SAHARA PRESSE SERVICE

Casablanca, 23/06/2005 (SPS) University administration, backed by Moroccan police in civil clothes, attacked Saharawi students’ rooms in the University Campus 1 Tarik Al Jadid, in Casablanca, wounding a dozen students, indicated students’ sources to SPS.

"More than 20 room were devastated in the boys’ wing while all girls’ rooms were completely damaged", the same source said, adding that more than 50 are right now (24.00 GMT) in the streets, submitted to the vendetta of the Prefect of Ain Chagh (Casablanca) surrounded by police.

In the morning the Director of the campus threatened the girls of rape by Moroccan forces if they participated to anti-Moroccan demonstrations or in solidarity with the Intifada in occupied territories.

"Submitted to strong pressures and intimidation in the end of the school year, Saharawi students in Moroccan universities do not give up in the face of the Moroccan repressive machine and continue claiming openly their people’s right to freedom and independence", the same source added, asking for confidentiality. (SPS)
010/090/100/TRD 230053 June 05 SPS

Gironde (France), 23/06/2005 (SPS) The French Departmental Union of the General Confederation (CGT) condemned "the merciless repression" against Saharawi civil population in Western Sahara and in Morocco, reported a press release the Union publicised in conclusion of a meeting between Saharawi and French Trade Unions, which recently took place in Gironde.

The press release "regrets and disagrees with the reaction of the Moroccan power, which is submitting Saharawi population to merciless repression that is incoherent with such peaceful demonstrations which only ask for the implementation of the international right as recognised by the UN since 30 years.

CGT also affirmed its solidarity with "Saharawi population which is uprising against the occupation of their territory" and renews its support to Saharawi people right to "self-determination and independence" and to the "Peace Plan Security Council adopted by consensus last July 2003".

On another hand, it called French authorities to "use their good relations with Morocco so as to favour the implementation of the mentioned plan in the near future". It declared its engagement to arise awareness about "Saharawi claims for its self-determination and independence at all levels".

The Saharawi delegation was led by the Secretary General of the Union of Saguiet El Hamra and Rio de Oro (UGTSARIO), Mohamed Ckeikh Lehbib. (SPS)

010/0980/666/TRD 230912 June 05 SPS

SPS
INTIFADA/ASSA/REPRESSION
Twelve persons wounded Tuesday and two arrested demonstrators in Assa

Assa (South Morocco), 23/06/2005 (SPS) The number of the so far identified wounded participants in the Saharawis’ demonstration in Assa reached 12. Saharawis demonstrated Tuesday in the streets of the city to denounce systematic human rights’ violations and claim for self-determination and independence, according to sources among the families of the victims.

Two persons were arrested after these demonstrations, which were brutally repressed by Moroccan authorities, namely Teghra Mahfoud and Mahr Mouloud, the same source added.

Among the wounded many have 2nd and 3rd degree burnings while others have deep injuries caused by plastic bullets the forces of oppression used, it was indicated (see annexed list).

The peaceful demonstration of the Saharawi population, which gathered hundreds citizens supporting the popular uprising in the Saharawi occupied territories, quickly turned to be open confrontations after the intervention of more than 500 Moroccan soldier and agent backed by Moroccan Special forces of intervention, who used plastic bullets, batons and tear gas, it should be recalled. (SPS)

010/090/110/TRD 231150 June 05 SPS

SPS
SPAIN/MOROCCO/WESTERN SAHARA/UN
Spain ceded the administration on Western Sahara to Morocco and "not sovereignty", declared Moratinos

Madrid, 23/06/2005 (SPS) Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, declared Tuesday before of the Senate of his country that "Spanish diplomat to UN conceded (in 1975) the administration and not the sovereignty on the (Saharawi) territories", reported press agencies.

In this respect, Mr. Moratinos, who was answering the interpellation of a Senator of the Popular Party (PP), Luis Eduardo Cortés, indicated that the Spanish Counsellor to Morocco did not go to El Aaiun to receive Spanish delegations recently expulsed from the Saharawi capital, "because in this case Spain would be recognising Moroccan sovereignty over the territory".

On another hand, the head of the Spanish diplomacy revealed that France "is about changing its position and understanding our preoccupation regarding Saharawi people". He regretted that in the past the two countries "did not have a decided common political vision to resolve the conflict".

Asked about the position of his Government on the royal repression against Saharawis in the territories occupied by Morocco and the expulsion of Spanish Parliament’s members, NGOs and Journalists, as well as on the Moroccan accusation to Spain of being behind the organisation of demonstrations in the territory, Mr. Moratinos answered the question saying that it is "fundamental and necessary to search a just and definitive solution to the conflict" of Western Sahara.

Mr. Chirac, who received on Monday Moroccan Prime Minister, Driss Jettou, affirmed that he conflict of Western Sahara must be resolved "within the framework of the UN", emphasised the spokesperson of the Elysée, adding that President Chirac "confirmed that France is attached to the settlement of this question within the framework of the UN", it should be recalled. (SPS)

010/090/666 231311 June 05 SPS

SPS
SADR/ITALY
PRC calls to the implication of diplomacy to help Saharawis and establish the international legality

Roma, 23/06/2005 (SPS) The National Secretary and person in charge of External policy of the Party of the Italian Communist Re-foundation (PRC), Gennaro Migliore, insisted Thursday on the necessity of the implication of diplomacy to help Saharawis and condemn, Moroccan repression.

In a press release publicised Thursday, Mr. Migliore underlined that "diplomacy must pay more efforts to help Saharawi people and condemn the Moroccan repression" (…) "that strikes Saharawi population".

Recalling that "what is going on these last weeks in Western Sahara", where a nation is living "under Moroccan occupation’s brutality and repression, forced for years to live imprisoned in its own homeland", The PRC underlined that Saharawi demonstrations to claim for freedom, peace and independence are "repressed by Moroccan militias making the dramatic situation, which languish since decades, worse".

The Party underlined that diplomacy should no more push things back and that it is now time for all this canals to be activated so as to establish legality and guarantee Saharawi people its right to live in its own country.

To PRC, "the accomplice silence of the big powers must be changed by a strong denunciation by the international community and people to put an end to this situation that constitutes a systematic attack to individual freedoms, to social justice, to the right to the homeland and to independence".

PRC recalls that Saharawi people chose to struggle peacefully and that the world must not close the eyes and must maintain the just cause of a people of more than 1 million people, of whom an important party is living under the status of refugees. (SPS)

010/090/700/TRD 231648 June 05 SPS

SPS
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/INTIFADA/INIQUITOUS TRIALS
Saharawi political detainees demand to be judged on the basis of their claim for the independence of Western Sahara

El Aaiun (occupied capital of SADR), 23/06/2005 (SPS) 10 Saharawi political detainees, presented Thursday afternoon before of the Moroccan colonial court in the occupied city of El Aaiun, "demanded to be judged on the basis of their political claims, especially their claim for the independence of Western Sahara, rejecting all the crimes Moroccan authorities of oppression are accusing them of", reported SPS’s correspondent on the ground.

"Colonial judicial authorities wanted to precipitate the trials of the 10 detainees without giving their lawyers an opportunity to study the dossiers of accusations. But the defence, composed of 8 lawyers, asked for the postponement of the trials to July the 5th. The claim was accepted by the presidency of the Moroccan colonial court", the same source added.

"The 10 detainees, then, started chanting slogans such as: "no other alternative but self-determination", "Morocco, get out!", "long life to the popular Front". The present members of the prisoners’ families started chanting back the same slogans, what pushed Moroccan authorities to panic and orders to attack the persons present in the court were given", he confirmed, adding that "the famous Ichi Abouhassan was again one of the protagonists of this new repression".

On another hand, 6 other political detainees were presented "hurriedly, this evening, before of a hastily formed court, so as to be heavily sentenced, while they were supposed to pass before of the Moroccan occupier’s examining magistrate", said a Saharawi activist, expressing his astonishment.

"In this respect, Saharawi human rights activist, Mr. Abderrahman Bougarfa, 53 years and in charge of a family composed of 10 members, was judged to 5 years imprisonment, Mr. Chiahou Brahim and Mr. Chrih Hamou, to 3 years, Mr. Azley Abdellah and Mr. Salami Mohamed Salem, to 2 years. More absurd was the judgement of the young mentally handicapped young man, Saaidi Salek, who was sentenced to 1 year suspended imprisonment", he further said, asking for confidentiality.

Earlier in the morning, "3 political detainees, Bouaamoud Ahmed Salem, Hassan El Hairach and Daoudi Oumar, were presented before the Moroccan judge, who reported the trial to the 28 of June", it was indicated.

"The colonial authorities are completely going insane. They commit actions of vendetta, intimidations and tortures against anyone who dare expressing his political convictions in favour of the independence of Western Sahara. They attack every body without any distinction, kids, pregnant women and old persons included. And now they started their classical iniquitous trials against innocent citizens and human rights activists. Even mentally handicapped were not safe from this exactions as in the case of poor Saaidi Salek, who was judged to 1 year imprisonment, what makes the situation more and more serious and the damages heavier day after day", he regretted (SPS)

060/090/000 232258 June 05 SPS