UNHCR urged to act over
Iraq “prison” camp
The Law Society of England & Wales is
urging the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees to step in and
ensure the residents of Camp Ashraf in Iraq are not forced to move
to a “prison-like” new home.
The decision by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri
al-Maliki to move the 3400 residents of Camp Ashraf to a different
location - Camp Liberty - where there remain concerns
over the existence of sewage systems, cramped conditions and the
fact that residents will not be allowed to leave the camp, which is
surrounded by a four-metre high wall, has been criticised by the
Law Society.
The Law Society says that al-Maliki's decision
to move the residents, which have come under unprovoked attack from
al-Maliki's forces in recent years, to the new camp is a breach of
international human rights, and is calling on the UNHCR to stand by
its demand that any relocation outside Camp Ashraf must proceed on
a voluntary basis, with freedom of movement.
Professor Sara Chandler, chair of Law Society's
Human Rights Committee said: “The Iraqi PM is about to
preside over a major breach of international human rights law by
moving Camp Ashraf's residents to Camp Liberty. Even if they go
voluntarily, there is no freedom of movement in the new camp and
since the residents will not have access to their lawyers, family
visits or even medical services, Camp Liberty is anything but a
camp. It is more like a prison.
“Furthermore there are no facilities for
the disabled, many of whom were wounded during the July 2009 attack
and April 2011 massacre when al-Maliki's armed forces invaded Camp
Ashraf.
“Now the Allied forces have left Iraq, UN
must protect the rights to which the residents are entitled. We,
and I am sure the rest of the international community, will back
the UNHCR in this endeavour.”
A technical assessment from the United Nations
Assistance Mission for Iraq has passed Camp Liberty as fit for
purpose, despite identifying no potable water in the camp; no
infrastructure for the disabled persons including ramps, stairs and
sanitary facilities, while dinning facilities are just 700 people,
not the 3400 residents.
Professor Sara Chandler added: “The
residents of Camp Ashraf have a dire choice at the moment -
either stay in Camp Ashraf and face further violence, or move to a
facility that deprives them of any dignity or acceptable standard
of living. That's hardly a choice.”
Ends