19.03.96
Le Monde: Moroccan families request the bodies of their relatives who died in the jail of Tazmamart.
Eight women request in a press release the restitution of the mortal remains of their relatives in order to burry them decently. They also ask for financial compensation and claim for punishment of the torturers.
In the jail of Tazmamart 58 political prisoners were emprisoned from 1973 to 91 under dreadfull conditions. 30 of them died there.
19.03.96
Diplomatic relations between South Africa and the SADR.
South African President Nelson Mandela wants to formally recognise the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic but has delayed doing so at the request of the United Nations. Raymond Suttner, chairman of the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, told reporters he expected an exchange of ambassadors soon with the former Spanish colony.
19.03.96
Boutros Ghali meets his special representative for Western Sahara Erik Jensen at Geneva to speak about identification problems.
20.03.96
Moroccan reactions
The newspaper L'Opinion wrote:"This is a precipitous and illogical move". South Africa's policy "deeply irritated" the Moroccan authorities. Al Alam: " South Africa is on the bad way". Till now: no comment of the Moroccan Government.
20.03.96
US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Pelletreau's visit to Algeria and Morocco.
The US diplomate stresses US support for the implementation of the UN resolutions related to Western Sahara in a press conference in Algiers. "We believe that the two sides should cooperate with the UN regarding the registration of the voters." Washington is concerned by the delay in the voter implementation, and the Congress does not understand why the international community is continuing to provide financial assistance for a course which is in deadlock.
On 21.03.96 he met King Hassan II at Rabat. Discussions turned among other things about Western Sahara. The US embassy denied a Spanish newspaper report that Pelletreau's visit was linked to secret negociations between Morocco and the Polisario Front. Asked whether the dispute should be resolved
through direct negotiations under U.N. auspices, Pelletreau replied: "That
is a hypothetical question. But I think that the parties would do well to
focus attention on making the identification process more efficient and
more successful and faster moving rather than thinking what comes after."
20.03.96
Al Hayat, London: Army movements.
According to informations received from Algiers this arabic written newspaper says that Algeria has called up 70,000 reservists and that there are deployments on both sides of the border. The Moroccan Royal Forces could seize all the Western Sahara if the United Nations decides to withdraw its mission from the area .
21.03.96
Mr. Boutros Ghali meeting Jacques Chirac in Paris explains him the difficulties with the implementation of the identification process in Western Sahara. He says: "We hope to find a solution for a referendum."
Fadel Ismael in a comment accuses Morocco to be responsible of the deadlock. He underlines that the Sahrawis are disappointed by the insufficience of the international pressure upon Rabat (El Watan, Algiers, 23.03.96).
22.03.96
According to its spokeswoman the MINURSO was ordered to cut its size in half, so only 4 of the actual 8 identification centers will be maintained (L'Opinion, Rabat).
22.03.96
Mr. Hocine Maghlaoui, Algerian delegate at the 52th session of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, denounced in his intervention the freezing of the Peace Plan and affirmed that the right for selfdetermination and independence is one of the basic human rights. The denial of this right is an obvious and unacceptable violation of human rights.
23.03.96
Meeting of the Polisario's National Secretary.
The leading institution of the Polisario took stock of the situation in the refugee camps and the liberated territories and examined the actual state of the Peace Plan. The Secretary noted that Morocco is hindering UN to apply the Plan and is continuing the repression in the occupied territories. The Secretary reaffirms that the Plan is an adequate way to find a fair and peaceful solution to the conflict and that the Polisario is ready to cooperate with the UN and OAU and also to open direct negociations with Morocco.
New association
In December 1995 an association of young Sahrawis and Sahrawi students living in France (AJESEF) was created in Paris. The objective is to provide informations about the struggle of the Sahrawi people.
Address: 8, Rue Jean Richard Bloch, F-95100 Argenteuil, phone: ...30 25 05 90, E-mail: p7aige13@cicrp.jussieu.fr