SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

Chahid El Hafed, 11/03/2004 (SPS) The President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, proceeded today to the nomination of five members to the new African Parliament, expected to come into existence during a constitutive meeting that will take place in the third week of March in Addis Ababa.

Mrs. Soueilma Beirouk and Mrs. Mamia Mohamed Habib, side by side with Mr. Weddadi Mohamed El Heiba, Brahim Salem Zroug and Salha El Abd were honoured by this designation based, according to the President's terms, on "three criterion : equivalence of opportunities between men and women, parliamentary experience and mastering of foreign languages".

"The honour is given to you to represent your country within Africa as your given the honour to be the first Pan African Parliament members", said the President of the Republic during a reception organised on the honour of this new team.

"You will have here a tribune and a great opportunity to participate beside your African brothers in the constitution of one of the fundamental authorities of the African Union", he added.

The nomination ceremony of these new African parliament members took place in presence of the President of Parliament, Mahfoudh Ali Beiba, and members of National Secretariat and Government.

The inaugural session of Pan African Parliament will take place in the 18th March in Addis Ababa to elect a President and discuss a project of the internal regulations of the continental authority. (SPS)

030/090/100/TRD 112047 Mar 04 SPS

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SADR/SPAIN/CONDELECENSES
The President of the Republic presents his condolences to the King of Spain and the Head of the Government after terrorist attacks in Madrid

Bir Lehlu (liberated territories), 11/03/2004 (SPS) The President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, sent his condolences to the King of Spain, Juan Carlos, and the Head of the Government, José Maria Aznar, after the terrorist attacks perpetrated Wednesday night and the early Thursday in three train stations in Madrid, causing the death of 173 persons and more than 700 injured.

"In this sad moment and on behalf of Saharawi people, political leadership and my personal name, I would like to express you our deep grief and solidarity in front of the slaughter and havoc caused by an unpreceeded terrorist act, which we energetically condemn", underlined a message sent by the President of the Republic to the grieving Spanish leaders.

The Head of state expressed his conviction that terrorist acts of the sort, having caused the death of innocents "will not weaken the historical march of Spain, its Government and people, towards democracy, the state of law and economic development", added the message of which SPS received a copy.

The President of the Republic expressed, finally, his sentiments of solidarity and his condolences to all persons and families who were victims to the slaughter. (SPS)

010/090/100/TRD 111620 Mar 04 SPS

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MOROCCO/ HUMAN RIGHTS/TESTIMONY
A Saharawi survivor from Moroccan detention camps testify on human rights violations in Western Sahara

Rabat, 11/03/2004 (SPS) A Saharawi survivor from Morocan detention camps, Aminatou Haidar, gave an affecting testimony during a meeting, organised on Wednesday the 5th of March in Casablanca under the theme "Cinema and Women's rights" to which Moroccan film director, Saâd Chraïbi, who presented his last movie, "Jawhara, daughter of prisons" as a testimony on human rights violations.
 
Arrested in November 1987 with another 45 Saharawis after a demonstration organised in front of a UN's commission, chaired by Abdarrahim Farrah, Aminatou gave a testimony on psychological and physical torture she was subjected to in front of many Moroccan women?s associations and the two main Moroccan human rights' organisation (AMDH et OMDH), the latter been the supervisors of this initiative.
 
Describing the sufferings her group underwent, a group named "group of the commission", Aminatou enumerated all the methods of torture, insults and threats of rape.

Almost crying, Aminatou blamed Moroccan press and parties for their unjustified silence in front of such a tragedy of which little is revealed up till now, expressing her hope of seeing Saharawi occupied territory opened to international organisations and observers.

Further, she launched an appeal to the present associations to visit occupied territories to see by themselves the violation of Saharawi's fundamental rights in the territories occupied by Moroccan colonialism.

The organising committee presented a symbolic award to Aminatou, promising her of paying a visit to Saharawi victims of human rights abuses commited by Moroccan monarchic regime.

It should be recalled that the group of the commission was released in June 1991 after five years sufferings. Of them were killed under torture, one of them having died between the arms of his mother, also imprisoned with him. (SPS)

010/090/666/TRD 111414 Mar 04 SPS