MEK/ASHRAF: GOI SAYS IT WILL NOT MOVE MEK UNTIL

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003358

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/I AND NEA/IR; NSC FOR PHEE AND VROOMAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/2019
TAGS: IR IZ PGOV PREL PTER
SUBJECT: MEK/ASHRAF: GOI SAYS IT WILL NOT MOVE MEK UNTIL
AFTER MARCH ELECTIONS

REF: A. A) BAGHDAD 2823

B. B) BAGHDAD 2841

Classified By: A/DCM GARY A. GRAPPO for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)

1.(C) SUMMARY: The head of the GOI Ashraf Committee Ali
Yassery and Minister of Human Rights Wijdan Selim asserted in
separate meetings with POL M/C that the GOI has no plans to
move the MEK from Ashraf before the March 2010 elections.
Yassery stated that the planned relocation site in Muthanna
province will not be ready for at least six months, and
expressed his hope that Camp Echo in Diwaniyeh province would
be turned over to the GOI after the March election to be used
as a relocation site. Yassery will travel to Brussels on
January 15 to encourage EU governments to accept MEK
defectors as refugees, and Minister Selim may accompany him.
In addition to requesting USG support for the GOI appeal to
the EU, Yassery also inquired about USG acceptance of
properly vetted MEK refugees. This cable contains an action
request in paragraph 12. END SUMMARY.

GOI PLANS TO APPEAL TO EU
-------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- -
2.(C) In a December 20 meeting with Political Minister
Counselor (POL M/C),GOI Ashraf Committee head Ali Yassery
explained his plans to travel to Brussels on January 15 with
Human Rights Minister Wijdan Selim to appeal to EU
governments to resettle members of the Mujahideen-e-Khalq
(MEK) as refugees. Yassery noted that the MEK leadership has
stated its willingness to be resettled to Europe, and
expressed his belief that if a number such as 50 persons were
accepted for resettlement, then the MEK would start to
&trust our word,8 and more would go. Speaking about the
December 15 &soft move8, Yassery said the intention was to
show the international media, which he said focuses only on
the MEK side, that the Iraqis are ¬ what they think.8
He said that the international community should understand
the problem from the Iraqi side also.

3.(C) In a separate meeting December 21, Minister Selim
expressed some reservations about accompanying Yassery to
Brussels. She commented that the GOI may be relying too
heavily on her reputation with the EU, without sufficiently
heeding her input and recommendations. The visit is
reportedly dependent on her participation. The minister said
that if she agrees to go to Brussels, she will insist on
having greater authority on policies related to the MEK.

4.(C) Minister Selim believed that it would be good for the
GOI to attempt another &soft move8 following the January 15
visit to Brussels. She suggested that the buses might stay
at Ashraf for up to two days on the next attempt, to give
residents more time to leave, if they desire. The minister
stressed again that it would not be a forced move, and said
the GOI wants UNAMI, ICRC, and other international
organizations to be present the next time, rather than just
the media, as on December 15. Yassery presented a different
view, saying it was unlikely that the GOI would make another
&soft move8 attempt before the elections.

THE MEK,S UNHELPFUL BEHAVIOR
-------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
5.(C) The GOI Ashraf committee head stated that the committee
has prepared a complete briefing for EU governments on MEK
activities. He lamented that even though the GOI has been
&very accommodating,8 the MEK persist in their unhelpful
behavior. Yassery cited an incident in which he said
military uniforms were found hidden under a shipment of food.
Asked whether GOI forces search vehicles prior to their
Q Asked whether GOI forces search vehicles prior to their
entry into Ashraf, Yassery confirmed that both the Iraqi Army
and Iraqi Police search the vehicles. When POL M/C raised
the issue of the uniforms with Minister Selim in a separate
meeting, she countered that it was not a shipment of uniforms
that was disrupted (the MEK make their own uniforms, she
said),rather what appeared to be military equipment and
components but not/not weapons.

REASONS FOR THE MOVE
-------------- -------------- -------------- --
6.(C)Speaking about the GOI intention to relocate the MEK
from Ashraf, POL M/C advised that the GOI should be prepared
to explain its reasons for this policy during its meetings
with EU governments. POL M/C asked why the GOI could not
negotiate with the MEK to allow the GOI to assume full
control of the camp, instead of moving the MEK from Ashraf.
Minister Selim responded that the GOI has attempted to do
this on several occasions over the past two years, offering

GOI assistance for the hospital and water station, among
other things. She said the MEK declined, claiming that &the
Iraqis will look at our women.8 Minister Selim disputed the
MEK,s claims that during the GOI move to establish a police
station in Ashraf in July 2009, GOI forces killed nine MEK
members. She noted that the MEK did not take their dead to
hospitals or allow autopsies to be performed, which she said
cast doubt on the actual circumstances of their deaths.

7.(C) Elaborating on GOI reasons for moving the MEK from
Ashraf, Minister Selim stated that the GOI is concerned about
the MEK,s anti-Iraq activities and that the Ashraf residents
may be armed, which is unacceptable. Additionally, the GOI
prefers to move the MEK further from the border with Iran,
for security reasons. Finally, the minister explained, the
GOI believe that a move from Ashraf would break the control
of MEK leaders over the rank-and-file members, thereby giving
MEK members the freedom to leave the organization. In such a
case, POL M/C advised stressing the last point, emphasizing
that the MEK leaders may be violating the rights of the
members by controlling their access to the outside world and
denying MEK members the freedom to leave the camp and the
organization.

8.(C) Minister Selim also spoke about the MEK,s relations
with residents of neighboring villages in Diyala province,
where Ashraf is located. Selim said that the MEK has
developed excellent relations with the residents of Diyala
province, primarily because the MEK make services and
facilities available to the residents of Diyala (who are
mostly Sunni),such as the hospital, mosque, water pump
station, and roads. She said she has advised the GOI to
improve its provision of services to Diyala residents, in
order to reduce their reliance on the MEK for services. The
Minister said this was one of the main issues for the GOI
related to the move.

NO GOOD RELOCATION SITE IN IRAQ
-------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- -
9.(C) Yassery told POL M/C that the planned relocation site
of Camp Samawa in Muthanna province would likely not be ready
for at least 6 months, and expressed his belief that Camp
Echo in Diwaniyeh would be a more expedient option for a
relocation site. Yassery said he believed that Camp Echo
would be returned to the GOI at some time following the
elections.

EXTERNAL RESETTLEMENT OF MEK REFUGEES
-------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --
10.(C) The MEK leadership has expressed its willingness to be
resettled to Europe (see ref A),and Yassery asked for USG
support in encouraging EU governments to accept the MEK.
Yassery also asked the USG to consider accepting some MEK
defectors as refugees.

11.(C) COMMENT: GOI Ashraf committee officials continue to
hint that the resettlement of a few hundred Ashraf residents
to European countries would substantially reduce the
political pressure on the Maliki government to move the MEK
from Ashraf in the near future. EU missions in Baghdad have
been largely non-committal to GOI requests. EU missions have
stated their willingness to consider the cases of MEK members
who have nationality ties to their countries, but little
beyond that (see ref B). Yassery requested USG support in
encouraging EU governments to resettle some MEK members.

12.(C) ACTION REQUEST: Post requests that the Department
consider encouraging EU missions in Washington to accept
properly vetted MEK defectors for refugee resettlement,
Qproperly vetted MEK defectors for refugee resettlement,
particularly those that have nationality ties to EU
countries. In addition, Post requests clarification on the
U.S. legal prohibitions to resettlement of MEK refugees in
the United States.
FORD