Arshad Salihi, head of Turmkmen Front and MP in Iraqi Parliament, tries to label the refugees in Makhmur camp as "terrorists," after his first argument that those aren't "Iraqi refugees" in defense of KDP-imposed embargo on the camp gets refuted.
Transcript:
– Yusra Rajab: Honorable Speaker, you know that Makhmur camp has been under an embargo for more than 25 days. And this is inappropriate for Iraq’s reputation on human rights. That camp is a recognized one and exists for many years.
The people who reside there are human beings. I have spoken to the [Parliamentary] Human Rights Committee, and Mr. Arashad Salihi knows this. They told us those aren’t our citizens. Our committee is for human rights, not “the human rights committee for Iraqi citizens.” This means we are to defend those people. What is those people’s crimes? Since the assassination of the Turkish deputy consul general, the camp is under embargo. This is wrong. There are women and children living there. The people there are all civilians. They aren’t armed. It is incumbent upon us that…
– Speaker Bashir Haddad: Your message has been received.
– Yusra Rajab: There is a very dangerous humanitarian condition. This matter must be investigated. Those people must be redeemed from that embargo. I will not stay silent on this matter, because my job is to defend human rights.
– Basheer Haddad: That is your right. It’s the right of us all to speak out on human rights, and that matter, God willing, the Human Rights Committee of Kurdistan’s Parliament… we request them to investigate it.
– Arshad Salihi: Mr. Speaker, we were hoping that what the MP Yusra said to be translated, because I think the MPs didn’t understand it. According to my knowledge...
Bashar Haddad: I gave a summary [in Arabic]
– Arshad Salihi: Yes. According to my knowledge… it’s possible that what the MP expressed… Is it… I mean… Does it convey the idea of refugees coming from outside Iraq or Iraqi refugees?
– Basheer Haddad: The refugees coming from outside [Iraq] suffer hardships. They suffer hardships in Makhmur camp.
– Arshad Salihi: Where from. Who are those refugees? Iraqi or foreign refugees?
– Basheer Haddad: And the MP requests their suffering to be looked into.
– Arshad Salihi: Iraqi refugees or foreign refugees?
– Basheer Haddad: Iraqis or not, the Human Rights Committee will look into it.
– Arshad Salihi: Honorable Speaker! We had the Camp Liberty. Which we treated as such that the so-called Mujahideen Khalq [MEK] organization is a terrorist organization. And we treated this matter as a terrorist organization. Considering those people came from Iran and wanted to disestablish the situation in Iraq in the past year.
Today…
– Basheer Haddad: Allow me, allow me! You are head of the Human Rights Committee. Simply visit the camp and produce a report!
– Arshad Salihi: No problem, no problem! First of all [audio cut] When we visit a camp that includes terrorist congregations from Turkey, that is unacceptable.
If they are humanitarian refugees, they are welcome. It has happened before…
– Basheer Haddad: What’s important is that the Human Rights Committee will produce a report…
– Arshad Salihi: Honorable Speaker! Terrorist operations have been done from that camp before, and… * audio cut off*
– Basheer Haddad: Thank you!