SPS OCCUPIED
TERRITORIES/HUMAN RIGHTS Human rights activists call the
UN to assume its responsibilities in the decolonisation of Western
Sahara
01.11.04
El Aaiun (occupied territory),
01/11/2004 (SPS) Saharawi human rights activists called UN's Secretary
General, Kofi Annan, to assume his responsibilities in the
decolonisation of Western Sahara, considering that "the Saharawi
question must be now moved to Chapter 7 of the Charter of the UN,
because of Morocco rejection to abide by the international legality".
In a letter addressed last Friday to Mr. Annan, more than 24 Saharawi
activists, among whom the human right's 2002 Rafto Prize winner, Sidi
Mohamed Deddech, had deplored that the delays in the holding of the
referendum on self-determination increase the sufferings of the
Saharawi people and "encourage Morocco in its colonial fait accomplit
and in persisting in its blatant human rights violations in the
Saharawi territory".
"Morocco denied all its engagements with the UN like the Settlement
Plan and the Houston Accords", they underlined, estimating that this
rebellion against the international law and legality "should not be
encouraged by the international community".
The signatories of the letter also called for the stopping "of the
systematic repressive practices: Kidnapping, deportation, arbitrary
arrests and iniquitous trials" in occupied territories of Western
Sahara, calling to "increase the competences of the Minurso so as it
can guarantee the respect of the human rights and be more opened to the
Saharawi civil society". (SPS)
SAHARA
PRESS SERVICE