SAHARA PRESSE SERVICE

Chahid El Hafed, 14/09/2006 (SPS) The President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, ratified Today at the seat of the presidency, three oil Accords signed last March in Tifariti, in the liberated territories of the Saharawi Republic, with three British oil companies, Maghreb Exploration Limited, Osceola Hydrocarbon Limited, Nighthawk Energy Limited.

"We highly appreciate your signature of these accords, which will have a high value in the future and also appreciate the concern you show to the Saharawi people’s just cause", the President of the Republic indicated during the ceremony of the handing over of the Presidential decree of the ratification of these accords, held Today with the presence of the Minister Delegated to Europe, Mohamed Sidati, the President of the Saharawi Red Crescnt, Yahia Bouhoubeini and the Councillor at the Presidency, Bechir Sghair.

"We are convinced that you are putting you bet on the right horse and we will save no efforts to be at the level of your expectations, because our people is strong thanks to its rights, now violated by the Moroccan occupation, but which it is determined to recover", Mr. Abdelaziz added in his address to the two Directors of the British companies, Nighthawk Energy Limited and Maghreb Exploration Limited, respectively, Roger Norwich and Frederik Dekker.

In accordance with these accords, the three British Firms will undertake exploration operations on shore ad off shore the region of Bojador, it was indicated.

In statements to the press, the two British Directors expressed their satisfaction about the meetings they have with the Saharawi Government and of the visit, the first of its kind to the Saharawi refugee camps.

"We came here to establish constant relations of friendship and to participate to the construction of the independent Saharawi Republic", Mr. Frederik Dekker said.

These accords "show that the Saharawi Republic is determined to progressively enlarge its cooperation with international actors, which affirm through these accords that they are convinced that the independence of the Western Sahara is unavoidable", the Member of the Polisario Front’s National Secretariat, M'Hamed Khadad, said last March the 16^th 2006 during the signature of the accords in London.

"The conclusion of these accords also confirms the determination of the Saharawi people to advance in the consecration of its national independence and recover its sovereignty on all its natural wealth ", he added then.

Besides these three oil companies, five other companies had signed similar accords in other regions of the Western Sahara, mainly in: Haouza, Mahbes, Bir Lehlu, Hagounia, Mijek, Laguera and Guelta. The mentioned companies are Premier Oil Limited, Ophir Energy company Limited, Europa Oil and Gas plc, Oil Plc et Comet Petroleum limited, it should be recalled-t-on. (SPS)

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OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/SOUTH MOROCCO/REPRESSION

Abduction of a Sahara human rights defender in Tan Tan (Morocco)

Tan Tan (Morocco), 14/09/2006 (SPS) Moroccan authorities abducted the Saharawi human rights activist, , Ettarrouzi Yahdih, Wednesday night, while he was heading towards a cyber cafe in the city of Tan Tan, according to a press release publicised on Thurs by his family in this Moroccan southern city, which is populated by a Saharawi majority

"Eyewitnesses affirmed that a Moroccan agent of the Direction of the Territorial Security (DST) was closely watching our son few minutes before he was abducted, and that the car used for the abduction was a Moroccan secret service’s that came to the city of Tan Tan from outside", the text of which SPS receive a copy stressed.

The family of the Saharawi human rights defender, Ettarrouzi Yahdih, condemned this abduction calling for the immediate release of their son, of whom it did receive no news since he was abducted.

It also launched an appeal to international human rights organisations, democratic organisations and all persons concerned about freedom "to intervene vis-à-vis the Moroccan authorities so as to give explanations about the fate of their son Ettarrouzi Yahdih", the press release concluded.

Mr. Yahdih Ettarrouzi was born in 1981 in Tan Tan, graduated in mechanic and informatics, and was abusively dismissed from his job in 2002 because of his activities as a human rights defender in the Western Sahara. (SPS)

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OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/USA/AMINETOU HAIDAR

Mrs. Aminetou Haidar starts a visit to the USA

Washington (DC), 14/09/2006 (SPS) The Saharawi Human Rights activist and ex-political prisoner, Mrs. Aminetou Haidar, undertakes a visit to Washington, Wednesday and Thursday, in response to an invitation from Members of the US Congress and representatives of human rights associations and organisations in the United States of America.

This visit to the US Federal capital intervenes few days after the publication by the US organisation, Freedom House, of a report on the human rights violations and civil liberties in the Western Sahara by the Moroccan forces of occupation.

It will give the Saharawi activist, who was victim to forced disappearance without any judgment (from 1981 to 1991), an opportunity to inform her different interlocutors about the serious human rights situation that prevails in her country, before she will visit other American cities, the organisers of the activist’s turn indicated to the Algerian press service, APS.

During her sojourn, Mrs. Aminetou Haidar will meet many political personalities, congressmen, activists of the US civil society, to also discuss with them the impasse of the political solution of the conflict in the Western Sahara but also to attract their attention to the continuity of the human rights violations in her country, which is a result to the Moroccan intransigence and refusal to subscribe to the international resolutions on the subject.

Many meetings and reception on the honour of Ms. Aminetou Haidar will be organised, for the two days visit to Washington the activists is planning to make, knowing that she will be receiving the American "Freedom award 2006", which will be offered to her by the Defence Forum Foundation, for her struggle and defence of civil liberties and human rights.

The award will be handed over to the Saharawi activist by US Congressmen during a reception that will be organised in the Capitol Hill (seat of the Congress).

It should be recalled that the US political society is progressively concerned about the Saharawi question. Senators an Congressmen had sent two letters to the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, last April, asking her, among other requests to put all her influence so as to help in the settlement of the serious situation that prevails in the Western Sahara.

Many Congressmen are in fact supporters of the organisation of a self-termination referendum for the Saharawi people, as recommended in UN’s resolutions.

On another hand, it should be recalled, the Saharawi President, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz, had undertaken a work visit to Washington last April the 5th and 6th, after a meeting with the UN Secretary General, Mr. Koffi Annan, in New York.(SPS)

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OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/MOROCCO/SPAIN/HUMAN RIGHTS

Associations will start legal procedures against Moroccan responsible for human rights violations

Madrid, 14/09/2006 (SPS) A group of human rights associations will register a complaint at the National Court (the Spanish highest criminal court) against ''Moroccan military officials'' charging them for human rights violations in the Western Sahara, The Spanish Association of solidarity with the Saharawi people (CEAS-Sahara) announced on Wednesday in a press release.

This legal procedure, which will be led in accordance with ''the principle of the universal jurisdiction of the courts of justice'', targets the ''accountability'' of these officials for ''the genocide, torture, illegal detentions, sequestrations and forced disappearance practiced by the Moroccan State against the Saharawi people'', it was indicated.

The press release mentioned among the targeted officials more than six ex-senior officials of the different Moroccan corpses of security, generally against ''all those who assume a responsibility as authors, accomplices or those who provide coverage" to the mentioned crimes.

The Associations that adhered this initiative are the CEAS-Sahara, the Association of the Families of the Saharawi Prisoners and “Disappeareds” (AFAPREDESA), the Spanish Federation of the Associations promoting human rights defence, the Spanish human rights Association (APDHE) and the Spanish Federation of State’s institute supporting the Saharawi people (FEDISSAH). (SPS)

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OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/POLITICAL PRISONERS/TRIALS

Reduction of imprisonment sentences for two Saharawi political prisoners

El Aaiun (occupied territories), 14/09/2006 (SPS) The Moroccan colonial court of appeal in the occupied capital of the Saharawi Republic, El Aaiun, reduced on Monday the sentences of imprisonment of the Saharawi political prisoners, Torqui Ali and Laaraibi Mohamed Ali, to one month, after they were sentenced two months imprisonment by the Moroccan colonial court of first instance last August, concordant sources reported.

The two Saharawi political prisoners were released Monday after they spent a month in the notorious Carcel Negra in the occupied El Aaiun, the same sources said.

Mr. Torqui Ali and Mr. Laaraibi Mohamed Ali, were arrested for having participated to demonstrations advocating the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination, and were tortured before they were transferred to the Carcel Negra last August the 15th, it should be recalled.

On another hand, the Moroccan colonial authorities postponed to September the 19th the trial of 8 Saharawi political prisoners, incarcerated in the local prison of Inzegan.

The concerned political prisoner are: Bouregaa Omar, Banga Cheikh, Lefkir Lehsen, Najiaa Bachir, Waissi Elkharchi, Elmansouri Driss, Tamek Mohamed, Kajout Brahim, who are maintained undr detention without judgment since they were arrested last April, it should be recalled. (SPS)

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SADR/EUROPEAN UNION

Mr. Mhamed khadad received by the Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs

Brussels, 14/09/2006 (SPS) The Member of Polisario Front National Secretariat and Coordinator with the MINURSO, Mr. Mhamed khadad, was received on Thursday by the Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Erkki Tumioja, at the seat of the latter’s diplomatic representation to the European Union in Brussels.

The discussion between the two parties tackled the current situation in the Western Sahara and the perspectives of the international community’s efforts for a just solution to the decolonisation conflict.

Khadad recalled his interlocutor that "Europe must get implicated in favour of a solution that is conform to the international legality", underlining in this respect that "it is only the respect of the Saharawi people’s right to democratically decide over their future that will enable the resolution of the conflict" in the Western Sahara.

The Saharawi diplomat also added that, "by trying to ignore this reality will only perpetuate the conflict wit all the risks of deterioration that this my cause to peace and stability in the region".

Mr. Khadad finaly called for an European action to stop the Moroccan violations in the occupied territories of the Western Sahara and the protection of the civil population.

Mr. Erkki Tumioja reaffirmed, on his part, the position of his country in favour of the respect of the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination and recalled the concern his country have for the respect of the human right in the Western Sahara, to the pursuit of the UN’s family visits’ exchange programme between the Saharawi families in both sides of the Moroccan military wall as well as the humanitarian aid for the Saharawi refugees.

The meeting was also attended by the Finnish Director for Political Affairs, Mrs. Pilvi Sisiki Viorros, the Councillor to the Finnish Minister, Mrs. katri Viinikka, as well as Mr. Lamine Yahiaoui, Polisario Front’s Representative to the Nordic Countries.

It should be stressed that Finland is the current president of the European Union until the end of 2006. (SPS)

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SADR/UN

Abdelaziz calls on Annan for the liberation of 29 Saharawi political prisoners in hunger strike

Bir Lahlou (liberated territories), 14/09/2006 (SPS) The President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, called on the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, to help in the "immediate and unconditional release" of 29 Saharawi political prisoners and human rights activists in hunger strike since the beginning of September in the different Moroccan prisons, knowing that the state of health of some of them has seriously deteriorated.

The Head of the State described the state of the Saharawi political prisoners as "extremely serious" and "precarious", and asked the UN Secretary general for an urgent intervention "to put an end to the injustice that is striking these innocents, and to oeuvre in emergency for the immediate and unconditional release of all Saharawi political prisoners and human rights activists detained in Moroccan prisons".

He further addressed Mr. Annan "to reiterate you our request concerning the constitution of a mechanism that would enable the UN to protect the Saharawi civilians i the occupied territories of the Western Sahara and in the South of Morocco, and this in the expectation of the implementation, in the briefest delays, of the international law and the UN’s resolutions, which will enable the Saharawi people to freely chose their fate through the organisation of a free and democratic self-determination referendum", the Saharawi President said.

The Saharawi leader further recalled in his letter that the “Moroccan authorities of occupation had perpetrated serious human rights violations such as: bombardment of Saharawi population with Napalm and White phosphor, bombs that are internationally banned, the throwing of dozens Saharawis from military planes, burying of dozens other in collective graves, forced disappearance and other cruel methods that can not be named, which marked for life the victims”". (SPS)

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OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/REPRESSION

Intimidation and terror in the occupied cities of the Western Sahara

El Aaiun (occupied territories), 14/09/2006 (SPS) The Moroccan colonial forces started a wide campaign of intimidation and research for Saharawi human rights activists, on Sunday, so as to terrorise the Saharawi youth and stop them from organising possible demonstrations, especially with the near coming of new year school entry, 2006-2007, credible source indicated.

In this respect, some Moroccan police officers visited textile magazines in El Aaiun, "warning them from selling textile materials to Saharawi youth, who can use them to make the flags of the Saharawi Republic, the Moroccan officers said", the same sources reported.

Many Saharawi families were also threatened by the Moroccan forces of repression in many streets of the occupied city of El Aaiun.

In the occupied city of Smara, the same sources said, flag of the Saharawi Republic were lifted and fixed on Electric poles.

In the occupied city of Bojador, writings advocating the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination and the rejection of the Moroccan occupation were written on the houses in this city.

The schools in the city of Bojador were "completely sealed" since days by the different Moroccan colonial corps, aiming to "repress all demonstration that ay be organised in the future", according to the same sources. (SPS)

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