WEEKLY NEWS

WEEK 47

17.-22.11.1997

19.11.97
Preparing the referendum
The Moroccan Interior Minister Driss Basri meet in Rabat with the chioukhs and governors of the occupied Western Sahara, Moroccan members of the identification committee and Moroccan observers at the MINURSO. The Chioukhs continued their work in groups untill November 21 (EFE). According to MAP the meeting was held to examine the Houston agreements about the first step concerning voter identification. Driss Basri would have repeated the determination of Morocco to respect the letter and the spirit of the U.N. peace plan and the agreements signed in Houston.

19.11.97
Security Council
The Security Council examined the Secretary General's report on Western Sahara, without vote.

19.11.97
Nomination
Mr Robert Francis Kinloch (UK) is the new Chairman of the Identification Commission of the MINURSO and Mr Peter J. Miller (Canada) the new Police Commissioner of the civil police (CIVPOL). Mr Kinloch was responsible of human ressources at the UNDP, Mr Miller former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

20.11.97
MINURSO: the costs
Mr Kofi Annan estimes in an addendum to his last report that the extension of the mandate and the increase of the MINURSO staff will cost about 129 millions US$.

21.11.97
Sweden: Condemnation of a spy confirmed
A Moroccan living in Sweden since 30 years was sentenced to 8 months imprisonment for espionage in Gothenburg on 13 November. This means that the sentence from the Superior Court is the same as from the District Court. The Moroccan has claimed that he is involved in registration of Moroccans in Scandinavia for the referendum in Western Sahara. (see also week 43)

NEW PUBLICATIONS

• Pulvarone Tour, Diario di viaggio, Cottica Alberto, Modena City Ramblers, Associazione Saharawi "Kabara Lagdaf", sett. 1997, 40 p.
• Le rÍve sahraoui ensablÈ, Smith Stephen, LibÈration, Paris, 15/16.11.97, p. 6.
• MÈmorandum sur la situation des droits de l'homme au Sahara Occidental, AFAPREDSEA, sept. 1997, 10 p.
• Newsletter November 1997, Western Sahara Campaign UK, Nov. 1997, 4 p.
• Le tournant de Houston, Mounir Riad, Le Nouvel Afrique Asie, No 98, nov. 1997, p. 30.
• Dossier de presse pour la 23Ëme confÈrence europÈenne de coordination du soutien au peuple sahraoui, ReprÈsentation du Front Polisario en France, nov. 1997, 28 p.
• Dossier: A la independencia a traves del referendum, Asociacion de Amig@s de la RASD de Euskadi, Vitoria, nov. 1997.
• Solidarieta, Cooperazione, Riabilitazione, Atti del Convegno, Bologna, 25.10.97, 41 p.
• ActivitÈs du CESTAS et du ComitÈ de solidaritÈ et de soutien au peuple sahraoui, Bologna, nov. 1997, 2 p.
• Rapport de mission de Maura Benelli, 20.4.-20.6.1996, CESTAS Bologna (Prorgamme d'assainissement du mileu, amÈlioration de la production alimentaire et des conditions de vie dans les camps de rÈfugiÈs sahraouis de la rÈgion de Tindouf (AlgÈrie), 18 p.
• Referendum ueber die Westsahara, Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Muenchen, 17.11.97, p. 10.
• Vers la fin du conflit au Sahara occidental, Aguirre Mariano, Gilabert Maria, Le Courrier, GenËve, 18.11.97, p. 8 (idem Le Monde Diplomatique novembre).
• Nun wirklich die Volksabstimmung ? Lerch Wolfgang Guenter, Frankfurter Allgemeine, Frankfurt a/Main, 18.11.97, p. 16.
• Abraham Serfaty, opositor marroqui exiliado: "Si no se democratiza Marruecos, habr· una oleada islamista radical", Aitor Guenaga, El Pais, 21.11.1997 .
• La dÈmocratie selon le roi, Metref Arezki, Politis, 13.11.1997, p 10-12.

AGENDA

Volo speciale per la RASD, 3-8 janvier 1998, Associazione nazionale di solidarieta con il popolo saharawi (informazioni e prenotazioni: Ass. Ban Slout Larbi, Via Risorgimento, 61, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, tel. 055/4510030). Costo per privati: Lire 1'000'000.-

EXHIBITION, Switzerland: Vernissage jeudi 11 dÈcembre 1997, dËs 17 h., ý l'HÙtel de Ville de Vevey, rue du Lac 2, en prÈsence d'un reprÈsentant du Front Polisario, de l'exposition organisÈe par le groupe vaudois du ComitÈ suisse de soutien au peuple sahraoui: "Les Sahraouis, peuple oubliÈ du dÈsert", photographies de Marc-Albert Braillard, Gilles Boss et Miriam Perregaux.

NEW on INTERNET

AsociaciÛn de Amistad y Solidaridad con el Pueblo Saharaui "MAR MENOR" Murcia, Espagne:
http://www.accesosis.es/~sahara/

[Summary Weekly News,] [Western Sahara Homepage]