SAHARA PRESSE SERVICE

Chahid El Hafed, 06/08/2006 (SPS) The President of the Saharawi Red Crescent (CRS), Yahia Bouhoubeini, warned against "the drastic reduction" (43%) of the humanitarian assistance to the Saharawi refugees as a result "to the pressures exercised by Morocco and its allies" against the donating countries, in order to block "the main" contributions to the aid dedicated to the Saharawi refugees, during an interview he gave last Saturday to the weekly journal, "Essahraelhora".

Mr. Bouhoubeini indicated that the humanitarian assistance dedicated to the Saharawi refugees suffers actually a "alarming" stage, due to the end of the stocks, launching an "urgent appeal" to the international community and to international organisations, so as to avoid a humanitarian tragedy in the refugee camps of Tindouf".

Answering to the question: "are you surprised by the decision to block the humanitarian aid", M.r Bouhoubeini answered, absolutely not, adding that "Morocco and its allies use all methods against the Saharawi people, and this is just one of these methods through which "the aim to starve" kids, women and old people living in the Saharawi refugee camps, who depend completely on the humanitarian aid.

Concerning the position adopted by the UNHCR and the WFP, the President of the CRS affirmed that this act divest them from any kind of credibility ith regard to the humanitarian aid dedicated to the Saharawi refugees, unless there is a motive that justifies the reduction of the aid that affects 66% of the children and 68% of women who suffer anaemia and malnutrition, according to a study established by experts working in the UNICEF.

On another hand, Mr. Bouhoubeini affirmed that his institution undertakes contacts of mobilisation and explanation of the situation vis-à-vis the different organisations around the world, despite the "pressures", "hoping that the humanitarian aid do not turn to be used as "a pretext to reach political ends".

The President of the CRS hailed the positive decision of some donators, such as Italy, Sweden and Switzerland, who continue to offer their aid, as well as the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI), which present its aid to the Saharawi people directly. (SPS)

070/090/666/TRD 061505 Aug 06 SPS

SPS

OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/REPRESSION

19 persons wounded and others arrested in the occupied city

Smara (occupied territories), 08/08/2006 (SPS) 19 persons were wounded and another arrested in the occupied city of Smara during demonstrations, which were organised from Sunday to Monday, advocating "the clarification" of the fate of the Saharawi citizen, El Houssein Ould Mneisir, abducted last Saturday evening in Smara by the Moroccan forces of repression in strange circumstances, credible sources indicated.

The victims are: Loud Emnaissir, Lehssen Emnaissir, Fatma Emnaissir, Hmana Hossein Emnaissir, Gabula Khatari Abd Moulana, Fatma Abdelahi Fnaidou, Maelainin Lemghaifri, Brahim Mohamed Elabd Hnini, Lehssen Mohamed Elabd Hnini, Ghlaila Hasni Baaila, Lehbib Ennatou Hseina (old person), Abdi Emnaissir, Aliyen Ahmed elboudnani, Mohamed Yeslem Bahaha, Salama Ali El Wali, Mohamed Fadli, Fatma Lehbib Saida, while the mother of the disappeared, Mrs. Hdeidhoum Fadli Abdi, in addition to Mrs. Btaila Emneissir and the ex-Saharawi political prisoner, El Othmani Loud were hospitalised, the same sources said.

Another Saharawi citizen, Mohamed Mohamed El Abd Hnini was also arrested by the Moroccan forces of occupation during these demonstrations, it was added.

On another hand, the Moroccan colonial authorities were forced to release the abducted Saharawi citizen, El Houssein Ould Mneisir, in the occupied city of El Aaiun (the capital of the Western Sahara) though he was in "a terrible physical state", because of torture he was subjected to, the same sources said.

In the El Aaiun beach (Feim El Wad) two Saharawi citizens were wounded and two others arrested by the Moroccan forces of occupation.

The victims are: Lebreiki Sid'Ahmed, El Kelwa Mohamed Salem, the first been wounded in his head while the other is suffering wounds in different places of his body. The forces of occupation arrested Rahmouni Bacher and Aghlajilhoum Mohamed Salem.

In t occupied city of Bojador, the Saharawi citizen, Habadi Taleb Ahmed, was expulsed from the city while his father was interpellated by the Moroccan colonial authorities who are accusing the son of been "behind the operations of hanging the Saharawi Republic’s flag on electric poles" in the city. (SPS)

020/090/110/TRD 081750 Aug 06 SPS