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WEEKLY NEWS |
original french
24.-30.11.2002
- OCCUPIED TERRITOIRIES
- REFERENDUM
- NORWEGIA
- SOLIDARITY
- COMING UP
- INTERNET
- NEW PUBLICATIONS
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
25.11.02
Smara: repression
Sit-ins have been taking place in the second town of Western Sahara
in recent days. Unemployed graduates protested at unkept promises by
the governor, a brutal intervention by the police resulted in one
person getting wounded. On 19.11. a sit-in took place in support of
the injured unemployed man and on 22 and 23.11 in support of a school
girl mistreated by her teacher. High school students took an active
part in these demonstrations. On 25.11.02 the administration of the
high school called in the parents of the 18 pupils held responsible
for these actions, they were informed of the disciplinary measures
taken in regard to the pupils. Fiften of them were excluded from
school for two weeks and the other three were sent down from the high
school which is the only secondary establishment in the place.
(corr., SPS)
26.11.02
Hunger strike
Salek Bazeid starts a hunger strike. Arrested on 24.09.02 with three
other people, this member of the Forum for Truth and Justice, is
still in custody at the civil prison of El Ayoun waiting for the date
of his trial. (week 40/2002
)
Reminder: Nassiri Ahmed has also been on strike since 14.11.02.
27.11.02
Unfair
trial - scandalous sentence
Nassiri Ahmed was sentenced by the court of El Ayoun to 18 months'
imprisonment for using force against officers of the authority and
disobeying orders of officers of the authority during riots on
17.11.01 in Smara. The accusations of burning a vehicle and other
depredations were not upheld. The defence demonstrated the totally
unfounded nature of all the accusations and even the witnesses called
denied any implication of Nassiri in the events at Smara.
It should be pointed out that two Spanish women lawyers who attended
the trial as observers were held for an hour on their arrival at the
airport of El Ayoun and searched by male officers, which is contrary
to the law. (corr.)
29.11.02
Death following torture
A common law Saharawi prisoner Boucetta Mohamed Barka, known as
Chaybani, DNI 59210 SH, 35 years old, held in the civil prison
of El Ayoun, died on Thursday 28 November 2002.
According to the word of members of his family, his body carried
marks of torture, multiple bruising and burns. When his body was
returned to the family it was still handcuffed. It should be pointed
out that on the last visit by his relatives to the prison, on Tuesday
26 November 2002, the victim was still in good health. Apparently he
told his family that he was being subjected to daily torture sessions
carried out probably by prison warders. The victim had been sentenced
on 12 November 2002 to eight months' imprisonment for a minor
offence. The family decided to lodge a complaint with the Procurer of
the King at the Magistrate's Court of El Ayoun on Friday 29 November
2002, appealing to him to take the necessary measures in regard to
this crime. (see Informative
Note
)
28.11.02
Letter from the French Association of Friendship and Solidarity with
the Peoples of Africa to the King of Morocco
In a letter sent to Mohamed VI with copies to the French Minister of
Foreign Affairs and to President Jacques Chirac, AFASPA
protests about the reprisals to which members of the Sahara
branch of the Forum for Truth and Justice are subjected because of
their activities of defending human rights. Recalling that several of
them are at present in prison and quoting the case of Moutik
Lahoussine who is subject to a professional ban following his
interview with the European parliamentary delegation last February,
the Association demands the release of activists from the Forum of
Truth and Justice and a stop to harrassment. (Letter
French)
REFERENDUM
28.11.02
Europe
In a press
relase
entitled "Europe's commitment for a referendum over the
self-determination of the Saharawis" issued on the occasion of her
journey to the refugee camps close to Tindouf in Algeria, Margot
Kessler, Member of the European Parliament and president of the
intergroup "peace for the people of the Western Sahara" says :
"Europe must enforce their commitment for the right of the Saharawis
for a referendum".
28.11.02
The Netherlands
The Dutch Green Party (Groen Links) expressed its support for the
struggle of the Saharawi people for self-determination and
independence and promises to become an advocate pleading this "just"
cause to national elected members and Dutch MEPs.
(SPS
)
28.11.02
Norway: the company TGS-Nopec on the defensive
In October 2001 the Moroccan government signed licences for oil
exploration off the coast of Western Sahara from Boujdour and Dakhla
with the US company Kerr McGee and the French company TotalFinaElf.
(week 40/2001
) in violation of the undefined status of the territory. The
Norwegian firm TGS-NOPEC was engaged to undertake preliminary seismic
data acquisitions starting in June 2002. (week
24/2002).
The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara supported by
several parliamentarians and Norwegian organisations in an
open
letter
to shareholders asked TGS-Nopec to give up its involvement with
Western Sahara, which violates international law.. This action became
wider and municipalities, businesses and pension funds withdrew their
investments in the company for ethical reasons. In a recent statement
TGS-Nopec tries to reject these accusations and announces that its
work off Western Sahara is 90% finished. (Statement)
SOLIDARITY
26.11.02
Norway
SAIH's local branch at the University in Trondheim declares in a
resolution its unconditional support for the students of Western
Sahara and UJSARIO. The Norwegian students organisation is deeply
concerned about the deadlock of the current situation. As time goes
by, the dream of independence is gradually eclipsed by the Moroccon
strategy of exhaustion, they write.
In the view of SAIH, education is the gateway to social, economic and
cultural liberation. SAIH therefore wants to express solidarity with
the students of Western Sahara in their struggle for independence, a
democratic and just society and human rights.
01.12.02
Norway
Norway Social Forum "Another world is possible", organize a Seminar
"The case of occupied Western Sahara: Big power interests or
international legality?" Speakers:
Pedro Pinto Leite, Secretary General of the International Platform of
Jurists for East Timor (IPJET) and Member of Executive Council of the
International Association of Jurists for Western Sahara (IAJUWS),
Ronny Hansen, Coordinator of the Norwegian Support Committee for
Western Sahara and Executive Officer for International Affairs,
Norwegian Humanist Association, Facilitator: Signe Aanby, President
of the Norwegian Students' and Academics' International Assisitance
Fund- SAIH
COMING UP...
Musica Saharaui
Mariem Hassan y las Mujeres saharauis gira de invierno 2002
Conciertos.
28 de noviembre: León -Teatro Emperador
3 de diciembre: Soria - Palacio de la Audiencia
12 de diciembre: Peñaranda de Bracamonte - Teatro Calderón
13 de diciembre: Zamora -Teatro Principal
14 de diciembre: Huercal - Overa
15 de diciembre: Burgos - Teatro Principal
19 de diciembre: Madrid - Suristán
20 de diciembre: Aranda de Duero - Casa de Cultura
Semana de sensibilidad con el Pueblo Saharaui en Granada.
10 - 14 diciembre 2002, Granada, Palacio de los Córdova, c/ Cuesta de Chápiz: "¿Hablamos del Sáhara?
Programa ver agenda .
Cascina, Italia: Natale 2002 - Cena di solidarietá : Accendiamo luci nelle tende saharawi………
14.12.02, alle ore 20.00, presso il circolo A.R.C.I., Loc. San Sisto Al Pino.
Per coloro che vogliono partecipare è necessaria la prenotazione, che potrà essere effettuata entro il 10 Dicembre contattando il nr. 349/0594027 oppure il nr. 050/700346 (ore pasti) Saranno proiettate diapositive e video. Comitato Saharawi Cascina &endash; Circolo A.R.C.I. 690 V.le C. Comaschi, 48 &endash; Cascina (PI)
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