Merchants are denied entry to Camp Liberty by Iraqi forces

In violation of agreements, Iraqi forces prevent merchants from coming to Camp Liberty to buy residents’ property

On Thursday, April 28, 2016, agents of the Governmental Committee tasked to suppress Camp Liberty residents headed by Iraqi National Security Advisor Faleh Fayyad prevented two groups of Iraqi merchants from coming to Camp Liberty to buy residents’ property and returned them after hours of stalling. Similarly, on April 24, two other groups of merchants were barred from entering Camp Liberty. Thus, in a span of six months, six groups of Iraqi merchants who had referred to purchase residents’ property have been turned back.

This is despite the fact that since two months ago the Iraqi government had agreed to the sale of residents’ property and the decision had been conveyed to residents. The names of the merchants and time of their arrival had been conveyed to pertinent authorities a few days back.
Since the sale of residents’ property is a requisite to bankroll their resettlement, prevention of merchants’ entry is blatant interference in the resettlement process and a replica of the scenario carried out in Camp Ashraf which aims at systematic thievery and plunder of the property in Camp Liberty.
During the transfer of the last group of residents from Ashraf to Liberty, according to the written and joint plan of the U.S. Embassy and UNAMI on September 5, 2013, the Iraqi government approved the sale of residents’ property in Camp Ashraf. However, since then, 89 merchants have referred to Camp Liberty to discuss the purchase of the property, but Iraqi forces have prevented their entry into the camp.
The Iranian Resistance reminds the international community of its obligations concerning the security and wellbeing of Camp Liberty residents and calls on the U.S. government, the European Union , and the United Nations to take urgent measures to remove the siege on Camp Liberty, especially lifting any restrictions on the sale of residents’ property that is a requisite for their resettlement.