CTB for Saharawi people’s inalienable right to self-determination and independence

The Workers Center of Brazil (Brazilian acronym; CTB) has expressed its support to the inalienable right of the Saharawi people to self-determination and independence, in a motion approved at the end of its 3rd congress, informed POLISARIO representation.

The motion asked the Brazilian government to diplomatically recognize the Saharawi Republic (SADR) as well as to express its condemnation and rejection to the use of violence and persecution by Moroccan authorities against the Saharawi people and the labor movement in Western Sahara.

It, in this respect, demanded the halt of violence, respect of human rights and putting an end to the occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco.

CTB expressed support and solidarity with to the Saharawi Workers Union (UGTSARIO, adding that it will continue to exchanging experiences and raising awareness of the national and international trade union movements about the Western Sahara cause.

The Congress was attended by 1600 delegates from across Brazil.

CTB has maintained a position of support and solidarity with the Saharawi people’s struggle for self-determination, independence and international recognition of the Saharawi Republic

Read More

Saharawis determined to recover victory whatever the cost might be, says Minister

 “The Saharawi people are determined to recover their freedom and independence, no matter how long or whatever the cost might be,” said Sunday Ms. Mariam Salek Hmada, Saharawi Minister of Education, in a speech delivered during the closing session of the fourth summer university of SADR Cadres, held in Boumrdes, Algeria.

“The strength of the Saharawis’ resolution to regain victory and to challenge all Moroccan occupation authorities’ brutal methods of repression has befuddled Mahkzen regime,” she underlined.

“Moroccan brutal methods only empowered the Saharawis’ determination and resolve to continue the struggle up to snatch freedom, dignity and total independence of Western Sahara,” added. Ms. Mariam Hmada.

The Saharawi Minister, on other hand, noted that the organization of this summer university in the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Polisario Front “has multiple significances of which resistance, challenge and Saharawi masses’ detachment of their legitimate and sole representative, the Frente Polisario.”

She went on saying that the attendance of members of the Saharawi government and POLISARIO leadership to work of this summer university is “a proof of the utmost importance paid by Saharawi authorities to science, knowledge and training within a comprehensive strategy for human development and institutional building of the state.”

Ms. Mariam Salek Hmada, also President of this summer university, praised the interest and responsibility demonstrated by Saharawi state cadres

Read More

Occupied El Aaiun: Moroccan forces tighten the noose on Foum el-Oued beach

Moroccan repression forces have tightened the noose on Foum el-Oued beach in the occupied city of El Aaiun, capital of Western Sahara, after the uprising that erupted last week, according to the Ministry of Occupied Territories and Diaspora.

According to the source, Moroccan army and gendarmerie vehicles are controlling the way in and out of the beach, while Moroccan gendarmerie cars continue to harass the defenseless Saharawis.

Foum el-Oued beach witnessed peaceful demonstrations calling for the right of Saharawi people to self-determination and independence last week.

A group of young Saharawis were arrested, several women, elderly and children were assaulted, and several houses were raided, due to a violent intervention by Moroccan occupation forces against these demonstrations.

This siege comes as part of Moroccan systematic policy of tightening the noose on peaceful action, in the aim to deter the Saharawi citizens from continuing their just struggle for freedom and independence. 

Read More

Creation of Tunisian-Saharawi Solidarity Committee

Tunisian Committee of Solidarity with Saharawi People formed today, Saturday, in Tunes in the presence of a number of Tunisia’s representatives of civil society and students, as well as sympathizers from Algeria, Mauritania and Europe, in addition to the Saharawi delegation taking part at the World Social Forum.
Speaking during the event, the President of the European Coordination of Committees in Support of Western Sahara and President of the International Committee of the Support to Palestinian People Mr. Pierre Galand said that the participants at 2013 World Social Forum have sent this time a strong message of support to the Saharawi people and against racism practiced on the Palestinians.
The respect for international law is a respect to the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination,” said Mr. Galand, adding that Morocco “should be tried before an international court for his crimes in the Western Sahara, like those crimes committed by the Israeli occupation in Palestine.
“There is collusion at the international level, especially France which prevents the Security Council from taking tough stances towards Morocco as well as Spain, which turn a blind eye. Theses powers contribute to the theft and looting of the natural resources of the Sahrawi people,” he added.
Mohamed Fodil Harkati, from the General Union of Tunisian Students, said that there is “a terrible” media blackout and a new kind of colonialism in Western Sahara.
“How we can speak about dignity, which is the title of this forum, while the Saharawi people being bombarded by napalm and phosphorus, and how we can talk about human rights while the most basic human rights of our Saharawi brothers being violated,” he lamented, recalling in this regard to the position of the Tunisian Students Union, which was expressed on February 1975, when they announced in the Tunisian University their standing with the just causes in the world, mainly the Palestinian and Saharawi issue.
“We vow from here to stand in order to break the wall of silence imposed on the Saharawi people,” he added.

Read More

World social movements for Saharawi people’s right to self-determination

The World social movements, present at the 2013 World Social Forum in Tunisia, has expressed support to the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination, in a statement concluded their workshops.
The statement announced that the leftist forces and International Socialist Movement “strongly” support the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination, a thing drove Moroccan delegation to withdraw from the workshop in a provocative way, as usually did in such occasions.
To recall, Secretary General of Tunisian Workers’ Party received Friday at the Party’s HQ the presidency of the Saharawi delegation, where he announced his party’s support to the legitimate rights of the Saharawi people to self-determination.
Several Tunisian forces and personalities, present at activities of the World Social Forum, expressed support and sympathy with the Saharawi cause.

Read More

Walls of colonialism in the world: case of Western Sahara (workshop)

The Saharawi Khaima (tent), erected on the sidelines of the World Social Forum taking place in the Tunisian capital, hosted a workshop under the title “the Walls of Colonialism in the World: case of Western Sahara”, in the presence of Saharawi and foreign specialists and researchers.
The workshop opened by the screening of two documentaries; one by the Canadian writer Marcio de Santos, author of the book “journeys through the blockade”, featuring a comprehensive comparison of the walls built across the world, including the Moroccan wall of shame in Western Sahara, the other documentary by the well-known Uruguayan writer Galliano, in which he reviewed briefly the status of the Moroccan wall and its impacts on the lives of Saharawi population.
Professor Gaizi Annah, from Saharawi Association of Victims of War and Mines, presented a lecture about the structure and the technical characteristics of the Moroccan wall.
The Saharawi professor highlighted its humanitarian, economic and environmental impacts on the people of the Territory, urging Tunisians and all free men in the world, especially those present at the World Social Forum, to work in favour of the eradication of this wall which symbolizes colonialism and racism.
Egyptian professor Joseph Schechla, coordinator of the Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN), an international organization composed of civil society organizations in more than 100 countries and addresses population and land issues, presented a lecture underlying the legal aspects being violated by Moroccan occupation through its “humiliation and shame” wall in Western Sahara, which, he says, has no sovereignty over it according to requirements of international law.
He therefore called for filing a complaint to the international Court of Justice as did before the Palestine Liberation Organization against the Israeli wall in Palestine.
Speaking during the workshop, Palestinian professor Mr. Dawood Hammoudeh gave a presentation on the Palestinian experience in quantitative statistics of the effects of this wall on the Palestinian people, calling for the adoption of this methodology in drawing and tracing the direct and indirect physical and moral effects the Saharawi people suffer due to the Moroccan wall in their country.
The two-hour workshop focused on the aspects of Western Sahara conflict and the situation resulted from the Moroccan wall.

Read More

Seeking solutions in line with Security Council resolutions

United Nations Secretary General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara Christopher said Tuesday that his visit to the Sahrawi refugee camps as part of his news tour to the region "aims at seeking solutions to the Western Sahara issue in line with the Security Council’s resolutions."

"The serious situation in the Sahel region requires, now more than ever, an urgent solution," Ross said, adding that he had discussions with the leaders of the Polisario Front and Sahrawi President Mohamed Abdelaziz, as well as with representatives of the civil society in order examine ways and means to boost the negotiation process."

"The outcomes of my trip, which will lead me to Nouakchott and then to Algeria, will be presented to the Council of Security on 22 April," he said.

For his part, the head of the Sahrawi National Committee for Referendum, M’hamed Kheddad said that the discussions between Sahrawi President Mohamed Abdelaziz and UN Personal Envoy Christopher Ross focused on the actions that the latter intends to undertake as part of the efforts for the decolonization of the Western Sahara on the basis of the right of Sahrawi people to self-determination.

Ross "intends to adopt a new method for negotiations through meetings and consultations with the parties concerned," he added. "The Secretary General of Polisario Front has reiterated willingness to continue to cooperate with the United Nations," he said

Read More