DC rally to warn of humanitarian crisis for Iranian refugees in Iraq

Sunday, 20 July 2008
USNewswire

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire - Today, Thursday, July 17, 2008, a rally was held in front of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) office in Washington, DC, to sound the alarm about a looming humanitarian crisis for nearly 3,500 Iranian political refugees in Camp Ashraf in Iraq. The rally condemned the July 4 missile attack by Iran's clerical regime against Camp Ashraf and demanded security guarantees for its residents.

Camp Ashraf is the residence of nearly 3,500 members of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), the principal Iranian opposition movement, who are recognized as "Protected Persons" under the Forth Geneva Convention, International Law, and International Human Rights Law. They are currently under the protection of the Multi-National Force-Iraq, led by U.S. forces.

According to numerous reports in the state-run media in Iran, Iraqi security forces, which are largely staffed and controlled by Iran's terrorist outfit, the Qods Force, intend to take over the protection of Camp Ashraf. This would likely lead to the killing, torture, repatriation, or forcible expulsion of these refugees, creating a humanitarian crisis.
The rally, attended by friends and relatives of Camp Ashraf Residents, and sympathizers of the Iranian Resistance in the area, made the following demands:

1- Camp Ashraf Residents symbolize the will of the Iranian people for democracy and popular sovereignty. We pledge our full support for the Camp Ashraf Residents and declare that we will stand by them right to the end and will not allow the regime in Iran to harm them in any way.

2- Camp Ashraf Residents are protected persons under the Geneva Conventions, International Law, International Humanitarian Law, and the principle of non-refoulment, and should be protected by Multi National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) led by the U.S. Army. In addition to the status recognized by the U.S. Forces, according to the most credible international law experts, this responsibility lies with the U.S. forces for as long as they remain in Iraq.

3- According to the International Law, the safety of Camp Ashraf Residents cannot be transferred to any other authority, and must remain the responsibility of the United States Military.

4- ICRC is a key enforcer of the Geneva Conventions and International Humanitarian Law, and should remind the United States Military of their non-transferable obligations towards the security of the Camp Ashraf Residents, and not allow the Iranian regime to violate the rights of the residents of Ashraf.

5- We ask the MNF-I, the Iraqi Government, and the international community, specifically the ICRC, to condemn the missile attacks against Camp Ashraf. We also ask the United States military to take special measures in order to prevent future attacks.

6- We would like to give our warmest thanks to the Iraqi people, in particular the residents of the Diyala Province, for their unconditional support for Camp Ashraf Residents despite all the pressures, and restrictions.

SOURCE US Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents