SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

El Aaiun, 07/07/04 (SPS) Saharawi Human rights activists in occupied territories of Western Sahara, called Norway to intervene to "establish a lasting peace" in their country, exhorting the European country to defend the human rights of Saharawis under Moroccan occupation, according to a letter, signed by famous Saharawi human rights activists and ex-political detainees, addressed to Norwegian Prime Minister, Kjell Magne Bondevik.

In the letter, of which SPS received a copy, signed particularly by the oldest Saharawi ex-political detainee and winner of Rafto human rights' Prize 2002, Sidi Mohamed Daddech, The signatories called Norway "to pay all efforts to defend human rights in Western Sahara and establish a lasting peace in this region of the Maghreb", so as to put an end "to the long tragedy of Saharawi people" caused by Moroccan regime's colonial practices in Western Sahara.

"Unfortunately, no concrete progress, in putting an end to Saharawi people's three past decades lasting tragedy, was made", despite of the "numerous UN's resolutions that reaffirm Saharawi people's indefeasible right to self-determination", and despite of the fact that Western Sahara's question is considered "a decolonisation problem", underlined the text.

The text further, estimated that "the prevailing situation in Western Sahara continues to get worse to become critical", not only because of Moroccan rejection of any fair and peaceful solution to the conflict, but also because "of repression and deliberate actes of violence perpetrated by the Moroccan State against Saharawi civil population", besides the "Moroccan defensive wall, which divide the country and separates the population" since the 80ies, "making their sufferings worst", it added.

On another hand, "Moroccan State continues plundering of Western Sahara's natural resources, in complete violation to international law", despite of "Security Council Juridical Bureau's verdict, issued in the 29 January 2002", which categorically qualified this act as illegal as far as "Western Sahara's Status remains a non-autonomous territory", explained the text.

Moreover, Moroccan State subjects Saharawi population, under its occupation, to "extreme poverty, unemployment, and marginalisation", not to speak about systematic repression aimed at "changing the demography of the territory", pushing Saharawis to immigrate or deporting them to Moroccan towns, and bringing flows of "Moroccan colonists" to invade Saharawi cities.

In addition, to "harassment, intimidation, forced disappearance, abuses and tortures of all kinds, deportation to Moroccan cities, abusive dismissal, confiscation of passports and restrictions put on free movement, right to demonstration and free expression", the Saharawi population in occupied territories is victim "to another serious danger, which is no more than anti person mines", Moroccan armed forces scattered by thousands units everywhere in Western Sahara, even around cities and villages.

All these "atrocities", are perpetrated by Moroccan authorities "far from witnessing eyes, simply because the access to the territory is forbidden to Medias" and international observers, deplored the activists, stressing that this policy of isolating Saharawi citizens is also a result to the "military, security and medias' siege" imposed by Morocco on occupied territories of Western Sahara under the sight of UN's mission on the ground, Minurso, and despite of the many appeals addressed by organisations and international bodies. (SPS)

060/090/000 072218 July 04 SPS


Signatories of the letter, 06 July 2004
      Saharawi Human Rights' activists:

1-Sidi Mohamed DADACH, RAFTO human rights Prize 2002 winner (http://www.arso.org/daddach2002.htm )

2-Ali Salem TAMEK, ex-prisoner of conscience (http://www.arso.org/Tamek100902.htm )

3-Mohamed Fadel GAOUDI, ex-political prisoner

4-Brahim SABAR, ex-disappeared, detained in Kalaat M'Gouna

5-Minatou HAIDAR, ex-disappeared detained in El Ayoun secret centre

6-Brahim DAHAN, ex-disappeared detained in El Ayoun secret centre

7-Brahim NOUMRIA, ex-disappeared detained in El Ayoun secret centre

8-Ahmad HAMAD, ex ex-disappeared detained in El Ayoun secret centre

9-Daha RAHMOUNI, ex-disappeared detained in El Ayoun secret centre

10-Brahim ISMAAILI, ex-disappeared detained in El Ayoun secret centre

11-Salek BAZID, ex-political prisoner (http://www.arso.org/NI120303.htm)

12-Laarbi MESSAOUD, ex-prisoner of conscience