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WEEKLY NEWS |
original french
30.06.-06.07.2002
SADR
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
REFERENDUM
EUROPEAN UNION
OAU
MOROCCO
COMING UP
INTERNET
NEW PUBLICATIONS
SADR
27.06.02
Angola
Ahmed Salama Sid-Ahmed presented his credentials to the Angolan
President, José Eduardo Dos Santos, as Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic for the Republic of Angola. During the audience, Ahmed
Salama informed the Angolan authorities of the latest developments in
the peace process in Western Sahara.
28.06.02
Italy
The history of the conflict in Western Sahara seen through the
struggle of the Saharawi people for their right to self-determination
and independence was the central theme of a seminar organised in
Caserta (near Naples) by several Italian universities. Several
professors of international law, Italian parliamentarians and
senators took part in this meeting, as well as a Saharawi delegation
led by Mohamed Sidati, Minister Counselor. The "Seconda" university
of Naples, the "Tor Vergata" university of Rome, the University of
Perugia and the "Link Campus" of Malta started this initiative. Two
other similar meetings are planned, the first in October in Perugia
on the theme "Diplomacy of States and Peoples in the solution to the
conflict in Western Sahara". A second seminar will be organised by
the University "Tor Vergata" of Rome in December, which will treat
the "Role of Italy and Europe in the solution of the conflict in
Western Sahara".
30.06.-03.06.02
Basque country
A delegation from the Basque country, consisting of about sixty
people and led by the lehendakari Juan José Ibarretxe, carried
out an official visit to the Saharawi Republic. Representatives from
all political groups, except Batasuna and the Popular Party, from
various institutions as well as journalists formed the delegation.
They visited various projects financed by the Basque government,
including the installation of the National Saharawi Radio. Their stay
ended with an official reception given by the Saharawi president. He
warned that any settlement intended to impose solutions which do not
respect the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination is
condemned to failure and will lead inevitably to war and instability.
Ibarretxe, received like a head of state by the Saharawi president,
declared himself honoured to be the first head of an autonomous
regional government of Spain to visit the Saharawi people. He
expressed solemnly his support for the Saharawi cause. He asked the
Spanish government and autonomous communities to support the Saharawi
cause, adding that the implementation of the UN resolutions was
"fundamental". The lehendakari also met members of MINURSO.
The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Josep Piqué, called
the trip of the president of the Basque government
"irresponsible".
04.07.02
The 100 Moroccan prisoners of war, released on 18 June last by the
Polisario Front at the request of Germany, will be repatriated on
Sunday 7 July through the International Red Cross (ICRC). The
prisoners will be handed over to the ICRC during a formal ceremony
attended by representatives of the Polisario Front, the Saharawi Red
Crescent, the Red Cross, MINURSO as well as the German Ambassador.
(SPS
french,
with the list of names of those liberated)
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
30.06.02
Arrests
After the intentional fire started in a police station in El Ayoun
(see week
26 ),
the police proceeded to question many Saharawis, especially young
people, of whom three are detained. According to reliable sources,
Salem Mouloud, Salek Hazaña (El Alawi), Duih Mohamed-Fadel are
in a serious state following the torture and rough treatment they
have undergone. The three young people were presented to the Procurer
of the King who ordered their imprisonment. They will appear in court
soon. Several other young people are sought and others have been
brutally interrogated and searched in a humiliating manner. The homes
of many Saharawi families have also been searched, often in a
humiliating way. At El Ayoun police and military patrol the streets
and lanes of the city. Smara is under curfew from 22 hours.
Meanwhile, the staff of the National Security, the director of the
judicial police, two procurers of the King on the Court of First
Instance and the penal court as well as the majority of judges have
been replaced. (corr., Press
rel. AFAPREDESA,
report
arabic
)
01.07.02
Intimidation
At the moment, when an important delegation of Amnesty International
is visiting the occupied zones of Western Sahara, the authorities are
increasing acts of intimidation and reprisals against human rights
defenders and relatives of disappeared Saharawis. On 28 June 2002,
Barca, whose father Farayi Mohamed-Salem Beih, is one of the
disappeared, was summoned and threatened with reprisals if she
received the Amnesty International delegation in her home.
Subsequently the district caïd summoned the wife of the
disappeared Farayi in order to threaten her in case she received the
delegation. Her house was where the Amnesty delegates were due to
have a meeting.(communiqué
AFAPREDESA - comunicado
AFAPREDESA)
REFERENDUM
8-30.06.02
Algiers: International Seminar of solidarity with the Saharawi
people
Organised by the Algerian National Committee of solidarity with the
Saharawi people (CNAPS), this conference brought together in the
hotel El Djazair parliamentarians, political personalities,
academics, lawyers, representatives from NGOs and committees of
support for the Saharawi people from 13 European countries, as well
as a large Saharawi delegation led by the president of the national
assembly (parliament), Salem Lebsir. The Algerian delegation
comprised representatives of civil society, the Algerian parliament
and Algerians living in France.
The participants heard various speeches on the present situation and
in two workshops studied political, legal and economic aspects of the
question of Western Sahara. In a final declaration, the participants
declared themselves ready to unite their efforts for the Saharawi
cause. They demand "greater vigilance towards the many attempts and
manoeuvres to question the UN Peace Plan and to deprive the Saharawi
people of their fundamental rights". They condemn human rights abuses
in the occupied territories and denounce Morocco's policy of
colonisation of Western Sahara and illegal exploitation of its
natural resources. They decided to bring the matter officially before
the United Nations Secretary General, the Security Council, the
presidents of the European Council, the Commission and Parliament, as
well as the Organisation of African Unity, to ask them to act in
favour of the strict respect of the resolutions of the United
Nations, of the immediate stop to attacks on human rights in occupied
Western Sahara and the illegal exploitation of its natural
wealth.
Alongside this meeting, the president of the Algerian Popular
Assembly, Mr Karim Younès, received the president of the
Saharawi National Assembly (parliament), Mr Salem Lebsir, in the
presence of the president of the Algerian Committee of support for
the Saharawi people and participants in the conference. The meeting
was marked by the announcement of the creation of an
Algerian-Saharawi parliamentary group of friendship and
fraternity.(Speech
of
Marianne Eriksson, MEP and Swedish member of the EP intergroup on
Western Sahara, Final
declaration
)
26.06.02
Early
Day Motion, EDM 1517
A motion has been put down in the British parliament by the MP,
Jeremy Corbyn. It supports the right to self-determination of the
Saharawi people and calls on the Security Council to organise a
referendum on independence for this former Spanish colony. This
motion, which is not debated, has been signed to date by 28 members
of parliament.
EUROPEAN
UNION
04.07.02
The ad hoc delegation of the European Parliament approved the final
text of its report, in which it gives support to the implementation
of a referendum of self-determination. It recognises that it was not
the mission of the delegation to declare support for one solution or
another, since it is the United Nations alone that is entitled to do
so. The delegation considers that the idea of a referendum should not
be abandoned, although, in view of the circumstances, it is probable
that the referendum cannot be organised. The MEPs consider however,
that the formula of autonomy should be taken into account and could
become the basis of non-exclusive negotiation between the parties.
The role of the EU should be to encourage and to facilitate dialogue
and the pursuit of negotiations, by playing the role of mediator. The
delegation asks the Council and the Commission to play a more active
role and to take on their responsibility in a conflict which has
lasted too long. It proposes that the European Parliament should
organise meetings with representatives of the two sides, continue to
supply humanitarian aid to the refugees and for the development of
the region. The report of 38 pages, will be put before the Foreign
Affairs Committee.
OAU
04.-10.07.02
Summit of the OAU in Durban
In his annual report presented to the 76th ordinary session of the
OAU Council of Ministers, the Secretary General, Mr Amara Essy,
expressed his support for the implementation of the settlement plan
accepted by Morocco and the Polisario Front and approved by the
Security Council as a mechanism for settling the conflict in Western
Sahara. The OAU as co-responsible with the United Nations, in the
search for a mutually acceptable solution, will continue to support
the efforts of the UN for a peaceful settlement of the conflict. The
SADR delegation at this session is led by the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, accompanied by ambassadors of
South Africa, Ethiopia and Angola. On 8 July the summit of OAU heads
of state will decide, during its 38th session, on changing the OAU
into the African Union. The new organisation, UA, will then hold its
first session from 9 to 10 July. (SPS, OUA)
MOROCCO
02.07.02
The authorities of the Canary Islands recognised that they are
supporting a move by private shipowners in the Canaries to conclude
an agreement with Morocco in order to be able to fish in Moroccan
territorial waters, despite the non-renewal of the fishing agreement
between the EU and Morocco. (CANARIAS
7)
COMING UP
16.07.02
Saharawi Republic President Mohamed Abdelaziz will visit the U.S.
Reception hosted by Congressmen Joseph Pitts and Donald Payne and the
US-WS Foundation on Tuesday, July 16, 2002 on Capitol
Hill.
15-29.07.02
USA
Special July Trip for the Children - Project: Left Behind:
Janet Lenz is organizing for the first time a group of 25+ people to
travel to the camps from July 15-29 to present a program for the
children of two of the refugee camps who were not able to leave the
camps for the summer. Members of Christ The Rock Community Church and
Airline Ambassadors will be presenting a variety of fun and
educational programs. AAI's International Toy Bank is donating
items for the program. For more information, contact Janet at :
jlenz@christtherock.org
2003 Marathon
Mars Hill Bible Church will chair the next Sahara Marathon to be held
February, 2003. In addition to the annual Marathon, an Ultra Marathon
will be held aimed at "caravaning" supplies down to the most remote
refugee camp, Dakhla. For more information, visit the website
saharamarathon.org or contact David Stoner at :
dstoner@mhbcmi.org
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