Written declaration No. 516 | Doc. 12916 | 10 July 2012

Inhumane pressure by the Government of Iraq on residents of Ashraf and Liberty is totally unacceptable

Signatories: Mr Brian BINLEY, United Kingdom, EDG ; Mr Pedro AGRAMUNT, Spain, EPP/CD ; Ms Sirkka-Liisa ANTTILA, Finland, ALDE ; Mr Walid ASSAF, Palestinian National Council ; Ms Þuriður BACKMAN, Iceland, UEL ; Mr Alexander van der BELLEN, Austria, SOC ; Mr Jean-Marie BOCKEL, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Bernadette BOURZAI, France, SOC ; Mr Márton BRAUN, Hungary, EPP/CD ; Mr Ali Salem CHAGAF, Morocco ; Mr Boriss CILEVIČS, Latvia, SOC ; Mr Michael CONNARTY, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Paolo CORSINI, Italy, SOC ; Mr Jim DOBBIN, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Alberto ESQUER GUTIÉRREZ, Mexico ; Sir Roger GALE, United Kingdom, EDG ; Mr Jonas GUNNARSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Ana GUŢU, Republic of Moldova, ALDE ; Mr Mike HANCOCK, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Mr Gábor HARANGOZÓ, Hungary, SOC ; Mr Andres HERKEL, Estonia, EPP/CD ; Mr Qais KHADER, Palestinian National Council ; Mr Edward LEIGH, United Kingdom, EDG ; Ms Inese LĪBIŅA-EGNERE, Latvia, EPP/CD ; Ms Lone LOKLINDT, Denmark, ALDE ; Ms Nicole MANZONE-SAQUET, Monaco, EPP/CD ; Mr Bernard MARQUET, Monaco, ALDE ; Ms Meritxell MATEU PI, Andorra, ALDE ; Ms Pirkko MATTILA, Finland, NR ; Sir Alan MEALE, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Jean-Pierre MICHEL, France, SOC ; Mr Patrick MORIAU, Belgium, SOC ; Ms Riitta MYLLER, Finland, SOC ; Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Ireland, EPP/CD ; Ms Maureen O'SULLIVAN, Ireland, UEL ; Mr John Paul PHELAN, Ireland, EPP/CD ; Mr Paul-Eerik RUMMO, Estonia, ALDE ; Mr Urs SCHWALLER, Switzerland, EPP/CD ; Mr Jouko SKINNARI, Finland, SOC ; Mr Serhiy SOBOLEV, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Vilmos SZABÓ, Hungary, SOC ; Mr Egidijus VAREIKIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD ; Mr Francisco Arturo VEGA DE LA MADRID, Mexico ; Mr Imre VEJKEY, Hungary, EPP/CD ; Mr Stefaan VERCAMER, Belgium, EPP/CD ; Ms Anne-Mari VIROLAINEN, Finland, EPP/CD ; Mr Luca VOLONTÈ, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Eric VORUZ, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

Coinciding with the Iraqi Prime Minister's recent visit to Tehran, pressure on residents of Camps Ashraf and Liberty has been intensified. The Iraqi government deployed armoured vehicles in Camp Liberty on 20 April and has removed T-walls surrounding the trailers, which are protective shields against explosions and sand storms. It is also refusing to implement agreements with the SRSG concerning the police presence in the camp. Inhumanely, the government is preventing the transfer of special vehicles and trailers for people with disabilities.

The state of the infrastructure in Camp Liberty is critical. The water supply per resident represents only one-third of per capita consumption of water in Iraq. Residents have constantly petitioned the government and the UN to connect the camp's water supply system to the urban network, but have received no response. Nevertheless, pressure on other local residents to move to Camp Liberty has been stepped up.

We urge the member States, the United States and the United Nations to stop further relocation of residents to Camp Liberty until minimum requirements, such as the withdrawal of armoured vehicles, the connection of the water and electricity supplies to the urban network and the transfer of at least some cars and the necessary facilities for patients have been met. The United Nations and its special representative must take a firm stance in the face of the Iraqi government's breaches of its commitments.