Sahrawi Government condemns attempt to film in occupied Dakhla, deems it violation of international law and cultural ethics

الحكومة
Sun, 07/20/2025 - 08:33

Shaheed El Hafed, July 20, 2025 (SPS) - The Sahrawi Government has condemned an attempt to film a cinematic work in occupied Dakhla, considering it a violation of international legitimacy and the ethics of cultural and artistic work.

In a statement from the Ministry of Culture, the Sahrawi Government clarified that filming any cinematic or artistic work on the territory of occupied Western Sahara without the knowledge and consent of the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people constitutes a clear violation of international legitimacy and the ethics of cultural and artistic work.

Text of the statement:

“Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

Ministry of Culture

Statement of Condemnation and Rejection

The Ministry of Culture of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic has followed with deep concern and strong indignation the reports regarding the launch of the filming of the motion picture The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan, in the occupied city of Dakhla, located in the southern part of the territory of Western Sahara, which remains under illegal military occupation by the Kingdom of Morocco — in blatant violation of international legality and in total disregard for the legal status of this Non-Self-Governing Territory.

The Ministry firmly expresses its strong condemnation and unequivocal rejection of the decision to select an occupied territory as the location for a major international film production, without any form of consultation or coordination with the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people, internationally recognized as the Polisario Front. This act constitutes a dangerous form of cultural normalization with the occupation, and an unethical exploitation of art and cinema to whitewash the image of a colonial situation that is still imposed by force and met daily with the steadfast resistance of a people struggling for freedom and dignity.

Turning Dakhla into a “cinematic backdrop” for promotional and touristic purposes — as reported by various media outlets — is nothing short of a deliberate attempt to falsify reality and distort facts, by ignoring the serious and systematic human rights violations that the Sahrawi people continue to endure, including attacks on their culture, identity, and fundamental rights.

In this context, the Sahrawi Ministry of Culture emphasizes the following:

1. The filming of any cinematic or artistic production on occupied Sahrawi land, without the knowledge and consent of the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people, constitutes a clear violation of international law and of the ethical standards governing cultural and artistic work.

2. Participation in such productions — regardless of artistic intentions — contributes, whether knowingly or unknowingly, to the whitewashing and international normalization of the occupation.

3. The Ministry urges all artists, filmmakers, producers, and cultural institutions around the world to act with ethical responsibility, and to become fully informed about the legal and political situation of Western Sahara before engaging in any cultural or artistic activity that may be politically exploited against the will of its people.

4. The Ministry also calls on international cultural and human rights organizations to fulfill their moral and legal responsibilities by monitoring and denouncing all attempts at politically instrumentalizing arts and culture in occupied territories.

As we reiterate our categorical rejection of this dangerous course of action, we affirm that Sahrawi culture will remain a voice for freedom, a tool of resistance, and a faithful mirror of the truth, which no instrument or narrative can silence, distort, or erase — no matter how sophisticated or well-funded.

Issued in Shaheed El Hafed

Date: 18 July 2025

Sahrawi Minister of Culture / Moussa Selma”

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