[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 190 (Tuesday, December 15, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E3006]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CALLING ON THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT TO KEEP ITS PROMISE AND UPHOLD ITS 
                  OBLIGATIONS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 15, 2009

  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
urge the Iraqi authorities not to forcibly remove Camp Ashraf residents 
from the home where they have lived for over twenty years. 
International human rights groups such as Amnesty International have 
warned that forcibly relocating the Camp Ashraf residents will put the 
Iranian opposition group ``at risk of arbitrary arrest, torture or 
other forms of ill-treatment, and unlawful killing.''
  On July 29 of this year, I spoke out against the brutal attack that 
began on July 28 carried out by Iraqi security forces who were acting 
at the behest of the Iranian regime. The Iraqi security forces rolled 
over unarmed Camp Ashraf residents with tanks and beat them with 
sticks, killing at least nine residents and injuring many more. An 
injustice of this magnitude must not happen again.
  If the Iraqi government forcibly moves these residents from their 
Camp Ashraf home, it will be breaking its promise to the United States 
and violating its obligations under international law. When these 
Iranian exiles voluntarily surrendered their weapons to U.S. forces in 
2003, they did so in exchange for a promise that the U.S. would protect 
them. When the United States withdrew from the Camp Ashraf region, the 
United States and Iraq signed an agreement that the Iraqi government 
would continue to ensure their safety. Furthermore, Camp Ashraf 
residents are also shielded by international law because they are 
``protected persons'' under Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
  This attempt to move the Camp Ashraf residents to a remote prison in 
the middle of the deserts appears to be an ugly attempt by the Iraqi 
government to appease the Iranian regime. Groups such as Amnesty 
International warn that it may even lead to their forcible return to 
Iran. If returned to Iran, these members of the Iranian opposition 
would face almost certain torture and even death.
  Madam Speaker, I call on the Iraqi government to keep its promise to 
the United States and uphold its obligations under international law. 
Attempting to mollify the tyrannical, illegitimate Iranian regime at 
the expense of these pro-democracy activists would be a tragic mistake. 
I call on the Iraqi government to ensure the protection that these 
exiles were promised and to which they are entitled under international 
law.

                          ____________________