For the fifth consecutive month Iraqi forces refuse to give residents forklift trucks for carrying heavy loads

Many residents have developed severe orthopedic diseases due to carrying heavy loads

For the fifth consecutive month, the Iraqi forces refuse to give residents their own forklift trucks for their daily affairs. The residents are therefore obliged to carry heavy loads with their bare hands or on their backs. As a result of this anti-human measure, many residents have developed back and upper limb pain and severe orthopedic diseases.

In 2012, during the transfer of residents from Ashraf to Camp Liberty, the Iraqi forces obstructed the transfer of dozens of residents’ forklift trucks to Camp Liberty. Subsequent to extensive protests by the residents and their representatives, on 21 April 2012, the Special Representative of UN Secretary-General officially declared to the residents that the Iraqi government would give them three forklifts; a promise that was never kept.

In November 2012, following continuous referrals by the residents, in a trilateral agreement between UNAMI, the residents and the Government of Iraq, two forklift trucks were transferred from Ashraf to Camp Liberty. However, the Iraqi forces did not give these two forklift trucks to the residents, instead keeping them at the police station. The residents were to get the forklift trucks on a daily basis and return them after their work. Nonetheless, from the onset, the Iraqi officers stonewalled in giving the forklift trucks to the residents and just gave them to the residents every now and again.

However, it has now been five months and despite daily referrals, the Iraqi forces are refusing to give the forklift trucks to the residents. Depriving a population of forklift trucks in the 21st century has no meaning other than being a form of physical and psychological torture on the residents.