Preventing entry of utility items to Camp Liberty and their stealing by Iraqi forces... Obstructing entry of generator lubricant; adding to problem of providing electricity to Camp Liberty

Iraqi forces under the command of Iraqi prime ministry prevented entry of utility items to Camp Liberty and after stalling a few days, stole them. These items, purchased by residents, are badly needed to repair cooling systems for food storage, equipment for filtering water, and systems related to drainage of sewage.

In the morning of Sunday, April 6, forces from the Iraqi intelligence forced the truck driver who had brought this load to Camp Liberty’s entrance a few days ago to offload the utility items at the exit point of the airport area and leave the area. Some of the stolen items are: PVC adhesives, electric generator parts, various parts for cooling systems, paint, paint brush, saw blade, drill bit, forklift wheels, wood adhesive, high-pressure hydraulic hose, plastic filler for painting, and carpet glue.

For several consecutive days, Iraqi forces obstructed entry of electric generator lubricant. The vehicle carrying these items have been turned back from camp’s entrance several times since April 3. This is while the only source of electricity for the camp are the worn out generators that without lubricant and spare parts will quickly break down and impose additional problems on Camp Liberty which is already suffering from shortage of electricity.

Despite repeated referrals to UN representatives and observers by the residents’ representatives, the Iraqi forces continue to obstruct entry of maintenance item and parts necessary for the electric generators.

This criminal blockade is in flagrant breach of the Memorandum of Understanding of 25 December 2011 between the United Nations and the Government of Iraq which stresses: “The Government [of Iraq] shall facilitate and allow the residents, at their own expense, to enter into bilateral contract with contractors for provision of life support and utilities such as water, food, communications, sanitation, and maintenance and rehabilitation equipment” and “The Government of the Republic Iraq shall permit the United Nations to carry out monitoring of the human rights and humanitarian situation… and shall establish procedures of the reporting of complaints”.