October 2013

Washington, Oct 31, 2013 (SPS) - “Polisario Front will continue to place its confidence in the United Nations to put an end to the conflict of occupied Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa,” the Representative of the Polisario Front to the UN, Mr. Boukhari Ahmed, told APS on Wednesday.


The Saharawi representative was speaking after the presentation by the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, of his report to the Security Council on his recent tour in the region.

Abuja, Oct 31, 2013 (SPS) - The African Conference of Solidarity with the Saharawis people, held in Abuja on 28-30 October 2013, has issued a declaration calling on the African Union (AU) and its member states to impose economic, military and diplomatic sanctions against Morocco just as it had successfully done with the Apartheid regime in South Africa.


The three-day conference was held under the theme : “Liberation of Western Sahara: Ending colonialism in Africa’’.

New York, Oct 31, 2013 (SPS) - The Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, presented Wednesday his report on the Saharawi question to the Security Council, suggesting the launch of "a new phase in the negotiations based on discreet and separate bilateral exchanges with each of the parties (Morocco and the Frente Polisario)."


Mr. Ross held consultations behind closed doors with the decision-making body of the United Nations following the tour that has led him to the region from 7 to 25 October 2013.

Washington, Oct 31, 2013 (SPS) - "Human Rights Watch continues to make more efforts for the respect of humanr rights in the Western Sahara," stated Mr. Eric Goldstein, Deputy Director of HRW’s Middle East and North Africa Division, in a meeting with a delegation, who is touring U.S. to aware about the Saharawi cause.


Mr. Goldstein recalled to the efforts being made by Human Rights Watch for the release of Saharawis political prisoners of Gdeim Izik.

Banjul, Oct 31, 2013 (SPS) - Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), Mrs. Zainabo Sylvie Kayitesi, has expressed "deep concern" over the escalated violations of human rights in the occupied Western Sahara, in a meeting held Wednesday in Banjul, capital of Gambia, with Mr. Abba Heisan, Secretary General of Saharawis Jurists Union.


This meeting also attended by Mrs. Mary Maboroke, ACHPR’s Secretary General.

Boujdour (refugee camps), Oct 31, 2013 (SPS) - 7th edition of the International Encounters of Art and Human Rights in Western Sahara, known as ARTifariti, will be celebrated in the Wilaya of Boujdour, Saharawi refugee camps, in the period from 3 to 8 November 2013, said Mr. Mustafa Mohamed Fadel, Secretary General of the Saharawi Ministry of Culture, in a statement to SPS.
 

Bir Lahlou ( Liberated Territories ) , 30 October 2013 ( SPS) - Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz, President of the Republic  and Secretary- General of the Frente POLISARIO has urged the European Union and its member states to intensify efforts to protect the fundamental rights of the Saharawi people and to work to end the Moroccan illegal occupation of Western Sahara, in a letter sent to Ms. Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission.

Abuja (Nigeria) 30 October 2013 (SPS) -An African committee for coordinating solidarity of African civil society with Western Sahara was created Wednesday in Ajuba (Nigeria), following the African Conference of solidarity with the struggle of the Saharawi people

The "Task Force" includes a core of six countries, namely South Africa, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, the "Abuja Statement," said.  

Stockholm, Oct 30,2013 (SPS) - A Saharawis delegation, led by the Saharawis Coordinator witz the MINURSO Mr. Mhamed Khaddad, is taking part at a forum organized in Stockholm, capital of Sweden, in the period from 24 to 30 October 2013 under the title: "a new global agreement" , said Polisario Front’s representation in Sweden.


This forum is organized by the Progressive Alliance and the Social Democratic Party of Sweden.

Bremen (Germany), Oct 30, 2013 (SPS) - The Bremen Solidarity Award for the year 2013 has been awarded by the German Province of Bremen to the Saharawis activist and President of the Collective of Saharawis Human Rights Defenders (CODESA), Ms. Aminatou Haidar, informed Wednesday the Polisario Front’s office in the province.

Abuja, Oct 30, 2013 (SPS) - The International Network for the Study of the effects of mines and walls in Western Sahara (REMMSO) has called from Abuja, capital of Nigeria, on the international community to join the international campaign against the Moroccan military wall, which separates Western Sahara’s territory and people.

Washington, Oct 30, 2013 (SPS) - The U.S. Congresswoman and Chairwoman of the parliamentary group “Western Sahara caucus”, Ms. Betty McCollum, has expressed, in a meeting with African women delegation, her concern over the status quo of peace in the Western Sahara, especially with regard to the continued deterioration of human rights.

Portugal, Oct 30, 2013 (SPS) - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) organized Monday evening the 4th seminar on the status of camel in Saharawi culture, according to a press release issued by the office of the Saharawi Coordinator with the MINURSO Mr. Mhamed Khadda.

Bir Lehlou (liberated territories), Oct 30, 2013 (SPS) - President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Frente Polisario Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz has urged European Union Member States to refrain from signing and formalising the new EU Fisheries Protocol with Morocco because it does not explicitly exclude the territorial waters of Western Sahara, hilighting that such act would undermine UN efforts to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict.

Washington, Oct 29, 2013 (SPS) - A delegation of African women has advocated for the Saharawi cause at the forum "A World of Women for World Peace", which opened Monday at the U.S. Congress headquarters in Washington.


The event is suppervised by the U.S. Congresswoman, Eddie Bernice Johnson.

Algiers, Oct 29, 2013 (SPS) - The President of Algeria, Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, has reminded the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, of the Organization’s responsibilities towards the decolonization and self-determination of the Saharawis people, in a letter addressed Monay to mark the United Nations Day.

Algiers, Oct 29, 2013 (SPS) - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria Mr. Ramtane Lamamra described Tuesday in Algiers as "irresponsible" and "unacceptable" the media attack by the Moroccan News Agency (MAP) against Algeria following the call made by President of the Algerian Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika for monitoring of human rights in Western Sahara, calling the "Moroccan brothers for restraint."

London, Oct 29, 2013 (SPS) - The British ONG “Adala UK” has reported that the state of health of the Saharawi political Laroussi Abdeljalil Lemghaimad, one of the group of Gdeim Izik detainees who is currently serving a life sentence, has seriously deteriorated.


He has high blood pressure, which today (28th October) caused him to lose consciousness for more than an hour and lead to a nasal hemorrhage, said the same source.

Algiers, Oct 29, 2013 (SPS) - The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Ms. Maria Angela Holguin, said Tuesday in Algiers that her country supports a just, lasting and equitable solution to the question of Western Sahara in the framework of UN resolutions.


"We support the UN resolutions for a just, lasting and equitable solution to the question of Western Sahara," said Ms. Holguin, during a press conference held jointly with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Ramtane Lamamra in Algiers.

Bir Lehlou (liberated territories), Oct 29, 2013 (SPS) - The President of the Republic and Secretary General of the Polisario Front Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz has stressed that the situation in the occupied Western Sahara is “dangerous and deteriorating that requires the urgent international community intervention to immediately stop the oppression, blockade and restrictions.”