SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

SPS
SADR/EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT/RESOLUTION
SADR calls Europe to an immediate implementation of EP resolution on humanitarian aid to Saharawi refugees
15.04.05



Strasbourg, 15/04/2005 (SPS) Saharawi Minister delegated to Europe, Mr. Mohamed Sidati, launched an urgent appeal to European countries exhorting them to urgently implement the recommendations contained in the resolution, unanimously adopted by European Parliament on Thursday in Strasbourg, on the granting of immediate emergency aid to Saharawi refugees.

In a statement to the press publicised Thursday, the Saharawi Minister launched “a pressing appeal to the concerned European actors to work in unison in order to implement the recommendations contained in the resolution".

The diplomat, considered this resolution “as a timely reminder to the European Union of its humanitarian duty towards the Saharawi refugees and the need to provide them with a consistent and steady humanitarian aid as long as the decolonisation process, as underlined in the resolution, has not been concluded".

He also paid tribute to all European Parliament Members for their "high consciousness of the humanitarian situation of the Saharawi refugees", who are "forced to settle in refugee camps owing to the illegal occupation of their territory".

The European Parliament unanimously adopted on Thursday in Strasbourg a resolution calling on the European commission “to step up and diversify" the humanitarian aid to Saharawi refugees, taking into account that this population is in forced exile "because of an unfinished decolonisation".

Backed by the majority of European parliamentary groups, especially the PPE-DE, ALDE, Green/ALE, GUE/NGL and the PSE, on humanitarian aid in Western Sahara, this resolution "Calls on the Commission to grant immediate emergency aid" to Saharawi refugees. It invites the commission "to increase humanitarian aid to the Saharawi people, particularly in the areas of food, health and education".

Western Sahara, former Spanish colony, was invaded by Morocco in 1975, obstructing thus UN's efforts deployed since the 60ies to decolonise the territory. Saharawi people waged an armed struggle for the liberation of their country for 16 years under the leadership of the Front for the Liberation of Sagia El Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario Front).

A cease-fire was brokered by the UN in 1991 and four peace plans were so far proposed by the international organisation to settle the problem, without result because of Moroccan rejection to organise a referendum on self-determination for Saharawi people. (SPS)

060/090/100 151022 APR 05 SPS
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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT/WESTERN SAHARA/RESOLUTION
Complete text of the European Parliament resolution on humanitarian aid to Sahrawi refugees



JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
on humanitarian aid to Sahrawi refugees

pursuant to Rule 115(5) of the Rules of Procedure, by

José Javier Pomés Ruiz, Bernd Posselt and Thomas Mann, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
Pasqualina Napoletano, Karin Scheele and Carlos Carnero González, on behalf of the PSE Group
Philippe Morillon, on behalf of the ALDE Group
Raül Romeva i Rueda, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
Willy Meyer Pleite, Jonas Sjöstedt, Feleknas Uca, Vittorio Emanuele Agnoletto and Marco Rizzo, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
adopted by the European Parliament on 14.04.05
 

European Parliament resolution on humanitarian aid to Sahrawi refugees:

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its resolution of 16 March 2000 on Western Sahara , in which it 'asks the Commission to step up humanitarian aid to the Sahrawi refugees and more especially calls on it to increase humanitarian aid to the Sahrawi people, particularly in the areas of food, health and education',

- having regard to its resolution of 23 October 2003 on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2004 , which calls for guarantees of substantial, uninterrupted humanitarian aid for Sahrawi refugees,

- having regard to the deterioration in the humanitarian situation noted by a group of MEPs during their visit on 3-6 March 2005 to Sahrawi refugee camps (situated near Tindouf in south-western Algeria),

- having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the Sahrawi population finds itself in refugee camps in Algeria because of unfinished decolonisation, and whereas the survival of this population is entirely dependent on international humanitarian aid,

B. having regard to Reports S/2004/827 and S/2005/49 of the UN Secretary-General calling on the international community to continue its humanitarian aid to the Sahrawi refugees until the conflict in Western Sahara has been resolved,

C. having regard to the World Food Programme report (WFP/EB.2/2004/4-B/4) which notes a deterioration in the living conditions of the Sahrawi refugees (growth retardation in children, malnutrition, anaemia etc.) as a result of diminishing aid,

D. having regard to the appeal to donor nations issued on 26 February 2005 by the World Food Programme, which states that as of May 2005 the WFP will no longer be able to supply the 158,000 Sahrawi refugee beneficiaries with a complete daily ration of 2,100 kcals, for lack of generous contributions and external assistance, which could have a serious nutritional and health impact on the refugees, particularly the women and children,

E. concerned at the fact that stocks will run out in May 2005, exposing the already vulnerable refugee population to a major humanitarian crisis if steps are not taken between now and then to provide substantial, rapid aid to alleviate this grave situation,

F. having regard to the tragic consequences that would result from a continuing diminution of the aid provided by the Commission through ECHO to the Sahrawi refugee population (dwindling of food stocks, deterioration in the areas of health and education, etc.),

G. having regard to the substantial specific and supplementary assistance (food, health, education, accommodation, hygiene, etc.) given to the Sahrawi refugees by the Commission up to 2002 over and above the aid in the form of basic products supplied by the United Nations institutions in the context of their mandate,

H. whereas the humanitarian crisis is due inter alia to the absence of any notable progress in the search for a fair and lasting political solution to the political situation in Western Sahara which is acceptable to all the parties involved,

1. Calls on the Commission to grant immediate emergency aid to enable the difficult situation of the Sahrawi population currently living as refugees to be addressed;

2. Calls on the Commission to step up and diversify its aid so that it is brought up at least to the 2002 level, thus guaranteeing a decent minimum diet to the Sahrawi refugees, while continuing to give importance to the areas of health, education, accommodation and transport;

3. Reiterates its call to the Commission, set out in paragraph 66 of its resolution on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2004, to take appropriate steps to ensure that the aid provided to Sahrawi refugee camps is guaranteed and is under no circumstances interrupted, even momentarily, for merely administrative reasons;

4. Calls on the Commission to involve the European NGOs which already have experience on the ground in implementing the ECHO programmes for the Sahrawi refugees, in order to guarantee that the aid granted by the European Union is efficiently and rapidly implemented;

5. Calls on the Commission to contribute to strengthening the capacities for administering humanitarian aid in the refugee camps by cooperating with the Sahrawi institutions set up specifically for this purpose;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the Government of Morocco, the Polisario Front and the President of the African Union.

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