SAHARA PRESSE SERVICE

SPS
TERRITOIRES OCCUPES/INTIFADA
A popular Intifada in the occupied capital of Western Sahara, latest news

El Aaiun (occupied territories), 25/05/2005 (SPS) A popular Intifada started in the occupied city of El Aaiun, in the afternoon of this Tuesday, reported concordant sources from inside the occupied territories of Western Sahara.

As a result to the repression by Moroccan forces of occupation against Hundreds Saharawi citizens who started an Intifada in the city of El Aaiun, Monday and Tuesday in many neighbourhood of the Saharawi occupied capital, Saharawi human rights activists organised a sit-in in front of the seat of Moroccan criminal police station to claim for the immediate release of the young Saharawi, Lehssen El Bari, who was raped by some police agents of the GUS in the central police station of El Aaiun.

Saharawi activists declared that the young man was actually threatened by some agents to be abused.

After forcing the police to release him, a group of the Saharawi activists drove the young man to his family house, it was indicated.

Other young Saharawis, more than three still not identified by their names, were arrested during the confrontations in Maatallah this evening at about 23hGMT, reported an eye witness contacted by SPS.

Demonstrators raised Saharawi national flags, and chanted slogans such as "independence now", "no concessions, freedom or martyr". They are protesting against Moroccan violations of their national and human rights.

Moroccan police, especially a recently constituted group (the group of urban security), which is accustomed to organise theatrical marches in the city to scare and intimidate the population, besides other Moroccan police corps violently oppressed the demonstrators. This reaction caused the launching of an Intifada on the image of the 1999 Intifada.

Completely under siege, confrontations took place between Saharawi population and Moroccan forces in, Zemla, Maatallah and the Squekima street, the legendary neighbourhoods and symbols of resistance during the Intifada of 1999.

Concordant sources affirmed that the Moroccan colonial forces succeeded in penetrating the neighbourhood of Maatallah after about 10 hours confrontations. Many injured persons were evacuated; about ten persons were arrested and tortured, including the young man, Lehssen El Bar.

The detailed results of the confrontations are still in progress, it should be said. (SPS)

060/090/000 251250 May 05 SPS

SPS
SOUTH AFRICA/SADR/THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES/MEDIAS
"The question of Western Sahara is the question of self-determination ", affirms Mrs. Dlamini Zuma

Dubai (the United Arab Emirates), 25/05/2005 (SPS) South African Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, declared that "the question of Western Sahara is the question of self-determination and it's a principle we hold dearly and for everyone", that should be resolved through a referendum under the auspices of the UN, reported Emirates newspaper, "Daily Star", in its Monday’s edition.

"Our struggle is common to some extent in terms of self determination. We feel all the people have the right to self-determination and it is on that basis that we support Polisario and recognize Western Sahara (SADR)", affirmed Mrs. Zuma, in her interview after a visit of a week in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates.

Asked about the relations of her country with Morocco after its recognition of SADR, Mrs. Zuma estimated that this "it should not affect our relations with Morocco", adding that the South African Embassy to Morocco " still operating" and that Moroccan Ambassador to Pretoria came back to his office after been called back for consultation during the recognition by South Africa of SADR.

Asked why her country delayed its decision of recognising SADR, Mrs. Zuma revealed that countries such as Saudi Arabia, Morocco and France and organisations such as UN asked for the delay of the decision to "give the UN process a chance", taking into consideration that the ultimate objective was " giving the people of Western Sahara the opportunity to decide where they belong".

"Decided to delay the implementation of that decision for 10 years. After 10 years, the UN Secretary General reported to the Security Council that Morocco had walked away from that process and the referendum (…) "It was then that that we were left with no other option but to implement our decision ", said Mrs. Zuma.

"As a country which has just come out of its own struggle for self-determination and just like we support the Palestinians, we also support the people of Western Sahara. If the people there are given a chance to decide and they decide they want to be a part of Morocco, then we'll support that and let them belong to Morocco. But it must be their choice", she further said.

Asked if this recognition of SADR would not reduce the opportunities of her country to get the status of permanent member to the UN Security Council, especially if France, main ally of Morocco, opposes that, Mrs. Zuma said that she does not "see a contradiction in supporting self-determination and wanting to play a more active role in the United Nations".

"We have very good relations with France and we are in constant touch with the French because they have an interest in the resolution of the conflict. South Africa holds certain principles dearly and our friendship with any country cannot bypass those principles. We hope that France and other Francophone countries will understand that and continue good relations with us", she concluded. (SPS)

010/090/666/TRD 251223 MAI 05 SPS

SPS
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/DEMONSTRATIONS
Blind repression in El Aaiun under complete silence of the international community, regret Saharawis

El Aaiun (occupied territories), 25/05/2005 (SPS) Under the sight of the United Nations and under the complete silence of the international community, a blind repression is striking Saharawis in El Aaiun these three last days. Tens peoples were injured, kidnapped, arrested and interrogated under torture for hours before been released, regretted Saharawis in occupied territories.

Uprising against the occupant and against its "brutal ways of repression against the local population", hundreds Saharawis demonstrated Monday in front of the colonial administrative seat in Zemla, a popular neighbourhood from where the first national popular uprising broke in June 19, 1970 as well as the Intifada of September 1999.

The demonstration to which Saharawi human rights activists participated was organised in commemoration of Polisario Front’s 32nd anniversary (20 May 1973) and an occasion to claim for the respect of human right in Western Sahara Moroccan authorities do not stop violating via torture, rape, arbitrary arrests, iniquitous trials and deportations.

The demonstrators chanted slogans claiming for independence of Western Sahara. They raised the flags of SADR and chanted "the inevitable victory" against Moroccan colonialism and its servants.

Moroccan forces violently intervened to disperse the demonstrators hurting tens of them, among whom two seriously, and arresting more than 30 persons, whose fate is still unknown.

Demonstrators estimate that these persons are now subjected to torture in the stations and headquarters of the different Moroccan military and police corps: gendarmes, police of intervention, urban group of security and others that collectively intervened to oppress the demonstrators.

In this respect, Saharawi human rights NGOs regretted the "accomplice silence" of the UN, which is present on the ground through its Mission for the Western Sahara, as well as of the human rights international organisations. They estimated that the international community must "pressure Morocco open the territory to international Medias and observers banned of the territory since the military occupation of the territory by Morocco in 1975". (SPS)

010/090/100/TRD 251735 MAI 05 SPS

SPS
OCCUPIED TERRITOIRES/INTIFADA
Uprising of the Saharawi population on a bigger scale this evening

El Aaiun, 25/05/2005 (SPS) The Intifada of the Saharawi population, which started Tuesday, took back on a wider scale this evening about 7 o’clock GMT, after an uncertain calm day.

"Moroccan authorities, who surrounded the main neighbourhoods of El Aaiun, especially 'Maatallah' and 'Zemla', engaged Moroccan settlers organising them in militias armed with sticks and started attacking anything that moves", reported our correspondent on the ground.

"The situation is worst than yesterday. The different corps of the forces of occupation participate in the repression. There are news we receive from everywhere about new victims, often without names. Nonetheless, we had two names, Mr. Mleiha Hassan, 19 years and Mrs. Dali Chreifa, 32 years, who was attacked in her house and beaten by Moroccan agents", indicated the same source.

"At 9.30 GMT, gas bombs were launched against demonstrators in Maatallah, Zemla, Skeikima Street, Bir Jdid Street, Rass el Khaima Street, and Tan Tan Street. Everywhere in the city, things are raging. The sequences of the events remind me of the Intifada of 1999. And the developments are going more and more towards more violent confrontations", he said. (SPS) –To be continued-

060/090/000 252248 May 05 SPS

SPS
OCCUPIED TERRITOIRES/INTIFADA
Uprising of the Saharawi population on a bigger scale this evening Latest news

El Aaiun, 25/05/2005 (SPS) The Intifada of the Saharawi population, which started Tuesday, took back on a wider scale this evening about 7 o’clock GMT, after an uncertain calm day.

SPS correspondent on the ground affirmed that the situation in El Aaiun is critical and may result on a real humanitarian tragedy.

"Moroccan militias composed of settlers and the different armed groups are violating everything", he said.

"I have got names of serious injured persons. Mr. Zuebir Hammadi, 31 years, seriously injured in his head and it is impossible to take him to the hospital because Maatallah neighbourhood where he is under complete siege. Mr. El Aarbi Abdenabi, 28 years, ex-political prisoners, his leg broken, he is under siege. Mr El Malih Dalil, 45 years seriously injured in his head. Mr. Ahmed Mahmoud KLhraibich, 32 years, kidnapped this evening by Moroccan agents", he reported.

"Tear-gas, everywhere. The roads are blocked, tyres on fire, confrontations between Saharawis and Moroccan forces everywhere. We receive news about confrontations even from the far western point of the city, La Porco", he added. (SPS) –To be continued-

060/090/000 252348 Mai 05 SPS