Western Sahara conflict: UN decolonization doctrine must be upheld, says Lamamra

New York (United Nations), September 28, 2014 (SPS) - Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra on Saturday in New York called the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to uphold UN doctrine regarding the decolonization of Western Sahara.
 
The assessment report Ban Ki-Moon will present in 2015 about Western Sahara conflict between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front "should uphold UN doctrine on decolonization and evaluate the effectiveness of the resolutions of the Security Council and the General assembly," Algerian Foreign Minister stressed during the general debate of the 69th ordinary session of the UN General Assembly.
 
"Algeria, whose undeniable support to Western Sahara people's self-determination is well established, encourages the UN secretary general and his personal envoy, Christopher Ross, to intensify their efforts to restore peace" in the region, Lamamra said.
 
"In its capacity as a coordinator of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)'s work team on the revitalization of the General Assembly, Algeria will continue its efforts for the UN body, which is the most representative of the international system, to recover its prerogatives." (SPS)
 

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Namibia calls for full implementation of UN resolutions on Western Sahara

New York (United Nations), September 27, 2014 (SPS) - H.E Hifikepunye Pohamba, president of the republic of Namibia, called has for the full implementation of United Nations resolutions on Western Sahara.
 
He underlined that the international community must fulfill its obligations and assist the people of Western Sahara realize their inalienable rights to self-determination.
 
 In his speech Friday, on the occasion of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly, President Hifikepunye Pohamba said “we call for the full implementation of all relevant UN resolutions on Western Sahara and Palestine. The international community must fulfill its obligations and assist the people of Western Sahara and Palestine realize their inalienable rights to self-determination”. (SPS)

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Tanzania urges UNSC to resolve Western Sahara question once and for all

New York, Sept 26, 2014 (SPS) - President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Mr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, on Thursday reiterated his appeal to the Security Council of the United Nations Organization to resolve the question of Western Sahara.

In his address at the general debate of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Kikwete reiterated the appeal his country (Tanzania) made last year at the UNGA to the United Nations Security Council “to do everything within its powers to resolve this problem once and for all.”

He lamented for the fact that the issue of Western Sahara, which happened about the same time with that of East Timor nearly 40 years ago, remain “unresolved” up to this day.

Wondering what are the insurmountable challenges impeding the UN to end the impasse in the territory of Western Sahara, Mr. Kikwete asked the world to do the needful and put to rest the Saharawi question. (SPS)

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Mugabe to UNGA: Africa remains seized with Western Sahara issue

New York, Sept 25, 2014 (SPS) - President of the Republic of Zimbabwe H.E. Mr. Robert Mugabe on Thursday said before the UN General Assembly that Africa remains “seized” with the issue of Western Sahara, the last colonial vestige in the continent.

In his speech before the 69th session of the UN General Assembly, underway in New York, Zimbabwe President underlined that Africa remains “seized with the issue of Western Sahara, the last colonial vestige in Africa.”

Mr. Mugabe also called upon the United Nations not to shake off its responsibility to ensure the achievement of self-determination by the people of Western Sahara.

He, on other hand, stated that his country believes that the UN should promote dialogue to achieve peace, rule of law and common understanding among states, asking the international community to remain “intensively engaged and support” Africa in the maintenance of peace and stability.

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South Africa continues to support struggle for freedom in Western Sahara

New York, Sept 25, 2014 (SPS) - President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Mr. Jacob Zuma, on Wednesday indicated that her country continues to support the struggle for freedom and self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.

Addressing the 69th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, convened from 24th to 30th September 2014, Mr. Zuma said that his country (South Africa) will continue “to support the struggles for freedom and self- determination, including the struggles of the peoples of Palestine and Western Sahara who continue to experience occupation and colonialism of different forms.” (SPS)

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Western Sahara: MINURSO cannot become occupation supporter body, says Ould Salek

Algiers, September 21, 2014 (SPS) - Saharawi Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Salek said Sunday, in Algiers, that it is "inconceivable that the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) becomes a body backing occupation instead of a peace mission."
 
"The credibility of the United Nations is put to the test with this issue, as the very essence of UN existence is at stake, namely people's right to self-determination," the Saharawi official told a news conference.
 
Ould Salek said his country "strongly condemns Security Council's acting in complicity with Moroccan occupation, and especially the group of the five friends of the secretary general (four of the five permanent member countries, except china, plus Spain, a non-permanent member).
 
Such complicity has led Morocco to "flout international legality and to adopt a policy of intransigence, suppression and intimidation with the full knowledge of the international community and world public opinion," he stressed.
 
The Saharawi official broached the "hindrances" to the efforts made by UN secretary general's personal envoy, Christopher Ross, "prevented currently from visiting the region." (SPS)

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Mennucci deplores Sahrawi people’s “difficult” conditions in refugee camps

Algiers, September 21, 2014 (SPS) - Head of the French delegation of Algeria-France parliamentary friendship group Patrick Mennucci deplored Sunday in Algiers the “difficult” humanitarian conditions of the Sahrawi people in the refugee camps in Tindouf.
 
In a joint press conference with his Algerian counterpart Belkacen Belabes, Mennucci underlined that the “unacceptable” situation and the “difficult” humanitarian conditions in which the Sahrawi people live in the camps.
 
Mennucci underlined the Sahrawi people’s willingness to find a political situation to their situation.
 
In this regard, he called for a “political exit” to the conflict in Western Sahara given the “complex” situation in the region particularly in Mali and Libya.
 
The French Member of Parliament said he held talks with the Sahrawi President and Sahrawi senior officials on the “Sahrawi people’s willingness to find a political solution to their situation.” (SPS)

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AI launches urgent appeal to protect Sahrawi prisoners in occupied El Aaiun Local Prison

London, September 20, 2014 (SPS) -  Amnesty International (AI) initiated Thursday an appeal to protect seven Sahrawi prisoners on hunger strike against torture at the Local Prison in the occupied city of El Aaiun, on its official site.   
 
The organization indicated that the seven Sahrawi prisoners were “severely” beaten on 17 September in El Aaiun Local Prison and they have gone on hunger strike in protest.
 
The seven Sahrawi prisoners were “Mohamed Baber, Abdessalam Loumadi, Abdelmoutaleb Sarir, Mahmoud El Haissan, Aaliayne El Moussaoui, Abdelkrim Bouchalga and Abdelfattah Dallal,” who were “subjected to torture and other ill-treatment” by staff at El Aaiun Local Prison where they are detained.
 
The seven prisoners were “handcuffed, severely beaten in the prison courtyard in front of other detainees, and verbally abused.” And that eyewitnesses reportedly indicated that “all have sustained significant bruising and injuries.” (SPS)
 

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France should play role in supporting peace, democracy and human rights in Western Sahara (President of Republic)

Shaheed Hafed, September 20, 2014 (SPS) - President of the Republic Secretary-General of the Polisario Front Mohamed Abdelaziz called France to play a role in supporting peace, stability and human rights in Western Sahara, in a statement following a meeting with a French delegation of Algeria-France parliamentary friendship group.
 
The President of the Republic underlined that France could play an important role in the era of President Francois Hollande, similar to that of Algeria under the leadership of  President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, to support peace, security and stability in the region on the basis of respect for peoples’ rights, sovereignty and dignity.
 
President Mohamed Abdelaziz also called for advanced relations between France and Maghreb countries in general.
 
For his part, the Socialist deputy of the city of Marseille and the head of the delegation Mr. Patrick Minucci pledged to transfer the reality of situation of the Saharawi people and the difficult conditions experienced by the Sahrawi refugees to the French government and Parliament. (SPS)

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French delegation of Algeria-France parliamentary friendship group visits Sahrawi refugee camps

Smara (Refugee Camps), September 20, 2014 (SPS) - A French delegation of Algeria-France Parliamentary Friendship Group, led by its head Patrick Mennucci, has started Friday a visit to the Sahrawi refugee camps to enquire about their situation.
 
The visit "is an opportunity to enquire about the situation of the Sahrawi refugees and the difficult humanitarian conditions in which they are living in the camps, far from anything read in book or reported by the media or on the Net," said Mennuci upon his arrival.
 
"This visit doesn't in any way represent the official position of France, but it is an opportunity for the French MPs to see with their own eyes the difficult humanitarian situation of Sahrawi refugees since 37 years," he said.
 
"We have an important humanitarian role to play towards Sahrawi people, as French MPs, and also a political role among French MPs and politicians, said Mennuci.
 
For their part, the Sahrawis expressed readiness for peaceful solution to the conflict, and their refusal to yield an inch of their despoiled territory and their natural resources exploited by others.
 
The French MPs will be received by Sahrawi President Mohamed Abdelaziz and Speaker of Sahrawi Parliament Khatri Eddouh. (SPS)

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