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WEEKLY NEWS |
original french
18.-24.08.2002
SADR
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
REFERENDUM
HUMANITARIAN AID
SOLIDARITY
COMING UP
INTERNET
NEW PUBLICATIONS
SADR
20.08.02
Diplomacy
The Saharawi Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Salem Ould Salek,
on an official visit to Madagascar, was welcomed at the airport by
his Madagascan counterpart, Marcel Ranjeva. Accompanied by the
Saharawi Ambassador in Madagascar, he was given an audience by the
President of the Republic, Marc Ravalomanana, in the presence of the
Madagascan Minister of Foreign Affairs. A message from President
Mohamed Abdelaziz was handed to him. The talks bore on the political
situation, bilateral relations and how to reinforce them. A meeting
with the President of the Senate and the Vice-President of the
National Assembly brought the visit to an end, which was widely
reported in the media. (communiqué,
SPS)
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
21.08.02
Moroccan provocation
In a commentary on a study day in El Ayoun chaired by the Prime
Minister, Youssoufi, on 18 July last, the Moroccan daily Le Matin du
Sahara points out that «a recommendation which caught the
attention of the authorities (...) It concerned the installation of a
border post in the locality of Oumgrine [Bir Moghrein in
Mauritania] on the frontier with a brother country, Mauritania.
Knowing that a great part of the population of the south travel to
the region of Zouirat in Mauritania for economic reasons, this post
is likely to activate and revive the internal economy of the town of
Smara in the way that a border post opened in February 2002 did in
Grigrat on the coast of Lagouira [El Guregauarat, 50 km north of
La Guera]».
This project of opening a road between Morocco and Mauritania through the defensive wall and the 5 km buffer zone represents a violation of the peace plan of the UN, just like the attempt at building a road across the border at El Guerguarat, was stopped last March by the UN (see week 12). (Le Matin du Sahara)
22.08.02
Demonstration
The Association of Unemployed Saharawis organised in El Ayoun,
boulevard Alkayrawan, a peaceful demonstration of protest against the
employment policy practised by the Moroccan authorities in Western
Sahara. After half an hour only, the forces of the CMI (mobile
company of intervention) and those of the FA (auxiliary forces)
violently dispersed the demonstrators and proceeded to the arrest of
six people, namely (after corrections of 02.029.02): Rahmouni
Abidine, Nigro Mohamed, El Belaoui Hamadi , Lahmam Abdellah,Chamsdi
Labeihi (Semesdi Lebeihi) et Mailad Salek. The police also searched
the offices of the Association of Unemployed Saharawis the next day
and confiscated documents. Since being set up, the Moroccan
authorities have contested the legality of the Association of
Unemployed even though it complies with the right to public liberties
(Dahir 1958). On several occasions the Moroccan authorities have
confiscated the nameplate on the door of its office.
(corr.)
REFERENDUM
22.08.02
Denmark
Responding to a question from the member of parliament, Søren
Søndergaard, Red-Green Alliance, the Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Finances, Mr Bendt Bendtsen, declared that the
resolutions of the Security Council concerning WS are still the basis
of Denmark's position. However, the implementation of these demands
co-operation between the parties and it has not been possible up
until now to find agreement to bring the referendum about. Denmark
supports the efforts of the UN SG and of his personal envoy to find a
solution to the conflict which is acceptable to both parties.
(Statement
PF Denmark)
22.08.02
Angola
In a letter from the Angolan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joao
Bernardo Da Miranda, sent to his Saharawi counterpart, the Angolan
government affirms its support of the UN settlement plan and the
Houston Agreement which should lead to the organisation of a
referendum of self-determination for the Saharawi people. The Angolan
minister furthermore expressed his conviction that the UN would be
able to resolve the conflict in harmony with its resolutions and
expressed the wish that the Movement of non-aligned countries
continues also to support the resolutions of the United Nations
allowing the Saharawi people to pronounce themselves on their future.
(SPS)
HUMANITARIAN AID
21.08.02
France
According to a statement from its embassy in Algiers, France recently
sent to the World Food Programme (WFP) 2,176 tons of wheat flour,
valued at a million euros, for the benefit of the Saharawi refugee
camps in Tindouf. When it arrived in Oran the cargo was transported
to Tindouf by the Algerian Red Crescent. This «humanitarian
contribution» is part of the «constant concern of France
and other contributors, in liaison with WFP to work towards the
improvement of food security for the beneficiary populations»,
the statement points out. (APS)(EFE)
SOLIDARITY
21.08.02
Papal audience
Pope John-Paul II gave an audience in his summer residence in
Castelgandolfo to about fifty Saharawi children who are staying in
Modena in Italy on the initiative of regional associations Rock No
War and Associazione di Solidarietà Kabara Lagdaf of
Modena. (corr.)
COMING
UP...
Domenica 22 Agosto 2002, tra le ore 11,45 e le 12,00, RAI 1,
programma "A SUA IMMAGINE": servizio di 1,20 minuti, realizato da
Barbara Borgiotti, giornalista RAI presente in audienza dal Santo
Padre con i bimbi Saharawi.
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