Residents of camp Ashraf, in Iraq, said they were ready for relocation of the first group on December 30. They are moving from Camp Ashraf, to Camp Liberty with their vehicles and moveable belongings.
The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative and the U.S. Embassy representative have been informed of their readiness.
In a meeting with the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) of the UN for Iraq, and representatives of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the representatives of Camp Ashraf residents declared that upon a request by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, 400 of Camp Ashraf residents were ready to move to Camp Liberty on December 30 with their vehicles and movable belongings including kitchen, bakery, heating, cooling facilities, etc.
The representatives of Ashraf residents stipulated that as it was declared by Mrs. Rajavi on Dec 28, the transfer will take place based on the December 25 statement of Secretary Clinton, the December 26 statement of UN Secretary General and the December 28 letter of SRSG.
As she had stated, regrettably, the Government of Iraq (GOI) did not agree with her participation or the residents’ representatives and not even their lawyers in the negotiations between the GOI and the UN. The SRSG, as he had stated, was only acting as a “facilitator,” and he referred the decision on minimum assurances for safety and security for the transfer of all the residents to Camp Liberty to future talks.
The representatives of the camp informed the SRSG and the US representatives of information about a planned fourth rocket attack on Camp Ashraf to induce a forcible displacement of the residents. These attacks are contrary to a peaceful solution and are in clear violation of statements by Secretary Clinton, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and letter of SRSG to the camp residents.
Mr. Mohammad Mohaddessin, representative of Ashraf residents outside Iraq, drew the attention of the U.S., UN and EU officials to the readiness of 400 Ashraf residents to be relocated to Camp Liberty on December 30 and said: “It should be clear to the international community that from this time on, the GOI would be responsible for any delay, obstruction and prevention in transfer of these 400 Ashraf residents with their vehicles and moveable properties. The relocation of the first group of residents to Camp Liberty and the way they are treated would be a test for relocation of other groups within the extended deadline. The Prime Minister of Iraq stated on December 21 that he has extended the deadline for six months upon the request of the UN Secretary General.”
The Iranian Resistance urges the UN Secretary General, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Ambassador Dan Fried, the special advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State on Ashraf, and the U.S. Ambassador in Iraq, to obtain the agreement of the Government of Iraq with the minimum assurances for the relocation of other Ashraf residents to Camp Liberty.
