Chahid El Hafed (refugee camps), 23/11/2005 (SPS) Moroccan Government proceeded to the blockage of the majority of the Saharawi web sites to the public in the occupied territories and south Morocco, Saharawi Journalists’ and Writers’ Union, (UPES), denounced in a press release publicised on Tuesday.

 

"Moroccan authorities proceeded, on Monday the 21st of November, to the blocking of many Saharawi or sympathisers with the Saharawi cause’s web sites", UPES underlined, calling the companies "and competent bodies to adopt rigorous sanctions against this act of web hacking and this violation of the freedom of expression".

 

"By blocking web sites such as Sahara Press Service, Arso or Les Cahiers du Sahara and dozen other sites sympathising with the Saharawi cause, making it impossible for Saharawi citizens in the occupied territories of Western Sahara to have access to the sources of information, Morocco openly violates the principles of democracy, freedom of expression and the right to have access to information besides violating all international conventions", the text adds.

 

UPES called on "the UN, democrat Governments and Parliaments, Organisations and personalities concerned about peace and justice to pressure Morocco put an end to the security and Medias siege it imposes on the occupied zones of the Western Sahara since 1975", the date of the Moroccan military invasion of the non-self-governing territory..

 

On another hand, it encourages international press and NGOs to visit the occupied zones of the Western Sahara, with a view to "investigate by themselves on the Moroccan violations of Saharawi people’s political, cultural, social and economical rights".

 

 

It also recalled "the international community that Western Sahara, illegally occupied by Morocco, is a non-self-governing territory, which is still under the authority of the UN as it can be understood from the UN’s General Assembly and Security Council’s resolutions. That is to say that the UN must assume all its responsibilities towards the Saharawi people, including their protection from Moroccan tyranny and repression and the finishing of the decolonisation process of the territory conforming to the international legality and to the principles of the UN’s Charter". (SPS)

 

060/090/000 231023 nov 05 SPS 

 

 

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Dakhla (refugee camps),23/11/2005(SPS) The 13th Festival of Saharawi Culture and Arts opened its activities Wednesday in the wilaya of Dakhla (refugee camp) with the presence of the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz, members of the National Secretariat, Government and Foreign delegations.

 

The Festival was opened by folkloric parades with the participation of representatives from the four wilayas of the camps, it was indicated.

 

In the evening, there will be the holding of the opening session of the 6th Conference of the Union of the Youth of Saguia El Hamra and Rio de Oro (UJSARIO), baring the name of Conference of Martyr Lembarki Hamdi, a young Saharawi killed by the Moroccan forces under torture last October the 30^th in El Aaiun, and which will be organised until the 25^th of November under the theme "we will resist until we got our independence".

 

In their 6th conference, Saharawi youth will have to elect a new General Secretary and an Executive Council composed of 7 members, besides adopting a programme of action for the coming 4 years and a constitution for the youth union.

 

The second day, of the conference will be marked with the organisation of an international conference of solidarity with the Saharawi people to which 500 guests coming from Europe, Africa and Latino America will participate, the organisers indicated. (SPS)

 

 010/DAKHLA/000 231320 Nov 05 SPS

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Dakhla (refugee camps), 23/11/205 (SPS) the President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, warned that "Any approach excluding self-determination is vouched to failure", referring to Moroccan attempts to avoid UN’s doctrine regarding the decolonisation of Western Sahara.

 

Mr. Abdelaziz, who was giving a speech during the opening ceremony of the 65th Conference of the Union of the Youth of Saguia EL Hamra y Rio de Oro (UJSARIO), held Wednesday in the wilaya of Dakhla, underlined that 30 years after the Madrid4s Accords of 1975, the entire world "witness a clear testament to the failure of all the preceding approaches that aimed at excluding the Saharawi people and talking decisions in their absence".

 

We also witness, the President adds, "The failure of any subsequent approaches that do not take into account the dictates of international legality especially those relating to the exercise by the Saharawi people of their inalienable right to self-determination by means of a free, democratic and transparent UN-supervised referendum".

 

Here is the complete text of th speech, of which SPS received a copy:

 

"

Speech by Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz, President of the Saharawi Republic

and Secretary-General of the POLISARIO Front

Sixth Congress of UJSARIO

Wilay of Dakhla, 23 11 2005

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Amid the population of Dakhla camp, who has always excelled in organising national events, we gather today on the occasion of holding the Sixth Congress of UJSARIO that represents a national mass organisation from which ranks came the first group that spearheaded the modern struggle of the Saharawi people. Outstanding among that group was the disappeared, Mohamed Sidi-Brahim Bassiri, who fought determinedly for the national rights of our people within the ranks of the embryonic movement, Haraket Tahrir E-Sahara, which led the struggle of the Saharawi people until the massacre and historic uprising that took place in Zemla on 17 June 1970. Another emblematic figure was a Youngman who dearly loved this people and believed firmly in our inevitable victory, the Martyr El-Wali Mustapha Sayed, the founder of the revolution of 20 May 1973, who so courageously led the battle of liberation on all planes and sacrificed his life in the battlefield. Highly exemplary was also the courage and dedication of the youngest Saharawi military commander, the Youngman Sidi Heithoug, who departed us so early. These are a few examples of a growing list of heroes and heroines of this people.    

 

In the framework of UJSARIO, the Saharawi youth has always constituted a solid foundation for the battles of liberation and nation-building in which the POLISARIO Front has been engaged for the last three decades. It has also been playing a leading role within the ambit of this thirty-two years’ revolution, and has always been at the forefront of struggle in many fields. It has militarily given a boost to the ranks and capabilities of the Saharawi People’s Liberation Army, whilst engaging, politically and socially, in organising campaigns of literacy and education and contributing substantially to modernising the Saharawi society by preserving the national identity and heritage and building the institutions of the Saharawi State.    

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The holding of your congress coincides with the start of the 16^th Festival of Popular Art and Culture, which has become an annual commendable tradition fusing the indigenous past culture with modern knowledge and experiences with a view to preserving the national identity and boosting it in the context of our national struggle.

 

The congress also takes place against the backdrop of significant developments relating to the question of Western Sahara that are marked conspicuously by the Saharawi peaceful uprising, which is being pursued by our people in the occupied territories and south of Morocco. By means of these demonstrations, the Saharawi people in general and Saharawi youth in particular have demonstrated their unwavering resolve to face up to all challenges and carry on their defence of human rights and peoples’ rights to freedom and existence. It is this strong determination that was epitomised by the young Martyr, Lembarki Hamdi Salek, who fought the Moroccan military machinery with the power of words and placards and offered his life on the altar of freedom and independence. There are now dozens of Saharawi prisoners of conscience who are engaged in major national battles behind bars, whilst drawing strength from their faith in the just cause and the unavoidable victory. 

 

This uprising represents a new turning point in the struggle of our people. Through peaceful and civilised means and with massive popular participation, the uprising has definitely foiled the schemes of the Moroccan authorities aimed at imposing the military fait accompli, and unmasked, for everyone to see, the real colonial face of the Moroccan presence in Western Sahara. It is the face of a military occupying power that acts in contravention of the dictates of international legality and law and defies UN resolutions calling for the holding of a self-determination referendum. Moreover, it persist in denying access to the occupied territories by international observers and media, and perpetrating crimes of torture and murder against a peaceful popular uprising asking for nothing but the implementation of international resolutions that call for enabling the Saharawi people to exercise their democratic right to self-determination, with all freedom and transparency, by means of a UN-supervised referendum.

 

The explosive situation in the occupied Saharawi territories, since 21 May, necessitates that the international community should immediately assume its legal and moral responsibility consisting in concluding the decolonisation process through the speedy implementation of the peace plan for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, which was approved by the Security Council in its resolution 1495. This must be coupled with the lifting of the military siege and information blackout imposed on those territories, protecting the Saharawi civilians and ensuring their legitimate rights to freedom of expression and movement. Should the international community chose not to act on urgent basis, the situation might lead to very serious consequences including the eventuality of a massive massacre against which we would like to warn once again.   

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Destiny has willed it that your congress is held during this month that invokes some sad memories in the history of our people such as the Moroccan march and invasion and Madrid Accords of which consequence has been a colonial fact and an enduring humanitarian tragedy. As we gather today, thirty years after all this, we witness a clear testament to the failure of all the preceding approaches that aimed at excluding the Saharawi people and talking decisions in their absence. It also shows the failure of any subsequent approaches that do not take into account the dictates of international legality especially those relating to the exercise by the Saharawi people of their inalienable right to self-determination by means of a free, democratic and transparent UN-supervised referendum. Any proposal that places itself outside this framework will only lead to prolonging the plight of both the Saharawi and Moroccan peoples and deferring the realisation of the aspirations of the peoples of the region to peace, democracy and development.

 

The Saharawi party has positively backed the efforts of the United Nations to settle the conflict, and has made several concessions and unilateral initiatives that unfortunately have not been reciprocated by the Moroccan Government, which has opted for intransigence, obstructionism and reluctance to implement UN resolutions. The announcement by Morocco regarding the unearthing of mass graves of more than 40 Saharawi disappeared is a conclusive proof of the responsibility of the Moroccan State for the fate of more than 500 Saharawi civilians who remain uncounted for together with 151 prisoners of war.   

 

It is time for the international community to abandon the policy of double standards, and to embark immediately on bringing to court the Moroccans responsible for the crimes against humanity that they have perpetrated against the defenceless Saharawis, and imposing severe sanctions on Morocco as the responsible for violating international legality and principles of human rights in Western Sahara. 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Without a doubt, a great country like Morocco, and a brotherly people like the Moroccan people, do not deserve to have this image that has begun to take hold amid the international public opinion as a consequence of the policies of the Moroccan Government that aim at repressing and suppressing the fundamental liberties of the Saharawi people and their right to self-determination. It does not honour the Moroccan people and youth to see the Moroccan Government detaining Saharawis for the mere act of publicly voicing democratic demands sanctioned by all international conventions… The Saharawi will continue to stretch out their hands for peace to the Moroccan brothers for the respect for and implementation of international legality. The protection of the Saharawi youth should be a collective responsibility of all Moroccans, especially the young people, for they and their Saharawi counterparts will cooperate in fashioning that unavoidably common future awaiting us all, and on the basis of neighbourly relations and respect for the right to existence.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Allow me to seize on this opportunity to convey, on behalf of the Saharawi people, special greetings and gratitude to the international network of solidarity in general and the youth movement in particular for the great and leading role that they have been playing and for their standing by our side during difficult moments. The presence of delegates representing this solidarity network is a new demonstration of the force and vibrancy of this solidarity. I would like to express special greetings to the brotherly Algeria, under the leadership of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and to congratulate her for the great steps that have been made towards peace, reconciliation, democracy and development. Our sincere greetings also go to all Algerian youth organisations for their steadfast and principled positions of support for the struggle of the Saharawi people.

 

I would also like to convey our thanks to the popular and youth solidarity movement in Spain whose supportive positions have clearly demonstrated a rejection of Madrid divisive accords of 1975, and insistence on the historical responsibility of the Spanish State towards the decolonisation of Western Sahara. Our many thanks and greetings go to all African, European and international youth organisations for their courageous postures of support for the right of our people to enjoy their life in freedom and dignity. 

 

I would also like to express our high appreciation of the efforts deployed by the preparatory committees and all institutions that have worked hard to prepare and organise these two important events.

 

I thank you and I am confident that your deliberations will be crowned with every success." (SPS)

 

060/090/100 231750 nov 05 SPS

 

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 (special envoys)

Dakhla (refugee camps), 23/11/2005 (SPS) The 6th Conference of the Union of the Youth of Saguia El Hamra y Rio de Oro (UJSARIO) opened its works on Wednesday evening under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz, with the presence of the members of the National Secretariat, the Government and youth delegations from Europe, Latino America, Africa and USA.

The Conference of the youth’s organization, which will run for 4 days, will have to elect a new Secretary General, an Executive Bureau composed of 7 members and to adopt a programmer of action for the next 4 years, it was indicated.

The opening session was characterized by the speech of the Head of the Republic, followed by the intervention of delegations from Spain, Algeria, Switzerland, Germany, USA and Mauritania. These delegations came to express their support to the youth organization and to Saharawi people’s right to self-determination.

The second day, of the UJSARIO’s conference will be marked with the works of Committees and the opening of an international Forum of solidarity with the Saharawi people as well as a conference organized by the Saharawi community living in Mauritania, it was further said. (SPS)

020/DAKHLA/000/TRD 231650 Nov 05 SPS

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