Tifariti (liberated territories), Dec 16, 2011 (SPS) - The Ambassador of South Africa to the Saharawi Republic, Mr. Joseph Kotane, has underlined “Africa is not free, until the entire Western Sahara is liberated,” in a speech in the opening day of the Polisario 13 Congress.
“It is an honour for me to address you on behalf of his Excellency President Jacob Zuma, government and people of the Republic of South Africa on the occasion of this important gathering, the thirteeth Cnogress of the Polisario Front, to reaffirm our solidarity and support to the Saharawi people and its just struggle,” said Mr. Kotane.
“It is indeed a matter of great shame, that when we get in Algiers around this time last year to celebrate 50th anniversary of the UN resolution 1514 on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, the Saharawi people continued to be denied that internationally inalienable right to self-determination and independence,” he regretted.
The South African diplomat expressed his concern that morocco continues to illegally control three quarters of Western Sahara in contrary to the international law, and continue to violate rights of Saharawi activists and looting of Western Sahara natural resources.
Mr. Kotane pointed out that the failure in finding settlement to Western Sahara conflict “has contributed to the prolongation of the misery experienced by the Saharawi refugees, who have been exiled to south east of Algeria under harsh conditions since 1975.”
The ambassador noted that since the 12th Congress of the Frente Polisario “the resistance in occupied territories of Western Sahara against Moroccan security forces has been intensified,” adding that this put Moroccan occupation in difficult situation exacerbated by the political and social challenges faced by the Moroccan regime at."
He also reiterated that South African government and people will stand side by side with the Saharawi people until achieving independence, expressing hope that this Congress “would come up with concrete recommendations contributing to the independence of Western Sahara. (SPS)
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