WEEKLY NEWS

 

WEEK 45

02.-08.11.1997

 

20.10.97
Business

According to the Danish newspaper "Information" several Danish companies are deeply involved in an extensive trade with Morocco - including the occupied territories of Western Sahara. Alfa Laval in Copenhagen is for example planning to build a fish plant industry in Dakhla which is supposed to become the biggest in North West Africa. Several political parties have reacted to the article and asked the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs for an explanation. They also asked for an immediate stop of the investments.

21.10.97
Algeria - Greece

In occasion of a visit in Algeria the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece and his Algerian counterpart affirmed their wide agreement about the matter of Western Sahara.

27.10.-05.11.97
Visit of the SADR President in the USA

The ten days visit to the United States of President Mohamed Abdelaziz gave him occasion to held several meetings with members of the US Congress, businessmen, members of democratic and religious institutions and also Human Rights Organizations. The Renaissance Foundation organized a reception in his honor and at the occasion admitted the Saharawi Democratic Arab Republic as a honorary member. The Saharawi President appealed to the NGOs to put the Western Sahara in front of their agenda for next year and to act for a strict implementation of the Houston agreements.

01.11.97
Anglo-American humanitarian convoy

A humanitarian convoy with buses, trucks and off-road vehicles left London in order to reach the Saharawi refugee camps. It transports medical and educational material and food. It is sponsored by the British organization "Saharawan Aid Trust" and the US organization "Friendship Force". The pioneer of this convoy is Lord Christopher Winchelsea, Member of the House of Lords. 60 Britannic and 58 US citizen participate. The trip will take 3 days to cross France, 2 days in Spain and reach Oran, Algeria, on November 7th, from where it will reach the refugee camps near Tindouf. It is the 6th humanitarian convoy organized by Lord Winchelsea.

02.11.97
HR in Morocco

Several former Moroccan political prisoners of the secret jail of Tazmamart, Kalaat M'Guna and Agdz published an appeal in order to know the truth about 57 individuals disappeared since the sixties. This problem has still not been assumed because the responsibles are still in higher position. The petitioners will know what happened with the disappeared. They claim for restitution of the bodies of the deceded in Tazmamart to their families, and for compensations.

05.11.97
Investments

Morocco is going to invest about 320 millions US$ in order to develop fishing infrastructures in the "southern provinces". The extension of the harbour of El Ayun and the construction of the harbour of Dakhla in Western Sahara areincluded in this programm.

06.11.97
Mauritania

The President of the Saharawi National Council (Parliament), Mr. Abdelkader Omar, after he met the Mauritanian President, declared Mauritania is "a crucial actor" in the implementation of the self determination referendum. "Mauritania has to play an important role in the census of the Saharawis living in this country".

06.11.97
Royal speech

In occasion of the 22th anniversary of the "Green March" King Hassan II spoke at radio and TV. On the background of the implementation of the referendum he showed the positive aspects of his regionalization policy for the "southern provinces", announcing his visit in El Ayun on March 3 1998, in order to discuss with everybody about this project and the regional development. In this frame he evoked subtly some difficulties in Western Sahara, with regard to the respect of the Saharawi life style (see excerpt in french). Finally he appealed to "all Moroccans from Western Sahara" to present themselves individually for voter registration.

(Saharawi reaction: see CommuniquÈ du MinistËre de l'Information de la RASD)

NEW PUBLICATIONS

[Summary Weekly News,] [Western Sahara Homepage]