Arbitrary emprisonment
Government delegation expected in W.S.
Report of the UN Secretary-General
22.08.96
Arbitrary imprisonment
The Moroccan H.R. organization OMDH denounces in a press release that
eight young Sahrawis, after having
accomplished their penalties to one year prison in Sale, have been
maintained in jail for other three months. The organization demands
an inquiry in order to determine the responsibilities of this
"arbitrary imprisonment, punishable by law". It claimed vainly
explanations by the penitentiary's administration.
22.08.96
Government delegation expected in W. S.
A Moroccan government delegation led by Interior Minister Driss Basri
will visit the disputed Western Sahara next week to talk to the young
unemployed Sahrawis, the official MAP news agency said. The young
Sahrawis staged a six-day peaceful demonstration in Rabat earlier
this month to press for jobs and social benefits. They ended their
protest after a meeting with Basri, who promised to meet them later
in Western Sahara. The visit will coincide with the preparations
throughout the country for the referendum on the constitution reforms
set for September 13, an official said. The referendum will also take
place in the Western Sahara provinces, he said.
23.08.96
Report of the UN Secretary-General on Western Sahara (document
S/1996/674)
In application of the last resolution of
the Security council, Mr. Boutros-Ghali publishes his report on the
results of his efforts to find an issue to the deadlock of the peace
plan. The political office in charge of the contacts with the parties
and the neighbour states Algeria and Mauritania has been opened under
direction of Mr. Erik Jensen. His first contacts have not been
successfull. The members of the identification committee have lost
the region. The archives have been transported to Geneva. The report
mentions the determination of the Polisario military commanders to
resume war if no progress is made until November 30th, date of the
end of MINURSO's mandate.
The independent jurist, Mr. Roucounas, was in July in Morocco to
submit to the Moroccan authorities an unofficial list of presumed
political prisoners. According to Morocco a great number of the
mentioned persons were unknown, others were still liberated or
deceeded and a little number was with the Polisario Front. The
Moroccan authorities exprimed its agreement to discuss about an
official list, established by the independent jurist, based on exact
elements transmitted by Polisario and submitted officially to the
Moroccan authorities by the UN. Mr. Roucounas has also met the
representatives of the Polisario which has announced to be disposed
to contribute to the work of the independent jurist. Mr. Roucounas
will reach the Tindouf region on 24.08.96. A quick release of the
POWs for humanitarian reasons is actually on study.
The Secretary-General says the current deadlock could be broken and
progress achieved only when both parties recognised that
identification is a scrupulous process based on clear principles.
There had not been much progress and he appeals to the parties to
demonstrate flexibility and to cooperate with his Acting Special
Representative, Erik Jensen, in his efforts to help them find a
solution to their differences. The Secretary-General calls on both
sides to uphold the ceasefire so long as efforts continued to seek a
solution to the current deadlock.
Secretary-general report on the situation concerning Western Sahara, S/1996/674, August 20, 1996, 8 p.