Lettre ouverte au Gouvernement marocain pour la restitution du paseport à M. Sidi Mohamed Daddach

Résumé: A l'occasion de la célébration du 20ème anniversaire de la Fondation norvégienne des droits humains Rafto
(http://www.rafto.no) le lauréat du Prix Rafto 2002  M. Sidi Mohamed Daddach a été invité à se rendre à Bergen à l'instar de tous les utres lauréats. Ce qui ne lui est pas possible car le 27 mars 2003 la police des frontières marocaine lui a retiré son passeport alors qu'il allait s erendre à Genève pour témoigner devant la Commission des droits humains. Toutes les démarches du titulaire pour récupérer son document de voyage sont restées vaines à ce jour, et ce malgré des intervention répétées du ministère des affaires étrangères norvégien auprès du gouvernement marocain et des promesses faites par le wali papportées par le rapport de mission du Haut Commissariat des NU pour les droits de l'homme de septembre .
Les 31 organisations signataires appellent le gouvernement marocain à restituer le passeport de M. Daddach, afin de lui permettre de participer à la célébration du 20ème anniversaire de la fondation Rafto.

Signé:
The Rafto Foundation (Raftostiftelsen), Norwegian Refugee Council (Flyktninghjelpen, NRC), Norwegian People's Aid (Norsk Folkehjelp, NPA), Norwegian Church Aid (Kirkens Nødhjelp, NCA), Amnesty International Norway (Amnesty International Norge), The Human Rights House Foundation, The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara (Støttekomiteen for Vest-Sahara), The Norwegian Council for Africa (Fellesrådet for Afrika), Norwegian Association of Students (Studentenes Landsforbund, StL), Norwegian Students' and Academics' International Assistance Fund (SAIH), The Norwegian Forum for Environment and Development (Forum for Utvikling og Miljø), The Norwegian Helsinki Committee (Den norske Helsingforskomité), Union of Education Norway (Utdanningsforbundet), Trade Union for Industry and Energy (Fagforbundet for industri og energi), Norwegian Labour Youth (Arbeidernes Ungdomsfylking, AUF), Norwegian Center Youth (Senterungdommen), Young Liberals of Norway (Unge Venstre), Progress Party Youth (Fremskrittspartiets Ungdom, FpU), Norwegian Young Conservatives (Unge Høyres Landsforbund), Socialist Youth Link Norway (Sosialistisk Ungdom, SU), Christian Democratic Youth of Norway (Kristelig Folkepartis Ungdom), Red Youth Norway (Rød Ungdom, RU), Future in Our Hands (Framtiden i våre hender, FIVH), Attac Norge (Attac Norway), Palestine Committee in Tromsø (Palestinakomiteen, Tromsø), The Norwegian Council for the Rights of the Kurdish People (Det norske råd for kurdernes rettigheter), Norwegian Tibet Committee (Den norske Tibet Komité), The Norwegian Peace Association (Norges Fredslag), Tvibit Youth Centre, War Resisters International –Norway (Folkereisning mot krig), The Norwegian Burma Committee (Den norske Burmakomité)





His Excellency, Minister of the Interior
M. Chakib Benmoussa
Rabat, Morocco
Fax: +212 37 76 20 56


Bergen/Oslo, Norway, 2 November 2006

Open letter to the Moroccan government.

Appeal for the return of passport to Mr. Sidi Mohammed Daddach, Western Sahara.

Dear Minister,
On Friday November 3 and Saturday November 4, the Norwegian Rafto Foundation celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Thorolf Rafto Memorial Award for Human Rights, and all previous award winners are invited to take part. The events are to take place in Bergen, Norway. (See http://www.rafto.no) There is one important person, however, who may not be able to participate.

Sidi Mohammed Daddach won the Rafto award in 2002 for his struggle for human rights in Western Sahara, a country under Moroccan military occupation. Daddach is a leading advocate for human rights and a highly respected representative of the aspirations of the people of Western Sahara. When announcing the award to Daddach in 2002, the Rafto Foundation stated that “Daddach serves as a symbol for his people’s history of suffering and their fight for independence. Daddach is a moderate voice that can build bridges for the future. Despite having spent more than half his life as a prisoner of conscience, Daddach has never given up the fight for people’s basic rights and for human dignity.” He spent 24 years in Moroccan jails for his beliefs, of which 14 years on death row. He was not released from prison until 2001, after a global campaign for his release.

Daddach received his first passport in November 2002, just in time for the Rafto award ceremony in Bergen, but only after intense pressure from the Norwegian government and civil society. On 27 March 2003, however, Daddach and a dozen other Sahrawi Human Rights activists were detained by Moroccan border police on their way to speak before the United Nations Commission for Human Rights in Geneva and their passports were confiscated. Since then Daddach has demanded to have his passport returned, so far without success.

Dear Minister, we would also like to remind you of the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Mission to Western Sahara and the Refugee Camps in Tindouf, dated 08 September 2006 (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sahara-Update/message/1783). Paragraph 36, headed “Freedom of movement” reads:
 
“Several activists informed the delegation that passports of some Sahrawis have been confiscated by Moroccan officials at international airports, preventing them from traveling abroad (6). The delegation raised this issue with Ministry of Interior officials, who indicated that all such cases, if any existed, would be solved immediately and that people concerned could recover their passports at any time. In Laayoune, the delegation presented a list of nine specific cases of confiscation of passports to the Wali, who indicated that he would inquire about the passports and hand them over to their owners within a few days. However, one month after the mission returned to Geneva, the passports were still withheld.”

We are also aware that the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has brought the issue of Daddach’s passport to your government’s attention on repeated occasions, but has to date not received a clear reply.

Therefore, the undersigned organizations wish to appeal to the government of Morocco to return Daddach’s passport to him and allow him to travel to Norway to participate in the Rafto anniversary celebrations. We sincerely believe that failing to do so would further damage Morocco’s reputation internationally and detract from the image of a country intent on ending entrenched practices of authoritarianism and oppression of voices of dissent.

Daddach’s voice is a moderate and responsible one, demanding respect for the basic rights of his people, but at the same time seeking to build bridges with Moroccan society. There is no legal reason that he should not be allowed to travel to Bergen this weekend, and we believe it is also in Morocco’s best interest to let him travel. You can make it happen by making sure that the passport is to be immediately returned to Daddach, and that no other formal or informal travel restrictions are to be imposed on him. We would also like to stress that it is our opinion that the passport never should have been confiscated in the first place.

Sir, please be assured of our highest consideration and sincere greetings.

Sincerely,

The Rafto Foundation (Raftostiftelsen)
Norwegian Refugee Council (Flyktninghjelpen, NRC)
Norwegian People's Aid (Norsk Folkehjelp, NPA)
Norwegian Church Aid (Kirkens Nødhjelp, NCA)
Amnesty International Norway (Amnesty International Norge)
The Human Rights House Foundation
The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara (Støttekomiteen for Vest-Sahara)
The Norwegian Council for Africa (Fellesrådet for Afrika)
Norwegian Association of Students (Studentenes Landsforbund, StL)
Norwegian Students' and Academics' International Assistance Fund (SAIH)
The Norwegian Forum for Environment and Development (Forum for Utvikling og Miljø)
The Norwegian Helsinki Committee (Den norske Helsingforskomité)
Union of Education Norway (Utdanningsforbundet)
Trade Union for Industry and Energy (Fagforbundet for industri og energi)
Norwegian Labour Youth (Arbeidernes Ungdomsfylking, AUF)
Norwegian Center Youth (Senterungdommen)
Young Liberals of Norway (Unge Venstre)
Progress Party Youth (Fremskrittspartiets Ungdom, FpU)
Norwegian Young Conservatives (Unge Høyres Landsforbund)
Socialist Youth Link Norway (Sosialistisk Ungdom, SU)
Christian Democratic Youth of Norway (Kristelig Folkepartis Ungdom)
Red Youth Norway (Rød Ungdom, RU)
Future in Our Hands (Framtiden i våre hender, FIVH)
Attac Norge (Attac Norway)
Palestine Committee in Tromsø (Palestinakomiteen, Tromsø)
The Norwegian Council for the Rights of the Kurdish People (Det norske råd for kurdernes rettigheter)
Norwegian Tibet Committee (Den norske Tibet Komité)
The Norwegian Peace Association (Norges Fredslag)
Tvibit Youth Centre
War Resisters International –Norway (Folkereisning mot krig)
The Norwegian Burma Committee (Den norske Burmakomité)


Copy sent to:
The Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mohamed Benaissa
The Moroccan Minister of Justice, Mohamed Bouzoubaa
Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco, Oslo

The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Rabat, Morocco
The Norwegian Delegation to the United Nations, New York
The Norwegian Delegation to the United Nations, Geneva

Moroccan and International press
Human Rights organizations: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF), International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)


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Su Excelencia, Ministro del Interior
M. Chakib Benmoussa
Rabat, Marruecos
Fax: +212 37 76 20 56

 

Bergen/Oslo, Noruega, 2 noviembre 2006

 

Carta abierta al gobierno marroquí

 

Llamamiento para la devolución del pasaporte a Sr. Sidi Mohammed Daddach, Sahara Occidental.

 


Sr. Ministro, 

El viernes, 3 de noviembre y el sábado, 4 de noviembre, la Fundación noruega Rafto celebra el 20 aniversario del Premio Thorolf Rafto para los Derechos humanos, invitando a participar a todos los premiados en sus diferentes ediciones. La celebración tiene lugar en Bergen, Noruega. (Ver http://www.rafto.no ) Hay un premiado, Sidi Mohammed Daddach, que ganó el premio Rafto en 2002 por su lucha a favor de los derechos humanos en el Sahara Occidental, un país bajo la ocupación militar marroquí. Daddach es un destacado activista de derechos humanos y un respetado representante de las aspiraciones de la población del Sahara Occidental. 

Cuando se anunció el premio a Daddach en 2002, la Fundación Rafto declaró que " Daddach sirve como un símbolo, por su vida, del sufrimiento y la lucha de su pueblo por la independencia. Daddach es una voz que puede tender puentes para el futuro. A pesar de haber pasado más de la mitad de su vida como preso de conciencia, Daddach nunca ha dejado la lucha por los derechos humanos fundamentales y por la dignidad‰. Pasó 24 años en cárceles marroquíes por sus ideas, entre ellos 14 años en la celda de los condenados a muerte. No fue liberado de la prisión hasta 2001, después de una campaña para su liberación.

Daddach recibió su primer pasaporte en noviembre de 2002, justo a tiempo para la ceremonia de premio de Rafto en Bergen, tras la intensa presión de la sociedad noruega. El 27 de marzo de 2003, sin embargo, Daddach y una docena de otros activistas saharauis de derechos humanos fueron detenidos por la policía de frontera marroquí cuando iban a intervenir ante la Comisión de Naciones Unidas para los Derechos humanos en Ginebra y sus pasaportes fueron confiscados. Desde entonces Daddach ha exigido que se le devuelva su pasaporte, hasta ahora sin éxito.

Sr. Ministro, también nos gustaría recordarle el informe de la delegación de la Oficina del Alto comisionado de Naciones Unidas para Derechos los humanos (OHCHR) en su visita al Sahara Occidental y los Campamentos de refugiados en Tindouf, datado el 08 de septiembre de 2006 (http://Groups.yahoo.com/group/Sahara-Update/message/1783). El párrafo 36, titulado "Libertad de movimiento" lee:

"Varios activistas informaron a la delegación que los pasaportes de algunos saharauis han sido confiscados por funcionarios marroquíes en aeropuertos internacionales, impidiéndoles viajar en el extranjero (6). La delegación elevó esta cuestión a funcionarios del Ministerio del Interior, que indicaron que todos los casos, en caso de existir, serían solucionados inmediatamente y que los afectados podrían recuperar sus pasaportes en cualquier momento. En El Aaiun, la delegación presentó una lista de nueve casos específicos de confiscación de pasaportes al Wali (gobernador), quien indicó que se informaría por los pasaportes y los entregaría a sus dueños en unos días. Sin embargo, un mes después de que la misión volviera a Ginebra, todavía retenían los pasaportes".

Somos también conscientes que el Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores noruego ha preguntado a su gobierno en varias ocasiones sobre la cuestión del pasaporte de Daddach, pero hasta el momento no ha recibido respuesta.

Por lo tanto, las organizaciones que suscriben apelan al gobierno de Marruecos a que devuelva el pasaporte de Daddach y le permitan viajar a Noruega para participar en las celebraciones del aniversario del Rafto. Sinceramente creemos que no hacerlo dañaría la reputación de Marruecos internacionalmente y pondría en serias dudas la imagen de un país que ha terminado con las prácticas firmemente enraizadas de autoritarismo y opresión contra las voces contrarias al régimen.

La voz de Daddach es moderada y responsable. No hay ninguna razón legal para no permitirle viajar a Bergen este fin de semana, y creemos que el interés de Marruecos es dejarle viajar. Usted debe asegurar que el pasaporte será inmediatamente devuelto a Daddach, y que ningunas otras restricciones de viajes formales o informales deben serle impuestas. También nos gustaría señalar que el pasaporte nunca debería habérsele confiscado.

Señor, con nuestros saludos,

Sinceramente,  

The Rafto Foundation (Raftostiftelsen)
Norwegian Refugee Council (Flyktninghjelpen, NRC)
Norwegian People's Aid (Norsk Folkehjelp, NPA)
Norwegian Church Aid (Kirkens Nødhjelp, NCA)
Amnesty International Norway (Amnesty International Norge)
The Human Rights House Foundation
The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara (Støttekomiteen for Vest-Sahara)
The Norwegian Council for Africa (Fellesrådet for Afrika)
Norwegian Association of Students (Studentenes Landsforbund, StL)
Norwegian Students' and Academics' International Assistance Fund (SAIH)
The Norwegian Forum for Environment and Development (Forum for Utvikling og Miljø)
The Norwegian Helsinki Committee (Den norske Helsingforskomité)
Union of Education Norway (Utdanningsforbundet)
Trade Union for Industry and Energy (Fagforbundet for industri og energi)
Norwegian Labour Youth (Arbeidernes Ungdomsfylking, AUF)
Norwegian Center Youth (Senterungdommen)
Young Liberals of Norway (Unge Venstre)
Progress Party Youth (Fremskrittspartiets Ungdom, FpU)
Norwegian Young Conservatives (Unge Høyres Landsforbund)
Socialist Youth Link Norway (Sosialistisk Ungdom, SU)
Christian Democratic Youth of Norway (Kristelig Folkepartis Ungdom)
Red Youth Norway (Rød Ungdom, RU)
Future in Our Hands (Framtiden i våre hender, FIVH)
Attac Norge (Attac Norway)
Palestine Committee in Tromsø (Palestinakomiteen, Tromsø)
The Norwegian Council for the Rights of the Kurdish People (Det norske råd for kurdernes rettigheter)
Norwegian Tibet Committee (Den norske Tibet Komité)
The Norwegian Peace Association (Norges Fredslag)
Tvibit Youth Centre
War Resisters International –Norway (Folkereisning mot krig)
The Norwegian Burma Committee (Den norske Burmakomité)


Enviada copia a:

Ministro marroquí de Asuntos Exteriores, Mr. Mohamed Benaissa
Ministro marroquí de Justicia, Mohamed Bouzoubaa
Embajada del Reino de Marruecos, Oslo
 

Ministro noruego de Asuntos Exteriores
Embajada Noruega en Rabat, Marruecos
Delegación Noruega en Naciones Unidas, Nueva York
Delegación Noruega en Naciones Unidas, Ginebra


Prensa marroquí e Internacional

Organizaciones de derechos humanos: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF), International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)


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