Many residents have developed severe orthopedic complications due to carrying heavy loads
For the fifth consecutive month, the Iraqi forces refuse to give residents their own forklift trucks for their daily affairs forcing the residents to carry heavy loads with their bare hands or on their backs. Because of this anti-human measure many residents have developed back and upper limb aches and severe orthopedic diseases.
In 2012, during the transfer of residents from Ashraf to Camp Liberty, the Iraqi forces obstructed the transfer of dozens of residents’ forklift trucks to Camp Liberty. Subsequent to extensive protests by the residents and their representatives, on 21 April 2012, the Special Representative of UN Secretary-General officially declared to the residents that the Iraqi government would give them three forklifts; a promise that was never kept.
In November 2012, following continuous referrals by the residents, in a trilateral agreement between UNAMI, residents and the Government of Iraq, two forklift trucks in Ashraf were transferred to Camp Liberty. The Iraqi forces did not give these two forklift trucks to the residents and kept them at the police station. The residents were to get the forklift trucks on a daily basis and to return them after their work. Nonetheless, from the onset the Iraqi officers stonewalled in giving the forklift trucks to the residents and just gave them to the residents on some days.
However, it is now five months that despite daily referrals, the Iraqi forces are refusing to give the forklift trucks to the residents. Depriving a population of forklift trucks in the 21st century has no meaning but the implementation of a physical and psychological torture on the residents.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
November 13, 2014
