IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 650 

Providing for the safety and security of the Iranian dissidents living in 

Camp Liberty/Hurriya in Iraq and awaiting resettlement by the United 

Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and permitting use of their 

own assets to assist in their resettlement. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 17, 2016 

Mr. POE of Texas (for himself, Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. SIRES, and Mr. SHERMAN) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Providing for the safety and security of the Iranian dissidents living in Camp Liberty/Hurriya in Iraq and 

awaiting resettlement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and permitting use of their own 

assets to assist in their resettlement. 

Whereas approximately 2,000 unarmed members of the Iranian opposition movement, the Mujahedin-e Khalq 

(MEK) reside in Camp Liberty/Hurriya awaiting resettlement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which has recognized them as ‘‘persons 

of concern’’ and ‘‘in need of international protection’’; 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 650 IH 

Whereas these residents oppose the clerical regime in Tehran 

and, as a result of that opposition, live in constant danger of attack from pro-Iranian forces; 

Whereas these residents moved from the former Camp Ashraf 

to Camp Liberty/Hurriya, which is adjacent to the Baghdad International Airport, following a December 2011 

Memorandum of Understanding reached between the 

United Nations and the Government of Iraq, and brokered by the Government of the United States, for the 

express purpose of resettling them as refugees to third 

countries; 

Whereas the residents left behind valuable personal property 

and assets at Camp Ashraf, under the explicit agreement 

that they would retain title to such property and assets; 

Whereas in 2004, the United States recognized the residents 

as ‘‘protected persons’’ under the Fourth Geneva Convention and pledged to protect the residents until their final 

disposition; 

Whereas the United States turned over control and responsibility of the residents to the Government of Iraq in early 

2009, as reflected in the United States Embassy Statement on Transfer of Security Responsibility for Camp 

Ashraf of December 28, 2008; 

Whereas the residents have come under attack several times 

since their relocation to Camp Liberty/Hurriya; 

Whereas Iraqi forces who bear responsibility for guarding the 

camp have failed to protect its residents from repeated 

attacks; 

Whereas most recently, during the evening of October 29, 

2015, the residents of Camp Liberty came under rocket 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 650 IH 

attack, with 80 missiles killing 24 residents and injuring 

dozens more; 

Whereas Secretary of State John Kerry strongly condemned 

the October 29 attack, describing it as a ‘‘brutal, senseless terrorist attack’’, and calling for ‘‘find[ing] the perpetrators and hold[ing] them accountable for the attack’’; 

Whereas the United Nations Secretary-General strongly condemned these attacks and called for the perpetrators to 

be brought to justice; 

Whereas the UNHCR described the attacks as ‘‘most deplorable’’; 

Whereas 140 residents have died as a result of the attacks, 

7 have been abducted, and more than 1,300 wounded; 

Whereas groups affiliated with the Iranian regime’s Revolutionary Guard Qods Force have claimed responsibility for 

attacks and warned that more would follow if the residents did not leave Iraq; 

Whereas Iraqi security forces are permanently stationed 

around Camp Liberty/Hurriya, despite their past violence 

against the unarmed residents; 

Whereas the security of Camp Liberty/Hurriya is clearly inadequate to protect the residents from armed assault and 

rocket attack; 

Whereas the residents are opposed to the development in Iran 

of a nuclear weapons capability and have provided valuable intelligence concerning efforts by the Government of 

Iran both to establish a nuclear weapons capability and 

to supply paramilitary groups in Iraq with Improvised 

Explosive Devices (IEDs) and Explosively Formed Projectiles (EFPs); 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HRES 650 IH 

Whereas the United States Department of State in its August 29, 2012, statement stated, ‘‘The United States also 

reiterates its commitment to support the safety and security of the residents throughout the process of their relocation outside of Iraq’’; 

Whereas hundreds of the residents have been resettled to Europe; 

Whereas the Government of Albania has generously resettled 

hundreds of residents from Camp Liberty/Hurriya in 

Iraq to Albania in demonstration of international solidarity in caring for a vulnerable population; and 

Whereas the residents have been unable to access or sell their 

property remaining at Camp Ashraf for the purposes of 

supporting themselves or funding their resettlement: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) condemns the attacks against the residents 

3 of Camp Liberty/Hurriya; 

4 (2) urges the Government of Iraq to bring to 

5 justice those responsible for the attacks; 

6 (3) calls on the Government of the United 

7 States to work with the Government of Iraq to bring 

8 Camp Liberty/Hurriya to the same level of protec9 tion as that of the adjacent Baghdad International 

10 Airport to deter future attacks on the camp and en11 sure safety and security of the residents; 

12 (4) calls on the Government of the United 

13 States to work with the Government of Iraq to enVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:28 Mar 17, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR650.IH HR650

srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HRES 650 IH 

1 sure that the personnel responsible for providing for 

2 the security of Camp Liberty/Hurriya are adequately 

3 equipped and vetted to ensure that they are not now, 

4 and have not been previously affiliated, directly or 

5 indirectly, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard 

6 Corps Qods Force or other organizations responsible 

7 for past attacks; 

8 (5) urges the Government of Iraq to ensure ac9 cess to food, clean water, medical assistance, elec10 tricity, equipment, and such supplies that are nec11 essary to sustain the residents; 

12 (6) calls on the Government of the United 

13 States to work with the Government of Iraq to make 

14 all reasonable efforts to facilitate the residents’ ac15 cess and ability to sell their property and assets re16 maining at Camp Ashraf for the purpose of funding 

17 their costs of living and resettlement out of Iraq; 

18 (7) urges the Government of the United States 

19 to work with the Government of Iraq and the United 

20 Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 

21 to ensure that Camp Liberty/Hurriya residents, 

22 without exception, are safely resettled outside of 

23 Iraq and Iran according to the terms of the Decem24 ber 2011 Memorandum of Understanding; and 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HRES 650 IH 

1 (8) calls on the Government of the United 

2 States to work with the Government of Albania and 

3 the UNHCR to facilitate and provide suitable loca4 tions for housing of the remaining Camp Liberty/ 

5 Hurriya residents in Albania until such time when 

6 the residents become self-sufficient in meeting their 

7 residential needs in Albania. 

Æ 


srobinson on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with BILLS