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26.11.97
Prisoners of war visited by ICRC
Five ICRC delegates visited 1,227 Moroccan prisoners detained by the
Polisario Front near Tindouf, Algeria. The visits took place between
14 and 22 November. Under agreements reached between the ICRC and the
Polisario Front, delegates have been authorized to see all 1,905
registered prisoners over a period of one year. The next visit to the
prisoners is due to take place in March 1998. The release of ICRC
does not mention the 85 prisoners liberated by the Polisario Front on
April 27 1997, in occasion of the visit of James Baker. They still
are not accepted by Morocco.
07.12.97
Disappearances
The AFAPREDESA (Association of Families of Prisoners and Disappeared
Sahrawis, a Sahrawi NGO) announces the arrest on Dec. 2 at Dakhla
(occupied Western Sahara) of Boussef Abderrahman Brahim, born 1948 at
Smara, W.S., and of Ali Salem Mohamed Salem El Mami (Tamek), born
1974 at Assa (South Morocco). Tamek was previously arrested in 1992
and sentenced, with 4 others Sahrawis, to 5 year's imprisonment for
attempting to flee WesternSahara. The two Sahrawis were brought to
various detention centers where they should be tortured and
interrogated.
Amnesty international started an urgent action on Dec. 10, asking its
members to contact the Moroccan Minister of Interior, the Moroccan
Minister of Justice and the President of the Consultative Council for
Human Rights in Rabat.
10.12.97
Identification
A second identification center opened at Dakhla in the Sahrawi
refugee camps. There are now 4 identification centers at work.
12.12.97
Liberation
The above mentionned two Saharawis Ali Salem Mohamed Salem Mami
(Tamek ) and Boussef Abderrahman Brahim were liberated at El Ayun
(main city of the occupied Western Sahara ), after beeing
interrogated and tortured in several secret detention centers during
10 days (DST at Dakhla, PC CMI at El Ayun) (AFAPREDESA).
Solidarity
18.12.-20.12.97 Guernica-Lumo
The development education program "Shertat, tales for Western Sahara"
will go on in the city of Guernica, Bask country, Spain, from
December 18 to 20. A traditional Sahrawi tent will be installed, in
which public lectures of tales will take place, followed by other
manifestations like exhibitions and movies about the situation in
W.S. and a Sahrawi party.
The homepage about Landmines in Western Sahara of "Medecins du Monde Switzerland" has a new URL: http://www.chez.com/berclaz/mdmch/
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