Letter to American Forces and Iranian refugees of TIPF in Iraq

By: Mojgan
March 13, 2007.

I have been following the news and movements at TIPF in Iraq for the past few months: News regarding harsh encounters of American forces with Iranian “refugees”, whom for more than 3 years have been trapped in a situation in which they practically have had no voice; Letters from Iranian refugees telling about the injustice that has been imposed on them by the Islamic Republic, the US and its European allies.

Today I read a letter from one of the refugees telling that after their problems have been reflected on the IFIR’s site (English section), the US forces at TIPF have realized that the story is different from the one they have been thinking; that these refugees are not bunch of terrorists kept in Iraq, waiting for their trial. Having a more clear understanding about the situation has eased a little bit the situation at TIPF and the American authorities are treating them in a more human way. In that letter, the refugee is asking to take off his complaint letter(s) from IFIR’s site, as a cooperative gesture toward TIPF authorities.
I was happy to see that part of the confusion of the American forces regarding these refugees has been solved. This shows that, as I have always thought, there are decent American citizens in that army who will finally find the truth and act responsibly upon it; That the “American nation”, like any other nation has children who are being trapped in this Hell the very same way that Iraqis, and TIPF Iranian refugees have been, waiting for the unknown that would either change their life or put an end to it.

The funny thing is that, although there is more understanding today, there is more restriction regarding phone calls and correspondences! And why is that? Is this because Americans are avoiding more news leakage from the camp? It is just a defense mechanism, in case something happens in the future or if there is any complaint? And maybe it is better to cut the contact so that in the future whatever happens in TIPF stays in TIPF! Why am I skeptical? Because if the American authorities of TIPF were genuinely convinced that these guys are just human beings like their other American fellows, they would never cut the phone calls and limit the correspondences, as these 2 tools are the only measures through which these refugees can morally survive this injustice. Anyone can see that. The worst and most strict prisons in the US (and around the world) would let the prisoner call or write letters. And that make me think: Even an American criminal is being perceived as a “more human” creature than an Iranian refugee who has not committed any crime.

The writer of that letter is basically asking the IFIR to shut down the only voice that the refugees have in the world: To take those letters off the site. I don’t know what IFIR’s decision will be but I personally think that the improvement in the American forces behavior should be reflected on IFIR’s site, with keeping in mind that more improvements are needed regarding the communication of the refugees with the outside world (with no censorship) so that the situation could come into an end more quickly and the refugees are moved to a safe third country.