|
WEEKS 51, 52, 53 : 12.12.-31.12.2004 |
10.12.04,
International day of human rights
On the occasion of the international day of human rights, AFAPREDESA
and UJS (Union of Saharawi Lawyers) as well as UNFS (National Union
of Saharawi Women) call on international human rights bodies and
organisations to put pressure on Morocco to lift the state of siege,
both military and of the media which it is imposing in the occupied
territories of Western Sahara. [SPS,
AFAPREDESA]
10.12.04,
Creation of a post and communications service
In the first letter sent by the new Saharawi postal service,
President Abdelaziz declares that this new development is yet another
expression of national sovereignty and proof of progress in the
institutional construction of the Saharawi State.
[SPS]
11.12.04,
Cease-fire violation
The Saharawi coordinator with MINURSO protests in a letter to Mr
Alvaro de Soto at a violation of the cease-fire. On 10.12.04 a nomad,
looking for a lost animal near the Moroccan defensive wall in the
region of Amgala, was gravely wounded by shots from the Moroccan
army. [SPS]
12.12.04,
Visit of the President of Mozambique
President Joaquim Chissano is warmly welcomed in the wilaya of Smara.
After welcoming speeches, President Mohamed Abdelaziz presents the
medal of the Republic (the highest national decoration), "in
recognition of his undying support and that of his people to the
Saharawi cause", before giving him a camel. In the course of this
visit "of friendship, solidarity and work", Chissano declares that he
went to SADR to encourage the Saharawis to pursue their struggle,
"which we have always considered to be just. The Republic of
Mozambique supports the Peace Plan for the self-determination of the
Saharawi people, proposed by James Baker and approved unanimously by
the United Nations. We reiterate our willingness to cooperate with
you, within the African Union and the United Nations, with a view to
the implementation of this Plan". As a member of the African Union
and the UN he calls on "Morocco to enter into direct dialogue with
the leaders of the Polisario Front and SADR", and reaffirms his
support for the self-determination of Western Sahara.
In a joint statement, the two heads of state drew attention to the
"necessity of finding a peaceful solution to the problem, in
accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1495 and in conformity
with International and African law regarding decolonization."
[SPS
12.12. / 13.12.04]
15.12.04,
South Africa
SADR Ambassador, Sadafa Bahia, presents his credentials to President
M'Beki. On this occasion, the South African president reiterates "his
country's support for the Baker plan" and the search for a solution
to the Moroccan-Saharawi conflict, regretting "Morocco's absence from
an attempt to bring the parties together in Pretoria on 5 and 6
September 2004". [SABC
NEWS]
16.12.04,
Municipal elections
Elections at daïra level and for national institutions took
place in two stages from 16 to 19 December and from 22 to 25
December. The electors choose the presidents of the daïras
(mayors of municipalities), members of the municipal councils as well
as representatives of national institutions and grass roots
organisations. [SPS]
20.12.04,
Parliament
The winter session of the National Council opens in Ausserd chaired
by Mahfoud Ali Beiba. The Prime Minister, Abdelkader Taleb Omar
presents his report for the past year and the government's program
for the year 2005, which the parliament is to examine.
The National Council is composed of 51 members, spread across five
committees: social; policy for occupied territories and diaspora;
foreign affairs and information; economic; law and
administration.[SPS]
27.12.04,
National Radio
The 29th anniversary of the creation of the national radio gives
occasion for a ceremony, in the course of which journalists and
collaborators are congratulated for their contribution towards making
the voice of the Saharawi people heard in the world. On the public
hearings on human rights abuses in Morocco by the Equity and
Reconciliation Body (see below), the Saharawi President points out
that it is trying to exonerate Morocco for their crimes against
Saharawis. [SPS]
29.12.04,
National Secretariat
Meeting in its 3rd ordinary session in order to evaluate the past
year's programs and to decide those for the coming year, the NS
declares that "any attempt to move away from the right of the
Saharawi people to express themselves freely through a referendum can
only be doomed to failure", considering that the Baker Plan II
remains "the optimal solution for the settlement of the
Moroccan-Saharawi conflict". It draws attention to the deterioration
of the situation consequent upon the official and public denial on
Morocco's part of its commitments towards the international
community. The last ordinary session of the NS, elected in October
2003, was held in May 2004. [SPS]
29.12.04
The President of the Republic sends his congratulations to the new
Mozambican President, Armando Emilio Guebuza.
[SPS]
30.12.04 ,
Council of Ministers
The Council of Ministers met under the chairmanship of the President
of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, in the presence of national
officials, walis and members of the national diplomatic body "to
assess the annual report for 2004 and discuss prospects for next
year". [SPS]
10.12.04,
World Human Rights Day (continued)
Dakhla
Following El Ayoun, Smara and Assa (southern Morocco)
(see
week 49-50),
"several hundred" Saharawis, (women, unemployed graduates, students,
fishing sector workers) organise on 12 December a sit-in outside the
office of the Governor of the administration of the Moroccan
occupation "to protest against Moroccan colonial policies which tend
to marginalise Saharawis, to impoverish them and to force them into
submission and humiliation". [corr.]
Demolition of
the Spanish fort of Dakhla
The demolition of the oldest witness to Spanish presence in the
Sahara, which had begun in June, is completed despite all the
demonstrations and protests from the local population supported by an
international campaign. (corr.) [photos]
[COMUNICADO
de AFAPREDESA y UJS]
[STATEMENT
BY AFAPREDESA and UJS]
22.12.04,
Oil
Kerr-McGee, the last oil company still to benefit from an exploration
contract in Western Sahara, should seriously consider withdrawing if
it doesn't want to lose its principal investors. Skagen Vekst, one of
the principal private Norwegian funds, has sold its shares worth 3.6
million euros, for ethical reasons following a campaign by Norwegian
organisations. The next to take this step, according to well-informed
sources, will be the Norwegian Petroleum Fund, the most powerful
private fund in the country, likely to withdraw its interest in
the company worth 5.6 million euros. [afrol
News 21.12.04]
+ Norwegian
press]
06.12.04,
German Parliament
In his reply to written questions from the parliamentarian, Rudolf
Kraus (CDU/CSU), the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Klaus
Scharioth, affirms that his country "will continue to support the
efforts of the United Nations for a peaceful solution to the
conflict" of Western Sahara, which is respectful of the right of the
Saharawi people to self-determination. The German Federal Parliament,
adds the Secretary of State, will continue its commitment "in the
humanitarian field". [SPS]
10.12.04, UN
General Assembly
Put to a vote for the first time since 1988, the annual resolution of
the General Assembly proposed by the Fourth Committee
(decolonization) is adopted by 50 votes in favour and 100
abstentions. (document
A/59/478,
PDF only French for the moment)
http://archarso.org.site.voila.fr/A59-478f.pdf. [Press
Release GA/10318]
>> see also the
dossier Fourth Committee
session of September-October 2004
The SADR Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Salem ould Salek welcomes this support for the Settlement Plan of 1991 and for the Baker Plan II. He points out that despite Morocco's diplomatic campaign, no state opposed it or tried to amend the resolution. [Statement 10.12.04]
Mohamed Sidati, Minister delegate for Europe, regrets that Spain, "principally responsible for the failure of decolonization" of its former colony, should have chosen to abstain, despite the stated position of both chambers of the Spanish parliament. (see week 37-38). [Statement 14.12.04 french]
14.12.04,
Castille y Léon
The Parliament of Castille y Léon approves a motion in favour
of the implementation of the Baker plan, underlining the "historic
engagement of Spain and Castille y Léon towards the Saharawi
people and their struggle for self-determination".
A delegation from Castille y Léon, led by the Counselor of the
Autonomous Government, Rosa Valdeón, visited the Saharawi
refugee camps from 4 to 8 December last.
[SPS]
21.12.04,
Interview with the Saharawi President
In an interview given to the Algerian French language daily,
Liberté, Mohamed Abdelaziz declares that the Baker plan is "a
mid-way solution since it comprises the option of autonomy required
by Rabat and the option of self-determination of the Saharawi people.
We have accepted this plan and the enlargement of the electoral body
(...), because we are in favour of peace, but also because the
essential thing for us is that there should finally be a referendum
of self-determination. Only Morocco refuses the Baker plan and wants
to impose the colonial fait accompli. We know that autonomy is
equivalent to integration of the Saharawi territory into the Kingdom
of Morocco. We have fought against this option and will continue to
do so."
"We hold Europe, particularly France and Spain, to be responsible for
the danger which weighs [on the region], for encouraging
Morocco in its present position. There is a sort of conspiracy
between the governments of Rabat, Madrid and Paris, against the
Saharawi people and international law." (...)
On Spain: "This in no way means that we have recovered our confidence
in Spain [after the meeting with Zapatero]... We consider
that the present Spanish government is responsible for Rabat's
turn-around."
On illegal immigration: "Illegal immigration constitutes a dangerous
phenomenon. And there, the responsibility lies with Moroccan groups
and with the Moroccan army, the gendarmerie and the police. There is
a wall which was erected by Rabat. If someone passes into our
liberated territories that means that the Moroccans have opened a way
through the wall. It is the Moroccans and the Moroccan services which
are implicated, in some way, with the entry of some illegal
immigrants into the territories of SADR..."
[Liberté,
21.12.04]
10-11.12.04,
"Forum for the Future"
Members of the G8 and 23 Arab and Muslim countries met in Rabat, to
debate the timetable and nature of reforms to adopt in Muslim
countries within the context of "Forum for the Future". Initiated,
defended and promoted by the USA, the Forum is the second
demonstration of the initiative of the Greater Middle East, supposed
to hasten political and economic reforms from Mauritania to Pakistan
through the struggle against illiteracy and discrimination as well as
the stabilization of the economic climate. The meeting aroused a
movement of protest in Moroccan civil society. [Le Maroc fait
la promotion de l'Initiative du Grand Moyen-Orient, Louisa Aït
Hamadouche, La
Tribune, Alger, 14.12.04]
[Forum
for the Future: Good idea, wrong
location,
Kamal Fadel, December 03, 2004]
16.12.04,
Agadir
Over 1000 Saharawi students of both sexes organise a demonstration
and a march at the University of Ibnu Zouhr. They chant slogans
condemning attacks on human rights in the occupied territories and in
southern Morocco and call for the independence of their country.
[SPS]
23.12.04.
Equity and Reconciliation Body (Instance Equité et
Réconciliation IER)
Start of public hearings of victims of human rights abuses.
The manner in which these hearings are conceived, the prohibition on
citing the name of the torturers or institutions responsible, the
pressure on the Saharawi victims to attend the sessions, have brought
the circle of Saharawi human rights defenders in the occupied
territories to announce a boycott.
Saharawi human rights defenders denounce in a statement the media
exploitation of the testimony and photos of the Saharawi victims,
intending to exonerate the Moroccan state. They regret the lack of
transparency in the steps taken by the IER and consider that the
testimonies "should lead to a fair settlement". The signatories of
the memorandum sent to the IER in April 2004 (PDF
-
Word
) are protesting about the way in which the IER behaves
"characterised by ambiguity, polemics and trying to falsify reality."
[Statement, 21.12.04
in Arabic]
- [Communiqué en
français]-[Communiqué
in
english]
>> summary
of
the activities of the IER >>
27.12.04
President Mohamed Abdelaziz, denounces for his part the attempts of
the Moroccan government to rid itself, by the "so-called wish for
reconciliation", of its responsibilities in the systematic human
rights abuses, expresses the view that it "has the right to manage
its own internal problems, but has no right to do likewise in the
occupied territories of Western Sahara, without the consent of all
the Saharawi people, who should above all have access to their
inalienable rights to self-determination and independence". He
exhorts Saharawi victims to reject the attempts of the IER, which
only represents, in fact, a Moroccan colonial manoeuvre.
[SPS]
Quote:
«The IER, is a white shroud, thrown by the palace over
its corpses both known and unknown to cover all the crimes
of the monarchy from 1956 to 1999; but the IER is also a
thing for protecting criminals and torturers, of whom many
live in the immediate entourage of the King of
Morocco.» (Ahmed Benani, Moroccan political
commentator, 31.12.04)
MOROCCO-CANARIES
13.12.04,
Capitalizing on the natural wealth of the Sahara
A delegation from the automous government of the Canary Islands, led
by the adviser on Economy and Finance, José Carlos Mauricio,
starts a three day working visit in Morocco. Since the arrival at the
head of the Canaries executive of its new president, Adan Martin, the
Canaries have been getting closer to Morocco. The principal objective
of the visit of this delegation relates to prospecting for oil in the
maritime waters between the Kingdom and the Canary Islands. Mauricio
is thought to have brought a proposal for joint exploitation and
sharing the benefits of potential oil deposits. The maritime
boundaries between the Kingdom and the Canary Islands have not been
determined. [ Aujourd'hui
le Maroc, 13.12.04].
+ [Spanish press in Sahara-Info
]
24.12.04,
Protest
In a statement sent to the Spanish federal authorities, Mohamed
Sidati, Minister Delegate for Europe, notes that Morocco is trying to
implicate foreign bodies by associating them with the systematic
plunder of Western Sahara. Sidati castigates the autonomous
government of the Canaries and Morocco who are seeking to obtain
funds which the European Union has made available for "trans-border
cooperation including ultra peripheral regions" , to use in Western
Sahara. These moves must be qualified as illegal, Western Sahara
being a non-self-governing territory awaiting decolonization.
The Saharawi responsible also exhorts the European Union to be
watchful and "to respect international law in its cooperation deals
with Morocco, by refraining from adopting any decision which could
hinder the application of international law."
[Statement
french ] [Statement
spanish]
MAGHREB-USA-NATO
06.12.04,
Stuttgart
Second meeting of heads of state of North African countries and the
Sahel, on the invitation of the Supreme Commander of the allied
forces in Europe and Commander of American forces in Europe
General James L. Jones. The first had taken place last March. These
meetings take place at two levels. The first is between Mediterranean
countries and NATO countries, the second between Americans and
countries of North Africa and the Sahel.
The summit in Stuttgart coincides with the second meeting of Foreign
Affairs ministers of NATO with those of Mediterranean countries, in
the context of NATO-Mediterranean dialogue. [
El
Khabar, Alger, 06.12.04]
21.12.04 ,
"5+5 Dialogue" in Paris
This first meeting of ministers of defence of ten Mediterranean
countries aims to establish military cooperation in order to promote
security and the fight against terrorism in the region. It is also
part of the "5+5 Dialogue" set up between the ministers of foreign
affairs of five European Union countries (France, Italy, Spain,
Portugal and Malta) and those of five countries from the southern
Mediterranean (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania and Libya).
The Algerian Minister of the Interior Yazid Zerhouni indicated on
this occasion in Paris that "things are moving on" in the question of
Western Sahara, underlining that there was already "a certain number
of exchanges" on the ground. "The problem with the Sahara is not a
bilateral problem. It should be settled principally within the bodies
of the UN, Mr Zerhouni said. [ Le
Monde, 21.12.04]
[La
Razon, Madrid, 22.12.04]
PASSED
AWAY
Colonel Luis Rodríguez de Viguri, last civil governor of
Spanish Sahara, died in Madrid at the age of 91 years.
11.12.04,
Balearic Islands
L'Associació d'Amics del Poble Sahrauí de les Illes
Balears, que forma parte de la Plataforma por la Democracia y la
Globalización de Mallorca, participó, el sábado
11 de diciembre, en una concentración en Palma contra la
ocupación de los pueblos de Irak, Palestina y Sáhara
Occidental, dentro de la jornada europea por la paz y la libertad de
estos pueblos.
16.12.04,
Cornellá - Barcelona
Conferencia "Violación de los Derechos Humanos en el
Sáhara Occidental". Dentro del marco de la semana de los
Derechos Humanos en Cornellá, la Sección de ACAPS
(Asociación Catalana de Amigos del Pueblo Saharaui ) de esta
población organizó la conferencia titulada
"Violación de Derechos Humanos en el Sáhara
Occidental". El escenario fue el Centro Social Titán de
Cornellá, lugar de encuentro de muchos actos sociales y
culturales de este municipio.
18.12.04,
Stockholm
Demonstration of solidarity with the Saharawi people outside the
Moroccan Embassy in Stockholm, organised by LUF (Swedish Liberal
Youth). Interventions from Fredrik Malm, President, of Jan
Strömdahl, President of the Swedish Association of
solidarity with the Saharawi people (Föreningen
Västsahara), as well as Gunnar Nordmark, member of the Swedish
Parliament. [SPS]
MANIFESTAZIONE SOTTO IL MURO DELLA VERGOGNA. Partirà a febbraio da Pisa il 10° Volo Speciale diretto nei campi profughi saharawi. L´iniziativa è promossa dall´Associazione "Ban Slut Larbi" di Sesto Fiorentino (Regione Toscana - Italia).
CAROVANA DI AIUTI UMANITARI DIRETTA NEI CAMPI SAHARAWI. L´Associazione nazionale di solidarietà con il popolo saharawi sta organizzando una carovana per l'invio di mezzi nei campi profughi saharawi a sud di Tindouf. Partenza prevista fine gennaio 2005.
Sahara
Maraton 28.02.05
Engl: http://www.saharamarathon.org
Esp: http://www.saharamaraton.org/
Deutsch: http://www.tuerlings.de/saharamarathon/main.html
+ http://members.aon.at/saharamarathon/
Italiano: http://www.saharawi.org/
Cine
festival Sahara
nueva fecha 03 - 06 de marzo de 2005: http://www.festivalsahara.com/
Las
primeras jornadas internacionales sobre derechos humanos del
pueblo saharaui
11 y 12 de marzo de 2005, Ciudad de Olivenza (Badajoz),
Informaciones: http://www.jornadasahara.org
OPINION
NEW
PUBLICATIONS
[External
links to newspapers may not be valid after some days because the
servers are restarted]
Français
>> Revue de la presse internationale francophone http://fr.groups.yahoo.com/group/revue-de-presse-sahara-occidental/messages
English
English publications on Sahara Update mailinglist: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sahara-update/messages
Castellano
Revista de la prensa en español: http://es.groups.yahoo.com/group/revista-de-prensa-sahara-occidental/messages
Nuevo
libro:
Los Saharauis, Miguel Alcobendas. Infos: saharaverde[at]telefonica.net
Italiano
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Weekly News,]
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