By unanimous consent, it was agreed, — Whereas there are approximately 3,400 Iranian women and men – members of Mujahideen-e-Khalq – presently living in Camp Ashraf, Iraq;
Whereas the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has designated these persons as asylum seekers;
Whereas the Iraqi government has interfered with the ability of officials to get into the camp and interview them individually to find out their eligibility for refugee status;
Whereas they are under a deadline imposed by the Iraqi Government to leave by December 31st, requiring them to return to Iran, other countries, or be displaced within Iraq;
Whereas the United States has an ongoing moral obligation towards the residents of Camp Ashraf and recalling that attacks at Camp Ashraf previously took place in the immediate aftermath of meetings with high level American officials, such as is now occurring with President Obama; and
Whereas, if they do not leave they could face similar violence to what has occurred at Camp Ashraf in 2009 and in 2011, and twice already this year;
Be it resolved that the Subcommittee:
Calls upon the Government of Iraq to extend this deadline and to allow the remaining residents sufficient time to take the required steps to seek asylum, and allow international observers and aid groups into Camp Ashraf;
Calls upon the Government of Canada – to work with our international partners – and the UN to ensure the safety of refugees at Camp Ashraf;
Notes that the Government of Iraq will be held accountable for any attacks at Camp Ashraf; and
Calls upon the Government of Canada to urgently raise the situation in all bilateral and multi-lateral meetings to ensure the residents of Camp Ashraf are not forgotten and that their lives will not be in jeopardy as of December 31, 2011.