SAHARA PRESSE SERVICE

Smara (occupied territories), 26/09/2004 (SPS) The Committee of the victims of Smara's events called all international organisations and Human Rights' associations Friday to intervene near Morocco to reveal information on the fate of Saharawi disappeared, Yahya Mohamed ElHafed, and many other of his compatriots who are reported missing or political detainees in Moroccan prisons.

The Committee called Human Rights' activists and defenders, in a communiqué publicised Saturday, to remain vigilant in the face of "this barbarous campaign" led by Moroccan colonial authorities.

Moreover, the Committee denounced "the serious violations of human rights perpetrated by the Moroccan authorities to which the Saharawi civil population is subjected in occupied zones", and declared its solidarity with "the victims of repression in all the Moroccan prisons".

On another hand, a young Saharawi, Cheikh Bneiba, was arrested in El Aaiun with a group of Saharawis after a struggle between him and some Moroccan colons who were trying to force him get in their building to beat him.

Moroccan police was dispatched to the place of the quarrel to violently disperse a number of Saharawis who intervened to help their compatriot. (SPS)

020/090/000/TRD 261250 SEPT 04 SPS

SPS
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/ASSOCIATION
Constitution of an association of Saharawi unemployed graduated in Goulimine

Goulimine, 26/09/2004 (SPS) Saharawi unemployed graduated in Goulimine announced Wednesday the constitution of an association of Saharawi unemployed graduated, indicated a communiqué by the Association, of which SPS received a copy.

The graduated organised a sit-in in front of the seat of the Wilaya of Goulimine after the Moroccan authority refused to give them its agreement on the constitution of the association.

The graduated undertook a march through the main street of the city, chanting slogans against the colonial occupation of their country and expressing their solidarity with their brothers in occupied territories of Western Sahara and in South Morocco, on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the Intifadha of “D’Cheira Place".

Moroccan police dispersed the demonstrators by tear-gas grenades and truncheons; it was indicated without further precisions. (SPS)

020/090/000/TRD 261810 SEPT 04 SPS

SPS
SADR/EUROPE/SOLIDARITY
A meeting in Rome of the committees of support to Saharawi people

Rome, 26/09/2004 (SPS) A Task Force meeting of the committees of support to Saharawi people was held Saturday in Rome in the framework of the preparation for the 30th European Conference of Support to Saharawi People (EUCOCO), which is planed for the coming 25 to the 27 November in Saragossa (Spain).

The Minster Mohamed Sidati, member of the national leadership of Polisario Front, and the Senator, Pierre Galand, the initiator of these committees participated to this meetings besides many responsible of committees from Spain, France, Belgium, Italy and Scandinavian countries.

During the meeting a debate on the last developments of the Saharawi issue was undertaken by the participants, who mainly discussed the recognition by South Africa of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and who saluted the focus of President Bouteflika on Western Sahara issue in his speech during the 59th General Assembly of the United Nations, held in New York.

The members of the Task Force considered that according to the actual context, the situation of the Saharawi file regarding the decolonisation process is favourable.

They also discussed the necessity of a general mobilisation for the enforcement of the UN's peace plan, the increase of the solidarity with the victims of Human Rights' violations in Saharawi territories Morocco occupies, the increase of food aid to Saharawi refugees, and the mobilisation about the plundering of Saharawi natural resources by Moroccan occupation.

Concerning the expected holding of Saragossa's conference, the participants elaborated a draft programme for the expected conference, which will be attended by the President of SADR, Mohamed Abdelaziz and an important number of imminent personalities such as Mgr. Desmond Tutu.

Nine work groups were constituted for this conference, which will be a new forum for the discussion of the actual situation, determine future objectives and to take up the new challenges of solidarity taking into consideration the new international situation and the increasing mobilisation of the civil society regarding the Saharawi question.

An appeal to the UN to assume its responsibilities in implementing the referendum on self-determination for the Saharawi people, will be included in the final declaration of the conference, indicated Mr. Pierre Galand.

"It will be an occasion for us to experience our ability, after 30 years of solidarity, of renewing our work and facing the lies spread in Europe by Moroccan Government about the question of Western Sahara", stressed the Senator, who also indicated that it will be necessary to restructure the Committee in order to be able to face the new challenges of solidarity.

"The addition of 10 new countries in the European Union, the establishment of a new Parliament and the current international situation demand a new strategy", he estimated, stressing that "it is necessary to think now of a commitment of new the generation and to rejuvenation".

"We have to mobilise all youth organisations who will participate to this conference with their Saharawi counterparts and to enlarge this solidarity to other sectors in order to attract all those around the world who constitute the new generation of solidarity to back this noble cause", he added.

Finally, Mr. Galand deplored the attitude of the international community which is about to stop the humanitarian aid, considering that this aid is "a right" of Saharawi refugees.

"We refuse the use by the international community of the humanitarian aid as a mean of pressure against Saharawi people", affirmed the Senator, stressing that the Committee started a set of contacts and exerted pressures on some international bodies of the European Union, WFP and UNHCR in particular, to face such manoeuvres.

It is worth mentioned that Algeria was represented by Doctor, Said Ayachi, vice-president of Algerian Committee of Support to Saharawi people, who had contributed in the success of the week of solidarity and friendship with the Saharawi people held in Algiers last August, and to which President Mohamed Abdelaziz has participated.

The Doctor evoked Spanish women Platform which had joined Algerian women to pay tribute to their Saharawi counterparts' struggle, and also to President Bouteflika for the new measures adopted in favour of Algerian Woman. He also announced the intention of organising an international conference on Saharawi people's self-determination in Algiers by the end of October.

Concerning the participation to the conference of Saragossa, the Algerian representative indicated that his Committee is ready to provide its contribution to the full success of this important demonstration of solidarity. (SPS)

010/090/700/TRD 261815 SEPT 04 SPS