SPS OCCUPIED
TERRITORIES/MOROCCO/RESOURCES/PLUNDERING Saharawis in Dakhla oppose
Moroccan overexploitation of their country's natural resources (See
pictures: [1] -- [2] -- [3]-- [4] -- [5] -- [6]-- [7] -- [8])
10.03.05
Dakhla, (occupied territory), 10/04/2005 (SPS) Saharawi citizens
and fishers opposed, Thursday, "the policy of overexploitation" by
Morocco of the natural resources of their country. They organised a
demonstration 25 Km north Dakhla "blocking the road to trucks full of
octopus", reported SPS's correspondent in occupied territories of
Western Sahara.
"Octopus fishing in occupied Dakhla increasingly represents a danger to
the natural resources of the region", explained the correspondent
adding that Saharawis had "called Moroccan colonial authorities before
to impose the respect the periods of biological rest, which at least
diminished the overexploitation of Saharawi fishing resources".
The many "negotiations between Saharawi fishers and the authorities of
occupation resulted to an accord aimed at reducing Moroccan fishing
boats to 2500, to the maximum, in the region". This "was not respected
because more than 7000 Moroccan boats still continue working illegally
on the ground under the sight of Moroccan authorities".
Result, "Saharawis in Dakhla, fishers in particular, opposed this
situation calling for the expulsion of all illegal Moroccan fishers.
They blocked the road to Moroccan trucks full of thousands of tones of
octopus, which risks to be exterminated from the zone", underlined the
same source via telephone to SPS.
The wali of Dakhla (Moroccan Governor) "came on the ground to
intimidate the demonstrators, in vain". He ordered the intervention of
the army, "which shot in the air without injuring anybody, however, and
without succeeding to break the demonstration", asserted the
correspondent.
On another hand, Moroccan fishers completely refused to respect the
biological rest of the octopus, which is "however necessary so as not
to exterminate it. They further threatened to attack the city of
Dakhla", he added.
"The tension is such that all probabilities are possible. There can be
a repression to Saharawi fishers as to Moroccans. And confrontations
between Saharawi fishers, Moroccans, and Moroccan colonial forces are
well possible too", he indicated.
Moroccan Press Agency, underlined the same source, "spread a dispatch
pretending that Mr. Mohand Laenser, the Minister of agriculture, rural
development and fishing, has talked about and 'a notable amelioration
of the resources in octopus’ this year. This is completely misleading
and inexact especially that this statement intervenes after these
events to confuse" the public opinion. (SPS)
060/090/000 101321 AVR 05 SPS
SAHARA
PRESS SERVICE ![[1]](http://www.arso.org/dakP003.jpg){kind=link}
![[2]](http://www.arso.org/dakP004.jpg){kind=link}
![[3]](http://www.arso.org/dakP005.jpg){kind=link}
![[4]](http://www.arso.org/dakP009.jpg){kind=link}
![[5]](http://www.arso.org/dakP010.jpg){kind=link}
![[7]](http://www.arso.org/dakP030.jpg){kind=link}
![[8]](http://www.arso.org/dakP032.jpg){kind=link}