Brussels, 03/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The transfer of those living in Camp Ashraf in Iraq to another camp, christened “Camp Liberty”, situated close to Baghdad, can begin, announced the special representative of the secretary general of the United Nations for Iraq (UNAMI), Martin Kobler, on Thursday 1 February. The camp is ready to receive the first wave of residents from Camp Ashraf, which will close for good in April, he said. Residents will have to be encouraged to take the plunge, he added, stating that that no one was under any obligation to transfer. He pointed out that the safety of the camp's inhabitants was the responsibility of the Iraqi authorities.
The People's Mujahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI), the largest group in the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which controls the camp, is unhappy about conditions in the new camp. The PMOI claims that there will be no drinking water, residents will not have the right to come and go freely, or to have access to lawyers or medical services. The NCRI says that Camp Liberty is surrounded by concrete walls and Iraqi service personnel will be present inside and outside the camp.
Camp Liberty is transitional, to allow time for the High Commission for Refugees to consider the position of the Ashraf residents and to see if they qualify for refugee status that would allow them to leave the country. The ultimate aim is to relocate the inhabitants in a third country, Kobler said, and he called on European countries to take them in. Each case will be examined individually and in depth, said US Special Adviser for Camp Ashraf Dan Fried. The High Representative will continue to monitor this issue so that member states can consider taking in residents, added European External Action Service Director for the Middle East and Southern Neighbourhood Hugues Mingarelli. (CG/transl.rt)