Camp Liberty, currently used as a refugee camp by People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI) or Mujaheddin-e Khalq (MEK), in Iraq, has been a victim of a series of suspicious activities and movements against them. These exiles, having first residing in Camp Ashraf, were attacked by Iraqi security forces, when they stormed the camp and killed as many as 36 and wounding 320 residents, on September 1, 2013. Liberty in recent days is reminiscent of the activities that took before, where one fears that the same path might be taken here as well.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has openly demanded for better treatment for these refugees, where some reports say that they are on a verge of being almost callous. It is reported that Kurdish organizations in Iraq have also united to demand an end to the ‘inhumane’ medical blockade of Camp Liberty, that has recently grabbed the attention of many Human Rights organizations as well. In Iraqi Kurdistan, 35 political, trade union and civil organizations issued a call to allow the free movement of goods to the camp, where they stressed on how these Iranian refugees had been living in unacceptable conditions, housed in metal temporary housing units, without having any access to the main city power grid. Moreover they have reported the people residing in these camps are forbidden to leave their vicinity, where 22 people have lost their lives due to lack of proper medical care.
NCRI has issued a report on similar suspicious activities that are taking place where three militiamen entered the camp on Sunday, January 18, 2015 under the guise of using the Iraqi clinic inside of the camp for medical treatment. The Iraqi police forces, according to their normal routine and responsibility, check the identity of people seeking to enter the camp and are used to automatically turning away non-residents. But in this case, the Iraqi police created no obstruction for their entrance. The three individuals that entered wore military uniforms, but they were neither from the military nor from the police, where their appearance suggested that they were part of the militias.
On Monday, January 19, a front company of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) that was working in the Baghdad airport a, just south of Camp Liberty took photos and video of various parts of the camp using a crane. The cameraman and photographer did their best to remain hidden, however for the refuges they were quite conspicuous inside the crane’s cabin.
At the same time, these activities are strongly linked to the Iranian regime’s meddling in the camp on a daily basis, where there are rumors of paramilitary terrorists, affiliated with the regime to have stepped up their scouting and preparation for an attack on Camp Liberty.
The Iranian Resistance once again calls attention to the repeated expressions of commitment by the US government and the UN regarding the safety and security of the Camp Liberty residents, all of whom are protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention, asylum seekers, and people of concern. The Resistance urges the US and the UN to immediately implement necessary steps for the safety and security of the residents.
