WESTERN SAHARA
WEEKLY NEWS

original french

WEEK 04
21.-27.01.2001

 

22.01.01
SADR
The Saharawi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, has denied the withdrawal of recognition of SADR by a number of countries. The Minister indicated, in an interview with an Algerian daily, "El Youm", that "Morocco is leading a big propaganda campaign, making it believed that numerous countries have withdrawn their recognition of SADR, which is false". The five African countries which withdrew their recognition under certain pressure, he said, have reversed their decision and renewed their recognition of the Saharawi Republic. (SPS)

22.01.01
Referendum
In the same interview, the Saharawi Minister announced that the Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary General, James Baker, would go to the region "in the coming weeks". (SPS)

23.01.01
Referendum
Algeria and Jordan have reaffirmed, in a statement published at the end of a visit to Algeria by the Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Abdel Ilah El Khatib, their "support for the peace plan" in Western Sahara leading to a free and fair referendum. (SPS)

25.01.01
Diplomacy
The SADR has been invited by the Arab Libyan Djamahirya to take part in an extraordinary summit on the African Union due to be held in Syrte (Libya) at the beginning of March, a statement by the Saharawi Ministry of Information indicated. SADR was the fifth country to ratify the constitutive act of the African Union.
The initiative of the Libyan leader, which was confirmed by his Foreign Affairs minister at the interministerial conference for cooperation in the Western Mediterranean, which was held in Lisbon*, put unexpectedly the Western Sahara conflict on the conference's agenda. The minister announced that, on occasion of the recent visit in Libya of King Mohammed VI, the Saharawi question was discussed with Colonel Khadafi.
* a grouping that encompasses Portugal, Italy, Spain, France and Malta on one side and Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Mauritania and Tunisia on the other - has not met for ten years on account of the Western Sahara conflict and the isolation of Libya

25.01.01
Exceptional harvests
More than 250 tonnes of carrots and turnips have been harvested in the "Garden of the School of 9 June", in the refugee camps. These fresh vegetables are destined for boarding schools and hospitals. The harvest was done by volonteers from the wilayas and state institutions led by the president Abdelaziz, assisted by members of the government.
In the "Garden Chahid Houssein Tamek", 180 tonnes of carrots and turnips had been harvested the week before, and in that of Bougarfa, volonteers helped plant out onions. Last year, the horticultural plots had been left fallow, the refugees having been preparing for the return to their country for the referendum. (SPS)

25.01.01
Exactions
According to a statement from the Ministry of Occupied Territories and from the Saharawi community abroad about thirty families of Saharawi nomads were brutally assaulted in the zone between Assa, Tantan and Legsabi (Southern Morocco), by Moroccan civilians aided by local authorities.
The militia and Moroccan settlers occasionally attack the Saharawis to intimidate them, terrorise them or to get them away from Moroccan military positions.
Furthermore, in Smara, two Moroccan settlers stabbed a Saharawi student, Khattri Khalihenna Abderahmane, who was transferred in a serious state to the military hospital of Smara on 16 January last. (SPS)

PROSSIMAMENTE

L'Associazione El Ouali di Bologna, che coordina la partecipazione alla Maratona del Sahara, invita alla cena che si terrà il 2 febbraio alle ore 20 presso la sala Zonarelli in via Vezza, Bologna. L'incasso servirà per acquistare materiale da portare ai campi. Per informazioni: LEO - 0338 146 0228, Vittorio -051534842

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