SAHARA PRESSE SERVICE

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SPS
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/RESISTANCE/ MEDIAS
Ali Salem Tamek: The National independence and the existence of the Saharawi Republic on the territory are the claims of all Saharawis

Geneva, 06/05/2005 (SPS) Complete text of an interview given by Saharawi human rights activist, Ali Salem Tamek, to Swiss monthly paper, "Mundo Hispanico", in its edition of May.

" MUNDO HISPANICO- Interview: Ali Salem Tamek

The following informations are confirmed: Son of a Saharawi family, born in Assa (south of Morocco) in December the 24th, 1973. He lives in El Aaiun, the Capital of Western Sahara. Imprisoned for 4 times in Morocco–1993, 1996, 1997 and 2002- forced deportation, twice to the interior of Morocco (from Assa –to Tiznit / Assa –Mekness-Menzah), 17 hunger strikes, he has got a Moroccan passport. He’s got a daughter, "Thaoura" born in the 30/09/2000. Moroccans refused to register her in the civil registers because of her name that means «revolution». He is a defender of the implementation of human rights in the territories of Western Sahara and a defender of a referendum on self-determination for Saharawi people.

You hardly had 2 years when the "green march" took place in November the 6th 1975, and Spain, a weak after that, ceded the territory of Western Sahara to Morocco and Mauritania following the Madrid Accords.
Question: How were your ties with the Saharawi cause built?

Ali Salem Tamek: Concerning the confirmed informations, I would like to inform you that my Moroccan passport does not mean that I am Moroccan. Saharawis, as a whole and while waiting for the independent State, have Algerian, Spanish, Mauritanian passports and others. During my childhood I was told many things on the unspeakable atrocities that accompanied the annexation and occupation of my territory by the Moroccan army, including the attempt to annihilate my people. In particular, they told me the story of my uncle, Lahcène Tamek, martyr of the war of liberation, known in the Saharawi refugees camps as Houssein Tamek, (a building in the same camps bares his name), as well as the stories of other members of my family who joined the revolution during the first years of the armed struggle. All these have marked me deeply, for this my ties with my national cause were forged by themselves and grew stronger year after year. As I grew older and as my experience increased I realised the extent of the tragedy my people lived. The repeated imprisonment, deportation into Morocco I bitterly experienced, my work in different associations developed in me this feeling, this tremendous need I feel to develop stronger ties with the Saharawi cause.

Question: What are you claims now?

Ali Salem Tamek: My main claim is the same for all Saharawis, in particular national independence and the existence on the territory the Saharawi Republic, which has all the characteristics of development, progress and democracy. Further, our movement, Polisario Front has concluded, last August 1988, an accord with the kingdom of Morocco that plans for the organisation of a referendum which objective is to allow Saharawi people to freely enjoy their inalienable right to self-determination. The defined options were independence or integration to Morocco. Morocco blocked this referendum and is still blocking it.

Question: Are your claims similar or distinct from Polisario Front’s?

Ali Salem Tamek: My claims go exactly the same way with the claims expressed by Polisario Front, in the sense that we share the same dreams, hopes and ideals. Claims that would allow our people to enjoy their rights to existence, freedom and independence, like all the peoples of the world.

Question: Why were you imprisoned three successive times in Morocco?

Ali Salem Tamek: I was for four times, in particular because of my repeated attempts to join Polisario Front. I was sentenced 5 years imprisonment the first time. These last years Moroccan authorities did not stop harassing me because, they say, of my affiliation to Polisario Front’s secret organisation, mainly in the section of Martyr Hamdi Bouzeid. In 2002, the main accusation I was faced with was mainly a pretended threat against the security of the State. I was also sentenced to a 1000 fan.

Question: Do you think king Mohamed VI lead Morocco towards democratic paths?

Ali Salem Tamek: You may well know that any democracy that does not respect peoples’ right to self-determination would be absolutely vouched to failure. Thus, as long as Morocco continues confiscating Saharawi people right to existence and repress its own people, also deprived of their right to freedom, there would be no way speaking about democracy, or about a democratic orientation.

Question: How can you then explain that he reprieves a political prisoner like yourself?

Ali Salem Tamek: To reprieve a political prisoner is a procedure to be used only when there is a will to remedy to a previous situation. Personally, I never asked for pardon because I do not think I committed a crime to be reprieved. Thus, it should be noted that the pressures of international and Moroccan organisations had largely contributed to my release.

Question: What are the conditions of imprisonment in Morocco?

Ali Salem Tamek: The conditions of detention are extremely difficult in Morocco. So as to get sure that the conditions of detention in Morocco are ones of the most hard in the world, you have only to read newspapers or hear testimonies of the alive-dead persons who miraculously escaped the unspeakable prisons, and of course we do not need to talk about the common graves...

Question: Do you consider yourself a free man? Do you feel you are controlled, manipulated?

Ali Salem Tamek: Like all my compatriots, I am constantly subjected to tailing, harassment, intimidation. A wide campaign of defamation is currently launched against me.

Question: Do you have a judgement concerning Moroccan press.

Ali Salem Tamek: Except for few titles that hardly exceed the numbers of my hand’s fingers, all Moroccan press is under orders. Defamation is a normal exercise for the Moroccan press. The Moroccan regime controls the press as it suits him.
Nowadays, the Moroccan press is trying to diabolise Ali Lemrabet, a famous journalist in Morocco. He was forbidden from exercising his job for 10 years in his own country simply because he said that Saharawi refugees had complete freedom of movement and thus are not imprisoned (sequestered) as Moroccan regime affirms. This same press is leading now a fierce campaign of defamation against me, threatening me of expulsion or even of death.

Question: You travel a lot lately, and you are constantly present in the first pages of newspapers. Is this popularisation through the mass Medias a new strategy of Polisario Front aimed at defending the Saharawi cause in a better way?

Ali Salem Tamek: This is my second visit to Spain, and it intervenes basically within the successive medical control due to the consequences of the period I spent in prisons. But I also was given the opportunity to contact international organisations and mass Medias and to explain to the international opinion the deterioration of the human rights situation in Western Sahara. Thus, I try to make the international public opinion the truth as daily lived in the territories under Moroccan occupation.

Question: What is the goal from your presence in Geneva? Who are you going to meet here?

Ali Salem Tamek: My presence in Geneva intervenes within the framework of the contact with many human rights organisations. I would have liked to have the opportunity to participate to the Un Human Rights Commission’s 61th session that had recently closed its works. The International Bureau for the respect of human rights (BIRDHSO) and the Association of Saharawi families of prisoners and disappeards (AFAPREDESA) arranged a meeting with the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights for me. This gave me the chance to explain him the human rights situation in Western Sahara. I also had had the opportunity to meet the international organisation against torture (OMCT) and some of the local press.

Question: What is the actual situation Saharawis are living in Western Sahara?

Ali Salem Tamek: If you are speaking about Saharawi population living in refugees camps, their situation is not very good. They live difficult conditions of exile, and this was recently confirmed both by the European Parliament and by the UN’s Secretary General in his report on the situation of Western Sahara, issued last April the 19th. On the other hand, the population living in occupied territories of Western Sahara have no rights. The territory where they live is under permanent siege. It is completely closed, cut from the outside world. Worst, is the fact that in a rich country such as Western Sahara, the population live in extreme poverty. Morocco, on the other hand, continues plundering the natural resources of the country, despite the verdict issued last January the 29th, 2002 by Mr. Hans Correl, UN’s Judicial Counsellor.

Question: Is there a possibility to resume to armed confrontation if the situation is not unblocked?

Ali Salem Tamek: It is unavoidable to resume to war if we take into consideration the stubbornness of the kingdom of Morocco and its attempts to erect all kind of obstacles to stop the referendum of self-determination. This state of no peace no war is a unique case of the kind in history. So, the negative position of Morocco caused deception and frustration within an important number of the population, especially the young people who call for a complete return to arms to end the case once and for all with a State that rejects peace. The recent statement by Polisario Front’s senior official, Mr. Mhamed Khadad, Coordinator with the MINURSO, is mainly meaningful in this perspective.

Question: What do you think about the possibilities of the success of the Baker Plan (that proposes autonomy to Saharawis within Morocco and a referendum after five years). Is it the solution towards a progress in the situation? Does it have a chance to lead to self-determination for Saharawi people?

Ali Salem Tamek: Despite the acceptance of the Baker Plan by the leadership of Polisario Front, the major party of the Saharawi people in the refugee’s camps and in occupied territories also reject this plan without hesitation. The acceptance of this plan was due to the fact that after 3 or 4 years there would be an implementation of a referendum on self-determination, and parting from this to contribute to the solution of the conflict. Nevertheless, and though the Baker plan satisfies 80% of the Moroccan thesis, the Moroccan regime rejected it as usual. An act that demonstrates clearly the lack of the political will of Morocco.

Question: What do you think of the Spanish position in the conflict? Do you think it changed or changed with the change of the Government in Spain last Mars 2004?

Ali Salem Tamek: History registered a concrete fact: Western Sahara was colonised by the official Spain who handed over the territory and its people to Morocco. Thus Spain assumes a historical and moral responsibility; it is also accountable for the tragedy Saharawi people is living for the last 30 years. The Government of Aznar at least had an objective position, while unfortunately Zapatero’s espouses Moroccan position. We noted this change through the many statement that backed Moroccan position. But to maintain the confusion about this change the Spanish officials organised meetings with Polisario Front officials. But these are meetings that have no real impact on the ground, what could be easily understood as a lack of credibility.

Nevertheless, and while mentioning the Spanish position, I can but pay special tribute to the civil society in this country which has always given new impulses to the solidarity, even at the international level. History will keep registered the courageous position of this society towards Saharawi people.

Question: What would you say to the Head of Spanish Government, Rodriguez Zapatero, if you happen to meet?

Ali Salem Tamek: I would told him that Spain has a political responsibility in the tragedy of the Saharawi people, and that his country is asked more than ever to remedy to the situation it incontestably engendered.

Question: And to king Mohamed VI?

Ali Salem Tamek: I would tell him that reason force Saharawi people, Moroccan people as well as other peoples of the Maghreb Arab to find a just and democratic solution that would allow Saharawi people to freely exercise their right to self-determination, and thus to establish a lasting peace that is the main condition for progress and development of this region of Africa.

Question: Do you think that one day you can live free and independent on the territory of the former Spanish Sahara?

Ali Salem Tamek: I do not only think, I am certain like all Saharawi people are that we will live happy, free and independent in our country, Western Sahara." (SPS)

060/090/000/TRD 062030 MAI 05 SPS

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SPS
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/MOROCCO/LIES OF THE MAKHZEN
TAMEK family denies all relation with a press release used by MAP in its campaign against Ali Salem Tamek

El Aaiun (occupied territories), 06/05/2005 (SPS) TAMEK family "catégorically" dénied the authenticity of a press release used last May the 3rd by Moroccan press in its recent campaign against Saharawxi human rights activist and former political prisoner, Ali Salem Tamek.

In fact, 70 members of TAMEK family signed a press release, publicised Friday, to condemn the use of the name of the family to " sow ill-feeling and discord within the family, and seek to implicate it in a conspiracy against one of its best sons, in this case, Ali Salem Tamek."

Moroccan authorities launched a new campaign of defamation against Saharawi human rights activist and ex-political prisoner, Ali Salem Tamek, on Tuesday. They used a pretended press release some members of his family signed.

Moroccan press agency, MAP, the main mean of the Moroccan colonial propaganda, did manage no qualifiers of segregation against the activist. Thus he is "a traitor", "a renegade", to pretend then that his family rejected him and "from the family, tribal and national unity."

SPS publicise bellow the complete text of TAMEK family’s press release with a list of signatures:

"
Press release

Moroccan Press Agency, MAP, published, on 3 May, on its website homepage a communiqué whose authors used the name of the family Tamek, aimed at condemning Ali Salem Tamek in the name of the family.

We, the undersigned, members of the Tamek family, categorically deny the initiative that we consider null and void. It is indeed an act of underhanded manoeuvring that is binding on none but its authors and which on no account can be attributed to our family.

We reject this kind of attempts that aim to sow ill-feeling and discord within the family, and seek to implicate it in a conspiracy against one of its best sons, in this case, Ali Salem Tamek.

This orchestrated scheme, following the example of the previous ones, has been concocted in the agencies of the Makhzen and at its instigation and by its henchmen. Some officials pertaining to political parties and others are employed in launching racist and chauvinistic campaigns. The objective of the regime is obvious: to discredit Ali Salem and to prevent him from exercising his legitimate rights mainly the freedom of expression and freedom of movement, and hence to deprive him of his rights as a human rights activist and of his associative rights and so on.

We therefore denounce these masterminded campaigns against our son Ali Salem Tamek, and we do not allow anybody whoever to vilify him, or some people to exploit the ordeal of others to achieve their despicable designs and to reap the dividends of their cowardice with the blood of others and at the expense of human beings who suffer in their flesh and dignity, who are also dear to us knowing that Ali Salem Tamek suffers from chronic illnesses on account of the inhuman treatment to which the Moroccan State subjected him during his successive detentions. We remain vigilant as to anything that may endanger Ali Salem Tamek and his life.

We recall that it is the same State that is responsible for the death of martyr Lahcen Tamek murdered in Rabat on 21 May 1977.

The list of Ali Salem Tamek family’s who signed the petition

CIN	Nom complet	CIN	Nom complet
JA 746	Fnina TAMEK	JA108271	Jamal TAMEK
J 145449	Khrissa HNANE	JE14257	Aaguida BLAL
JA 36370	Fatma TAMK	JA36351	Zaha TAMK
JA91374	Maryam TAMK	JA 36351	Zaha TAMEK
JA 117971	Soumaya TAMEK	JA67022	AGHARAS Ahmed Salm
Sans	Oulaya TAMEK	JA120211	Tawfik TAMEK
JA 113635	Rajaa TAMEK	JA7363	Khadijatou TAMEK
JA 33562	Mohammed TAMK	JA892	Lbatoul TAMEK
JZ 81	Aabid TAMEK	JA124996	Zahra TAMEK
JA 55688	Ali TAMK	JA100668	Said TAMEK
JA 81612	Mustapha TAMK	JA90009	Khallihnna TAMEK
JA 69801	Bchra TAMK	JA103345	Bchra TAMEK
JA 140501	Salma TAMEK	JA146876	Aayada TAMEK
JA 113654	Youcef TAMK	JF 31640	Najat TAMEK
JA 25639	Tawfa AYOUB	JA111989	Zahra TAMEK
JA 12642	Dallou TAMEK	JA9710	Soukina TAMEK
JA 48011	Fala TAMEK	JA66542	Abdallah TAMEK
JA 6927	Salka TAMEK	J148146	Soukina TAMEK
JA 17003	Zahra TAMEK	JA62313	Laila TAMEK
JA 15294	Ahmed TAMEK	JA112912	Rabiaa TAMEK
JA 56063	Lbatoul TAMGDI	JA102597	Naima TAMEK
JA 36633	Laila TAMEK	JE145918	Omar TAMEK
JA 56143	Zaha TAMEK	JA71999	Naima TAMEK
JF 31640	Zahra TAMEK	JA 64635	Hamma JADDAD
JA 82612	Rachid TAMEK	JA 55812	Naama JADDAD
JA 82878	Mstapha KAYOUB	Sans	Gbaila TAMEK
JA 101578	Chrifa KAYOUB	JA 64339	Zahra KAYOUB
JA 78103	Hafida KAYOUB	JA 21960	Khdaima KAYOUB
JA 30457	Aicha KAYOUB	JZ 166	Saida KAYOUB
JA 83350	Mahjouba TAMEK	JA 84727	Izzana BOUGHARAS
J 148014	Lkawria TAMEK	JA 33544	Lhoucine LIDDRI
JA 56662	Khadija LIDDRI	JA 55366	Khadijatou AGHARAS
JA 38865	Aicha JAMAL	JA 51734	Jamal TOUDA
JA 84638	Lwafi TAMEK	JA 45072	Mohamdmbark TAMEK
JA 66542	Abdelmalek TAMEK	JA 800005	Najat JAMAL

(SPS)

060/090/000 062110 MAI 05 SPS

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SPS
SADR/CONDOLENCES
The President of the Republic considers Rabat as accountable for the death of Saharawi symbol of resistance "El Wali Babeit"

Chahid El Hafed, 06/05/2005 (SPS) The President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, considered that Moroccan Government is responsible for the death of the "nationalist father and Saharawi militant, El Wali Ould Babeit," last Mai the 3rd, "as a consequence to his injuries after the attack he was victim to last year, perpetrated by a Moroccan settler".

Presenting his condolences to Saharawi people and to the family of the Late Mr. Babeit, in a letter of which SPS received a copy, the Head of the State denounced "this assassination of the father and Saharawi militant, El Wali Ould Babeit," considering the Moroccan Government for responsible of the crime because it never tried to arrest the criminal nor to judge him, he underlined.

"The late, who also underwent the cruelties of detention for 16 years, had always been a symbol of resistance and an example to his comrades, whom he had forever defended and protected in Moroccan secret prisons of Agdez and Kalat Maguna", recalled the text.

Born in 1919, the late Babeit is one of the emblematic figures of the era of the Saharawi national resistance. He was one of those men who were always present to defend their country against the multiple colonial attacks.

In 1975, and as soon as the Moroccan military invasion started, the great resistant was arrested by Moroccan armed forces and had to live in secret detention until 1991, when he was released with hundreds of his compatriots.

In 2004, a Moroccan settler attacked the resistant with a stick causing him a serious injury in the head. The late spent a long period in hospital, while colonial authorities did not undertake legal procedures against the criminal. (SPS)

060/090/000 062230 MAI 05 SPS

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