Martin Kobler Gets the Heat for Deaths in Camp Liberty

Washington Conference
Washington Conference

Washington Conference

A conference held on Saturday February 9 in Washington D.C. was a chance for some U.S. former top officials to show anger and frustration about the conduct of UN Secretary General Special Representative Martin Kobler after Saturday’s rocket attack on Camp Liberty in Iraq leaving six Iranian dissidents dead. Speakers called on Kobler to resign his post as he had failed to fulfill commitments to the 3100 Iranian refugees in the camp.

“You’re a liar and the blood of these people is on your hands” said former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani to Martin Kobler.

“When I met with Martin Kobler in Paris he was insulted that I called it a concentration camp,” Giuliani said referring to Camp Liberty. “Well, Martin Kobler, it is not only a concentration camp, it’s a killing field.” He added, stressing “and you, Martin Kobler, watched it become a concentration camp. You allowed it to become a concentration camp and you permitted it to become a killing field.”

Mayor Giuliani then called on Secretary General to dismiss Martin Kobler from his duties for the failures leading to deaths of the six camp residents.  “You shouldn’t resign. Ban Ki-moon should fire you today.”

Residents of Camp Liberty are the Iranian Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization members who used to live in Camp Ashraf.  Following a pact between Kobler and Government of Iraq, and multiple attacks on their camp leading to deaths of many residents, the 3100 residents were forced to move to Liberty.

Former US House member Patrick Kennedy stressed that Kobler was responsible for the deaths of residents.  “We know now that the blood of those innocent martyrs that were killed last night are on Martin Kobler’s hands today.”  He continued on asking Kobler to resign from his post, “Today, today Martin Kobler ought to resign his position at the United Nations.”

Former US Attorney General, Michael Mukasey told the conference that he and Mayor Giuliani traveled to Paris to meet Kobler getting his assurance that the residents of Ashraf would be protected if they moved to Camp Liberty.  He emphasized that he felt terribly guilty for urging the residents to move to Liberty.

“What do we learn from all of this?” asked Judge Mukasey,  “We learn that this is what happens when a great nation [U.S] and a well conceived organization like the United Nations don’t live up to their ideals.”