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HomeNEWSRESISTANCEIraqi MP condemns UN silence over Ashraf massacre, hostage taking

Iraqi MP condemns UN silence over Ashraf massacre, hostage taking

An Iraqi MP has expressed his outrage at the silence of the United Nations and United States over the massacre of 52 Camp Ashraf residents and the capture of seven hostages in September last year.
Talal al-Zubaei condemned the secret burial of the 52 victims, members of Iranian opposition the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI /MEK) by the Iraqi government, which he branded a ‘heinous act that is contrary to all legal, moral, humanitarian, Islamic and Arabic standards’.
In a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, he accused Iraq of attempting to destroy all evidence of the crime in Ashraf to exonerate itself from blame.
Mr al-Zubaei added: “My principal astonishment concerns the incomprehensible silence and inaction of the United Nations, from UNAMI to the UNHCHR and UNHCR, and also the US government in this regard.
“A great number of Iraqi parliamentarians and me have numerously addressed you through private or collective letters in recent months on the matter of the unjust inaction and turning of a blind eye to the extensive tyranny that is being commissioned against the refugees in Camp Liberty, including the issue of the bodies of the 52 martyrs.
“Nevertheless, we have received no replies. This is while the UN has a clear and unambiguous responsibility in this regard.”
UN officials visited the crime scene immediately after the massacre and signed papers to transfer the bodies to the
coroner’s office for autopsies and legal burial, Mr al-Zubaei said.
He added: “Unfortunately though, despite international calls for the dispatch of an impartial international inquiry delegation to Iraq, these calls went unheeded and no effective measure was taken.
“Moreover, no objections were raised by the United Nations or the US government.
“Therefore we insistently call on you not to allow the power of UN as the highest international human rights body to be damaged because of its silence and inaction and giving a free hand to the Iraqi government to commit whatever tyranny it wishes against the Camp Liberty residents.
“The announcement of the secret place of burial of the 52 martyrs and the dispatch of an international investigative board from the International Criminal Court to find out the facts on the September 1 massacre and the hostage-taking of seven is the least measure expected on your honor’s behalf.”

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