STATUS UPDATE ON CAMP ASHRAF REPATRIATIONS

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 004154 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2015 TAGS: MOPS PHUM PTER IZ IR ICRC SUBJECT: STATUS UPDATE ON CAMP ASHRAF REPATRIATIONS REF: 04 BAGHDAD 2041 Classified By: Classified by Political-Military Counselor David C. Litt for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Between August 2004 and October 2005, 331 "defectors" from the Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MeK) organization have been voluntarily repatriated to their countries of nationality or residence: 316 to Iran, eleven to Pakistan, two to Sweden, one to Turkey, and one to Canada. Possible third-country repatriations in the near future include two German residents, one Afghan, one Swedish, and one Dutch. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (S) Repatriations to Iran continue at the rate of 10-15 (mostly new) defectors each month, and thirteen Iranian nationals are scheduled to return to Tehran from Baghdad International Airport on October 13th via ICRC propeller plane. Approximately 50% of new Iranian defectors from the MeK Camp Ashraf opt for immediate repatriation, with the remainder stating a fear of persecution upon return to Iran. ¶3. (SBU) Post has requested that UNHCR conduct Refugee Status Determination (RSD) interviews for this remainder of approximately 170 (and growing). We plan to distribute photocopies of the September 30th letter from UNHCR to TIPF residents passed to Post through the Department, which announces UNHCR's intent to conduct these interviews via remote video-link from Ankara in four to eight weeks, to all TIPF residents as soon as copies have been transported to Ashraf. ¶4. (S) MNF-I is planning several outreach exercises for the coming weeks, including a census and the issuance of new ID cards to Ashraf residents: these have typically provided defection opportunities for main camp residents, as well as providing useful information for future information operations campaigns. Post, meanwhile, awaits guidance on the request of four AmCit Ashraf residents for passport renewal (see Reftel and related e-mails). Khalilzad