NCRI – The AFP on Wednesday December 21 quoted the United States’ State Department as follows: “After tensions related to necessary supplies to the camp during recent months, it seems that no problem remains as to the supply of food and water but some ‘worrying’ remains on fuel supplies.” Those affirmations are completely erroneous and devoid of truth. The Iraqi government, on strict demands from the Iranian regime, has imposed a harsh all round siege on Ashraf since three years ago, a siege strongly intensified during recent months.
- Since the beginning of 2009 and especially during the last two years, repressive Iraqi forces have continuously hurdled the transfer of the urgently sick and the wounded to Baghdad hospitals or even those of Erbil or Baqouba, as well as blocking medical supplies to the camp. Since April 17, 2011, no medicine has been permitted into the camp. Twelve ill or wounded residents have died during last year because of this siege. Cases concerning those people have been referred to the United Nations and the US administration.
- Since February 8, 2011, not a single drop of gasoline has entered the camp. Since May 17, no diesel fuel needed for lights, heating or air conditioning units or even kitchens has been supplied to the camp. Even the fuel needed to produce electricity has been stopped since last month, with agents of the terrorist Qods force breaking fuel pipes on December 13 to deprive the power center of the fuel. The gas reserve has thus been emptied and the power station is now out of production. On November 2, repressive forces even prevented biomass and coal, to be used as alternate fuel, from entering the camp.
- Repressive forces have even abstained from turning the corps of Mrs. Zahra Mehrsefat, resident of Ashraf who died on September 20 because of medical shortages, to her family.
- Psychological torture of residents which has been going on since nearly two years, continues through 300 loudspeakers on a permanent basis. Family members, lawyers, members of parliaments and Human rights’ activists have been barred from visiting the camp since three years. Working by the residents to gain part of their expenses has been prohibited.
By any standard, the above mentioned points as well as a long list of shortages and pressures imposed on the camp are considered an inhuman and criminal siege. The United Nations and the United States of America have been informed of every single violation described above.
The Iranian Resistance regrets the unjust and unrealistic attitude of the US State Department and calls for an international fact finding delegation to be formed in order that a true report on the dimensions of this criminal siege be produced for public awareness and for international courts. By any standards, such a siege is considered a clear example of crime against humanity and war crime with nobody being able to whitewash it.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
December 22, 2011
