Bir Lehlu (liberated territories), 02/12/2008 (SPS) The Saharawi Government declared a national mourning for 24 hours starting from Wednesday on the tragic deaths of Houssein Abdessadik Alkteyif and Khaya Abdelaziz Baba, which occurred Monday night, After they were run over by a Moroccan bus, following their participation in a peaceful sit-in, in a transit station in the city of Agadir (Morocco), announced a press release issued by the Saharawi Presidency on Tuesday.
The flags will be flown half-mast, all festivities will be postponed and the prayer of "Al Ghayeb" (the missing) will be made at the Saharawi refugee camps and in the liberated territories, said the press release, which was a part of «heartfelt condolences of the Government and people of Western Sahara to the family of the deceased."
The Government of the SADR also called for observing a minute of silence in memory of the two Sahrawi students.
The communiqué also states that the martyrs, Abdessadik Alkteyif Houssein (20 years) first year student in sociology at the Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences at the University of Agadir and Khaya Abdelaziz Baba 2nd year student in economics at the Faculty of rights in the same university, were "murdered" by the Moroccan forces of repression after they were run over by a Moroccan bus at a transit station.
Other students were seriously injured, some of which were transported in coma to the Agadir hospital, during the intervention of savage Moroccan forces of repression to disperse the demonstrators whom they were peacefully demanding their right to be transported from Agadir station (Morocco). They are Mbarek Belkadi, Bouh Elkharrachi, Abdessalam Chtouka, and Nafii Zaza. Also, Sahrawi student: Belhadef Breih, Alasla Ahmed Salem and Ben Mustapha Taleb were arrested by the Moroccan forces of repression.
Expressing its condemnation of this disgraceful crime "committed against innocent Sahrawi people, the Saharawi Government charges the Moroccan state" responsible for this crime and for “the consequences” that may arise, which necessarily does not advocate for peace and stability in the region."
It called on the United Nations to "ensure full protection of Saharawis and their legitimate right to free expression, travel and organizing events and to lift the security siege and siege imposed on media in the territory of Western Sahara and allow for free access for international observers and foreign press.
The announcement also calls on the Moroccan public, including political parties, civil society, intellectuals and especially the Moroccan students to denounce and condemn this heinous crime perpetrated by the Moroccan security services which cost the lives of two Sahrawi students. (SPS)
020/090/TRD 022035 DEC 08 SPS
