Moral report of the National Secretariat submitted to the XIII Congress by Mr Mohamed Abdelaziz, President of the SADR and Secretary-General of the Frente POLISARIO

FRENTE POLISARIO
XIII Congress, Congress of Martyr Mahfoud Ali Beiba, held in Tifariti, from 15 to 19 December 2011, under the motto: the Independent Sahrawi State is the Solution

Moral Report of the National Secretariat submitted to the Congress by Mr Mohamed Abdelaziz, President of the SADR and Secretary-General of the Frente POLISARIO
In the name of God, the Merciful and Mercy-Giving
Our distinguished guests,
Combatants of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army,
Delegates,
In Tifariti, in the liberated territories of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, we hold today the thirteenth Congress of the Frente POLISARIO, Congress of Martyr Mahfoud Ali Beiba, under the motto: the Independent Sahrawi State is the Solution.

On this occasion, we pay tribute to the memory of Martyr Mahfoud Ali Beiba, a former member of the National Secretariat of the Frente POLISARIO and Speaker of the Sahrawi National Council (Parliament), and through him we bow to the memory of all martyrs of the national cause, led by his companion, Martyr of Freedom and Dignity, El Wali Mustapha Sayed. We pay tribute to the virtues and good qualities of the deceased who was renowned for his patriotism, devotion and dedication in the service of his people and country. We also remember his commitment, wisdom and the exemplary performance in all the tasks and missions that were entrusted to him in the movement and the State as well as his passionate defence of the just cause of his people at home and abroad, in all sincerity and seriousness, until the last day of his life.

Allow me first to extend our warmest welcome to all our brothers and friends who have come to join us in this historic event, bringing with them messages of solidarity with the just struggle of the Sahrawi people, who represent governments, parliaments, parties, organisations and associations. We wish them a pleasant stay amongst our people.

Delegates,
The circumstances in which the thirteenth Congress of the Frente POLISARIO is being held are the product of a continuous transformation that has been going on over the past four years, yet the intensity and scope of change have increased significantly during the last two years.
On the international level, more political, social and economic crises arose continually in various continents leading to destructive wars and the spread of the organised crime, whilst poverty, unemployment and illegal immigration intensified.

The economic crisis has exacerbated dramatically and is now threatening the major economies; it has thus far swept many governments and it continues to threaten other countries with acute crises.

This crisis, which is expected to aggravate further, will have a great impact on the development aid in general and on humanitarian assistance in particular, including the programmes sponsored by the World Food Programme, at a time when there are prolonged armed conflicts and natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and the attendant humanitarian crises including famine and epidemics, of which the most conspicuous case is what is happening today in the Horn of Africa.

In the backdrop of the international focus on the so-called terrorism, the great powers continued to compete for control of energy sources and spheres of influence, especially in Asia and Africa. In an atmosphere dominated by globalisation and social networks, a new form of conflict emerged between peoples rising against injustice, tyranny and oppression, and hegemonic forces sparing no effort to maintain their hegemony and to expand their spheres of influence.

The so-called “Arab spring”, of which repercussions are still unfolding, was the most significant development in North Africa and the Middle East during the past months. Its sweeping impact is reflected not only in the changes of regimes, but also in the questions that it has raised about the role played by the great powers, and the contradictions and double standards involved in international politics.

The most conspicuous event of the period under review is also the referendum held in Southern Sudan, which led to the latter's independence, as was the case in Namibia and East Timor. This confirms the viability of this democratic solution supervised by the United Nations, although the UN has not yet imposed its application in the case of Western Sahara.

During the past four years, elections were held in many countries that have some relation with the the region, which led to the rise of new leaderships, such as Obama in the U.S., Sarkozy in France and finally Rajoy in Spain. France has maintained its biased position in favour of Moroccan expansionism, whilst the U.S. remains committed to supporting the efforts of the United Nations. It is our hope however that the new Spanish government would take up again its former balanced position that is consistent with Spain's historical and legal responsibility for Western Sahara, and thus contribute to resolving the conflict through a self-determination referendum for the Sahrawi people.

On the regional level, the Maghreb and North Africa represented the epicentre of the upheaval that brought down many Arab regimes, starting from Tunisia, then Egypt and Libya, whose consequences are still vibrating in other Arab countries.

In tandem with these developments, the threat posed by the proliferation of weapons and gangs of organised crime continued along with the increase of the activities of terrorist groups in the Sahara. To confront these common threats, the countries of the region continued their coordination in various areas to own the process and prevent foreign intervention.

In Morocco, the 20th February movement emerged not only because of the impact of the changes sweeping the region but was also as a natural result of centuries of injustice, tyranny and corruption endured by the Moroccan people. The movement rose to demand explicitly the need for change and a complete rejection of the current state of affairs as well as the policies and cosmetic solutions proposed by the Moroccan regime with the support and complicity of certain international quarters.

Despite the attempt by the Moroccan King to anticipate events by proposing an old Constitution with a new packaging and the organisation of early legislative elections, with limited participation, nothing has changed in the Kingdom of Morocco. Moreover, there is no indication as to any possible changes in the worsening political and social situation in the country, as shown by the international reports that demonstrate the increasing decline registered in Morocco in various areas such as economy, human development, freedom of expression, information, and the continuing spread of illiteracy, poverty and corruption.

This fact is further evidenced not only by the continuous mass protests, but also by the attempt by the Moroccan authorities, as usual, to use the issue of Western Sahara, under its illegal military occupation, as a scapegoat on which to blame all its crises in order to divert the attention of the Moroccan people from the real problems.

In the face of the political and media pressure exerted on Morocco by the Uprising of Independence in the Sahrawi occupied territories and southern Morocco, the Moroccan authorities have engaged in a frenzied campaign and an intelligence and psychological crusade aimed at tarnishing the reputation and struggle of the Sahrawi people, and undermining their unity, security and stability. In the same vein, they have tried to link our people with terrorism and the organised crime by spreading tendentious propaganda and by seeking futilely to undermine the international legal status of the Frente POLISARIO, the sole and legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people.
On the national level, the Sahrawi people have demonstrated their commitment to their unity and to their national rights as well as their unlimited resilience and creativity to diversify their methods of resistance and struggle in the face of the Moroccan military expansionism, which is supported and protected by oppressive powers, particularly the French government, which does not appear to have abandoned its colonising mind-set.

The untimely departure of a senior leader of the Frente POLISARIO and the Sahrawi State, Martyr Mahfoud Ali Beiba represented a special occasion with profound implications. It was with great sadness and grief that his death was felt amid all Sahrawis, at home and abroad and in the occupied territories and southern Morocco. Yet, it was also a decisive moment for the Sahrawi people in which they showed their strength and the solidity of their national unity as well as their steadfast attachment to the Frente POLISARIO and the principles and values for which martyrs have given their lives and for which great sacrifices have been made. He was a great example of true patriotism and devotion in the service of the people and the country, and we will continue to remember him with great appreciation and admiration.
The Uprising of Independence continues to unfold through heroic episodes such as Gdeim Izik protest camp, the demonstrations in La Aaiun and Dajla and Aminatou Haidar's hunger strike as well as visits by delegations to the liberated territories and Sahrawi refugee camps, and the heroic hunger strike staged by Sahrawi political prisoners, among others.

The national programmes of action were executed on a regular basis, and the national experience in governance and the building of the state institutions has been consolidated. Despite the objective difficulties caused by the refugee situation, displacement and the effects of the global economic crisis, there was no food crisis or pandemics, and the provision of public services continued regularly, without any major interruption.

The period between the two congresses witnessed the alarming and increasing risk resulting from the proliferation of armed groups in the Sahara. Being a victim of state terrorism practiced by the Kingdom of Morocco since 31 October 1975, the Sahrawi people have also been victim of global terrorism, where two Spanish aid workers Iiona Fernandez and Henrique Golnialons and an Italian, Rossella Orro, were kidnapped from the refugee camps.

On this occasion, we express our strong condemnation of this cowardly terrorist act as well as our full solidarity with the victims and their families. We are fully determined to make every effort and to cooperate and coordinate with the countries of the region to release the hostages as soon as possible.

Despite the obstacles created by the Moroccan government, the national cause continued to be present on the agenda of the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations as a question of decolonisation, at a time when the UN is supervising direct negotiations between the two parties, the Frente POLISARIO and Morocco, with a view to enabling the Sahrawi people to exercise their right self-determination and independence.

Delegates,
We held the Twelfth Congress of the Frente POLSIARIO at a time marked by major shifts in the international arena, where the effects of the end of the Cold War were felt alongside the rapid evolution in information and communication technologies, and wars and global crises.

As regards the national cause, the time of the Congress was characterised by the endeavour of certain influential international actors to make the Moroccan colonial approach prevail by exerting political and economic pressure, which impacted negatively on the humanitarian aid, adding to the already existing obstacles and difficulties. This required, more than once, the adoption of additional programmes and plans to address these problems.

At the time of holding of the Twelfth Congress, the Moroccan government intensified its provocations and propaganda war and went as far as to threaten to impede the holding of the Congress in Tifariti and to invade the liberated territory.

On the basis of the priorities determined by the Twelfth Congress of the Frente POLISARIO, which constituted the backbone of the national programme of action, efforts were made aiming at strengthening the political organisation and the institution of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army, sustaining the Uprising of Independence, materialising the reconstruction of the liberated territories, and uplifting the standards of services in all domains. They however represented the main challenge to be confronted by the Frente POLISARIO, with its various institutions, with a view to ensuring the high momentum of struggle and consolidating the determination to win the struggle and achieve the national goals of independence and national sovereignty.

It is noteworthy here that the National Secretariat, in the first experiment of its kind, devoted several sessions to thematic issues, including vital sectors such as youth, sports, education, culture and foreign service in order to induce and achieve a positive development in quality and productivity.

In terms of the political and organisational structure, activities in this area grew in light of the growing list of priorities and national objectives, namely the right to self-determination and national independence, and with the growing requirements of society in terms of organisation and the provision of various services. In this context, the structure of the local branches of the organisation was reviewed and local plans of action were put in place to boost the morale and provide material incentives, despite the scarcity of sources. The separation between political and administrative authorities locally was an important step towards their constructive integration.

The organisation of the congresses of the mass organisations, the youth and students' programmes, the holding of summer universities and solidarity weeks were important events for stimulating exchange and promoting our national experience. The Journal of 20 May, the mouthpiece of the Frente POLISARIO, was issued regularly whilst the meetings of the cadres and national activities were held to support the Uprising of Independence and to reaffirm the sovereignty over the liberated territories, in which many of these events and activities were held.

In line with these political organisational efforts, the heroic peaceful resistance in the occupied territories and southern Morocco remained the key catalyst for solidarity and support activities and for mobilising the masses around the Frente POLIARIO as the sole and legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people.

The mass organisations, as branches of the national organisation, made significant steps to mobilise and educate social groups and to contribute to expanding the base of solidarity with our just cause internationally.

In view of this, the General Union of the Sahrawi Workers (UGTSARIO) opened many workshops of self-sufficiency in the camps and Martyr Hafid and for retraining workers in several areas. Considerable progress was made in settling the entitlements of Sahrawis who worked with Spanish companies during the colonial period. In addition, it has been actively present in international and regional fora.

The National Union of Sahrawi Women (UNMS) consolidated its presence in the international arena and on the level of major international organisations. The Women' Houses in the camps represented key sites for training and guidance, whereas the production cooperatives contributed relatively to spreading the culture of production and economic independence. In addition, it has played a key role in training and empowering women to occupy a key place in the national decision-making structures.

The Union of Sahrawi Youth (UJSARIO) organised several seminars and symposia dedicated to youth and their experiences as well as educational projects such as foreign language learning and computer skills. It has also worked to encourage the establishment of voluntary youth groups and to reinvigorate the student branches. In addition, it has maintained its active presence internationally.

In general, mass organisations, unions and human rights organisations have played a leading role in enriching the experience of democracy and creating dynamic networks for guidance, training and employment for their concerned social groups. They have also contributed to giving more visibility internationally to the Sahrawi society and its values and traditions based on the tolerant Islamic religion, respect for others, non-violence against women and profound faith in the capabilities of youth and their role in the present and the future.
The tangible, dynamic and unprecedented transformations brought about by the Uprising of Independence, especially the historic protest camp at Gdeim Izik, have sent to the Moroccan occupation a clear message of a total rejection by all Sahrawis, without exception, of its sordid plans and policies. They have also given an additional impetus to the human rights movement in the occupied territories and in southern Morocco in its daily confrontation with the occupier and its punitive measures. The growing strength of the movement is affirmed by the resistance of our political prisoners in Moroccan jails and the visits paid by human rights activists to the camps of pride and dignity as a gesture of defiance and resistance.

During the period under review, the Sahrawi communities abroad have been active, through their well-organised branches, assemblies and specialised unions, and have been actively present in many activities and national events. The Sahrawi community living in the liberated territories have remained strongly attached to the national cause.
As for the legislative, constitutional and advisory councils, they all carried out their activities and programmes on a regular basis during the period under review. The Sahrawi National Council (Parliament) passed a set of laws and continued its efforts to reinvigorate the consultative relationship with the Executive. It has performed its task of reviewing and adopting the annual programmes, upgrading the measures of control locally and nationally, and contributing to the national diplomatic work through parliamentary diplomacy. The Constitutional Council played its role, particularly as regards the review of laws and their conformity to the Constitution and the revision of the latter, and in providing legal advice on the matters that it received from the competent authorities as determined in the Constitution.

In the same vein, the Advisory Council played its permanent role in the maintenance of the values of the Sahrawi society. It has also carried out its activities on a regular basis and has made significant political and media contributions in all national events.

At the level of the Pan-African Parliament, the Sahrawi Group of this august body has played an important role in consolidating the place of the Sahrawi State in Africa and has worked with the PAP to adopt a number of resolutions and motions in favour of the national cause.

During the past four years, many activities, seminars and symposia were organised in the context of the international solidarity with the Sahrawi people, some of which took place in the liberated territories and gathered sizable numbers of important delegations. These included the international conference on the peoples' rights to resistance, with a big participation from the occupied territories and southern Morocco, international conference on the struggle of Sahrawi women and their resistance, the annual conference of the European Coordination of Solidarity with the Sahrawi people, the Chain of Thousands in front of the Military Wall, the Sahara Marathon, the International Film Festival in Western Sahara, Art-Tifariti and the Interfaith Forum, among others.

Worthy of note in this regard is the tremendous work done by the international movement of solidarity with the Sahrawi people on different levels and in all the continents, including the Algerian National Committee of Solidarity with the Sahrawi people and the many associations and organisations in Spain, Europe and elsewhere.

As regards the area of national defence, the building of the military establishment and strengthening of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army has remained a key priority with a view to advancing the long-term national liberation war, despite the consequences of the cease-fire.

All efforts made towards the personnel, the preparedness or the plans and programmes destined to the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army are always subject to the exigencies of an exceptional situation that may lead to escalating the resistance in all its forms, including the military option that always been present as part of the policy of the Frente POLISARIO.

Efforts have also been intensified with a view to uplifting the standards of the combative readiness of the army through supporting its ranks with young people, intensification and diversification of training programmes for units and re-training of the security services. The 6th Military Region was refurbished and more attention was paid to the areas of reconnaissance, justice, culture and information in the army.

In addition, considerable efforts were made to improve conditions of the combatants and to address adequately the needs of the army institution. The SADR participated on a regular basis in the activities conducted in the context of the African Union and fulfilled all the commitments to building the North Africa Regional Capability, and continues the coordination with all partners of the NARC. Coordination has also been maintained with the military component of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, MINURSO.

The Sahrawi people today have every right to be proud of their great army that have been modernised thus ensuring its combative preparedness. The past four years witnessed the enlisting of large numbers of young people in the ranks of the army, which reinforced the strategic policy of ensuring innovation, intergenerational communication, continuity and constant preparedness for all possibilities.

In the administrative field, on the basis of the firm conviction that administration is the cornerstone of building organisations and countries, significant achievements have been made in this area, particularly in the local administration which is of direct relevance to the citizen. The administration has been modernised and computerised and special emphasis was laid on training and the organisation of specialised courses and seminars for public servants.

The new National Identity Card has been issued, which is a world-class document in keeping with contemporary administrative and security standards. Plans have also been adopted to prepare and issue the new Sahrawi passport.
In the same period, the Judiciary has been reviewed and streamlined and many national laws were passed in addition to the efforts made in the areas of statistics, municipal guards, the archives, the legal profession and notary.

In terms of religious affairs, training courses, meetings and seminars relevant to this field were held and more attention was given to religious instruction and the teaching of the Koran, in addition to the building of several mosques and the good management of the dossier of the Sahrawi pilgrims.

In the social sphere, education represented one of the major challenges for the Frente POLISARIO from the very beginning, and it was one of the most important issues emerging from the Twelfth Congress. Thus, the policy of ensuring schooling for all school-aged children on all levels was carried on in a comprehensive manner and without discrimination between the sexes. Continuous training for the educational personnel was intensified together with vocational training, and families were integrated as partners in the educational process in order to ensure follow-up and cooperation. The opening of a nucleus of a secondary school was aimed at bringing the secondary education closer to the students.
Maternity and childcare, the improvement of health services and the conduct of research studies on chronic diseases were given special attention by the health sector, which benefited from the services rendered by foreign medical missions. In addition, efforts were made to improve the standards of veterinary medicine.

The social care, as a humanitarian and moral undertaking based on the principles of social solidarity, has been conceptualised intellectually and politically in line with the philosophy of the Frente POLISARIO. Therefore, in the period under review, the structures of social care were reviewed and refurbished in order to cater for those in need in accordance with the established requirements. The efforts made by the centres for people with special needs, training of the personnel working in this field and the organisation of specialised seminars have yielded very positive results in terms of social care and integration.
Similar to education, youth and sports were given special attention in the national programmes. The national symposium for youth policy represented a significant platform for taking stock of the policies related to this important segment of society, which may empower young people to participate effectively in all fronts of the struggle in order to enhance exchange with a view to achieving our national goals.

As regards the economic field, it should be noted that any assessment of this issue during the past years should take into account the fact that the Moroccan occupation is controlling the resources of the national economy and that all efforts made in this regard depend primarily on the international aid. Nonetheless, the Frente POLISARIO has managed to channel this aid in a way that would satisfy the basic needs of our people to enable them to live in dignity, through the creation of mechanisms for provision and distribution.
Thus, alongside the strict supervision of the sources of support, the preparation of emergency programmes in collaboration with the donors was necessary to address the shortage in the sectors of housing, household equipment and the necessary requirements for the running of the institutions.

Dozens of twinning agreements were signed with foreign countries; many aid convoys from Spain, Italy, Algeria, Sweden and Britain were received in the refugee camps, and agreements of joint cooperation were singed with a number of governments and organisations. All these initiatives contributed to covering the bulk of the financial needs during the past four years, and to overcoming the deficit in the annual budgets.

Microcredit projects also contributed to improving the economic situation. In addition to the standardisation of trade and commercial activities, centres for agricultural experiments and training were established and courses in agriculture were organised.
In terms of the policy of the reconstruction of the liberated territories, as one of the main priorities of the Twelfth Congress of the Frente POLISARIO, we note the increasing presence of the administration and the symbols of national sovereignty in these territories. This was reflected in the establishment of new municipalities and districts in Tifariti and Mheiriz, Bir Lehlou and Bouir Tigisit and the provision of the necessary services to citizens in those areas, such as health and education. Meanwhile, the prospecting for water and desalination activities continued as well as the exploration of natural resources. Contracting was regularised and a specialised technical office was established to this end.
Transport services, including both regular and emergency programmes, were provided on a regular basis. Several public institutions were provided with solar energy facilities. Water networks have been established in all refugee camps and numerous operations in the field of geological survey in the liberated zones were conducted, and emphasis was laid on the conservation and the cleanliness of the environment.

As regards Information and Culture, the SADR TV was launched on 20 May 2009, which was a historic national event par excellence. The new medium has opened for the Sahrawi people a new window through which their reality and heroic resistance could be transmitted to every corner of the world. It has also ensured the daily and real time audio-visual transmission of the Uprising of Independence and other national events.

In addition, the services of the National Radio were upgraded and broadcasting time was increased up to 13 hours a day. The Journal of 20 May was issued on a regular basis. The objectives of the information policy consisted in not only challenging the media blackout imposed on our just cause, but also progressing in the building of a fully professional national media in terms of personnel and specialists in all fields of media and information technology. The Sahrawi Press Service was overhauled and local media outlets were established in the camps. Overall, the national media and information services were expanded in terms of media programming and coverage of all national events.

In the same period under review, significant achievements were made in the cultural sector, which contributed to preserving the Sahrawi tangible and immaterial cultural heritage and putting the national identity centre stage as a vital vehicle for national struggle. The International Observatory for the Protection of the Cultural Heritage was established and steps were made towards the compilation of the oral traditions. Several publications on different themes, such as prison literature, were released and a series of cultural events, seminars, festivals and cultural weeks were organised. Cooperation relations with sisterly and friendly countries were strengthened and training courses in the culture sector were organised.
The National Symposium on Handicrafts was organised as an important platform to examine this important issue and to develop it as a significant dimension of the Sahrawi cultural heritage.

As far as the area of international relations is concerned, the SADR maintained its active presence in various structures of the African Union, and paid fully all its statutory contributions to the continental organisation. Diplomatic action was intensified and about 20 Sahrawi embassies and representations were established in many countries in Europe Latin America, Africa and Asia. Worthy of note in this regard is the increasing participation of talented young women in the diplomatic service.

In Africa, bilateral relations with African countries were strengthened culminating in presidential and high level visits to Nigeria and Angola, participation in the celebrations of the independence of the Republic of South Sudan and the establishment of full diplomatic relations with it, the opening of embassies in Ghana and Zimbabwe, and the accreditation of a Sahrawi ambassador to Rwanda.

In Latin America, the Republic of Uruguay recognised the SADR and an embassy was subsequently opened in the country. Diplomatic relations were resumed with El Salvador and Paraguay to which two Sahrawi ambassadors were accredited. In addition, intensive contacts were made with many parliaments and governments of the region.

In Asia and Oceania, contacts were made with many countries, and a Sahrawi embassy was opened in East Timor.

Work also continued at the European Union with special attention being given to the plundering of the Sahrawi natural resources, the Uprising of Independence and the human rights violations. Worthy of note is the invitation made by the European Parliament to the two parties, represented by their respective foreign ministers, to take part in a public hearing and the historic resolution adopted by the European Parliament on the military offensive on Gdeim Izik Camp and the occupied the city of La Aaiun.

In addition, many members of the European Parliament and European national parliaments visited the occupied territories, despite the ban imposed by the Moroccan government on the entry to the Sahrawi territories. Utterly regrettable in this regard is the mistreatment to which Willy Meyer, member of the European Parliament, was subjected at the airport of the occupied city of La Aaiun.

After its formal accession to the Socialist International, the Frente POLISARIO attended regularly all the meetings of this international organisation.
In terms of protocol services, nearly 30 thousand visitors and official delegations, media, associations and families, among others, were received in the camps. More security measures were taken in relation to their residence places and transport. Two additional guesthouses for accommodating foreigners were built.
As regards the United Nations, it should be recalled here that the pressure on us and our allies peaked in 2007, the year in which the Twelfth Congress was held, in an attempt to impose the fait accompli and to consequently make us accept Moroccan colonial proposal. The Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General at the time, Peter van Walsum, played a major role in this plot.
After four rounds of direct negotiations held in Manhasset, near New York, USA, van Walsum tried to transmit, through the Secretary-General and the Security Council, his absurd and biased views claiming that the independence of Western Sahara is unrealistic, and that the Frente POLISARIO, therefore, has to negotiate and accept something that is short of independence.

Through our efforts and cooperation with our friends we were able to foil the conspiracy and to impede the inclusion of these conclusions in the 2008 report of the Secretary-General. The Security Council ignored them completely and it just urged the two parties to continue the negotiations to reach a mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination.

Following these developments, the Frente POLISARIO refused to deal with van Walsum, and communicated to the Secretary-General and the Security Council that he was a persona non grata, because he was biased in favour of the position of one party, thus losing his credibility as a mediator.

Van Walsum was dismissed from his post as the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara in early 2009, and the American Ambassador, Christopher Ross, was appointed as his successor.

Following his appointment, Ross decided that he would start a series of informal negotiations between the two parties represented by delegations of only three members each. The first round of these negotiations, which took place in Dornstein, Austria, in August 2009, was limited to personal introductions and the presentation of the perception of each party regarding the solution to the conflict. In the second round, which took place in the outskirts of New York in February 2011, Ross tried to prompt the parties to discuss the proposals presented by each one of them. Yet Morocco rejected to engage in this discussion, which led to ending the round earlier than its scheduled time.
As a result, despite the tours made by Ross to the region, the negotiations were suspended from February to November 2010, because of Morocco's refusal to discuss the Sahrawi proposal as required by the Personal Envoy.

However, the growing momentum and continuation of the Uprising of Independence, particularly the Gdeim Izik mass protest, which coincided with the Personal Envoy's visit to the region and the start of the third round of negotiations, had a decisive impact on the course of events. The Security Council devoted a special meeting to examine the developments in Western Sahara in the wake of what happened in Gdeim Izik and the occupied the city of La Aaiun. Informal meetings between the parties have been intensified ever since.

At the same time, human rights violations by Morocco in the Sahrawi occupied territories became a key issue in the Security Council meetings and decisions, despite the opposition exhibited by France, which blocked inclusion of this question in the mandate of MINURSO.

In the same vein, in his latest report submitted to the Security Council in April 2011, the Secretary-General underlined that what is happening in North Africa and the Arab world underscores, more than ever, the need to resolve the issue of Western Sahara on the basis of the respect for the views of the population of the territory, and that any solution that does not take this fact into account would lead to more tension in Western Sahara and in the entire region.

Ban Ki-moon's latest report and resolution 1979, which was approved by the Security Council in the wake of these developments, put the process back on track by urging the two parties and the Personal Envoy to focus on the substance, namely the views of the population. Indeed, in the two rounds that followed the report and the resolution, which were held in May and July 2011 respectively, the focus was on the discussion of the proposals of the two parties, the mechanisms of self-determination and the electoral body in the referendum process, besides other secondary issues such as the innovative approaches and natural resources, among others.

This development in the methodology of negotiation, which centred on the need to ascertain the views of the Sahrawi people as a prerequisite for the solution, was brought about by the determination of the Sahrawi people to pursue their valiant resistance, particularly in the occupied territories and southern Morocco. It was also thanks to the international solidarity with the Sahrawi just cause and the regional and international developments that have pressed on authoritarian regimes, such as the Moroccan regime, the need to allow peoples determine their own political destinies, and respect democracy and human rights.

Morocco is convinced that its proposal does not provide the minimum requirements of self-determination because it is based solely on one option. The twelve rounds of negotiations have unequivocally established the fact that the two parties to the conflict are the Frente POLISARIO and Morocco. In view of this, Morocco now is trying to buy more time, thinking that joining the Security Council as a non-permanent member for the period 2012- 2013 would help it achieve its objective. This is what explains Morocco's refusal to accept the proposal made by the Personal Envoy regarding the holding of a round of negotiations in October, and a proposed visit by the Personal Envoy to the region.
Delegates,

We note the resumption of the programme of exchange visits between Sahrawi families separated by the Moroccan military wall that divides Western Sahara, after overcoming many obstacles created by Morocco, where more than 12 thousand persons have so far participated in this programme. The United Nations sponsored in Madeira in September a seminar on Sahrawi culture that gathered 35 Sahrawi intellectuals and poets coming from the occupied territories and refugee camps.

As regards human rights, the issue became a real battle for the first time in the Security Council, especially following the successive developments in the occupied territories such as the historical Gdeim Izik protest camp. Despite the French opposition that prevented the Security Council from taking any resolution about human rights monitoring and condemning the human rights abuses, important positions were expressed by the Council members. The issue will remain on the agenda of the Council as indicated by the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General during his briefing before the Security Council in October 2011. He demanded that MINURSO make contacts with the Sahrawis wherever they are in the territory, as is the case in other peacekeeping operations, recommending that the international community be able to have an independent capacity for assessing what is happening on the ground in terms of human rights violations.

Concerning the question of natural resources, we carried on our efforts to stop the plundering of our resources such as fish, agricultural products and phosphates, among others. The Western Sahara Resource Watch for the protection of the natural resources of Western Sahara, alongside other partners, carried on the international campaign against international companies and countries involved in stealing our resources in complicity with Morocco. Significant progress was made in this regard, especially at the European Union. The announcement by the Sahrawi Republic of an exclusive economic zone in January 2011 signalled the beginning of a global campaign to prevent the renewal of the fisheries agreement between Morocco and the European Union, which was concluded in 2007, and includes the territorial waters of our occupied territories. We were able to delay the signing of the agreement, which will be discussed again early next year. It is important to recall that countries such as Great Britain, Sweden, Finland, Austria and Cyprus have ejected or expressed reservations on the renewal of the agreement in question.

On the other hand, the Sahrawi Republic concluded more agreements with gas and oil companies, which will be fully implemented when the Sahrawi State becomes a member of the United Nations. Exploration for minerals also began in the liberated territories. The Findings of the satellite surveys and the analysis conducted in Australian laboratories by Hannon Resources, with which we have an agreement since 2007, showed the existence of reserves of iron estimated at between 4 to 5 billion tonnes in the regions of Tweserfat, Alfarfarat and Kleibat el Fula. There were also indications of the existence of gold in the area of Lamtareq and Ozrkerk Labieth as well as copper, uranium and other metals.

In relation to landmines, we continued our cooperation with the United Nations and the Geneva Call as well as the British Land Mine Action which is conducting survey activities in the liberated territories in order to clean the soil from this imminent danger. The northern sector was cleaned and efforts are continued to survey and clean the southern sector. We will enter into a partnership with the Norwegian NPA in order to carry on the efforts in this field.

Morocco regrettably has planted millions of anti-personnel mines and unexploded ordnance along Western Sahara, and it remains of the few countries that have not singed the Ottawa and Oslo Treaties to ban this type of weapons of mass destruction that still plays havoc with people, animals and the environment along the Moroccan military wall of shame, which is a real crime against humanity.

Delegates,
The peaceful resistance has always been a strategic policy in the history of the struggle of our people. This is evidenced by the fact that the beginning of the national movement against the Spanish colonial presence was represented by the historic peaceful Zemla Intifada on 17 June 1970, under the leadership of the late Mohamed Ibrahim Bassiri.

Since 21 May 2005, the Frente POLISARIO stepped up the peaceful resistance, an additional method of armed struggle, which has already made substantial gains over the past four years, in keeping with the decisions of the Twelfth Congress regarding the need to provide exceptional support to protect and invigorate the Uprising.

In this context, in the beginning of 2008, the Intifada extended its reach and diversified its methods of struggle and resistance, thus creating the ground, nationally and internationally, for giving a boost to the open confrontation with the enemy.

During this period, the Intifada gained a high degree of organisation in the occupied territories and southern Morocco and university campuses in Morocco, thus augmenting its capacity to confront all kinds of oppression and intimidation and to make its legitimate demands heard.
The successive visits made by campaigners and activists from the occupied territories and southern Morocco to the liberated territories and the refugee camps were a powerful act of exchange and communication between all the components of the brave Sahrawi people.

The doubling of the number of these delegations, representing different ages and locations, contributed to breaking the psychological and security barriers and foiling all the policies of isolation and fear instilled by the occupying power. The enemy responded in a confused and hysterical way and proceeded to arresting and detaining human rights activists and launching frenzied campaigns fraught with chauvinism and racism, whilst threatening to bringing the detainees before military tribunals.
The peaceful resistance and activism amid Sahrawi society grew significantly with landmarks such as the sit-in organised by the activist Aminatou Haidar in the Spanish island of Lanzarote in 2009, and her triumphal return to Western Sahara, despite the Moroccan arbitrary decisions that were taken at the highest levels.
The Gdeim Izik protest camp, which lasted nearly a month, constituted one of the brightest episodes of peaceful resistance, not only in the history of the Sahrawi people, but also in the history of all peoples yearning for freedom, dignity and emancipation.

Gdeim Izik was a decisive battle par excellence, which went against all the calculations of the Moroccan occupying power. The military offensive launched by the Moroccan authorities on the camp, on early 8 November 2010, sealed the final rupture between the Sahrawis and the occupation administration. This epic battle cemented the unity of our people and their determination to defy the occupier. The heroic confrontation that took place in the occupied city of Dajla was another example of this on-going struggle.

In reaction, the Moroccan occupation authorities had to resort to its repressive arsenal, including its troops stationed in the wall of shame, to repress and intimidate our people. However, the Sahrawis are determined more than ever to make every inch of their land a Gdeim Izik.
On this occasion, we bow to the memory of the martyrs of the Uprising of Independence, and we express our strong solidarity with the family of Martyr Said Dunbar that has lost not only their son but also his father who died insisting on the need to uncover the circumstances of the treacherous crime against their son who has not been buried it. This is because of the intransigence of the Moroccan occupation authorities, which have so far denied the victim the post-mortem autopsy. They have even exerted all forms of pressure on all members of his heroic family, including depriving their children of their right to work, to make them renounce their legitimate demands.

We express our solidarity with the heroes and victims of the brutal repression at the hands of Moroccan occupying forces, such as Wali Gadimi, Salek Saidi and Lalla Bousaula, and the others.

To talk about the Uprising of Independence and the peaceful resistance in general is an occasion to talk about the Sahrawi revolutionary national struggle as an on-going heroic battle. Its heroes are children, women, men and the elderly of the Saharawi people, and its weapons are simple and modest: the national flag and anthem, the peaceful demands for respecting the dictates of international legality, and respect for the rights of the Sahrawi people to freedom, self-determination and independence.

We are talking about a purposeful and unlimited mass struggle that will continue until its legitimate objectives are attained. We are talking about a great struggle that united the Sahrawis, all the Sahrawis, wherever they are, in the occupied territories, in southern Morocco, in the liberated territories and the refugee camps, and made them stand together and rally around their vanguard, the Frente POLISARIO, to achieve a higher goal, namely the completion of national independence and sovereignty of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic on the entire national territory.

Delegates,
In view of all this, in order to confront the challenges of the ferocious war against the enemy, we must acknowledge the existing of certain shortcomings. Overall, they do not emanate from the absence of plans and legislation or a shortage of resources. Rather, they are the result of the combination of many objective and subjective factors that have cast a shadow over the management and affected the collective mood, thus giving rise to dissatisfaction, motivated by the great enthusiasm for the national cause, and the constant endeavour to make it always a source of collective pride.

Hence, to determine the shortcomings, to accept constructive criticism and to search for better ways to address them is the most effective way to preclude any hostile utilisation that aims to undermine the morale and discourage our people and promote alternatives that serve only the interests of the enemy.

As regards political organisation, there are weaknesses in the coordination between all the structures of the system, and the discourse, in many cases, appears unrelated to practice, which affects the credibility of the organisation, and creates a distinct lack of mobilisation and communication between the vanguard and the masses, and the interruption of the communication chain. The drawbacks in mobilisation, orientation and training of the cadres, along with the existing defects in the recruitment, have hindered the utilisation of local capacities.

The defence and security services are still in need of greater readiness and preparedness to face the intransigence of the enemy and the current challenges.

The concerns that are still to be confronted involve the repercussions of the conflict and its impacts on the overall national situation, as well as the security situation, the employment of the youth and the migration of some national talents.

In addition to the weakness of the professional capacity experienced in some sectors of governance, the behaviour of some persons led to such reprehensible phenomena such as bribery, administrative corruption and the illegal use of public resources. In addition, there is lack of control and auditing services as well as discrepancy in the performance of the cadres and lack of standards and procedures for evaluating and increasing the productivity of the employees and protecting them from neglect.

People have not yet recognised fully the difficulties that are facing us in the economic field, resulting from the effects caused by the financial and economic crisis on various countries and international organisations. This has led to the reduction of humanitarian assistance destined to the refugees coupled with consecutive years of drought. This situation makes unjustifiable the emergence of consumerism in addition to the decline in voluntary productive work and the extravagance in social events.

The diplomatic service suffers from lack of qualified personnel, which impacts on the diplomatic performance, in addition to the objective difficulties that have prevented the completion of the new plan of diplomatic deployment in an ordered way. Many of the workers in this sector, similar to other sectors, tend to think of themselves as employees in an independent state instead of having the spirit of being freedom fighters in a liberation movement leading the struggle of an entire people for attaining freedom and independence.

Perhaps the most serious drawback suffered by the Sahrawi people today is the decline in reproduction, leading to a severe lack of demographic growth of our society.

Delegates,

The Frente POLISARIO is a national and people's liberation movement, all its principles, objectives and decisions emerge from the free and sovereign will of the Sahrawi people. It embraces democracy, transparency and the ability to accommodate all ages and groups, particularly women and youth, and different ideas and approaches that are all united around the sacred goals of liberation and independence and national unity, under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the Sahrawi State, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

This mass popular dimension and the open-minded democratic orientation has been the secret behind the resilience of this movement for decades, despite the intensity and gravity of the conspiracies hatched against it, which explains the size and breadth of popular participation in the open consultations, evaluation and formulation of programmes and strategic objectives in line with the firm conviction of the Frente POLISARIO that the war of liberation is to be guaranteed by the masses.

Today we are greatly proud of the historical and pioneering role of the Sahrawi youth in the national march that have always been a key element for the renewal and continuity, and now they must shoulder their responsibilities by participating fully in the national struggle and actions. The prospects are promising, and they are ready today to carry the torch of the struggle. They have demonstrated that they can take up the responsibility through their presence in the senior ranks of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army, in the State institutions and at the forefront of the heroic Uprising of Independence.

we are also proud of the role of Sahrawi women in the struggle of the Sahrawi people, and we are determined to develop and promote this pilot experience, where women are working alongside men to build a modern society, based on freedom, democracy, gender equality, tolerance and coexistence between religions and cultures, where women have their well-deserved status that is consistent with their legitimate rights and roles in the liberation struggle and construction.

Our Congress should be a national platform for the total mobilisation of all national energies and capacities, and for engaging them in the national struggle on all fronts with a view to achieving the necessary pressure to accelerate the realisation of the motto of the Congress, namely the Independent Sahrawi State is the Solution.

Hence, the Congress is required to examine a range of challenges that we are facing in the present and will face in the future and to devise the programmes and policies to deal with them in the best and most effective way:

The major challenges are:

1. To reinvigorate the political organisation and to review and update the methods and discourses and to reinforce the rule and credibility of the movement and the state.

2. To ensure the constant enhancement of the combative readiness and military capabilities of the Sahrawi People''s Liberation Army as a strategic option to complete sovereignty.

3. Take the necessary measures to support and promote the peaceful resistance, through the Uprising of Independence, as a cornerstone and a major front in the current confrontation during the cease-fire, in the context of national unity and escalation of resistance, to diversify its methods and to constantly expand its scope.
4. To accompany and protect the Uprising of Independence and to create the necessary moral and material conditions in order to find creative ways to lift the siege imposed on it and to enable the independent international observers and journalists to monitor its development and to transmit to the world its struggles, sacrifices and testimonies of the violations committed by the Moroccan occupying power against the activists. To pay special attention to the families of the victims, the injured and the victims of torture and disappearance.

5. To promote the reconstruction of the liberated territories, which embody the exercise of national sovereignty over the liberated part of our national territory.

6. To devise and summon the elements of strength which enable us to reinforce our negotiating position, and to maintain the ability to make initiatives, at all times, by keeping our force, primarily the military force, ready and prepared for all options.

7. To review and consolidate the organs and institutions concerned with security as a matter of urgency in the face of the challenges and risks that threaten our credibility and jeopardise our stability and our common interests regionally, such as terrorism, drug trafficking, among others.

8. To make available the material and human resources that are qualified to engage in the diplomatic battle and to reinvigorate the international relations service and to intensify its efforts to support the Uprising of Independence.

9. To pay every possible attention to women and youth, as a decisive strategic option, and to promote the role of women, especially young women, and to provide them with more training and employment opportunities, particularly in the executive bodies. To endorse the proposals and plans adopted by the National Symposium on Youth Policy, and to streamline the existing structures and mechanisms operating in the field, especially those related the mass organisations, and to improve coordination and cooperation among them.

10. To develop a strict, clear and binding plan on the management of human and material resources of the movement in a way that would ensures justice, transparency, and rationalisation and would improve the standards of supervision, control and accountability.

11. To focus on ensuring the efficacy of educational and health systems, thus augmenting its effectiveness and credibility, and to pay special attention to the family and the preservation of its religious and moral identity.

12. To redouble the efforts directed to media and culture as a site of confrontation with the enemy and an effective means of struggle, especially in the covering and monitoring of the Uprising of Independence, and to focus on compiling the national history.

13. To highlight the need to engage the Sahrawi community, and work to ensure its active and continuous participation in the national struggle, and to encourage its effective responsiveness to the peaceful resistance in the occupied territories and southern Morocco.

14. To engage all the efforts and initiatives that serve the national interest and to promote and protect them as an important capital of the Frente POLISARIO and the Sahrawi people, and to confront robustly all the despicable actions, which hide behind certain slogans, and aim to undermine our national project.

15. To lay the foundations for a deep understanding and awareness of the need for change and transformation on all levels, and to maintain the continuity of the national project and ensure the attachment of all Sahrawis to its objectives, no matter what the sacrifices may be.

Delegates,
The Frente POLISARIO, as a movement of national liberation defending the peoples' right to live in freedom and dignity, confirms its position as to the political and social changes taking place in the Arab region, which is based on full respect for the will of the people, in a framework of openness and transparency and adherence to the precepts of international and humanitarian laws in the interests of peace, security and stability.

We sincerely call on our brothers in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt to support the struggle of the Saharawi people, the defenceless oppressed people, that have been engaged for many years in the struggle for dignity, freedom, democracy and self-determination.

The international community, which unhesitatingly proceeded to the adoption and implementation of resolutions to protect civilians in many parts of the world, is called upon today to assume the same responsibility for the serious violations committed by the Moroccan State against Sahrawi civilians, since its military occupation of Western Sahara on 31 October 1975, which have been evidenced by specialised international organisations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The Frente POLISARIO renews its call on the United Nations to shoulder the full responsibility for the decolonisation of Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa, and for lifting the Moroccan military security siege imposed on the territory and for opening the latter to journalists and independent international observers.

Whilst underlining the attachment of the Sahrawi people to the use of all forms of legitimate struggle and resistance to achieve their internationally recognised rights, it reiterates its readiness for constructive cooperation with the efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and his Personal Envoy to reach the only just solution to the conflict by enabling the Sahrawi people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and independence.

It also renews its call on the United Nations to work to stop the looting by the Moroccan government of the Sahrawi national resources, to remove the Moroccan military wall of separation, to release Yahya Mohamed el Hafed Izza and all Sahrawi political prisoners, to account for more than 651 Sahrawi disappeared by the Moroccan State, and to institute an effective UN mechanism for the protection, monitoring and reporting on human rights in Western Sahara.

Delegates,
As we hold the Thirteenth Congress of the Frente POLISARIO, we bow to the memory of all martyrs of the national cause, who sacrificed their lives for the freedom, dignity and independence of this people, and we would like to express our profound appreciation to all Sahrawi heroes, the disappeared, the wounded and victims of the Moroccan invasion, the orphans, the bereaved mothers and widows, their families and loved ones.

We also salute warmly the combatants of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army, symbols of glory, heroism and courage, and the masses of the Uprising of Independence that continue to make glories and honouring achievements. We express our solidarity and support to all Sahrawi political prisoners in Moroccan jails and their families, including Gdeim Izizk detainees, who have been brought by the Moroccan authorities before military tribunals. Despite torture, suffering and the consequences of hunger strike that lasted for over 38 days, they persist in their attachment to their principled positions demanding freedom and self-determination for the Sahrawi people.

This is also an opportunity for us to convey our most sincere appreciation, thanks and gratitude to all nations and governments, parliaments, political parties, organisations, associations and individuals all over the world who have supported the just struggle of the Saharawi people for freedom, self-determination and independence.

We warmly applaud the sisterly Algeria, under the leadership of H.E. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the country of a million and a half million of martyrs, the country of glorious revolution, which will remain a beacon in the peoples' struggle for freedom and dignity, the country of principled positions in favour of justice and the respect for the dictates of the international legality, decolonisation and self-determination.

We also applaud Mauritania, a sisterly neighbour, with whom we share strong bonds and common destiny, in the present and the future.

We salute our African continent that has readily embraced the struggle of the Sahrawi people from the beginning and welcomed the SADR as a founding member of the continental organisation, and has been committed to its principled positions that embody the conviction that Africa's freedom will not be complete until Western Sahara has been decolonised.

We salute all the members of the international solidarity movement with the Sahrawi people, and we highly appreciate their positions and insistence on the rejection of injustice, occupation, and to uphold law, justice, freedom, democracy, self-determination and human rights in Western Sahara.

We also extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to all Spanish peoples for their noble position consistent with the bonds of geography, history and culture that bind them with the Sahrawi people, and we are confident that the Spanish State will play its leading role in line with its historical responsibility in the decolonisation of Western Sahara.

We also salute the Moroccan people, and we assure them that the Saharawi people consider them a partner in the struggle for freedom, dignity, justice, democracy and respect for human rights and peoples, and in building a united Arab Maghreb, free from hegemonic policies and expansionism and based on cooperation, integration, neighbourly relations and mutual respect between our peoples.

Delegates,
During the past four years, in line with the strategy of the Frente POLISARIO and in keeping with the spirit and decisions of the Twelfth Congress, our main concern has not been only to create the conditions for resistance, but also and essentially to seek constantly to create the necessary conditions for the struggle and victory. The sacrifices and enduring of the Sahrawi people will never be in vain, and today we have tangible achievements that are the guarantees for achieving their noble objectives.

There is an international, just and clear-cut issue, registered at the United Nations as a question of decolonisation, of which resolution lies in the respect for the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence, which is examined periodically at the highest bodies of the UN bodies.

There is a leading liberation movement, the Frente POLISARIO, as the national organisation encompassing all Sahrawis and the framework of their aspirations and struggles, in unity and unprecedented national consensus on carrying on the struggle for dignity, freedom and independence.

There is a national State, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, gathering all Sahrawis wherever they are, where they all contribute to building and strengthening its institutions and to the completion of its sovereignty, as an irreversible regional and international reality.

There is the Sahrawi Peoples' Liberation Army, with its deep-rooted history and heroism, that is more determined to accomplish the liberation of the country, as an organised armed force to be reckoned with in the region and with the experience in combating in all the circumstances. Efforts are on-going to reinforce its preparedness and readiness.

There is the Uprising of Independence in the occupied territories and southern Morocco and university campuses in Morocco, which is led by the strongly determined masses. It represents one of the most fascinating aspects of peaceful resistance in the world, and one of the most powerful weapons of our times that can defeat huge armies and topple tyrant regimes, no matter how oppressive they are.

There are the refugee camps of pride and dignity, a source of resistance and determination, and the liberated territories that host today the Thirteenth Congress of the Frente POLISARIO, home to Sahrawi citizens, which is run by Sahrawi national administration.

There is a broad international solidarity, which reduces the margin of manoeuvring of the enemy and the circle of the supporters of its policies and exposes its colonial allies before the international public opinion.

There is will and determination to carry on the struggle for freedom and dignity, and there is absolute confidence in the inevitability of victory.

After all these long years of suffering, persistence and longstanding struggle, there is no longer any room for doubt or hesitation or cowardice or surrender, because the existence of the Sahrawi people and the Sahrawi State and project has become an inevitable reality.

The Frente POLISARIO, the sole and legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people and the leader of their liberation struggle for freedom and independence, is attached today more than ever to those same noble goals for which it has been established.

The developments taking place in the region confirm that there is no place for injustice and tyranny, and that it is imperative to respect the right and the will of the people to dignity, freedom, self-determination and independence. It has also become very clear that the Moroccan regime, no matter how it claims that time is on its side, it is very certain that it will never win the hearts and minds of the Sahrawis.

The Sahrawi have made up their mind which is clearly reflected in the motto of their Thirteenth Congress in order to say to the world, from the liberated territories of Western Sahara, and very openly that the Independent Sahrawi State is the Solution.
The Independent Sahrawi State is the Solution.
Thank you very much!