South African COSATU protests Western Sahara inclusion in EU-Morocco deal

A global protest campaign, contesting occupied Western Sahara’s inclusion in a Morocco-European Union (EU) free trade deal is gaining momentum. South Africa’s dominant labour union COSATU told the EU, Monday, it was breaking international law by its planned inclusion of the territory, AFROL news reported. COSATU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi today personally wrote to the Brussels union, "demanding" that Morocco’s "advanced status" within the EU "must exclude Western Sahara." The advanced status to be granted Morocco will increase free trade but also political and cultural cooperation. So far, the EU has indicated that the occupied territory of Western Sahara will be included in the deal, contrasting its agreement with Israel, where occupied Palestine is excluded, and contrasting the US-Moroccan free trade agreement, which excludes Western Sahara. In the current EU-Moroccan fisheries agreement, Western Saharan seas were included, despite strong protests, giving EU trawlers access to these waters in return for payment to the Rabat government. COSATU, representing about two million workers in South Africa, is the last among many prominent organisations now joining the global petition demanding that "occupied Western Sahara is specifically excluded from the agreement." COSATU leader Vavi says that if the EU were to include Western Sahara, "through its negotiations with Morocco as the occupying power, it would give an unfortunate sign of support to the unfounded Moroccan claims over the territory. It could also lead to the EU damaging the UN’s efforts to decolonise the territory." The South African labour leader holds that the EU could be breaking international law. "Under International Customary Law, the EU and its member states have a duty of non-recognition of the Moroccan annexation of Western Sahara, and to support the decolonisation of the territory," Mr Vavi says. COSATU is not the first trade union to join the petition. Also, two of Spain’s largest unions, Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and Unión Sindical Obrera (USO), in addition to unions in Norway and Sweden have joined the fight. Even political parties in Europe, mostly liberal and socialist parties in Scandinavia, have signed the petition. But for the organisers, the global network Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW), the support from outside the EU is of particular encouragement. Ronny Hansen, representing the Norwegian partners behind WSRW, told afrol News that "the support from COSATU and other prominent organisations worldwide is a clear recognition that the petition is a matter of global solidarity, and just an internal EU affair." "We hope COSATU’s support for this petition will inspire organisations and governments in other parts of Africa to join our ranks and express clearer support for the rights of the Sahrawis," Mr Hansen says. "After all, Western Sahara is the only African Union member currently under foreign occupation," he concludes.

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International Socialist Women’s conference hails the affiliation of the Saharawi women to the organisation

The International Socialist Women’s conference (IS) hailed the presence of a Saharawi women’s delegation (UNFS) to the works of the conference held in the 14th and 15th November, as an observing member, sources from the Saharawi delegation indicated. "The presence of the Saharawi women in this organisation will have an important role in the defence of the objectives for which the International socialist is struggling", the SG of the organisation, Marlyn Hass, said. On her side, the SG of the Saharawi Women’s Union (UNFS), Fatma Elmehdi gave a presentation on the struggle of the Saharawi women in the Saharawi refugee camps, especially on the light of the international crisis of food. She added that Morocco persists in its illegal occupation of Western Sahara and systematic plundering of its natural resources". Mrs. Elmehdi also mentioned the human rights situation in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, denounced the Moroccan military wall sealed by millions of anti-personal landmines and which is dividing Western Sahara and its people in two. She also paid tribute to the Saharawi human rights activist and ex-prisoner of conscience, Aminetou Haidar, who recently won the Robert Kennedy Award of Human Rights. She considered that "this is a recognition of the chief role played by the Saharawi women in the different domains in the occupied zones of Western Sahara, in the south of Morocco, in the Diaspora and in the Saharawi refugee camps, to get the independence". After the conference, the SG of the UNFS met with the SG of the Mexican Revolutionary Party, Béatriz Baridez, who affirmed her party-s support to the Saharawi people-s right to freedom and independence. The Saharawi delegation also met with representatives of Mexico, Angola, Brazil, Afghanistan, Norway, Ukraine, Equatorial Guinea, it should be recalled.

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A delegation of POLISARIO Front participates in the Congress of the French Socialist Party

A delegation representing POLISARIO Front, composed of Mhamed Khadad and Omar Mansour, members of the National Secretariat and respectively the coordinator with MINURSO and the representative in France, participated following an invitation to the 75th Congress of the French Socialist party, held in Reims from 14 to 16 November 2008. The secretary of International Relations of PS welcomed the presence of the foreign delegations including POLISARIO Front’s, a source close to the Saharawi delegation pointed out. The Saharawi delegation had talks with the party officials responsible for Maghreb and African affairs as well as many delegations including those of Mauritius, Sweden, Angola, German SPD, Norway, Central Africa Rep, Chad, Lithuania, Cameroon, Italy, Mali and Nicaragua. The congress has completed its work Sunday without being able to elect a new National Secretary. The election was left to a voting process for next Thursday, the same source added.

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Emilia Romagna adopte une résolution soutenant l’autodétermination du peuple sahraoui

Emilia Romagna (Italie), Le parlement régional de la région d’Emilia Romagna a adopté récemment une résolution appelant son gouvernement les autres gouvernements autonomes à soutenir le droit du peuple sahraoui à l’autodétermination et exiger le respect des droits de l’Homme dans les territoires occupés du Sahara occidental, a-t-on appris auprès de la représentation du Front Polisario en Italie.

La résolution appelle à "l’application des résolutions du Conseil de sécurité et le respect du droit international et les droits des peuples de disposer d’eux-mêmes".

Elle appelle également à "plus d’initiative pour le soutien des réfugiés sahraouis", soulignant la coopération du Front Polisario dans "la recherche d’une solution pacifique juste et durable au conflit du Sahara occidental à travers l’exercice du peuple sahraoui de son droit inaliénable à l’autodétermination" sous les auspices de l’ONU.

Le texte rappelle en outre que le Haut commissariat de l’ONU aux droits de l’Homme avait affirmé dans son rapport de 2006, la détérioration de la situation des droits de l’Homme dans les territoires occupés du Sahara occidental. Ces violations avaient été également réaffirmées par le SG de l’ONU, Ban Ki-Moon dans ses derniers rapports au sujet des droits humains.

Par ailleurs, le parlement régional d’Emilia Romagna a exprimé son intention pour l’envoi une mission d’enquête au Sahara occidental pour s’enquérir de la situation des droits de l’Homme, rappelant que trois de ses membres ont visité le territoire et ont été l’objet d’intimidation de la part des autorités marocaines.

Le parlement régional d’Emilia Romagna a enfin exprimé son regret devant le refus des autorités marocaines de répondre à sa demande afin de lui permettre de se rendre dans les territoires sahraouis sous occupation marocaine.

Répression d’une manifestation appelant à l’autodétermination du peuple sahraoui

Smara (territoires occupés), Les forces de répression marocaines ont procédé vendredi à une large campagne pour le saccage des domiciles sahraouis à la ville de Smara occupée et l’arrestation des jeunes sahraouis en raison de leur participation à une manifestation pacifique appelant à l’autodétermination de leur peuple.

Une source du ministère sahraoui des territoires occupés et de la diaspora a indiqué que ces forces ont saccagé des domiciles des Sahraouis après avoir réprimé par la force la manifestation qui s’est déclenchée la nuit du jeudi à vendredi dans un quartier de la capitale culturelle sahraouie, Smara.

Par ailleurs des dizaines de citoyens sahraouis sont sortis pour dénoncer les accords tripartites du 14 novembre 1975, arborant les drapeaux de la RASD et scandant des slogans réclamant le retrait de l’occupation marocaine du Sahara occidental, a ajouté la même source.

8 thousands demonstrators in Madrid to ask for Saharawis right to self-determination

More than 8 thousands demonstrators marched in the Spanish capital, Madrid, Today to express support to Saharawi people´s right to self-determination, according to the Spanish news agency, Europa Press. Intellectuals, political personalities, trade unionists, actors and artists and hundreds supporters of the Saharawi people, got to the street to answer the call of the Spanish Coordinating committee of associations of solidarity with the Saharawi people (CEAS) and artists platform "all for Western Sahara". The same source added that there were also participants from the occupied zones of Western Sahara and Saharawi migrants coming from different Spanish regions and from abroad to take part to the protest. The demonstrators marched towards the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Madrid, raising a placard that reads "Freedom and independence for Western Sahara, Morocco guilty, Spain accountable". In the first rank of the demonstration Saharawi officials were marching besides famous Spanish personalities such as Spanish film-Director, Fernando Colombo, actor Fran Perrera, former Coordinator of Isquiedra Unida, Gaspar LLamazares, and representatives of Spanish political parties among others. Once arrived to the Spanish Ministry for FA, demonstrators read a declaration reiterating support to the Saharawi people´s right o self-determination and independence. They also condemned the Moroccan violation of human rights and the systematic plundering of the Saharawi natural resources by the Moroccan State and international powers, and multinational. In this respect, they called on Spain and the European Union to clearly exclude Western Sahara from the advanced status accords it is planning to sign with Rabat. They also called on the Spanish government to assume its responsibilities and put pressures on Morocco to accept the international legality and enable the Saharawi people to exercise their right to self-determination.

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Mme Aminetou Haidar dédie le prix Robert Kennedy aux prisonniers politiques sahraouis

New York,La militante sahraouie des droits humains, Aminetou Haidar a dédié le prix Robert Kennedy qui lui a été remis jeudi dernier aux prisonniers politiques sahraouis aux victimes de la répression marocaines et aux défenseurs des droits de l’homme "qui mènent une noble mission pour laquelle ils consentent beaucoup de sacrifice", a-t-elle précisé.

"Je dédie ce prix aux prisonniers politiques sahraouis aux victimes de la répression marocaines et aux défenseurs des droits de l’homme qui mènent une noble mission pour laquelle ils consentent beaucoup de sacrifices", a-t-elle au cours de la cérémonie de remise du prix Robert Kennedy des droits de l’Homme 2008.

"J’appelle la communauté internationale, particulièrement le gouvernement des Etats Unis à faire tout leur possible pour protéger les civils sahraouis qui subissent l’occupation marocaine", a-t-elle dit.

"Encore aujourd’hui, 40 prisonniers politiques demeurent détenus, comprenant des défenseurs des droits de l’homme, ils vivent dans des conditions déplorables et souffrent le martyr pour la simple raison d’avoir défendu le droit de leur peuple à l’autodétermination", a regretté la militante sahraouie.

"Ces prisonniers ont besoin du soutien et de la solidarité pour parvenir à recouvrir leur liberté. Demandons tous leur libération immédiate et demandons la vérité sur les personnes disparus depuis 1976", a-t-elle ajouté.

"Le Haut commissariat des droit de l’Homme de l’ONU avait rendu visite au territoire et a conclu que toutes ces violations découlent de la négation du droit du peuple sahraoui à l’autodétermination", a-t-elle rappelé, soulignant que le peuple sahraoui attend de l’ONU "qu’elle joue le rôle qui lui échoit dans le processus décolonisateur".

Aminetou est un leader courageux dans la lutte de son peuple pour son droit inaliénable à l’autodétermination (Kerry Kennedy)

New York, La militante sahraouie des droits humains, Aminetou Haidar "est un leader courageux dans la lutte de son peuple pour son droit inaliénable à l’autodétermination", a témoigné Kerry kennedy, fille de Robert Kennedy.

A la veille du 83 anniversaire de la naissance de mon père Robert Kennedy, l’octroi du prix "Robert Kennedy pour les droits de l’homme" à Aminetou Haidar, "Ghandy du Sahara" est un hommage à sa vie et à son héritage", précisé Kerr ykennedy.

"En 1975 le gouvernement marocain a envahi le Sahara Occidental juste avant l’organisation du référendum, ce qui était un défi lancé à la Cour internationale de justice qui n’a pas reconnu au Maroc la souveraineté sur le Sahara Occidental et avait affirmé le droit du peuple sahraoui à l’autodétermination par la voie d’une expression libre".

"En réponse à cette invasion, le Polisario a combattu les forces d’occupation marocaines et proclamé la RASD en 1976 laquelle a été reconnue par de nombreux pays et devenue membre de l’Union africaine".

“Récemment le SG de l’ONU avait déclaré qu’aucun pays membre de l’ONU ne reconnaît la souveraineté du Maroc sur le Sahara occidental" et de surcroît, la résolution 2625 de l’AG de l’ONU affirme qu’"aucune souveraineté obtenue par la force ne saurait être reconnue comme légitime". A cet égard l’AG de l’ONU a adopté de nombreuses résolutions qui réaffirment le droit du peuple sahraoui à décider de son avenir".

"Les autorités marocaines ont imposé aux opposants sahraouis le silence par la menace, la torture, les disparitions et la mort, pratiques devenues quotidiennes et systématiques".

"Durant des années le Maroc a cherché à dissimuler la vérité et à imposer le silence sur les souffrances qu’il faisait endurer aux sahraouis, mais il y a une femme qui a brisé le silence. Le combat d’Aminetou Haidar a porté la passion du peuple du Sahara Occidental aux différentes autorités de par le monde".

"Jusqu’à ce jour le spectre d’une nouvelle détention poursuit Aminatou qui croise tous les jours ses tortionnaires dans la rue et subit des menaces au quotidien, mais elle ne baissera pas les bras".

Malgré le fait que les associations des droits de l’homme des sahraouis ne sont pas reconnues par les autorités marocaines, Aminetou s’active au sein d’une association non reconnu, CODESA, qu’elle préside.

"La joie ne saurait être totale que si tous les prisonniers politiques étaient relâchés et l’ensemble du territoire sahraoui libéré".

“Ely Weisel, ancien prix Nobel et rescapé de l’Holaucauste disait que "le contraire de l’amour n’est pas la haine mais l’indifférence" et pendant des années l’attitude de la communauté internationale vis-à-vis du Sahara Occidental était bel et bien de l’indifférence. "Mais l’amour d’Aminetou Haidar pour son peuple est touchant, et peut nous redonner l’espoir que le bien finira par triompher du mal".

Un sénateur américain appelle le Maroc à respecter les droits des sahraouis dans les territoires occupés du Sahara occidental

New York, Le sénateur américain, Patrick Leahy a appelé jeudi au nom de Ted Kennedy le gouvernement marocain "à respecter ses engagements en matière de respect des droits civiques et politiques du peuple sahraoui", au cours de la cérémonie de remise du prix Kennedy des droits de l’homme à la militante sahraouie des droits humains, Aminetou Haidar.

M. Leahy qui se prononçait au nom du sénateur Ted Kennedy, a indiqué qu’"Il est important que le gouvernement marocain respecte ses engagements en matière de respect des droits civiques et politiques du peuple sahraoui".

"C’est un honneur pour moi de me trouver aujourd’hui à côté de Ted Kennedy qui a de tout temps été un défenseur acharné des droits de l’homme aux Etats unis et dans le monde. Que ce soit contre l’Apartheid ou bien en faveur des réfugiés iraquiens, il a accompagné les luttes des droits de l’homme les plus emblématiques de notre époque", a-t-il ajouté.

“Après les scandales de Guantanamo et d’Aoughreib qui ont entaché l’image de notre pays et alors que la nouvelle administration de Barak Obama tente de donner une nouvelle image des Etats Unis, nous devons réitérer notre refus absolu à l’usage de la torture et notre engagement pour les droits de l’homme", a souligné le sénateur américain.

"Le prix Robert Kennedy des droits de l’homme ne nous fait pas uniquement connaître la cause et le courage de son lauréat mais encore il lui apporte reconnaissance et soutien qui lui permettent de poursuivre son travail en faveur de principes que nous défendons", a-t-il soulevé en référence à Aminetou Haidar.

"Le gagnant du prix cette année est l’une des plus célèbres défenseurs des droits de l’homme dans son pays, le Sahara occidental. L’histoire personnelle d’Aminetou Haidar, surnommé "ghandi du Sahara" est à la fois dramatique et inspiratrice".

"Son engagement pour une lutte non violente date de ses années d’étudiante et témoigne de la cruauté des forces de sécurité marocaine. En 1987 elle a été embastillée et torturée parce qu’elle a osé parler, ce qu’il lui a valu 4 ans de disparition tout au long desquelles elle a été isolée du monde avec des yeux bandées. Sa santé a été sérieusement mise en danger à cause des tortures qu’elle endurait".

"Lorsqu’elle a été relâchée en 1991, elle ressemblait à un cadavre, elle échappait d’un enfer innommable", a-t-il regretté.

"en 2005 lorsqu’elle a été de nouveau arrêtée, elle a été frappée et embastillée arbitrairement mais elle n’a pas cédé à la colère et au désespoir. Au contraire, elle a entamé, avec 37 autres prisonniers politiques sahraouis, une grève de la faim durant 51 jours pour obtenir des conditions de détentions améliorées, une enquête sur la torture subie et pour la libération des prisonniers politiques".

"Depuis sa libération en 2006, Aminetou Haidar a poursuivi sa lutte pacifique en tant que Présidente du CODESA, organisation qui demeure interdite par le Maroc".

"Durant des années, avec le Sénateur Kennedy entête, ainsi que d’autres Sénateurs, j’ai appelé à un référendum d’autodétermination au Sahara Occidental ce qui est un droit que les fondateurs de notre Nation avaient reconnu comme juste et fondamental", a conclu le sénateur Ted Kennedy.

Press release from Australia Western Sahara Association

Shareholders question Wesfarmers over divestment by ethical fund-holders. Phosphate importations from Western Sahara to blame. Press release, 14 November 2008



Australia Western Sahara Association

PRESS RELEASE

14 November 2008

A group of Western Sahara friends including Wesfarmers shareholders asked many questions to the management of Wesfarmers during its Annual General Meeting held in Perth on 13 November 2008: http://www.wesfarmers.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=60. The questions concerned the involvement of Wesfarmers subsidiary CSBP in the illegal exploitation of phosphate rock from Western Sahara.

In the course of the past year Wesfarmers' importation of phosphate rock from Morocco, sourced in Western Sahara has troubled ethical investment advisors and fund holders internationally to the point of recommending the divestment of shareholdings in Wesfarmers. The latest is a major Swedish insurance company, Folksam.

There is growing awareness too amongst Australian investors and indeed the current Prime Minister has expressed deep misgivings about this trade.

Wesfarmers' fertiliser subsidiary, CSBP is the second biggest Australian importer of phosphate from Western Sahara. Phosphate rock is sold by Morocco although it comes from Bou Craa mine in the part of Western Sahara under military occupation by Morocco.

"This is the crux of the problem", says Cate Lewis, secretary of the Australia Western Sahara Association (Victoria), "CSBP is buying phosphate from Morocco, which is not Morocco 's to sell. It belongs to the people of Western Sahara."

Believing that shareholders should be made aware of this growing movement of divestment from Wesfarmers, members of the Australia Western Sahara Association asked questions at Wesfarmers' AGM on Thursday in Perth. The Association believes imports should be placed on hold until the referendum of self-determination is held to allow the Saharawi people to decide whether to be an independent country or part of Morocco.

In international law, Western Sahara is a 'non-self-governing territory', whose natural resources can only be traded with the consent and for the benefit of the indigenous people of that territory, in this case the Saharawi people (see Hans Corell's legal opinion: www.arso.org/UNlegaladv.htm). Morocco argues that the revenue is used for infrastructure projects that ultimately benefit the Saharawis however there is little evidence for this and Saharawis have certainly not been consulted about the extraction of their resources nor the distribution of the revenue derived from it.

The ethical argument against this trade is even stronger. It supports a brutal regime which commits human rights abuses on a daily basis against the Saharawi people under occupation. Morocco 's claim to Western Sahara is resisted by the Saharawis and has never been recognised by any country in the world, including Australia. Unfortunately your trade with Morocco effectively legitimises that regime and props up its intransigence in the 33 year-long UN process towards resolving sovereignty.

Around 160,000 Saharawi refugees have lived in exile across the border in south-west Algeria in extremely harsh conditions for this period. It is worth noting that with the price of phosphate rock having risen to 490 USD per tonne, the value of just two shiploads to Fremantle exceeds that of the entire annual humanitarian aid going to the Saharawi refugees.

The President of the Australia Western Sahara Association, former senator, Lyn Allison, wrote to Wesfarmers this week saying: "we urge you to raise the matter at the forthcoming AGM and announce to shareholders that you will cease as soon as possible the importation of phosphate rock sourced from this occupied country." She added: "we will be encouraging investors and shareholders to hold the board of Wesfarmers to account on this unethical and arguably risky trade."

The trend towards ethically sound investment may well grow as a result of recent events in global financial markets.

For Further Information:
Contact Cate Lewis 0407 288 358 or Ron Guy 0428 173 970
http://www.awsa.org.au/
http://www.wsrw.org

You can watch the questions and answers here:
http://www-waa-akam.thomson-webcast.net/au/dispatching/?event_id=e6cd43c45d4f974f639292ccfb74dd95&portal_id=cff2f208e945b0c05d992e6231cc3d44

You need to choose the sections:
Formal business at 00:08.00
Formal Business at 00.43.00
Q&A Session at 00.10.00
Q&A Session at 35.00.00

The ABC's 7.30 Report ran a program about phosphate importations from Western Sahara on 9 June 2008. You can watch the 8 min program on:
http://www.wsrw.org/index.php?cat=128

Saharawi militant Aminetou Haidar receives Robert F. Kennedy Foundation Award

The Saharawi human rights defender and ex-prisoner of conscience, Mrs. Aminetou Haidar, received Thursday in New York, the price of the US Foundation of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial. The legal director of the American organisation, Mrs. Marselha Goncalves Margerin, underlied that the price was awarded to Aminetou Haidar amonst a choice of 120 candidates around the world, "to raise awareness about the Saharawi cause in the US". The Saharawi activist also won the "Special price of Castellfelds" 2008 (Barcelona), the "Juan Maria Banderas" price in May 2006, as well as the price of the "Club of the 25". The same year, the Saharawi militant received the American "Freedom awards 2006", by the American "Defense forum foundation". She also received many other awards such as the "Silver Rose 2007", by the international organisation "Solidar", and was nominated to the EU price « Sakharov » among others. Born in Western Sahara in 1967, this Saharawi human rights activist who played a key role in the defence of human rights and campaigned for the release of the Saharawi prisoners of conscience and for the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination. She was arrested, tortured and imprisoned many times by the Moroccan forces. In 1987, she was arrested without judgement and imprisoned in many centres of detention before she was released in 1991. Touring many countries she alerted the international public opinion as well as the Medias, the serious situation of her country due to the Moroccan colonial occupation. She also evoked the Saharawi peaceful uprising, qualifying the "expression of the determination of a people who do no more bare the colonial yoke". Despite "the repressive stringinstaled by the Moroccan authorities since the illegal occupation of Western Sahara in 1975, the "action of the Saharawi human rights defenders succeeded in breaking the wall of silence, unveiling to the world the serious violations of the human rights", she underlined during a tour in France describing "the winds of revolution" when "the popular uprising started in El Aaiun in May 21 2005 because of the abusive transfer of a Saharawi prisoner of conscience from El Aaiun to Agadir". This prisoner "has rejected the Moroccan nationality that is imposed to us, and rejected his Moroccan identity card", she added. "The speech, which was confiscated for thirty years, was finally liberated, Mrs. Aminetou Haidar, who "keeps a lot of hope that the struggle of the Saharawi people will continue for the organisation of a un referendum that puts an end to this suffering".

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Hundreds demonstrators in Cadiz support Saharawi people’s exercise to self-determination

A demonstration was organised Wednesday in the region of Cadiz following the initiative of the political party of Progress and Democracy (UPD), a source close to the Saharawi representative in Spain. Hundreds demonstrators and personalities lifted the flags of the Saharawi Republic and chanted slogans in favour of the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination, the same source added. Demonstrators also called to the stopping of repression in the occupied territories of Western Sahara by Morocco, exhorting Spain "to assume its historical and moral responsibilities towards Western Sahara".

A delegation of Saharawi human rights activists start a visit to the UN

A delegation composed of Saharawi human rights defenders recently arrived to Washington, within the framework of a work visit and to participate to the ceremony of delivery of the Robert F. Kennedy Award to the Saharawi human rights activist and ex-prisoner of conscience. The delegation is composed of the laureate of the RFK Price, Mrs. Aminetou Haidar, recently elected president of the Collective of the Saharawi Human Rights Defenders (CODESA), accompanied by lawyers, Mohamed Lehbib Khalili and Mohamed Fadel Lili, the deputy-president of the ASVDH, Mrs. Jimi Elghalia, and members of the CODESA, Mrs. Fatma Ayach along with Misters Ali salem Tamek, Mohamed El Moutawakil and Mohamed Salem Lakhal. During the visit Mrs. Aminetou Haidar was received at the centre of Justice and Human Rights. The meeting tackled the ways of action for the defence of human rights in Western Sahara and then latest developments of the question of the last colony in Africa. The Saharawi human rights activist was also received at the seat of the US Congress, while the other members of the American Foundation RFK Memorial to discuss the deteriorated situation of the human rights in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, in the south of Morocco and in the Moroccan universities. The American foundation will award Mrs. Aminetou Haidar the Robert F. Kennedy Price during a ceremony that will be organsie in Washington and sponsored by Senator Ted Kennedy in recognition to her "struggle in favour of the self-determination in Western Sahara and against the violations committed by the Moroccan government of occupation", it should be recalled.

President of the UN General Assembly: Western Sahara full independence is the only solution

The President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, asserted that solving the question of Western Sahara will be only by recognizing the right of the Saharawis to self-determination and their full independence, denying that Western Sahara was Moroccan. In an interview with Al Arabiya television, Mr. d’Escoto said that his efforts are focused on finding a final solution to the question of Western Sahara, emphasizing that Western Sahara was a Spanish colony and has never been a part of Morocco, contrary to what is being circulated by Moroccan diplomacy. The UN official stated in the same interview that recognizing the rights of the Saharawis will only enable them to gain their full independence, and he added that he is eager to enable them to achieve self-determination. The UN official returned to talk about the commitments agreed upon between Morocco and the POLISARIO Front but had not been respected, the same official added, in a clear reference to the Baker plan and the UN-OAU settlement plan, as well as United Nations resolutions which affirm the right of the Saharawis to self-determination in a free and fair referendum. In his response to a question concerning the issue of organizing the referendum on self-determination of the Saharawi people, Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann said "I do not know what the future holds after 08 months if you ask me the same question I may not have the answer”. He continued, "we must not leave this issue in the shadows forever without finding a solution and the way it existed if we would recognize the rights of the Saharawis to self-determination, which is to allow them full independence, because 50 or 60 percent of Western Sahara is under occupation”, adding that recognizing The rights of the Saharawis is essential.

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The Liberal Party of Norway demands EU clarification

The Executive Board of The Liberal Party of Norway demands that Western Sahara be excluded from EU's cooperation with Morocco.



Below is an unofficial translation, made by Western Sahara Resource Watch, of a resolution from the Executive Board meeting of The Liberal Party of Norway, November 8th, 2008. See original (in Norwegian) here. The campaign referred to below is to be found on the homepages of Western Sahara Resource Watch. ELDR refers to the European Liberal Democrats.



The Liberal Party of Norway demands an independent Western Sahara!

The Liberal Party of Norway supports the campaign calling for Western Sahara being excluded from the cooperation between the EU and Morocco.

The territory on the north-western shores of Africa is occupied by Morocco. In 1991, a ceasefire was declared between the liberation group Polisario and Moroccan authorities, under the precondition that the people of Western Sahara were to vote whether it was supposed to be declared an independent state in 1992. This referendum has not yet been arranged and a large part of the people currently lives in refugee camps in Algeria.

Morocco is now about to be granted a so-called “Advanced Status” cooperation with the EU. But so far, the EU has not tried to prevent occupied Western Sahara from being included in the cooperation. The Liberal Party of Norway is very concerned for what consequences it could have for the Sahrawis and for their struggle for an independent Western Sahara if the occupied territories be included into the EU cooperation. Morocco’s Minister for Foreign Affairs has recently stated that the EU partnership will lead to Morocco getting international political support in the Western Sahara issue. It can also lead to Western Sahara’s economy being even further integrated into the Moroccan economy, through international commercial participation and possibly European aid arrangements.

The Liberal Party of Norway:
• Joins the campaign with the goal of having Western Sahara excluded from the so-called “Advanced Status” cooperation, which Morocco is about the be granted by the EU.

• Calls on the Norwegian government to put pressure on the EU to make sure that the occupied Western Sahara be kept outside of the EU-Moroccan cooperation.

• Calls on the ELDR to join the campaign.

Spanish political party calls on Spanish citizens to massively participate in a demonstration next Saturday in Madrid

The Spanish party of the Union for Democracy and Progress called on Spanish citizens to massively participate in the demonstration that will be organised next Saturday in Madrid on the 33 anniversary of the wicked Madrid Tripartite Accord. The party reaffirmed in a statement, of which the Saharawi Press Service received a copy, that its vice president Rosa Diez with member Meguel buesa and others will participate in the demonstration called for by the Coordination of the associations of solidarity and friendship with the Saharawi people in the capital Madrid to demand independence for Western Sahara, demand the application of international legality, and denounce the human rights Violations in the occupied zones of the last colony in Africa. The party pointed out that the demands of the Saharawi people are legitimate and in the course of dignity, and added in its statement that citizens favouring the right of the Saharawi people should march in support of this right on Nov 15 in the streets of Spanish capital Madrid. The statement said that the president of the party will forward this urgent call to the Spanish Chamber of Deputies at a later time, the statement reminded also of the meeting of the party delegation with the representative of the Polisario Front in Spain, Mr. Buchraya bayon. It was also mentioned that the union for Democracy and progress has initiated an awareness-raising campaign for the Saharawi question, accompanied by public activities at the level of Spanish provinces. The Spanish party called on its members to massively participate in this demonstration on Nov 15, and this was included in a paper of the campaign titled "the campaign of the party of the Union for Democracy and Progress for freedom in Western Sahara".

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Election of Aminatu Haidar as president of the Collective of the Saharawi human right defenders

the Collective of the Saharawi human right defenders (CODESA) announced the official constitution of the organisation a Saharawi human right organization and elected the Saharawi human rights defender, Aminatu Haidar, as its president. CODESA, which works on the ground for the last 6 years in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, is considered by the Moroccan authorities as illegal, and was denied the right to the constitution last year. Aminatu Haidar, an imminent human rights activist, and winners of many human rights prizes at the international level, had been arrested and tortured several times by the Moroccan colonial authorities because of her political position on the question of Western Sahara, and also engaged in several hunger strikes in prisons. Since 2006, she started an international campaigns to raise awareness about the plight of the Saharawi people and the human rights violations in the occupied zones of Western Sahara. She visited so far Europe, US and South Africa in the African country. Aminatu haidar, is expected to receive the Robert Kennedy award for human rights of 2008, tomorrow in the U.S capital Washington, and will be handed to her personally by the widow of Robert Kennedy. Professor of politics and international studies at the American University of San Francesco, Stephen Zunes, told the National newspaper of Emirates that this award would reveal a terrible reality of human rights that is prevailing now in Western Sahara, which needs to be made public.

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Yara under police investigation for Western Sahara shipments

The fertilizer company Yara remains under investigation by Norwegian police after having purchased a shipload of phosphates from occupied Western Sahara. In August 2008, it was discovered that the Norwegian fertilizer producer Yara International had imported phosphates from occupied Western Sahara, despite previous promises that they would never again carry out such imports. Yara has over the last 3 years followed the recommendations from the Norwegian government, which urges Norwegian companies to neither trade with nor invest in Western Sahara until the dispute over the territory is settled. But despite earlier promises and despite Norwegian government policy, and despite the fact that Yara is over 40 percent owned by the Norwegian government, the news service Norwatch revealed in August that Yara had imported a cargo containing 16.800 tonnes of phosphates from Western Sahara. The value of the cargo, transported by a bulk vessel named ‘African Wildcat’, was estimated to be around 4,3 million euros. See coverage of the story on Norwegian national broadcaster, NRK, to the right (in Norwegian). The cargo was discharged at Yara’s harbour at Herøya, from 30th of July to 6th of August this year. Norwatch even got hold of a photo documenting the vessel at harbour (on top). “I can confirm that we have imported one phosphate shipment. We are not about to start importing phosphate originating from Western Sahara”, Bente Slaatten, public relations officer at Yara told Norwatch. Reported to the police Few days after the revelation was made, the Association of Sahrawis in Norway, together with the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara reported Yara to the police. “The production and export of the phosphates is done by an illegal occupying power in violation of the wishes and interests of the people of the territory, the Sahrawis”, the two organizations stated in the file handed over to the police on 29 August. “Thus, the phosphate exports must be considered a theft. The customer of the phosphates, Yara, has knowingly purchased the stolen goods, and thereby violated 317 of the Norwegian Penal Code on fencing of stolen property”, the statement said. The story of the reporting to the police was covered by the private national TV station, TV2 (to the right, in Norwegian). The Oslo district police has confirmed to the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara that the issue is currently under investigation. Promised to stop As late as in 2005, Yara promised in Norwegian media that it would not again import from Western Sahara. “Under the present circumstances we feel that it is correct to refrain from buying phosphate originating from Western Sahara”, Yara said to Norwegian Business Daily, Dagens Næringsliv, in 2005. After the the revelation of the August 2008 shipment, Yara has repeated numerous times to Norwegian media that this policy remains unchanged. The import in August was an exception, only related to testing of production facilities in Norway that they are investing millions of euros in, according to Yara. “We have had a project in which we tested various types of phosphate. In that project we chose to include this type, with an expectation that some time in the future the Western Sahara conflict will be resolved, and that the UN and Norwegian authorities will no longer advice against it. Now that we are investing large sums in the new plant, we must ensure that we get it right”, Slaatten told Norwatch. This message was actually also conveyed to Norwegian authorities two weeks before “African Wildcat” entered the harbour of El Aaiun, in occupied Western Sahara. The Ministry of Trade and Industry had been updated about Yara’s import already in beginning of July –but failed to prevent Yara from carrying out the trade. “Yara informed us that it would not start importing phosphate from the mentioned areas as long as the UN and the Norwegian authorities advised against import from Western Sahara”; said Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Øyvind Slåke, to Norwatch. Not yet apologized Yara has still not consulted the representatives of the Sahrawi people, nor apologized for their imports, which entails a serious political and economic loss for the Sahrawi people. Nor has Yara compensated for the loss. The value of the stolen phosphates equals 25% of the entire multilateral aid that is given by the international community to the Sahrawi refugees in Algeria in one entire year. A recent report by Norwegian Church Aid reveals that 19% of children in the refugee camps suffer from malnourishment, making the situation in the camps one of the most acute in the world. Unethical “A particularly serious violation of fundamental ethical norms e.g. because it may strengthen Morocco’s sovereignty claims and thus contribute to undermining the UN peace process”. That is what the US energy company Kerr-McGee’s involvement in Western Sahara was called by the Norwegian Ministry of Finance in 2005. The breach was considered so serious that the Norwegian government’s pension fund decided to divest from the US oil company. The three political parties in the Norwegian coalition government all have adopted strong resolutions demanding Norwegian companies to stay away from Western Sahara. The revelations of Yara’s phosphates import come shortly after three Norwegian shipping companies announced they do not wish to participate in similar trade. The Bergen-based shipping company R-Bulk was caught red-handed in April, when one of its ships had transported phosphate from the occupied country to Colombia. “We have of course taken this up with the shipping company that leased the ship, so that they will do their utmost to prevent this from happening in the future,” R-Bulk’s chairman of the board told the National Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) in Hordaland. “We are located in Asia and admit that we knew nothing about Western Sahara. We have only had a single charter. But now that we have become aware of the Western Sahara issue, we won’t take on new contracts for assignments there,” Raymond Ching, vice president of Oslo Stock Exchange-listed Jinhui Shipping, told the leading English-language newspaper South China Morning Post on 11 May 2008. Jinhui withdrew from the assignments after Norwegian insurance compnay Storebrand had taken the case up with the shipping company and after Norwatch had reported the involvement. In November 2007 the Farsund-based shipping company Arnesen Shipbrokers informed NRK that it would do likewise. See an overview of the Yara coverage in Norwegian media here See Norwatch’s stories here: - 27th of August 2008:Yara Ignored Norwegian Ethical Standards - 27th of August 2008:The Government Knew about the Yara Transaction - 28th of August 2008: -NHD-bjellene skulle ringt (in Norwegian)

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