WEEKLY NEWS

 

WEEKS 34 - 35

18.-31.08.1997

 

 

22.08.97
Strike at Dakhla

Workers of the new Dakhla harbour, under construction, protest by striking because they have not received their pay since 2 months.

28.08.97
Morocco-Saharawi negociations

The Polisario in Algiers declares that the negociations of Lisbon are an important step on the way of the resolving of the conflict but they should not be the last. The Polisario exprimes its trust in the Security Council and Secretary General and its satisfaction about the activity of James Baker.
Arriving at Lisbon, the chief of the Polisario delegation, Mahfoud Ali Beiba, SADR Prime Minister, exprimed his hope that the talks would allow a referendum and bring peace to W.S.. Polisario representative at Lisbon, Ahmed Salama Sidahmed, added that the Saharawi people's dream is to return to take back its territory, its independance, dignity and rights. He wishes that the negociations will result in the complete implementation of the U.N. peace plan.

29.08.97
Fourth round of negociations

The "private, direct calls" between Morocco and the Polisario take place at Forte S. Juliao da Barra near Lisbon. The Saharawi delegation is the same as last time, the Moroccan Prime Minister is accompanied by Ambassador at the U.N. A. Snoussi, general A. Bennani, commander of the south region, colonel M. Zouhri, Mr A. Hasbi, adviser, Mr B. Boufous and Mrs A. Zarrouk from the Ministry of Interior. Mr Baker, the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, has on his side Messrs Erik Jensen, Chester A. Crocker and John R. Bolton. Observers of the Algerian and Mauritanian government are also present.
The meeting ended one day before scheduled, due to the progress achieved during this session. Mr Baker told the press that it was "a full and productive day of discussions". He said that the parties had reached a compromise agreement with respect to the questions of containment of troops, prisoners of war and political detainees. He added that the progress achieved was such that they were unable to go line by line through the proposed code of conduct to the referendum, because the delegations did not have all the experts in this field they needed to discuss it in detail. According to Mr Baker, the next round of talks on Western Sahara will start between 12 and 14 September in the United States. The exact location will not be known at least until 2 or 3 September. The Saharawi delegation exprimed its satisfaction about the results of the talks.

29.08.97
The Moroccan and Portuguese Prime Minister met in Lisbon. A. Filali informed Minister Guterres about the advances of the talks with the Polisario. The President of Portugal Jorge Sampaio will reach Rabat on September first and meet King Hassan II.

NEWS FROM THE REFUGEE CAMPS AND THE LIBERATED TERRITORIES OF SADR

Social and cultural activities
As every year at this time an alphabetisation campaign took place in all the camps. In the wilaya of El Ayoun the first regional meeting of scouts was held. In all dairas people participated to maintenance activities of basic sanitary equipments. Football and volleyball competitions and cultural events were organized by the youth.

Manifestations in Assa
Hundreds of Saharawi people living in Assa, South Morocco, organized on August 15th manifestations against the Moroccan power in the streets of Assa. They came together before the official buildings and claimed for freedom of speech, right to work, housing and access to education.

NEW PUBLICATIONS

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Western Sahara Campaign UK: Annual General Meeting 1997, Saturday 20 Sept. 1997,
2-5 pm, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London.-
Registration: tel./fax 0113 245 47 86.

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