The undersigned Members of Parliament, local councilors, non-governmental organisations, human rights organisations, trades unionists and personalities:

Aware that the Saharawi people are entitled to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination through a free and fair referendum conducted by the UN;

And that the Saharawi people have given enormous sacrifices to achieve their objectives of peace and freedom during the past 25 years;

Congratulate the Polisario Front for its wise decision in abstaining from any retaliation despite the flagrant military provocations of the Moroccan authorities, particularly during the passage of the Paris-Dakar Rally through the occupied territory of Western Sahara in January 2001.

The signatories recall that the Polisario Front, the legitimate representative of the Saharawi people, has declared itself to be in a state of war from the beginning of the year 2001 following violations of the cease-fire by the Moroccan party.

The signatories call on, the UN to accomplish, within a fixed time frame, the appeals process and other aspects of the referendum of self-determination, according to the UN peace plan and the Houston Agreements. This is the only way to avoid the resumption of hostilities.

The signatories appeal to the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Security Council to act without delay to make Morocco respect the commitments it undertook in Houston in September 1997 with regard to the referendum process.

The signatories further urge the UN, custodian of the peace process, to protect the Saharawi population in the occupied areas of Western Sahara from Moroccan human rights abuses and to guarantee the free access and movement of independent observers and the media in the occupied territories.

Signature:

Name:

Address:

Country:

E-mail:

Date:

Please send to Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, Palace of Nations, New York.

Fax : 001 212 963 48 79.

[Western Sahara Homepage] [ SADR 25th anniversary ]