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UN expert urges restoration of water supply cut off by explosion in Iraq
UNAMI Mandate
Office of the
Special
Representative
of the
Secretary-
General UN News Centre
Organizational 6 March 2008 – An independent United Nations human rights expert today called on Iraqi
Chart authorities to restore the water supply to more than 20,000 people having to endure water
UN Country and food shortages since an explosion last month at a local pumping station.
Team & Jean Ziegler, the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, issued a statement voicing deep
Affiliated Bodies concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Ashraf City/Camp Ashraf and
Contact UNAMI surrounds since the explosion on 8 February at nearby Zorganieh.
News Room
Press Releases He said locals were now experiencing water and food shortages that had been made more
News Stories critical by the increasingly hot weather in the region.
UN-Iraq in the
News Mr. Ziegler said he had received reports that the explosion may have been intended to
Publications deepen the pressure on an estimated 3,000 members of a militia known as the People’s
Speeches Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) that have been confined in Camp Ashraf.
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Humanitarian
Under an agreement signed by Iraqi authorities and the PMOI in 2003, the camp remains
Updates
under the control of the Multi-National Force (MNF) in Iraq and in 2004 the United States
Reconstruction
recognized PMOI members as protected persons under the Geneva conventions.
& Development
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International In his statement the Special Rapporteur emphasized that the rights to food and drinking
Compact with water are protected under international human rights law.
Iraq
UN Documents “The Iraqi authorities have failed to protect the inhabitants of Ashraf City and its surrounding
Map Center area from the actions of third parties, which are impeding enjoyment of the rights to food
Human Rights and water and creating a critical humanitarian situation.
Political Support
Electoral “The competent authorities must restore urgently the water supply to all the inhabitants of
Support the region affected by the explosion in the water pumping station [and] the affected
Operations population must be protected from violation of their rights by third parties.
Integrated
Approach
“I call on the Iraqi authorities to take immediate measures to guarantee the rights to food
Security
and water of the inhabitants of Ashraf City/Camp Ashraf and its surrounding area.”
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