The Collective of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders
Press Release
The Sahrawi human rights defenders in the CODESA have been following,
with great interest, the direct negotiations between the Polisario
Front and the Moroccan kingdom under the auspices of the United Nations
that have taken place in Manhasset, New York state on June 18-19, 2007.
The fact that both parts expressed their good faith and commitment to
the international legality and the Security Council resolutions,
especially the resolution 1754,
their desire to enter direct negotiations without any conditions
beforehand, which will guarantee the Saharawi people right to
self-determination,
as well as their desire to resume a second session of
negotiations during the second week of August, 2007,
Is a positive sign for everyone who hopes for the resolution of this
long-running conflict for more than three decades, and which will
certainly be for the benefit of the Maghreb peoples.
Thus, The CODESA, considers these negotiations an important historic
turning-point in the Western Sahara issue, and declares its
1. appreciation of the role played by the
international community in the consolidation of the international
legitimacy through its urge to the Moroccan kingdom and the Polisario
Front to have direct dialogue according to the Security Council
resolution 1754.
2. appeal to the UN as it is the supervisor of the
direct negotiations to quickly move in order to stop the Sahrawi
people's misery that has been lasting for more than 32 years, to stop
the violations of Human rights perpetrated by the Moroccan state
against the Sahrawi demonstrators calling for the Sahrawi people's
right to self-determination.
3. call for the Moroccan state to:
a. Unveil the fate of
the Sahrawi disappeared.
b. Release all the Sahrawi political prisoners with
no conditions.
c. Open investigations in the torture and the brutal,
inhuman treatment that the Sahrawi citizens are subjected to every day,
women and children in particular.
d. Punish the officials responsible for the flagrant
violations of human rights perpetrated against the Sahrawi citizens.
The CODESA Secretariat
El Ayun, Western Saahara.
June 20th, 2007.
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