Press release
The "Collective of Saharawi Human Rights Defenders in the Territory of Western Sahara under Moroccan Control" wishes to make the international community aware that on Thursday 27 March 2003 the Moroccan authorities prohibited a delegation made up of 5 Saharawi human rights defenders, 7 members of families of disappeared Saharawis and RAFTO price 2002 winner SIDI MOHAMED DADDACH, from leaving the Moroccan territory for Geneva to take part to the solidarity meetings with disappeared Saharawis organized in the framework of the international campaign "Freedom and Justice for the disappeared Saharawis" launched by the International Office for the Respect from the Humans right in Western Sahara "BIRDHSO" on 28, 29 and 30 March 2003.
The members of the Saharawi delegation who were on the point of travelling by plane to Geneva were intercepted by elements of the Moroccan intelligence services "DST" at the Mohamed V airport in Casablanca (Morocco). They had to suffer humiliating questioning.
Their passports and their plane tickets as well as a video with testimonies of relatives of disappeared Saharawis were confiscated. After the confiscation and the interrogations, they were forcibly removed from the airport.
In reaction to this reoccurence of infringement of freedom of movement, the Collective of the Saharawi Human Rights defenders Territory of Western Sahara under Moroccan Control:
- Vigorously condemns this violation of the most elementary human rights , the right of freedom of movement;
- Expresses its solidarity with the members of the banned delegation ;
- Calls on the international human rights organizations to put pressure on the Moroccan authorities to ask for the restitution of the confiscated documents;
- Thanks all the international personalities and human rights organizations which have expressed their support for the Saharawi delegation prevented from leaving Moroccan territory;
- Invites Mrs. HINA JILANI to contact the Moroccan authorities in order to demand protection for the Saharawi human rights defenders of the territory of Western Sahara under Moroccan control;
- Questions the UN Secretary-general on the serious human rights violations committed against the Saharawis by the Moroccan state since the beginning of the Western Sahara conflict and invites him to require the Moroccan authorities to establish the truth about the fate of the hundreds of disappeared Saharawis.
The Collective of the Saharawi Human Rights defenders "Territory of Western Sahara under Moroccan Control" also seizes the opportunity to call on all NGOs and governmental delegations participating to the 59th session of the UN Humans right Commission to support the steps of the Human Rights Defenders of Western Sahara for the adoption, by the UN Humans right Commission , of a resolution concerning the respect of human rights in the territory of the Western Sahara under Moroccan control and particularly:
- the appointment of a Special Rapporteur on the situation of the human rights in the territory of the Western Sahara under Moroccan control;
- the constitution of an international commission in charge of establishing the truth on the serious violations of human rights committed against the Saharawi civil population by the Moroccan state since the annexation of Western Sahara by Morocco in 1975;
- the sending to Morocco of the Special Rapporteur on forced and involuntary disappearance to conduct a survey into the forced disappearance of hundreds of Saharawis;
- the sending to the territory of the Western Sahara under Moroccan control of the UN Representative of the Secretary-general for human rights defenders to make investigations into the intimidation of Saharawi human rights defenders by the Moroccan authorities .
Lastly, the Collective of the Saharawi Human Rights defenders in the Territory of Western Sahara under Moroccan Control renews its support ofthe International Campaign "Freedom and Justice for disappeared Saharawis" of the BIRDHSO and launches a solemn call to all international human rights organization to bring support and solidarity to it.
Laâyoune, 27 March 2003
