European Parliament to dispatch fact-finding mission to occupied Western Sahara

Strasburg, March 13, 2014 (SPS) - The European Parliament decided Tuesday to send a fact-finding mission to the occupied territories of Western Sahara next April to assess at first hand the reality of human rights and Saharawis’ benefit from their country’s natural resources, revealed Mr. Mohamed Ali Zerouali, Polisario Front’s Representative to Brussels.
This mission will be composed of 7 members of the European Parliament representing different political spectrums.
They group will see to what extent Rabat and the European Commission abide by terms of the agreement, signed between Morocco and the EU, which requires the benefit of the Saharawis from the revenues of their country’s natural wealth, and that Rabat respects human rights Western Sahara.
The Saharawi diplomat indicated that the visit of several European delegations to the occupied Western Sahara reflects the very important attention given to the issue of human rights.
He, in this respect, stressed the need to allow the MINURSO to monitor human rights in Western Sahara, open the territory before international observers and journalists, as well as grant the Saharawis their right to protest, assembly and free expression. (SPS)