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WEEKLY NEWS |
original french
21.-27.04.2002
TITLESSADR
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
REFERENDUM
MOROCCO - USA
HUMAN RIGHTS
SOLIDARITY
COMING UP
INTERNET
NEW PUBLICATIONS
SADR
19.04.02
Military manoeuvres were organised in the 7th military region
(Aguenit), in the presence of Mohamed Abdelaziz, Saharawi state and
army representatives, and representatives of the Saharawi community
in Mauritania and the nomadic community of the region, who met for a
conference in the afternoon. Three tactical groupings formed by
armoured units and a mechanised regiment supported by artillery and
the Anti-Aircraft-Defense carried out combined manoeuvres. They
simulated an attack on portions of defensive walls modeled on those
installed by Morocco. (SPS)
24.04.02
A Saharawi delegation led by Zenan Mohamed Brahim, Ambassador of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, took part in the 25th session of the OAU
Commission on work and social affairs, which finished its work on 21
April 2002 in Ouagadougou (Burkina-Faso) after 5 days of intense
debate. In the document on employment and poverty in Africa and on
the point referring to armed conflicts in Africa the armed conflict
between Morocco and SADR figures, the longest-running conflict of the
continent. These amendements, presented by the Saharawi delegation
were adopted by the ministerial meeting of the OAU.
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
14.04.02
Death of an ex-prisoner
Malainine Ould Ali Ould Boudjemaa, a former political detainee,
sentenced in 1998 to 3 months' prison for having taken part in
demonstrations in Lemseyed, died from complications of an infection
contracted in prison. These demonstrations brought together several
hundred people, who demanded the right to self-determination and
national independence for the Saharawi people, as well as the release
of Saharawi political prisoners. The demonstrators brandishing
Saharawi Republic flags burnt a Moroccan flag. (see
week12/1998).
REFERENDUM
22.04.02
United Nations
The United Nations Secretary General received Mhamed Khadad,
Polisario Front coordinator with MINURSO, who handed him a message
from the President of SADR relating to the latest developments on the
question of Western Sahara on the eve of the Security Council debate
on the options presented last February by James Baker.
23.04.02
A draft resolution favouring the framework-agreement was presented by
the USA to the "Group of friends of the secretary general for Western
Sahara" charged with counseling Kofi Annan, composed of the USA,
France, Britain, Russia and Spain. Russia and Spain having refused to
support this proposal, the USA then presented the proposal to the
Security Council in their own name. It proposes to mandate James
Baker to prepare a framework-agreement (pseudo-autonomy) without
seeking the agreement of both parties, to present it to the Council
who would present it to the parties as non-negotiable.
25.04.02
Security Council
The Security Council met to discuss the Secretary General's report
S/2002/467,(PDF
or HTML)and
the draft resolution of the US, now supported by France, Great
Britain, Guinea and Bulgaria.
According to diplomatic circles, the surprising American move was
motivated by wanting to defend the stability of the Moroccan
monarchy, to pursue cooperation between Moroccan and American secret
services on anti-terrorism and by the oil interests at stake. It
should be known that the Bush family and Condoleezza Rice itself have
interests in the Texan companies.
The Spanish government, which declared itself surprised by the
American position, remains attached to the settlement plan and
refuses any solution imposed by force, which would create a climate
of instability in the region. It is favourable to a technical
extension of the mandate of MINURSO to allow a more carefully
considered decision to be taken. Its ambassador to the United Nations
declared that within the Council there was not a clear majority in
favour of any one of the three options.
On Friday 26 a group of experts from the Council met but reached no
result. The group of 5 states favourable to the US proposal is using
the argument of the resignation of Baker if the framework-agreement
proposal is abandoned.
The Security Council will make its decision on 30 April 2002.
(Press, agencies)
Saharawi reactions
Ahmed Boukhari, PF representative in the UN, is said to have stated that he hopes that the Council will not go beyond a technical resolution, in order to give the time necessary to examine other ways. If the autonomy option is retained, which is very unlikely, the Polisario Front will withdraw from negotiations.(Spanish press)
Brahim Ghali, PF representative in Spain, believes that "if the Council opts for autonomy, we will demand the immediate withdrawal of MINURSO. We will consider that we are no longer held to respect the cease-fire." (Spanish press)
Mohamed Sidati, in a written statement (Spanish), denounces "the intolerable blackmail and inadmissible pressure" consisting in saying that the mission of James Baker would be compromised if the framework-agreement proposal is not accepted. "The Polisario Front would see itself obliged to reconsider relations of cooperation and collaboration with MINURSO, in the case where it was given a mission other than that of organising a referendum of self-determination of the Saharawi people." The minister delegate for Europe reaffirmed that the Polisario Front remains attached to the Settlement Plan and refuses the framework-agreement totally.
In a statement dated 26 (French), the national secretariat of the Polisario Front declares that the "Security Council has, with an overwhelming majority (10 votes against 5), expressed its preference for the implementation of the settlement plan." The secretariat denounces blackmail by the minority on the Council, who want to impose the framework-agreement claiming that "if the Secretary General's Personal Envoy does not obtain a clear mandate from the Security Council to impose on the Saharawi people a solution based on pseudo-autonomy, he would have no other choice but to bring his mission to an end." The Polisario Front "vigorously rejects these unacceptable threats and will never give in to any blackmail or diktat aimed at imposing on it the solution of the framework-agreement which is illegal, unjust and aims at by-passing the will of the Saharawi people to decide freely their destiny in strict conformity with the doctrine of the United Nations concerning decolonisation."
Algeria:
In a letter sent to the president of the Security Council, the
Algerian delegate at the UN believes that the American recommendation
deliberately ignores the interest shown by several UN delegations in
the proposal for the partition of the Sahara, which figures in the
Secretary General's report of 19 February last. ACH-CHARK AL-AWSAT
(Saudi-Arabian)
Solidarity
movement:
The president of the European Coordination for the support of the
Saharawi people sent a letter to the Secretary General, while the
French Association of Friends of SADR, (AARASD), France
Libertés, the Italian Association of solidarity with the
Saharawi people , and others wrote to the president of the Security
Council.
25.04.02
European Parliament
Members of the European Parliament Ad Hoc Delegation for Western
Sahara met to discuss the numerous amendments to the draft report of
the president, Mme Lalumière.It was alleged to favour the
framework-agreement ( (see
press statements of M.
Kessler
and
Polisario
UK).
It will not be presented to the EP Foreign Affairs Committee until 30
May, in order not to interfere with the Security Council
debate.
MOROCCO - USA
17.04.02
US Congress
Eight members of the American Congress sent a letter
to President Bush, on the eve of the arrival in the USA of the King
of Morocco. The parliamentarians, who pronounced themselves firmly
against any idea of autonomy, stress the necessity of a referendum in
Western Sahara, in conformity with international law, and ask Bush to
speak to the King in order to make Morocco allow the vote to take
place. A letter
in
the same sense was sent on 22 to the American president by the
US-Western Sahara Foundation.
HUMAN RIGHTS
24-25.04.02
Trial of the Smara group
14 Saharawis, held since November 2001, were sentenced by the Court
of Appeal of El Ayoun to sentences from 6 to 24 months' prison for
"disturbances in public order". The trial took place from 9 am until
4 am the following morning. The accused were defended by 12
barristers 9 of whom were Saharawi. 250 people attended the trial
including Mohamed Daddach and Saharawi human rights defenders,
representatives of AMDH, MINURSO, various Moroccan army and police
bodies, as well as the Moroccan and international press. Two Spanish
lawyers, Cristina Navarro and José Manuel Delafuente,
were present but did not have the right to speak. 11 people were
sentenced to two years in closed prison, including a Moroccan, for
"disobedience, use of force against public force, intentional setting
alight of public transport vehicles and of non-residential premises,
carrying arms, destruction of documents belonging to the public
forces". Five others including a Moroccan got 6 months' prison
and a fine of 500 DH for "disobedience, use of force against public
force and carrying arms". Three of the accused were acquitted,
including the Moroccan journalist, Darif. Two other Saharawis,
Dimaoui Abdeslam and Nassiri Hamidi, are still sought by the police.
(BIRDHSO statement, French
)
SOLIDARITY
25.04.02, Madrid: Creación de la Red de mujeres europeas y latinoamericanas en apoyo al pueblo saharaui. Más información: mujeresred@nodo50.org, tel: 619.55.29.63.
18-21.04.02,
Helsinki, Finland: photo exhibition "Africa 2002"
Thousands of people has visited different activities about Africa and
its history, people and culture. The Polisario representative for the
Nordic Countries Mr Yahiaoui Lamine has made a speech about
the Saharawi people and its struggle for the basic respect
of right of self-determination. «Time is not for the race
of tension and provocations but for the respect of right of existence
and the solution of a major problem on basis of the respect of
the international legality. The independence of East-Timor is a
strong example of the fact that the justice ultimately will prevail,
what ever time might take "no deadline for the triumph of
justice"», said Mr Lamine.
Carta para evitar la ilegítima explotación petrolífera del Sahara para que si lo estimais oportuno le déis la máxima difusión posible: A.A.P.Saharaui Albacete: albasahara@telefonica.net .
COMING UP...
30.04.02, New York: Réunion du Conseil de sécurité pour l'adoption d'une résolution sur le Sahara Occidental.
05-06.05.02, Maroc: Le pèlerinage prévu les 5 et 6 mai prochains au tristement célèbre bagne de Kalaat M'Gouna a été interdit par les autorités. La visite est reportée aux 1er et 2 juin. Selon un membre du Forum Vérité et Justice préférant garder l'anonymat, les autorités craignent une exploitation politique de la manifestation, «ce bagne ayant accueilli de nombreux prisonniers sahraouis». (As-Sahifa Al-Ousbouiya, 26.04.02).
07-10.05.02,
Italia: Viaggio Bologna-Tindouf-Bologna
«Una partita di calcio… sotto il cielo del SAHARA» Un
gruppo amici del mondo della musica e dello spettacolo, ha avuto la
temeraria idea di unirsi alla squadra di Rock No War per disputare
una partita di calcio nei campi dei rifugiati del Sahara occidentale
con la Nazionale Saharawi. Hanno accettato di offrire la loro
notoriete il loro entusiasmo per portare una speranza di pace e sotto
i riflettori di stampa e televisioni evidenziare non solo i contorni
ma la storia vera e la voce di questo popolo.»
Per informazioni e adesioni contattare: ROCK NO WAR ONLUS: Simona
Gibellini - Tel. 059-558721 // 338-6129374, e-mail: libreriaagora@tiscalinet.it
Ass. di "Kabara Lagdaf" (Modena): Stefania Contri - Tel.347-6564618,
e-mail: emilio@tsnet.it
Sito web: http://www.rocknowar.it
24.05.02, Brussels: International Conference on rights and duties relating to the protection of the natural resources of the occupied territories of Western Sahara. Programme and reply formulary : Contact : sahraoui.comite@oxfamsol.be
26, 27 et 28 october 2002, Napoli, Italy: 28th EUCOCO Conference.
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