MEK IN CAMP ASHRAF: USG OFFICIALS VISIT ASHRAF

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002059 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2019 TAGS: PTER PHUM PGOV IR IZ SUBJECT: MEK IN CAMP ASHRAF: USG OFFICIALS VISIT ASHRAF REF: BAGHDAD 2039 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Robert Ford for reasons 1.4(b)&(d). ¶1. (C) Summary. On July 31, USG officials visited Ashraf to assess the state of the current standoff. During this visit, USG officials expresed to both the GOI and the Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK) the need for dialogue and restraint. The GOI fully embraced this message, but the MEK showed no desire for dialogue with the GOI. Medical care continues on the 11 of 12 MEK residents who were MEDEVAC'd to Balad Air Force Base on July 30. The 12th resident died enroute and his remains will be returned to the MEK. USG officials note that the medical care being provided by the GOI to the residents is of mixed quality. UNAMI is scheduled to visit Ashraf on or about August 3 and the GOI will facilitate this visit. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On July 31, USG officials visited Ashraf to assess the state of current GOI/MEK standoff. Officials met with local "humanitarian situation" commander, COL Sa'di Habib Hussein al-Dulaymi, the Prime Minister's National Operations Center (PMNOC's) local representative, and an assembly of four local commanders from the Iraqi Army (IA). USG officials estimate there are approximately 5 battalions deployed in the immediate vicinity of Ashraf. Iraqi forces hold a central position within Ashraf, with control over many local utilities. Consequently, they are to provide the MEK residents water and electricity. ¶3. (C) USG officials met with 32 MEK currently detained by "humanitarian situation" commander COL Sa'di, finding that their medical conditions vary by individual. The USG team advised COL Sa'di that medical care must be be provided to the detainees. They also sucessfully negotiated the delivery of previously-scheduled humanitarian supplies to included food and water. GOI permission for a previously-scheduled diesel fuel shipment to enter Ashraf is still pending. Iraqi local officials asked USG officials that while they are visiting the MEK hospital to relay to the MEK the Iraqis' contact information and their desire to talk with MEK. ¶4. (C) USG officials subsequently visited the MEK hospital. There they were shown the morgue facility and the bodies of three deceased individuals. However, the visit was cut short by a likely pre-arranged MEK crowd scene which attempted to "shout down" and surround the visiting USG officials. At that time, there was no demonstrated MEK desire to engage in dialogue with visiting USG officials. They sought instead to exploit the visit for propaganda and pandered to an audience of internal residents, seeking to shift the blame for the incident to the USG. Consequently, the USG officials were not able to deliver the Iraqi contact information and the GOI message indicating its desire to talk with the MEK leadership. ¶5. (C) US medical officials at Balad Air Force Base continued to provide medical care to the 11 of 12 residents who were MEDEVAC'd on July 30. The 12th resident died enroute to Balad. U.S. military officials will return the remains to the MEK late July 31. UNAMI is scheduled to visit Ashraf on or about August 3 and the GOI will facilitate this visit. ¶6. (C) Comment. There is clear tension between on the one side COL Sa'di and the Prime Minister's military team, who are trying to facilitate a dialogue with the MEK, and on the other side Iraqi intelligence and police, who are trying to engineer MEK defections through the exploitation of detainees and pursue a stern justice policy. Meanwhile, the MEK show no Qand pursue a stern justice policy. Meanwhile, the MEK show no interest in dialogue or resolution of the standoff. However, a lower level dialogue exists between MEK local liaison contacts and TF-134's local commanders. This is at least allowing for the provision of basic medical supplies and food and water. End Comment. FORD