Temporary Transit Location (TTL) for Ashraf Residents is a Failed Project
Mrs. Rajavi urges the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to declare the failure of the project, under interventions and pressures of the Iranian regime on Maliki’s government, in order to end forced displacement of Ashraf residents and end agony and harassment of Liberty residents under extremely hot weather.
While the UNAMI and the UNHCR stress that there is no prospect for a short term transfer of residents to outside Iraq, the TTL that was designed for a six months stay is now only an empty title that is used by the Maliki’s government to cover-up violations of human rights against Camp Ashraf and Liberty residents. The time period for the TTL in the original MOU signed between UN and Government of Iraq was six months. But on the agreement that was signed on December 25, 2011 between the Special Representative of Secretary General and Maliki’s security advisor, this time period was omitted under the directions of Maliki to fulfill Iranian regime’s ominous intentions against its main opposition.
Lack of humanitarian standards and continuous violation of IHRL, IHL, ICCPR, ICESCR, and Conventions against Torture and violation of UNHCR-declared fundamental rights to health, peace of mind and freedom of movement, are justified by saying that “Liberty is a TTL”. The aim, obviously, is to force the residents to surrender to the theocratic fascism and return to Iran eventually.
The residents in Ashraf and Liberty have communicated the above points to the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in individual and joint letters. Finally, the residents, following multiple letters sent to Mr. Martin Kobler with no avail, on May 22 wrote to the Secretary General to intervene in this failed project presenting their six-point request. (NCRI statement on May 23)
The international committee ‘In Search of Justice’, in its May 30 statement on behalf of 4000 Parliamentarians on both sides of the Atlantic said, “Meanwhile, the conditions at Liberty are grossly violating many of the minimum human rights and humanitarian standards, and while it has been exactly four months since the statement by Mr. Kobler, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative, announcing the confirmation of standards by the UNHCR and UNAMI, Liberty is suffering from lack of basic needs such as water, electricity, and a properly functioning sewage system, and the government of Iraq inhumanely prevents the transfer of residents’ necessary items from Ashraf to Liberty. Despite repeated statements by the UNHCR, including statements of February 1st, March 1st, and March 28th, the residents do not have the right of passage, have no access to their lawyers, and their relatives are not permitted to enter Iraq or Liberty/Ashraf. Liberty is, by all means, a prison. And instead of improving these conditions, Mr. Kobler’s mandate seems to be, first and above all, closing Ashraf at any price and piling up the residents in Liberty Prison. This has caused us all frustration and dismay”.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, 10 days after the May 22 letter from representative of Ashraf and Liberty residents was sent to the Secretary General, urges the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to declare the failure of the project, under interventions and pressures of the Iranian regime on Maliki’s government, in order to end forced displacement of Ashraf residents and end agony and harassment of Liberty residents under extremely hot weather.
“While the residents have displayed maximum flexibility and goodwill, endured six months of bitterness and pain, written tens of useless drafts and discredited letters for Mr. Kobler,” stated Mrs. Rajavi, “the continuous breach of commitments and agreements by the Iraqi government, the rerouting and returning of service vehicles belonging to women from middle of the way going to Liberty at the presence of the United Nations observers, and also the lack of humanitarian standards and increasing limitations and pressures particularly allowing the Iranian regime to intervene, leave no doubt that the TTL project has failed.”
Mrs. Rajavi added, “The UN and the Security Council should also call on the government of Iraq to reach an agreement with the resident for a solution that would be as the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated on December 26, 2011 following the signing of the MOU that would be “a peaceful and durable solution to the situation, respecting both the sovereignty of Iraq and its international humanitarian and human rights obligations.”
