Matthew joined almost 200 people, many of them Hendon constituents, to warn of the dangers posed to residents of Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty in Iraq. Speaking outside of the FCO in central London, Matthew told those assembled that further attacks are planned and he warned the UK Government not to underestimate the threat. He also called for the removal of the UN Special Representative.
The rally in London was part of an international campaign in Europe and the US to guarantee the safety of defenceless Iranian refugees. Despite repeated assurances by the UN and the US regarding the safety and security of the Iranian refugees, Camp Liberty was attacked by 40 rockets on 9 February 2013. Eight residents of the Camp were killed and more than 100 were injured. The last victim passed away in hospital on 13 March, more than a month after the attack, due to the severity of his injuries.
Camp Liberty is the temporary place of residence for 3,100 members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, the principal Iranian opposition movement. Agents of the Iranian regime in Iraq claimed responsibility for the February 9 attack and have threatened further attacks on the defenceless refugees. The UNHCR issued a statement on 1 March expressing its deep concern for the fate of these refugees and the prospect of another attack.
Matthew told the rally: “I call on the UK government and the FCO to convey and support our message to the UN Secretary General that enough is enough. Mr Kobler must be replaced with another envoy who respects impartiality in their handling of the issue of Camp Liberty and Ashraf. In addition I call on the Government to support the call of many in the international community, American and European parliamentarians, that the Liberty residents be returned urgently to Camp Ashraf. That is a matter of emergency because the leader of a Shiite militia group in Iraq took responsibility for the February missile attack in several interviews with the international and Arabic press. While swearing allegiance to the Iranian Supreme Leader, the Iraqi militia group promised more attacks on Camp Liberty in the future.”