Saharawi Journalists’ and Writers’ Union to organize General Assembly 18 and 19 April

The Saharawi Journalists’ and Writers’ Union (UPES) declared in a press release issued Thursday that it will organize its second General Assembly this April the 18 and 19th in the Saharawi refugee camps. This conference is expected to gather Saharawi journalists and writers members of the Union to elect a new Secretary General and Executive Bureau and to discuss and take decision on different subjects of concern to the members. The Assembly will also review the result of the work of the four past years and adopt a new plan of action for the coming four years. The press release also indicated that the Executive Bureau of the Union has adopted a list of the member of a preparing committee for the General Assembly. Here is the translation of the press release from Arabic to English: Saharawi Journalists’ and Writers’ Union Executive Bureau 26 March 2009-03-28 Press Release: UPES’s General Assembly in April 18 and 19, 2009 The Executive Bureau of the Saharawi Journalists’ and Writers’ Union (UPES- in its Spanish abbreviation) met on Thursday 26th March 2009 under the presidency of its Secretary General, Malainin Lakhal, in the seat of the Union. The meeting evaluated the programs of the Union for the second half of last year and the past three months of 2009. It also discussed the Union’s active participation in the preparations for the Congress of the UGTSARIO (The General Union of the Workers of Saguiat El Hamra y Rio de Oro- Saharawi Umbrella Trade Union), which took place between the 19th and 21st October 2008. According to the Constitution of UGTSARIO, to which UPES is affiliated, all Saharawi trade unions should organize their conferences by the end of six months after the holding of UGTSARIO’s congress. Therefore, the Executive Bureau of UPES decided to organize its General Assembly this April 18 and 19, and decided to constitute a preparing committee composed of active members of the Union so as they can prepare and prepare for the conference. The members of the preparing committee are: - Bachir Mohamed Khalil - Mohamed Sleima - Nana Labat Rachid - Hamdi Hafed - Hamadi Bachir - Khadijatu Taher - Lehssan Bulsan - Najem Bani - Sasid Zerwal - Abeida Salma Taher - Aichatu Hadia - Abdallahi Muhamadna - Sanad Mohamed Smail - Cheibani Batti - Abdati Labat Rachid - Mohamed Khalil Mohamed Salem In addition to the current Secretary General of UPES, Malainin Lakhal, and the members of the Executive Bureau: - Salek Muftah - Saleh Nafa - Mbarka Mehdi - Salek Bulam The Executive Bureau also consider the following members of UPES as annexed members of the preparing committee working from the occupied zones and the Diaspora. These members are: - Mustapha Abd Dayem (from his prison in Tiznit/Morocco) - Mustapha Katab (in Syria) - Dr. Ghali Zbeir (in Egypy) - Dr. Ali Salem Lefkir (in Russia) - Sid Hamdi Yehdih (in Spain) - Brahim Dahi (in Spain) - Dad Muhamadna (in Spain) Finally, the Executive Bureau called on the members of the preparing committee to organize their first meeting in the seat of UPES in the Saharawi Ministry of Information this Tuesday 31 March at 10 o’clock a.m.