January 2012

Rabat (Morocco), Jan 31, 2012 (SPS) .- Peru's Foreign Minister , Rafael Roncagliolo said Monday that his country supports a negotiated settlement to the conflict of Western Sahara within the framework of the United Nations.

"Any proposal must be discussed in the framework of the United Nations, and we hope to reach a negotiated settlement acceptable by both parties," said Peruvian Foreign Minister at press conference in Rabat (Morocco), responding to question on the Peru's position from the Western Sahara conflict.

Addis Ababa 31, Jan 2012 (SPS) - President of the Republic and Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz has called on Monday in Addis Ababa for stopping the blundering of the Saharawi natural resources by Moroccan authorities of occupation.

Addis Ababa 31, Jan 2012 (SPS) - The President of the Republic and Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Mr.Mohamed Abdelaziz, said Monday in Addis Ababa that "leaders of Africa and the world cannot ignore deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied Western Sahara.

Sale (Morocco), Jan 30, 2012 (SPS) - The six Saharawi students, who are detained since April 21, 2011 on the ground of holding peaceful protests to denounce the death of the Saharawi student Hbad Hamadi, are expected to appear today before the Court of Appeal in Sale, Morocco, according to a source of the Ministry of Occupied Territories and Communities Abroad.

The trail is third of its kind after the procrastination that affected them by the same court, which was postponed their trail two previous occasions.

El Aaiun (occupied territories), Jan 30, 2012 (SPS) - The Saharawi woman, Ms. Lala Hatra Aram, was brutally attacked Friday near his home in El Aaiun, the capital of occupied Western Sahara, by the Moroccan police officers wearing official and civilian clothes, said the Collective of the Sahrawi human Rights defenders (CODESA).

According to the victim’s statements cited by the CODESA, “she was assaulted for participating in peaceful demonstrations calling for the political and social rights of the Sahrawi people.”

El Aaiun (occupied territories), Jan 30, 2012 (SPS) - Dozens of Saharawi victims of repression, enforced disappearance and political detention organized Friday a peaceful sit-in outside what so-called the Local Office of the Moroccan Council for Human Rights in the occupied city of El Aaiun, informed a source of the Ministry of Occupied Territories and Communities Abroad.

Addis Ababa, Jan 30, 2012 (SPS) - Heads of State and Government of the African Union have elected Mr. Thomas Yayi Boni, President of the Republic of Benin, as chairperson of the Au for 2012 during a closed session of the 18th Ordinary Summit at the Union’s new headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

United Nations, Jan 30, 2012 (SPS) - The UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Mr. Christopher Ross, has noted that the absence of a solution in Western Sahara “has imposed growing risks and costs for the parties, the Maghreb region and for international community.”

Mr. Ross confirmed, in an interview with the UN News Centre, that the risks for the parties “include the possible renewal of military hostilities and the possible outbreak of popular unrest.”

The Heads of State as well as heads of delegations of the 54 African Union member countries proceeded in the morning with a tree planting ceremony at a site identified for that purpose within the premises of the new building at the AU headquarters. It was a symbolic act aimed at sensitizing the African population on the need to preserve green vegetation to fight drought on the continent.

United Nations, Jan 30, 2012 (SPS) - “We also hope that the people of Western Sahara, whether they be in the territory or in the refugee camps, will enjoy full human rights, including the freedom to express their views on their future and that the negotiators will take these views into account,” stated Friday Mr. Christopher Ross, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara in an interview with UN News Centre.

London, January 27, 2012 (SPS) - An exhibition on Western Sahara has been organized at the University of Warwick, UK, as part of the international exhibition “Week of Africa and the Middle East,” reported Thursday the Polisario Front representation in the UK.

The opening of the exhibition was attended by the Polisario Front’s representative in the United Kingdom, NGO Sandblast, the organization “Saharawi Justice” and students of the University.

Shaheed Al Hafed (refugee camps), Jan 27, 2012 (SPS) - The National Preparatory Committee for the 12th edition of the international demonstration Sahara Marathon held Thursday a meeting chaired by Mr. Mohamed Moulud Mohamed Fadel, minister of sport and youth, and in the presence of members of the National Secretariat and government.

Shahed Elhafed (Refugee Camps ), Jan 25, 2011 (SPS) - President of the Republic Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz has overseen on Wednesday the inauguration of new headquarters of Sahara News Service (SPS) in the presence of Prime Minister, Members of National Secretariat, Ministers and national media.

President of the Republic underlined the leading rule of SPS in the path of national struggle to freedom and independence.

Addis Abeba, Jan 24, 2012 (SPS) - Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) of the African Union has called for monitoring human rights in occupied Western Sahara, during its Twenty third ordinary session opened Monday in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia .

PRC asked the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to provide constant informations on the developments taking place in occupied Western Sahara.

San Jose, Jan 24, 2012 (SPS) - A Saharawi delegation takes part at the meeting of the Socialist International council held in San José, Costa Rica from 23 to 24 January 2012, reported today SADR Embassy in Nicaragua.

The delegation comprises of Minister in charge of Latin America, Mohamed Yeslim Beissat and Ambassador in Nicaragua, Sueiliman Teib Henan.

New York, Jan 23, 2012 (SPS) - Human Rights Watch (HRW) called Saturday on the Moroccan authorities to respect the right of assembly and protest in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, its 2012 World Report that assesses progress on human rights during the past year in more than 90 countries.

El Aaiun (occupied territories), Jan 23, 2012 (SPS) - The Saharawi political prisoner, Ali Salem Cheikhatou Bella, subjected Saturday to physical and verbal assault by three officers from the Moroccan local prison of occupied El Aaiun and in the presence of his family members, informed a source of the Ministry of Occupied Territories and Communities Abroad.

Madrid, Jan 22, 2012 (SPS) - Association of the Saharawi Students in Madrid, Spain, launched Saturday a large-scale campaign against the systematic and continuous looting of the natural resources of Western Sahara.

The campaign initiated with the organization of the first protest sit-in at Puerta Del Sol Square in the heart of the capital Madrid.

Shaheed Al Hafed (refugee camps), Jan 22, 2012 (SPS) - The President of the Republic and Secretary-General of the Frente Polisario, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz, stressed on the necessity “to ensure an appropriate conditions to hold responsible elections for the parliament next February,” in as speech delivered Saturday in June 9th School at the opening of work of the supervising national committee of parliament’s elections.

Shaheed Al Hafed (refugee camps), Jan 22, 2012 (SPS) - The Committee of elections of the Saharawi National Council (Parliament) announced that the elections will be held on February 21st, after a meeting chaired by its President and Member of the National Secretariat, Mr. Mhamed Khaddad.

The Committee also decided that the political conferences will start from Feb 18 to 20, on the basis that the campaigns of the candidates and dissemination of Polisario 13th Congress’s results begin.