sábado, 9 de maio de 2009

Arrivée du président de la République en Afrique du Sud


Johannesburg (Afrique du Sud), Le président de la République, Secrétaire général du Front Polisario, Mohamed Abdelaziz, est arrivé vendredi à Johannesburg dans le cadre d'une visite de plusieurs jours à la République d'Afrique du Sud.

Le Président participera samedi à l'investiture du quatrième président de l'Afrique du Sud, Jacob Zuma, et rencontrera de nombreux hommes politiques, dirigeants de partis politiques et la société civile dans ce pays.

Le président de la République est accompagné d'une délégation composée du membres du secrétariat national du Front Polisario, SG de l'union nationale sahraouie de la femme, Fatma el Mehdi, ministre délégué pour l'Afrique, Mohamed Yaslem Bayset, chef de cabinet de la présidence, Hamadi Bachir en plus de l'ambassadeur d'Afrique du Sud, Saleh Alabd.

Russian fisheries agreement to be renegotiated


The parties want a new agreement in place before September 2009.


Western Sahara Resource Watch has translated the protocol from the Russian-Moroccan Joint Fisheries Committee which took place in Saint Petersburg on 8-11 September 2008. See the unofficial WSRW translation below.

The protocol reveals that the parties have decided that a new agreement must be renegotiated and signed before September 2009.

Russia and Morocco today have a fisheries cooperation which was signed on 7 September 2006. The current agreement is ending on 14 October 2009.

The agreement lets Russian fishing vessels fish inside occupied Western Sahara. This is done without the consent or benefit of the Sahrawi people, and the agreement is thus in violation of international law.

Morocco has occupied Western Sahara since 1975, and has not even presented a maritime claim over the ocean offshore Western Sahara. Still, they negotiate fisheries agreements for the annexed waters.

The joint meeting in Saint Petersburg evaluated the second year of the implementation of the agreement. The talks mention specifically fisheries reseach in Cape Blanc, which is located in occupied Western Sahara. Reference is also made to "South-Atlantic Morocco", which in Morocco's terms means Western Sahara.

The talks laid also the premises for the fisheries to take place in 2009. It stated that 12 vessels are given permission to catch 120.000 tonnes of fish. In addition to that 80.000 tonnes are to be caught in "joint projects".

Western Sahara Resource Watch has on several occasions documented Russian trawlers inside the occupied waters of Western Sahara, as well as Russian transports of frozen fish and fishmeal/fishoil from Western Sahara.

The original version of the protocol can be read on the pages of Murmansk Trawl Fleet and the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara.



News-April 2009

Decision of the Russian-Moroccan committee

18 November 2008

ORDER N 321 of 13 November 2008. With a view to fulfil the divisions of the 3d session of the Russian-Morocco Joint Committee of Fisheries (The protocol is included), took place in the period from 8 till 11 October 2008 in Saint Petersburg (Russia).

1.To Office of International Cooperation (A.A. Ohanovu), to Office of Science and Education (V.A. Belyaevu), to Office of Fisheries (V.V. Risovanomu), FGUP “VNIRO” (B.N. Kotenovu), FGUP “AtlantNIRO” (K.G. Kuhorenko) to provide in proper time and qualitatively the fulfilment of Russian party obligations, which provided in protocol of the 3d session of the Russian-Morocco Joint Fisheries Committee

2. To Barents Sea-White Sea territory management of Russian State Fisheries Committee (V.V. Balashovu), West-Baltic territory management of Russian State Fisheries Committee (V. S. Chiklinenko), Asov-Black sea territory management of Russian State Fisheries Committee (M.N. Gude) to inform interested Russian ship-owners about the working conditions in the Atlantic fishing area near Morocco in 2009 (p. 4 of the Protocol), including the question of financial compensation for given opportunities for fishing according to the appendices 1 and 3 to the Agreement between The Russia Federation Government and the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco about collaboration in marine fisheries area from 7 September 2006.

3. To Office of International Cooperation (A.A. Ohanovu) requesting FGUP “Natsribresurs” (O.M. Mironova) (National fishing resource, WSRW ed.note), VARPE (U. I. Kokorenko) to work over the question about the possible realization of the joint projects in developing 80 thousand tons of small pelagic fish species in the Atlantic fishing area of Morocco. Together with interested enterprises to prepare on time before the end of January 2009 proposals about the place and the time of the meeting of experts from both countries with a view of detailed discussion on the merits and closing in Parties positions in terms of activity in frames of joint projects.

4. To Office of Science and Education (V.A. Belyaevu) together with Russian FGUP “VNIRO”, FGUP “AtlantNIRO” to provide the realization of agreements about scientific and technical collaboration with Morocco party (page 2 of the Protocol).

5. To Office of International Cooperation (A.A. Ohanovu), taking into account that the ending of validity 14 October 2009 of the Agreement between the Russia Federation Government and the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco about collaboration in marine fisheries from 7 September 2006, to organize a work for preparation and agreement in accordance with established procedure the project of the new intergovernmental agreement with Morocco with a view of its signing no later than September 2009.

6. The control of realization of the present order to entrust Secretary of State - deputy administrator of the Agency S.A. Podolyana.

Manager A.A. Krajnij

Attached to the Rosribolovstva (Russian fisheries – WSRW ed. note) order from 13 November 2008 N 321


PROTOCOL OF THE 3D SESSION OF THE RUSSIAN-MOROCCAN JOINT FISHERIES COMMITTEE

According to the article 17 of the Agreement between the Russia Federation Government and the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco about collaboration in marine fisheries, signed on 7 September 2006 in Casablanca (henceforth ‘the Agreement’), the Joint Committee conducted its 3d session 8-11 October 2008 in Saint Petersburg.

Secretary of State - deputy administrator of the Federal fishing agency S.A. Podolyan, led the Russian delegation. The Morocco delegation was led by the General Secretary of the Department of marine fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Fisheries of Morocco, M. Tarmidi.

Membership of Parties delegations is listed in Appendix 1 to the Protocol.

In opening of the session the leaders of both delegations expressed in their speeches general satisfaction with the implementation of the Agreement.

The Joint Committee agreed upon the following Agenda:

1. About the implementation of the Agreement during the second year of its force.

2. About science and technical collaboration.

3. About questions of export of Moroccan seafood to Russia.

4. About order and conditions of work for Russian fishing vessels in Atlantic Morocco fishing area for the 3rd year of the Agreement force.

5. About joint projects in developing 80 thousand tons of small pelagic kinds of fish



1.
About the implementation of the Agreement during the second year of its force.

It was marked that the points of the Agreement were fulfilled as a whole, nevertheless, the Joint Committee marked the decrease of working activity of Russian fishing ships, that work according to the Agreement, since there considerable decrease of the catch volume took place, approximately for 50% from the fixed quota.

Parties exchanged their opinions and proved following indexes of ships’ work:

- Number of vessels realizing work - 7 units;

- Number of Moroccan sailors taken on board - 98 individuals;

- Number of goings out of representatives on the Russian vessels - 14;

- Real catches by the end of September 2008 - 50 710 tons;

- Production of fisheries products - 43237 tons.

The Russian party marked that the decrease of the work efficiency of Russian fishing vessels in 2008 is connected with the increase of prices for the ship’s fuel.

The Moroccan party paid attention to the existing debt of the “Sevnauchflot” firm, it’s the compensation for the rights given to the “Samara” ship to work in the 2d and 3d quarters of 2007. Morocco asked the Russian side to take all necessary measures in order to provide the payment of the financial compensation.

The Russian side expressed its concern over the situation and informed the Moroccan side about using sanctions towards this ship owner. The Russian party will take all necessary measures in order to make sure the Russian ship-owner’s implementation of the Agreement’s Article 13.

The Moroccan party marked that 8,7% of the catches was sent for fish flour production in stead of 5% as previously agreed by the parties.

That is why the Russian party represented research results FGUP “AtlantNIRO”, saying, that the amount of raw material sent for producing fish flour and fatty acids exceeds 5% that is connected with increase of defective fish, presence of inedible kinds of fish in the catches, and fish with low commercial value.

The Moroccan party took into account the information and will express its opinion about the question later.

2.
About science and technical collaboration.

The Joint Committee summed up the results of the joint science and technical works which were carried by institutions of both parties (AtlantNIRO, VNORO, NIRI) within the Agreement 2007-2008, and marked with pleasure reached results.

With a view of fulfilment of scientific researches of pelagic ecosystem of Morocco Atlantic area, the condition of pelagic kinds of fish resource and their exploitation, the Joint Committee agreed upon the following program of collaboration:

à) Conducting a joint expedition on the Russian scientific and exploration vessels and collecting of biostatistics information:

- expedition on valuation of replenishment of pelagic fish species in the area between Cape Safi and Cape Blanc, the duration about 5 weeks (November, December 2008);

- expedition on valuation of condition of pelagic ecosystem in the area between Cape Gip (?) and Cape Blanc including hydroacoustic researches for biomass estimation of pelagic fish and study of oceanographic conditions, plankton and ichthyoplanton, the duration about 5 weeks (summer 2009);

- expedition on valuation of replenishment of pelagic kinds of fish in the area between Cape Safi and Cape Blanc, the duration about 5 weeks (autumn, winter 2009-2010);

- fulfilment of the program of collecting biostatistic information about catches on Russian fishing vessels, carried by Russian scientific assistants.

b) Other researches.

The Joint Committee marked with satisfaction the broadening of the scientific collaboration in the aquaculture, processing sea products and genetic researches on fish populations, and approved the program and plan of joint researches in this area.

c) Joint meeting of scientists, and exchange of experts.

The Joint Committee finds it necessary to continue the meetings of directors and scientists of scientific institutions of both countries (AtlantNIRO, VNORO, NIRI) in turns in Russia and Morocco in order to determine the aims of scientific works and projects specification of joint research programs and means of their fulfilment.

Terms of these meetings and exchange of experts will be fixed by directors of institutions of both countries.

3.
About questions of export of Moroccan seafood to Russia.

The Moroccan party welcomed with satisfaction the request from Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Office about according a list of Moroccan enterprises which are interested in receiving permission for exporting their products to Russia.

The Moroccan party expressed again its desire about recognition of the Moroccan system of control and certification in order to stimulate exports of Moroccan sea products to the Russian market.

4.
About order and conditions of work for Russian fishing vessels in Atlantic Morocco fishing area for the 3rd year of the Agreement force.

The Moroccan party informed that the conditions of fishing in the Atlantic zone of Morocco for Russian ships remain as the year before:

- catch quota and a number of ships are established correspondingly 120 000 tons and 12 units;

- quota given for joint projects - 80 000 tons;

- catch composition by species as following:

no less than 23 % - sardine, sardinella,

no more than 70 % - mackerel, horse-mackerel, anchovy,

7 % - in-catch, including sword-fish.

According to the amount of fish sent to the flour and fatty acid production, the Joint Committee made a decision to keep this amount on the level of 5% from the catch as it is fixed for Moroccan producers working in this area.

More over, the Moroccan Party reminds one more time, that prices used for counting financial compensation for the right to catch given to Russian ships owners, haven’t been changed since 1996.

These prices will be automatically recounted according to the Agreement points from the moment the national management plan of catching small pelagic kinds of fish in South-Atlantic Morocco area comes to force and will be spread on all fishing ships working within this plan.

The Moroccan Party will inform about new prices after the Morocco government approve them.

Use of new prices come to force after special session of the Russian-Moroccan Joint Fisheries Committee initiated by the Morocco Party on term no later 1 month from the date of notification.

5.
About joint projects in developing 80 thousand tons of small pelagic kinds of fish.

Taking into account the interest of both parties in realization of corresponding point of the Agreement, the Russian Party offered to conduct a meeting with the purpose of deep developmental work on the question and rapprochement of the Parties’ positions in realization of joint projects.

The Moroccan Party accepted the offer and informed that during the meeting the national management plan of caching small pelagic kinds of fish may be introduced and according to it the conditions of joint projects realization.

The date of the meeting will be coordinated between the Parties.

Moreover, with the view of strengthening the collaborations in marine fisheries, the Parties agreed about the necessity to coordinate positions in the international fisheries organizations and also expressed their desire to apply necessary force in prevention and suppression of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Parties expressed satisfaction in sincerity of intentions, appeared during the discussion, and of friendship atmosphere and mutual understanding during the session.

Done in Saint Petersburg 11 October 2008 in duplicate in Russian and French languages each, both texts have equal force.

For the Russian delegation Sergej PODOLYAN

For the Moroccan delegation Mohammed TARMIDI

Island Oil negotiating for exploration permit


The Irish oil company Island Oil and Gas is now negotiating an oil exploration permit in occupied Western Sahara. The unethical talks are done against the interest of the people of Western Sahara, and contribute to violate international law as described by the UN in 2002.


On 25 February 2009, few days prior to their Annual General Meeting, the Irish oil company Island Oil and Gas announced that negotiations for an oil exploration contract in Western Sahara "are to commence".

Now, the company has confirmed that negotiations for such permit have in fact started. This appeared in a Interim Results report for the period ended 31 January 2009.

The agreement they are negotiating is "an eight year Exploration Licence, with seismic being planned at an early stage to firm up a potential drilling location on one of the most prospective structures defined by the aeromagnetic survey."

So far, Island Oil and Gas has only had a reconnaissance agreement. The company holds two oil agreements in Western Sahara, one in the north-eastern part, overlapping the city of Smara, another in the north-west, overlapping the city of El Aaiun.

The report also reveals that Island and their partners are preparing to award a contract to reprocess 1000 kilometers of existing 2D data for the Tarfaya block in the north-west, as well as looking to award a contact for 500 km shooting of 2D seismics later this year.

The firm Netherland, Sewell & Associates has made an analysis of the oil prospects in Tarfaya, stating that there is a "Probable Perspective" for oil. It is not known whether the report includes an analysis of the legality or the ethical aspects of the oil search in Western Sahara.

A UN legal opinion from 2002 states that further oil search in Western Sahara would be in violation of international law, if the Sahrawi people's opinion is not taken into account. And it is not. Morocco has brutally occupied Western Sahara since 1975, and proceeded handing out oil deals in Western Sahara despite the UN opinion.

Island Oil and Gas is headed by chairman Bryan Benitz, and CEO Paul Griffiths.

Western Sahara Resource Watch has sent numerous requests to the Island Oil and Gas directors, urging them to be ethical and stop the support to the occupation, but they have so far refused to answer.

More than 500 Sahrawis have disappeared during the illegal Moroccan occupation, and a majority of the Sahrawi people have fled the country under the Moroccan rule. No states in the world recognise Western Sahara as being part of Morocco. Island Oil and Gas believes it is.

L’institution britannique 'Caravanserai'' prend part au 6ème Festival international du cinéma au Sahara Occidental


Dakhla (camps des réfugiés sahraouis), L'institution britannique du cinéma et du théâtre "Caravanserai" participe avec une grande délégation au 6ème Festival international du cinéma au Sahara occidental (Fisahara), qui se tient du 5 au 10 mai à la wilaya de Dakhla.

La délégation présentera des expositions théâtrales, la première de son genre dans le festival depuis la première édition du Fisahara en 2003.

"Notre objectif est la sensibilisation autour de l'importance de la culture dans la résistance contre l'occupation", a déclaré le chef de la délégation, Ritani, Giles Foreman, directeur de théâtre, "l'autre côté du mur".

Le Fisahara est une réelle opportunité pour la découverte du peuple sahraoui et de sa lutte", a-t-il dit, ajoutant que la présence de ce grand nombre de personnes venus des différentes parties du monde est un message selon lequel : "vous (les Sahraouis) n’êtes pas seul , comme prétend le Royaume du Maroc ".

Pour sa part, M. Pfister Hirom membre du groupe britannique, a déclaré "nous apportons avec nous le théâtre au peuple sahraoui, estimant que cet art est une autre façon de dénoncer l’occupation coloniale marocaine du Sahara occidental".

La délégation "Caravanserai" composée de 15 membres a déjà présenté son théâtre intitulé " L'autre côté du mur", qui raconte l'histoire du peuple sahraoui depuis le soulèvement de Zemla en 1970, la lutte armée et de l'invasion du Maroc, à travers l'histoire d'une famille où le père et la mère ont été séparés en raison de l’occupation marocaine du Sahara Occidental.

Cette pièce théâtrale écrite par David Mitchell, et Giles Foreman, sera présentée à Londres en juillet et Septembre prochains, ainsi qu’à Berlin, Paris, New York et Madrid.

Le Festival international du cinéma mondial au Sahara occidental est un rendez vous pour la solidarité avec le peuple sahraoui (ministre)


Dakhla (camps des réfugiés sahraouis), La membre du Secrétariat national du Front Poliario, ministre de la Culture, Mme Khadija Hamdi, a indiqué que le Festival international du cinéma mondial au Sahara occidental est "un rendez vous pour la solidarité avec le peuple sahraoui, ainsi que la découverte non seulement la créativité de l'art, mais l'histoire et la vie culturelle et sociale".

"Nous croyons au rôle de l'image et du mot quant ils vont au-delà des cellules, des prisons et les murs qui détruisent l’être humain", a précisé jeudi, Mme Khadija Hamdi à l'ouverture de la 6ème édition du Festival international du cinéma mondial au Sahara occidental à la wilaya de Dakhla.

Le festival est une station pour dénoncer l'occupation marocaine et le mur t la honte, qui divise le territoire et la population, et condamner le pillage illicite des ressources naturelles du Sahara occidental par le Maroc, a-t-elle ajouté.

Ce festival, qui se poursuivra jusqu’à dimanche prochain, constitue une occasion pour attirer un grand nombre d'intéressés au domaine cinématographique, qui seront témoins de la réalité politique sahraouie et des souffrances du peuple sahraoui en lutte depuis plus de trois décennies, avait indiqué la ministre de la Culture, Mme Khadidja Hamdi.

La politique coloniale du Maroc ne concourt à la paix et la stabilité dans la région (premier ministre)


Dakhla (des camps de réfugiés sahraouis), Le membre du Secrétariat National du Front Polisario, Premier ministre, M. Abdelkader Taleb Oumar a affirmé jeudi que "la persistance de la politique coloniale du Maroc, soutenu par certaines puissances internationales, sapera sans doute les efforts visant à parvenir à la paix et la stabilité dans la région".

M. Taleb Oumar qui s’exprimait lors de l’ouverture de la 6ème édition du Fisahara à Dakhla, a accusé la France d’occulter les crimes du Maroc au Sahara occidental, en référence à sa récente intervention au Conseil de sécurité pour empêcher la création d'un mécanisme de protection des droits de l'homme dans les territoires occupés sahraouis.

"Il était possible de noter des progrès dans le domaine des droits de l’Homme au Sahara Occidental, si la France n’aurait été opposée à cette proposition", a regretté le chef du Gouvernement sahraoui.

"La France, qui prétend défendre les droits de l'homme dans d’autres parties du monde, alors qu’au Sahara Occidental, elle défend ouvertement et devant le Conseil de sécurité, l'occupation du Maroc et ses crimes contre les citoyens sahraouis sans défense", a-t-il ajouté.

À cet égard, le ministre a appelé à la France de revoir sa position et de défendre les droits légitimes du peuple sahraoui dans les instances internationales, afin de préserver le patrimoine historique de la France, "pays des libertés".

Il a également demandé au Gouvernement espagnol à qui incombe la "responsabilité historique, juridique et politique du conflit et les souffrances peuple sahraoui, à prendre des positions plus claires et courageuses pour défendre la juste cause de ce peuple, comme l’ont toujours défendu et soutenus les peuples d’Espagne".

M. Taleb Oumar a lancé un appel à la communauté internationale à faire respecter les droits de l’Homme dans les territoires occupés du Sahara occidental, seul garant pour le succès de la relance des négociations.