WESTERN SAHARA
WEEKLY NEWS

original french

WEEK 07
11.-17.02.2001

 

08-09.02.01
Brussels: Second Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Forum
Yasmine Boudjenah, MEP (European United Left) demands in her speech more open and more vigorous action of the European Union both in the Middle East and in Western Sahara, "where the resumption of armed conflict is threatened", and adds that "the EU would gain credibility in getting properly involved in the full and complete implementation of the UN settlement plan leading to the holding of a referendum of self-determination for the Saharawi people." (NARO PRESSE SERVICES)

14.02.01
El Ayoun
Mohamed Najem Laabi was arrested at the airport of El Ayoun on 12.02.01, on arrival from the Canary Islands. According to his family, he was held for 24 hours at the commissariat, then transferred to Morocco. His family is without news. (corr.)

15.02.01
El Ayoun
Three people were arrested on 11.02.01 at 2 am at their home. They are the brothers Ayach Mohamed Salem Yahdih, Ayach Baba Yahdih and Ayach Ali Yahdih. Two of them were freed after having been interrogated for 48 hours in the Commissariat of the Judicial Police. Ayach Baba Yahdih is still in prison, suspected of having torched an official car in the quarter of Hay Rahma on the night of 10 February. (corr.)

14.02.01
SADR-Mexico
The government of Mexico has just given its consent to His Excellency, Walad El Wali Moussa as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for SADR in Mexico. (Statement from the Saharawi Ministry of Information, SPS)

14.02.01
SADR
The German ambassador accredited in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, paid a visit to the liberated areas of the SADR. He was accompanied by his wife and officials from the MINURSO.

15.02.01
Catalonia
On the occasion of the visit to Morocco of the president of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Jordi Pujol, the Catalan Association of the friends of the Saharawi people in a statement expressed the wish that Pujol would not forget the conflict in Western Sahara and its implications for bilateral relations between Catalonia and Morocco.

15.02.01
Human Rights
From the depths of Kenitra prison (Morocco), Daddach Sidi Mohamed denounces the "inhuman" conditions of detention of the Saharawi prisoners in Morocco and launches an "urgent" appeal. In his letter to all humanitarian organisations and to international bodies for the defence of human rights, Daddach describes the tortures and inhuman and immoral practices in force in Moroccan prisons and especially in the central prison of Kenitra. Daddach, the only Saharawi prisoner recognised as such by Morocco, was condemned to death for desertion in 1980, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.. (SPS)

REFERENDUM - ONU - coming up

20.02.01: The Secretary-General's report to the Security Council on Western Sahara is expected.
22.02.01: Meeting of the troop contributing countries for the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
23.02.01: The Security Council expects to hold consultations on Western Sahara, where the present mandate of the UN Mission is set to expire at the end of February.

SOLIDARITY

Spain

Andalusia, Jaen: 18 health professional are shortly to visit the Saharawi refugee camps in the context of a programme of surgical assistance, set up three years ago by the Association of friendship with the Saharawi people and the authorities of Jaen. There will be 12 surgeons, three general practicioners, a urologist, a nurse and a physiotherapist in the party. (Europa Press, 05.02.01)

The Asturias: the government has granted 5 university scholarships to Saharawi students (10.02.01).

Caravan for Peace 2001
This caravan, the sixth of its kind, is on the way to the Saharawi refugee camps. Numerous associations have contributed to its success in Andalusia: the province of Grenada is sending food, clothing and school equipment worth US$200,000, that of Malaga 119,000 kg of food products, that of Seville 380,000 kg and 12 trucks. The local associations of support for the Saharawi people have collected these goods over the past months, for example Carboneras (2 t), Los Velez (3 t.), San Fernando (5 t.), El Puerto (9 t.), etc.

Castellon (Autonomous community of Valencia) has associated itself with the action and is sending 25 t of food, 2 trucks, a bus and an ambulance.

In Aragon, Saragossa has set up its first caravan, consisting of a 20 tonne truck.

The Spanish NGO for Human Rights is putting forward the collective candidature of the Saharawi women for the Prince of the Asturias of the Concord 2001 prize.

Bilbao, Basque Country, 15.02.01, "Western Sahara: Another 25 years of exile?" The future of the United Nations peace plan for Western Sahara. Colloquium organised by the Instituto de Derechos Humanos Pedro Arrupe of the university of Deusto and the Alboan NGO with the participation of Mohamed Salem, SADR representative in the Basque Country and Jesus Garay, of the Association of the friends of SADR of Euskadi.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 16.02.01, the Canaries Association of Solidarity with the Saharawi peoplepresented a slide show.

Alicante, 17.02.01: "Encierro en la Concatedral de Alicante" a manifestation for the 25th anniversary of the proclamation of SADR by the Coordinadora de Asociaciones de Amistad con el Pueblo saharaui de la provincia de Alicante.

Algeria

Biskra, Algeria, 12.02.01: Demonstration of solidarity with the Saharawi people, organised by the Algerian Committee of solidarity with the Saharawi people, with the participation of a large delegation from the Polisario Front, attended by Felipe Briones, president of the International Association of Lawyers for Western Sahara, and by representatives of Algerian civil society and the twinning movement from the wilaya of Biskra. On this occasion, the twinning of the towns of Biskra and Dakhla (Western Sahara) was made official. (SPS)

COMING UP...

PUBLICATION

Issue 27.02.2001
La République sahraouie
Mohamed-Fadel ould Ismaïl ould Es-Sweyih
Ed. L'Harmattan, Paris, février 2001

MANIFESTATIONS
17.02.01, Logroño, Rioja, a las 19 horas: Carrera solidaria de 3 kilómetros, organizada por la Plataforma Cívica Pro-Referéndum bajo el patrocinio del Observatorio de La Rioja. Se iniciará en la Plaza del Mercado, sigue por las calles Portales, Mayor y Rodríguez Paterna hasta el Ayuntamiento Viejo, para retomar Portales y finalizar en la Plaza del Mercado, donde se ofrecerá un té saharaui. A lo largo del trayecto habrá cuatro puntos en los que se reproducirán las cuatro capitales más importantes de los campamentos saharauis de refugiados -L'Ayoun, Smara, Aoserd y Dahla- a modo de copia del Maratón Solidario Internacional en los Campamentos de Refugiados en Tinduf, que se celebra el día 27 en Argelia. .

18.02.01, Bilbao, Pais Vasco: Marcha Solidaria- Elkartasun Martxa , Salida: parque de Santurtzi,10 de la mañana. Org.: Coordinadora de asociaciones pro-Sahara de Bizkaia. Info: gorkafm@euskalnet.net

21.02.01, Alicante: Mesa Redonda sobre la situación actual de la causa saharaui a las 20 horas, en la sede C.C.O.O. de Alicante, Avenida de Salamanca nº 33 . Intervendrán: Mohamed Ali Ali Salem, Delegado del Frente Polisario en la Comunidad Valenciana. Enrique Cerdan Tato, escritor y Presidente de la Asociación de Amistad con el Pueblo Saharaui de Alicante. Felipe Briones Vives, Secretario General de la Asociación Internacional de Juristas por el Sahara Occidental.

22.02.01, Alicante: Concentración-Marcha a partir de las 19,30 horas. Itinerario: 19,30 h, Concentración en la Plaza del Teatro, frente al consulado del Reino de Marruecos sito en la c/ Duque de Zaragoza nº 4-5º Dcha, se marchara por la calle del Teatro hacia la Subdelegación del Gobierno y posteriormente se marchara hasta la Delegación de la Generalitat Valenciana en la calle Doctor Gadea nº 10.

22.02.01, Bruxelles, «25 ans ça suffit !», le Comité belge de soutien au peuple sahraoui organise une délégation qui se rendra au bureau des Nations unies pour y remettre l'appel à Kofi Annan signé par des parlementaires belges. Une délégation se rendra aussi au Ministère des Affaires Étrangères pour obtenir que l'Ambassadeur de Belgique aux Nations unies interpelle le secrétaire général de l'ONU dans le sens de la pétition. Une conférence de presse aura lieu pour expliquer le sens de ces démarches.

23.02.01, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: 18'00 h., Salón de actos ACSPS, C/ Pi y Margall, nº 2, Exposición de paneles informativos. 19'30h. Té y tertulia en torno a la "Situación actual del Conflicto". 21'00h. Una parranda canaria amenizará el fin de la velada. Org: Asociación Canaria de Solidaridad con el Pueblo Saharaui ACSPS.

25.02.01, Alicante: Acto de apoyo a la causa saharaui, comenzara a las 12 horas, en la Explanada de España, a la altura del Casino, donde habrá intervenciones musicales, exposición de fotografías, y donde intervendrán todas las organizaciones que forman la Plataforma de Apoyo al Sahara.

26.02.-03.03.01, Cuba, Actividades por el 25 aniversario de la RASD en Cuba: El colectivo de estudiantes saharauis en Cuba se acordó llevar a cabo una copa de fútbol la cual se ha ido desarrollando durante estos 2 meses anteriores y su semifinal se celebrará el 24 de febrero en Ciego de Avila entre los 3 equipos finalistas.
El 26 de febrero se hará una actividad central auspiciada por el ICAP, la Embajada de la RASD y la OSPAAAL a celebrarse a las 5 p.m. en la sede del Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos (ICAP).
El 27 de febrero se celebrarán en toda Cuba actividades políticas y culturales en los diferentes centros de estudios de forma especial en Santiago de Cuba, Holguín y Camaguey.
El 3 de marzo se hará la actividad central en Pinar del Río por los festejos del 25 aniversario en la cual estarán presentes funcionarios de la Embajada de la RASD, donde además se entregará el premio del equipo ganador de la copa de fútbol así como otras actividades.

27.02.01, Almansa, 8.30 h: Carrera Solidaria con el Sahara con ocasión del Marathón del Sahara. Igualmente en distintas localidades de la comarcas de Almansa se celebrarán este mismo día a distintas horas manifestaciones de este tipo, como apoyo a la causa.

27.02.01, Sydney , Australia: 12 am, Moroccan Consulate, 11 West St, North Sydney, «FREE WESTERN SAHARA» Protest Morocco 's occupation, org. by Western Sahara Alliance. More info contact: Stephanie Brennan 0411 239 934, e-mail: steph_brennan@hotmail.com

02.03.01, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: 19'30h. Manifestación POR LA PAZ EN EL SÁHARA, desde la Plaza de la constitucion-obelisco hasta la Sede del Gobierno Canario. Org Asociación Canaria de Solidaridad con el Pueblo Saharaui.

04.03.01, Barcelona, Catalunya: manifestación a las 11.30h de la mañana, en los arcos de las Tarazanas (Drassanes) de Barcelona. Haremos una cadena humana con una bandera saharaui enormeeeeeeeeee! hasta la Plaça Sant Jaume, donde finalizaremos con un acto, en el que participaran: Sr. Adda Brahim, delegado del Frente Polisario en Catalunya, Sr. Felip Solé i Sabarís, presidente de la Associació Catalana d'Amics del Poble Sahrauí, Sra. Mariam Salek, ministra de Cultura de la RASD. Org. Associació Catalana d'Amics del Poble Sahrauí.

09-11.03.01, Sevilla, Andalucia: II Jornadas estatales del proyecto «Vacaciones en Paz». Informaciones vacacionesenpaz@terra.es

10.03.01, Monsummano Terme (Pt), Italia: Sala Polivalente Osteria dei Pellegrini (g.c.), P.za Giuseppe Giusti: Il Progetto di Sanità Animale nei Campi Profughi Saharawi: Resoconto del 1° anno di attività, Società Italiana di Veterinaria e Zootecnia Tropicale per la Cooperazione Internazionale, Movimento Africa '70, Organizzazione Non Governativa, con il patrocinio di: Amministrazione Provinciale di Pistoia, Amministrazione Comunale di Monsummano Terme. Per informazioni: Angelo Bogazzi 0339 1576383, Camilo Duque 0338 8089062, Antonio Barsanti 050 861189    

INTERNET

NEW PUBLICATIONS
[External links to newspapers may not be valid after some days because the servers are restarted]

Français

English

Japonais

Castellano

[Summary Weekly News,] [Western Sahara Homepage]