have written to the UN Secretary-General calling  for safety and security and human rights of Camp Liberty residents to be respected.

Stes de Necker President of the “Friends of Camp Liberty” made the letter pubic. The text of the letter is as follows:

Dear Sir,

I trust that you are aware that Camp Liberty has already been subjected to four missile attacks and that the residents have witnessed seven massacres during the past years in Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty leaving 141 deaths including 24 patients who were tormented to death due to the medical blockade in both Ashraf and Liberty.

The Iranian dictatorship regime, and through the Suppression Committee in Iraq have left no stone unturned to annihilate Camp Liberty residents.

On July 4, 2016, Camp Liberty was once again heavily attacked by more than 50 missiles and left over 50 wounded –the missiles weigh 111 kg and have a 50 kg Payload.

Amnesty International condemned this brutal attack on July 6, 2015 and this senseless terrorist attack deserves to meet your condemnation as well.

Unfortunately, although the camp was hit by 50 missiles, the governmental Suppressive Committee in charge of Camp Liberty has still imposed a blockade of fuel, food and medicine since June 26, 2016.

As International Diplomatic Ambassador and President of Friends of Camp Liberty (FOCL), I would like to present a joint letter to your good self, signed by 40 non-governmental organizations and human rights associations from 5 continents, calling for safety and security and human rights of Camp Liberty residents.

The threat of further missile attacks is ever present and unless you can assist with bringing these atrocities the attention of the world at large and do everything in your power to ensure safety, security and wellbeing of refugees in Camp Liberty, the next barbaric attack on Camp Liberty is merely a matter of time.

Honourable Secretary-General

We, the under mentioned non-governmental organizations and human rights associations, wishes to draw your attention to the blatant violations of Human Rights of over 2000 defenceless Iranian refugees in Camp Liberty (Hurriya), Iraq, who are officially recognized as “persons of concern” and “in need of international protection”.

In the last massacre, on October 29, 2015, Camp Liberty was targeted by 80 reinforced missiles, launched by elements of the Iranian regime in Iraq.

24 refugees were killed, dozens were wounded and significant part of the camp was levelled to ground. The threat of further massacres and risk of increasing number of casualties before resettlement of these refugees is looming.

Therefor:

– Whereas the attack of October 29, 2015 received your condemnation and your call to “provide for the safety and security of the Camp’s residents” as well as your call to “bring the perpetrators to justice”;

– And where as a further  brutal attack took place on the Camp on 4 July 2016;

– And whereas two Opinions adopted by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention A/HRC/WGAD/2012/32 & A/HRC/WGAD/2012/16 in which mentioned, “the Working Group found that conditions in Camp Liberty “are synonymous with that of a detention centre”;

– And whereas the Joint Opinion of Ad Melkert, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Iraq (2009-2011) and Dr. Tahar Boumedra, Chief of UNAMI Human Rights Office and Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Iraq (2009-2012), emphasizes that “Camp Liberty was [has] to be managed by security officers who were in charge of the three years siege against Ashraf and who were suspected to have taken part in the previous armed attacks against the residents”;

– And whereas the resolution H. RES. 650 adopted by Foreign Affairs Committee in the U.S. congress on May 18, 2016, calls on the Government of the United States “to make all reasonable efforts to facilitate the residents’ access and ability to sell their property and assets” for the purpose of “funding their costs of living and resettlement out of Iraq”;

– And whereas the UNHCR update no.13 on Camp Liberty expresses that the relocation’s success has been contingent upon the residents’ commitment to meeting the bulk of costs associated with relocations to third country and this commitment to meet travel costs and living expenses is crucial to the ongoing implementation of solutions for the residents;

– And whereas article 17 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights highlights that, “Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others,” and “No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property”;

We therefore request you urgently to assist in:

1- Providing and ensuring safety, security and wellbeing of refugees in Camp Liberty;

2- Annulment of all suppressive measures against the residents of Camp Liberty including besieging, and arbitrary prison making by the governmental Suppressive Committee in charge of the camp. The right of the residents must be respected according to International Human Rights Law and particularly article 12 of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on “the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health”;

3- The government of Iraq must recognize the right of the residents to their own property and allow them to sell their property or compensate the cost, so that the residents would be able to expedite the process of resettlement;

Yours Sincerely

SI de Necker

Int. Dipl. Amb. and President of the International “Friends of Camp Liberty”

Signees (alphabetical order)

1. ABA’s International Criminal Court Project CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE Brazil
2. Africa Youth Network for Justice, Peace & Progress(AYNJPP)Togo
3. Alfagr Elgadeed Center for Studies and Human RightsEgypt
4. Alwatan Center Palestine
5. Angel Intergovernamental OrganizationItaly
6. Arab Penal Reform Organization(APRO)Egypt
7. Association Amis des Enfants Australia (Friends Association for Children Australia)
8. Association in Defense of Human Rights(LADDH)Algeria
9. Association of Democratic Jurists(ANGD)Italy
10. Association of Human Rights(APDHE)Spain
11. Association of International Humanitarian Noble Academy-IHUNAItaly
12. Association Watching The SkyGenoa, Italy
13. Citizens WatchRussia
14. EveryOne GroupGenoa, Italy
15. Freedom House Foundation(FHF)Yemen
16. God Believers Association(GBA) India
17. Human Rights and Democracy Media Center(SHAMS)Palestine
18. Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan & member of the SOS-Network of OMCTAzerbaijan
19. Human Rights Organization(OMDH)Morocco
20. ICBC International Committee of the Blue Cross and Blue Crescent United Kingdom
21. International Diplomatic Ambassador and FOCLSouth Africa
22. International Human Rights Commission(IHRC)Nigeria
23. International Society for Human Rights (ISHRA)Australia
24. Islamic Middle PartyJordan
25. Italian Association of Democratic LawyersItaly
26. Lawyers Union for Democratic and Legal StudiesEgypt
27. National Organization for Defending Rights and Freedom(HOOD)Yemen
28. Pax Christi AustraliaAustralia
29. People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights(PVCHR)India
30. Poets for Human RightsItaly
31. Reform and Development PartyEgypt
32. Solidarity PartySyria
33. Uganda
34. Syrian Continuous Development CenterEgypt
35. The National Coalition Party of Canada
36. Tunisia Green PartyTunisia
37. WORLD ACADEMY OF HUMAN SCIENCESItaly
38. World Peace Committee (WPC)Malaysia
39. World Students’ Peace FederationPakistan
40. Yemen Center for Civil Rights (YCCR)Yemen