UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon today strongly condemned the mortar attack on Iranian exile camp outside
Baghdad.
UN News Center stated that the camp was attacked early in the morning today while most of the residents were sleeping. Six
persons were killed and scores wounded. The camp serves as a transit facility
for more than 3,000 exiles, most of them MEK members, where a process to
determine their refugee status is being carried out by the Office of the UN
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
“The Secretary-General calls on the Government
of Iraq, which is responsible for the safety and security of residents of both
Camp Liberty and Camp Ashraf, to promptly and fully investigate the incident
and bring perpetrators to justice,” said Mr. Ban's spokesperson in a statement.
“He has repeatedly stated that violence and provocation are unacceptable.” (UN
News Center, 9 February)
The High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio
Guterres, expressed his shock about the attack calling it “a despicable act of
violence.”
“I call on the Iraqi Government to do everything
it can to guarantee security to the residents,” he said. “The perpetrators must
be found and brought to justice without delay.”
In a news release, the UN Assistance Mission
for Iraq (UNAMI) said it is closely liaising with the Government on the
response to the incident, including medical assistance to the wounded.
Mr. Ban's Special Representative in the
country, Martin Kobler, has also asked Iraqi authorities to promptly conduct an
investigation into the mortar explosions.
Photo: Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon. (UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)
These people have suffered enough – they need to be protected by the international community. Right or wrong, they have dedicated their entire life to what they believe to be the right path for the country. They deserve sympathy and protection however misguided they may be.
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