SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

Bagnolet, 09/03/04 (SPS) The French Association for Friendship and Solidarity with the People of Africa (AFASPA- in French) exhorted UN's Secretary General (SG), Kofi Annan, to denounce Moroccan violations of human rights in occupied territories of Western Sahara, appealing him to ''impartially'' deal with this question in his next report.

In a letter addressed to Mr. Annan, who will present a new report on Western Sahara next April, the association expressed its hope to see ''the question related to human rights impartially evoked'', what ''was not the case in your (Kofi Annan) former reports''.

''While your demands to Polisario Front, concerning Moroccan prisoners of war, are insisting and repeated, you ignore mentioning Saharawi prisoners of war held by Morocco'', deplored the letter, of which SPS had a copy.

The text insists on SG to put forward ''all the elements in your possession on this subject in the draft of your current report, what will restrict exaction against the population that is suffering Moroccan military occupation since 28 years''.

To AFASPA, this approach of two weights two measures allows Morocco to avoid its obligations in front of international community, and consequently, continues its violations to international law.

Regarding Moroccan human rights violations in occupied territories, the organisation which head office is in Bagnolet (France), blame Mr. Annan for ''dealing with it in confusing way allowing Moroccan kingdom to avoid its responsibilities relating to forced disappearance of hundreds of Saharawi civilians''.

Shocked by this approach, AFASPA also blames Mr. Annan «for avoiding noting arrests, temporary disappearances, tortures, iniquitous trials and restrictions of all sorts civil society is permanently victim to in occupied territories, under MINURSO's sight''.

On another hand the organisation mentioned the state of continuous siege imposed on occupied territories, which are ''inaccessible to foreign observers'' since 1975, giving as an example the interdiction from visiting Western Sahara to ''France Libertés'' in November 2003 and to two French journalists who attempted to meet with Saharawi population, and who were ''interpellated and expelled on January 2004''.

Approaching the legality of the institution of  ''Equité et Réconciliation'' (fairness and reconciliation), recently created by Moroccan government, AFASPA considered that it is ''contradictory with all judicial framework'', and ''a real economical blackmailing of families that can not mourn theirs, nor find out the reality about their fate unless justice and truth are completely restored''. (SPS)

060/090/666 091400 Mar 04 SPS

SPS
SADR/FRANCE/SOLIDARITY
Reactivation of Val de Marne's Committee of support to Saharawi People

Vitry sur Seine, 09/03/2004 (SPS) The Committee of Val de Marne for the support to Saharawi People was reconstituted and reactivated, last March the 5th, as a result to a meeting held in Vitry sur Seine, by sympathisers with Saharawi cause in France, announced the Association of Friends of SADR
(AASADR) in a communiqué SPS received.

A temporary bureau composed of 6 persons, chaired by Mr. Lucien Hanoun, the founder of the committee, was designated in the presence of Mrs. Régine Villemont, Secretary General of AASADR, to ''re-launch activities of solidarity with Saharawi people, having slowed down for years'', it was indicated.

The participants took note of the «Moroccan rejection of Baker's plan's terms'' and the ''starting by the UNHCR of the first confidence-building measures, which will allow separated Saharawi families to reunite again in the camps or in occupied Western Sahara''.

Moreover, they raised the necessity of reacting by all means to ''reactivate'' international solidarity with Saharawi people's struggle for independence.

On another hand, the Committee of Val de Marne decided to take part to ''the day on Saharawi disappeared organised in Geneva next April the 16th during the meetings of UN's Commission for Human Rights'', concluded the communiqué.(SPS)

060/090/666 091149 Mar 04 SPS