Ali Salem TAMEK Commital number 86401
Penitentiary complex of Salé

 To Mr James Baker

UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for Western Sahara

Dear Mr Baker,

We thought that the changes seen in the international community as concerns the need for the respect of human rights and the values of peace, justice and democracy would encourage the Moroccan state, in accordance with the relevant clauses from international law, to review radically its own philosophy and approach on the issue of Western Sahara, by consequently respecting international law and in particular one of its great pillars, namely the right to self-determination. Instead, and in defiance of the international community, Morocco continues to violate international law. Thus, in addition to the serious abuses of human rights already committed, it has launched into a campaign of repression against Saharawi human rights defenders who have dared to make use of their rights to free expression, opinion, association and demonstration. This campaign of repression has taken several forms. Among them I cite:

• forced transfer to Moroccan towns;
• unfair dismissal from work ;
• arbitrary arrest;
• unfair trials,…etc.

These Saharawi defenders of human rights are determined to make known the serious human rights abuses, qualified as crimes against humanity, which have been committed in Western Sahara. Among these serious human rights abuses

I instance :

• throwing Saharawi civilians in free fall out of Moroccan army helicopters;
• burying Saharawi civilians alive in mass graves;
• bombing camps of Saharawi civilians with prohibited bombs;
• abducting hundreds of Saharawi civilians;
• arresting thousands of Saharawi civilians ... etc .

A real campaign of genocide has been committed against the Saharawi people. The consequence of this genocide has been the suffering and exile of thousands of Saharawis for over 27 years.

It is a tragedy which is linked to the political and military conflict known in Western Sahara. This conflict can only come to an end with the adoption of the Democratic Solution which is none other than the organisation of a free and impartial referendum of self-determination allowing the Saharawi people to express their will and to pronounce themselves freely on the final political status of Western Sahara.

Special Envoy Baker,

As a Saharawi detainee, I express to you, through this message, my categorical rejection of all proposals for partial solutions of the conflict in Western Sahara because they are not in accordance with international law and would undermine the historical and legitimate right to self-determination.

We have great hope and confidence in your mediation. To ward off any detour into war which does not correspond to the aspirations of the peoples of the Maghreb, we count on your credibility and your integrity to encourage Morocco to respect the resolutions of the UN and in particular the UN-OAU Peace Plan.

Please accept, Sir, the expression of my profound respect.

Salé, Morocco 07 January 2003

Ali Salem TAMEK
Committal number 86401
Penitentiary Complex of Salé

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