Vulnerability and Assurances on Camp-Liberty

In 2004, the US government recognized all PMOI members in Camp Ashraf as “Protected Person” under the Fourth Geneva Convention. In 2011, after Ashraf residents agreed to relocate to Camp Liberty in Baghdad, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recognized all PMOI members there as asylum seekers with protections under international law. Let's follow some of speeches on the vulnerability and assurances of the Camp Liberty.

Mr Rudi Jiuliani has correctly called this camp as concentration camp and killing field, since there has been inhuman siege imposed on the residents including medical siege causing deaths of 26 residents, being deprived from any freedom of movements, no visit is allowed there including their lawyers, ... the infra-structure is terrible while no construction is allowed by their own expenses, in addition the Protective T-Walls and bunkers were removed from the camp and they were under three missile attacks causing many deaths and injured, being deprived from having their own properties from Ashraf Camp, instead it has been plundered by the affiliated proxy intelligent ministry agents and militias to IRGC and Quds Force. And there has been no international probe into massacres against residents of the Camp Ashraf and Liberty.

In the previous posts we reviewed some of speeches including Mrs Maryam Rajavi's in which she insisted on " If US does not guarantee PMOI is protected against attacks by Quds Force,

at least, return part of its member’s personal arms for self-defense".

The following are excerpts of some of what was said about the Camp-Liberty in the Grand Gathering of Iranian in Paris June13:

Howard Dean: US must keep its word to protect Iranian dissidents in Camp Liberty

 

Howard Dean Former Presidential candidate

The United States government has failed to live up to its promise of protecting members of the main Iranian opposition group in Iraq, former U.S. Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean has said.

Dean, a former Governor of Vermont and Presidential candidate, spoke at the Iran Freedom rally in Paris.

"The only way that the US can have moral force on its side is that we keep our word.”

"I see the day when the people of Camp Liberty will be welcomed home in a free Iran as heroes", Dana,Rohrabacher

US Rep. Rohrabacher, Speaking at Grand Gathering

US Rep. Dana Rohrabacher Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats, says: 'Lovers of liberty, I salute you. I see a day coming when thugs riding motorcycle will not beat peaceful people up in streets in order to silent them in 

Iran . I see a day when no longer will women asking for their rights be thrown in the jail, beaten and raped and murdered. I see a day when elections will be held in Iran, and the mullahs won’t be choosing the candidates. I see a day when the people of Camp Liberty will be welcomed home in a free Iran as heroes. Today, it is my honor to join you, to remind the corrupt mullahs ruling Iran today that their day is coming, and it will come soon. I am here to join these brave people who struggle for liberty.

...  I say now is the time we must work together, to stand tall. I am proud to stand with you today, God bless you, and God bless your cause.”

"The inhuman siege, including the medical siege over the residents of ‎camp liberty must be ended", Tom Ridge

Dignitary Tom Ridge, First Homeland Security

Tom Ridge US first Homeland Security Secretary ‎:

We call ‎the United States put pressure over the Iraqi government to stop ‎the pain and suffering of the members of the MEK, residents of Camp Liberty. The inhuman siege, including the medical siege over the residents of ‎camp liberty must be ended. We must stand to our commitments and support the members of the Iranian opposition.‎

‎

I would do everything in my ‎power to pass ‎legislation to uphold our pledge to the people of camp liberty, Senator John McCain

Senator John McCain, Chairman of Senate Arms Services Committee

I am very proud to be with you for this remarkable and inspiring ‎display of Iranian unity against the terror and violence and ‎extremism of the regime in Tehran, and the people who are under ‎attack in Camp Liberty. The American people always stood up for ‎those fighting for the freedom and human dignity around the world ‎and that’s why the American people will stand with you at this time. ‎Your cause is our cause and your fight is our fight.‎ Today, we live in a world in crisis. Across in the Middle East, Iran is ‎setting fire to sectarian tensions in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen ‎and beyond, killing thousands and driving millions out of their ‎homes. The Iranian regime, the true epicenter of radical Islamic ‎extremism in the world, continues to fund terror and inside chaos in ‎its campaign for domination.

We know those in Camp Libertyare in danger and the Obama ‎administration is taking far too long to relocate them to safety. ‎But I can assure you of one thing; I would do everything in my ‎power as chairman of the armed services committee to pass ‎legislation to uphold our pledge to the people of camp liberty.‎ The American people will stand with you in this fight. I thank you ‎for your courage and commitment to this vital cause.

Thank you.‎

‎

"The Residents of Camp Liberty Are The ‎Pioneers of Iran’s Liberation. They Are Our Heroes", Struan Stevenson ‎

 

Pres. of EIFA, Mr Struan Stevenson

Struan Stevenson, Pres. of Europe Iraq freedom Association reaffirmed:

Camp Liberty residents are the real Iranian heroes: ‎Let me ask UN, why you’ve called this camp a temporary ‎camp while it is not? Why you refuse to announce it as a ‎refugee camp? Why didn’t you pursuit the investigations about ‎the massacres of Ashraf and Liberty residents? Why UN admits continuation of the medical blockade on camp liberty? ‎I insist US and EU to rather protect them than betraying them. ‎

"The Security of Liberty Residents Must Be ‎Implemented", Alejo Vidal-Quadras

Pres. of ISJ, Dr Alejo Vidal-Quadras

Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, president of ISJ, former vice president of the European Parliament, started his address on Iranian ‎Grand Gathering by saluting Camp Liberty residents, ‎calling them the real fighters of the freedom of Iranian ‎people and the reference and the source morality and integrity for the entire world. ‎

The chairman of the ’In Search of Justice’, ISJ, ‎reiterated that the security of Liberty residents must be ‎implemented and that countries which have pledged to ‎this safeguard must carry out their pledges.

International Community to Recognize Camp Liberty Residents as Refugees, Former Special Representative of UN Secretary General for Iraq

Dear friends, I am honored to be here today with all of you to reiterate my commitment to continue to pursue the justice, to continue to knock the closed doors as long as it takes to get them open, to continue to encourage the international community to stop looking the other way in order to bring the residents of Camp Liberty to freedom and a new life. I am concerned that despite all of our efforts over the past periods, injustice continues to prevail, doors continue to be locked, and the international community has not been able, has not endeavored, and simply has not dared to force a breakthrough in the five years of siege that is the real name of the game going on around Liberty.

Let me reiterate the immediate steps needed and possible to break the impasse:

1-     To have the U.S., E.U. member states and other interested countries accept quota for granting asylum to and pledge for the resettlements of Camp Liberty residents.

2-     To have the UNHCR engaged the government of Iraq on the status of Camp Liberty as a refugee camp under protection of international law.

3-     To encourage the government of Iraq to put in place of an impartial mixed committee to oversee the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding of 2011 between the government of Iraq and the UN.

4-     To request UNAMI to appoint impartial liaison officers to reside in the camp and ensure independent reporting on the day-to-day living conditions.

5-     To insist that the government of Iraq should ensure access to medical services, and

6-     To urge the government of Iraq to ensure that the camp be connected without delay to the city’s electricity grid.

It should not be too difficult to start working on these steps as long as the political will would be there to consider the residents as the refugees as they are. The crucial link between wish and reality should be established through UNHCR’s task and responsibility to ensure that the residents get documents that make them Persians with the status instead of keeping them in the legal limbo as is the case in their current situation. Not ignoring their existence but bring them back into worlds of normal rights and recognition, not staying silent and standby, breaking the silence, that is what we need now . Putting the spotlights on injustice and turning that around, that is what we need now. Pushing the international community towards unambiguous action, that is what we ask here and now. Thank you.