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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)
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