SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

Chahid El Hafed, 19/02/2004 (SPS) The Counsel of ministers denounced "reprisals, material and psychological pressures" exercised on Saharawi human Rights' activists and political prisoners recently liberated by Moroccan authorities, indicated a communiqué of the Presidency of the Republic, published on Tuesday.
 
Under the presidency of the head of state, Mohamed Abdelaziz, the Counsel of the ministers showed to be "very preoccupied by the campaign of oppressions led by the Moroccan Government against our citizens in occupied territories and south of Morocco".

In this respect, it called UN and the international humanitarian organisations to "intervene to protect the Saharawi defenders of human Rights, like Ali Salem Tamek, Sidi Mohamed Dedech and the other ex-political detainees, as well as the whole civil population, from the reprisals of the Moroccan colonial authorities''.

The Counsel showed to be also preoccupied by "the still unknown fate of the civil disappeared and prisoners of war held by Morocco'', as well as by "the permanent state of siege imposed on the Saharawi territory since its colonial occupation".

Besides, the Counsel hailed the new impulse of the UN's confidence-building measures, with the exchanges of visits, expected on the first week of next March, according to informed sources.

In addition, the Counsel approved the calendar of the 4th edition of the "Sahara Marathon" that will be organised from the next 21st to the 27th February in the Saharawi refugees' camps, under the sponsorship of Italy and with the participation of several European, American, African and Asian Nations.

Finally, the Counsel decided to consecrate Thursdays of every week for voluntary work in the agricultural production and in the construction of schools and other social and economical buildings in the refugees' camps. (SPS)

010/090/100/TRD 191415 Feb 04 SPS

SPS
SADR/HUMANITARIAN AID
The minister of cooperation warns of an imminent humanitarian disaster to Saharawi refugees

Badajoz (Spain), 19/02/2004 (SPS) The minister of cooperation, Salek Baba Hacena, warned about the imminence of a humanitarian disaster to Saharawi refugees caused by the considerable delays of international organisms' aid programs, which did not receive the necessary financings, reported EFE.

Speaking in a press conference in Merida (Spain), the minister qualified the nutritive situation of Saharawi people as "critical" in its most basic aspects (foods and medicines), to which are added "the daily sufferings of 30 years of exile, that force them to provide additional efforts in the research of resources to avoid a humanitarian disaster".

During a visit to Extremadura, where he was received by several regional officials of the autonomous province, and accompanied by members of the regional association of support to Saharawi people, Mr. Salek expressed his satisfaction about the results obtained out of this visit, indicated the same source.

Approaching the political aspect of the conflict that opposes his country to the kingdom of Morocco, the minister wished that UN "exerts its authority and pressures on Morocco to organize a referendum of self-determination of the Saharawi people". (SPS)

010/090/000/TRD 191151 Feb 04 SPS