February 2015

Algiers, Feb 22, 2015 (SPS) - President of the People’s Republic of Algeria, Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, received Sunday in Algiers the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Western Sahara, Mr. Christopher Ross, who is on a visit to Algeria as part of a tour in the region.


The meeting was attended by Algeria Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ramtane Lamamra and Minister for Maghreb and African Affairs, Mr. Abdelkader Messahel. (SPS)


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Le Havre (France), Feb 22, 2015 (SPS) - The French association “tanks for the Saharawis” has expressed its resentment for the announcement made in the middle of this month by French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve to give the Legion d'honneur to the head of Morocco’s intelligence, Abdellatif Hammouchi, who faces lawsuits over torture against Moroccans and Saharawis.

Algiers, Feb 22, 2015 (SPS) - UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Mr. Christopher Ross, on Sunday received in Algiers by Algeria Prime Minister, Mr. Abdelmalek Sellal, Prime Minister’s office announced.


At this meeting, the two sides “assessed the process of settlement of the Western Sahara issue in accordance with international law,” said the source.

Geneva, Feb 22, 2015 (SPS) - At the invitation of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), the Coordinator of the Saharawi Mine Action Coordination Office, Mr. Samu Ammu Dih, took part at the 18th International Meeting of Mine Action National Programme Directors and UN Advisors, convened from 16th to Friday 19th February 2015 in Geneva.

Awserd, Feb 22, 2015 (SPS) - The Governor of Awserd, Mr. Salek Baba Hasanna, on Saturday praised the work done by the U.S. non-governmental organization “Not Forgotten International” to consolidate solidarity and humanitarian action in the Saharawi refugee camps.


In a meeting with the ONG Executive Director Ms. Janet Lenz, the official hailed the efforts being made by the Organization to consolidate solidarity and humanitarian action for Saharawi refugees.

Dajla (occupied territories), Feb 22, 2015 (SPS) - The Moroccan occupying authorities on Saturday expelled four Canary Island’s activists from the occupied Saharawi city of Dajla, said Canary Association of Solidarity with the Saharawi People.


The group, composed of Patricia Gutiérrez, Luz María Rodríguez, Juan Francisco and Pedro Santana, was intended to inquire about the situation of human rights and provide training for Saharawi activists in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.

London, Feb 22, 2015 (SPS) - The Western Sahara Action Forum (WSAF) on Thursday began a campaign pressurizing the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibility to supervise a free and fair referendum that will allow the Sahrawi people to express their inalienable right to self-determination.


With the annual renewal of its mandate due in April, WSAF wants to call on the MINURSO (UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) to keep the peace by protecting the Sahrawis from human rights abuses.

Madrid, Feb 22, 2015 (SPS) - The Minister of Cooperation, Mr. Brahim Mojtar, has called on the Spanish government to stop pursuing a double standard policy towards the question of Western Sahara, in a meeting with the general director of cooperation in the Canary Island’s regional government.

Brussels, Feb 21, 2015 (SPS) - The European Union (EU) reiterated, through the voice of its High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini, its support to the efforts of the United Nations to achieve a solution allowing the self-determination of the Saharawi people.

Chahid Al Hafed (refugee camps), Feb 21, 2015 (SPS) - The General Coordinator of Saharawi Natural Resources Watch (SNRW), Dr. Ghali Zbeir, called for the need to expedite the establishment of a UN mechanism to observe the illegal pillaging of Western Sahara natural resources carried out by the Moroccan occupying state and some foreign companies.

Washington D.C., Feb 21, 2015 (SPS) - The U.S. Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights on Thursday announced the release of a periodic report that tracks human rights violations that took place in Western Sahara between March and December 2014.


The US ONG noted that Moroccan authorities are continuing to commit serious human rights violations against the Sahrawi people, lamenting for the fact that there is no international mechanism within MINURSO mandate dedicated to tracking human rights in Western Sahara.

Bir Lehlou (liberated zones), Feb 21, 2015 (SPS) - The President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Polisario Front Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz has offered his condolences to Mauritanian counterpart, Mr. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, following the painful traffic accident on Friday that left 14 Mauritanian soldiers dead.

Berne (Switzerland), Feb 20, 2015 (SPS) - The World March of Women (WMW) has as from Wednesday, February 18th, launched a journey of solidarity with Saharawi women, through which they call on the UN, human rights agencies and world governments to mobilize so to end the suffering of the people of Western Sahara, annexed since 1975 by Morocco.

National Council (June 9th, Saharawi refugee camps), Feb 20, 2015 (SPS) - The Saharawi female parliamentarians have denounced, in a statement, the criminal act carried out by Moroccan occupying forces against the Saharawi woman, Lala Al-Mosawi.


The statement expressed “unconditional solidarity” with Lala Al-Mosawi, appealing to conscious people around the globe to put pressure on the Moroccan Kingdom so to halt its repeated violations of human rights against the Saharawi people.

Chahid Al Hafed (refugee camps), Feb 20, 2015 (SPS) -The Council of Ministers on Thursday called on the UN, states, organizations, institutions, companies and businessmen across the world to refrain from the participation in the forthcoming seminar of Crans Montana Forum, intended to be held in the occupied Saharawi city of Dajla next March.

Chahid Al Hafed (refugee camps), Feb 19, 2015 (SPS) - The Council of Ministers on Thursday hailed Algeria’s historic principled stance of support to the struggle of the Saharawi people for freedom and independence.


In a communiqué concluded its meeting, the Council highlighted the level of the relations of brotherhood, friendship and cooperation happily exist between the two brotherly people in Algeria and the Saharawi Republic (SADR).

Chahid Al Hafed (refugee camps), Feb 19, 2015 (SPS) - The 15th edition of Sahara Marathon, an annual international sport demonstration, will be celebrated next Tuesday, February 24th, in the Saharawi refugee camps, said the organizers.


According to the source, this year’s edition will be dedicated to shedding light on the Saharawi children’s rights.


The Sahara Marathon includes the 42km standard-distance marathon (main), in addition to shorter distances of 21km, 10km, 5km and the children’s race.

Chahid Al hafed (refugee camps), Feb 19, 2015 (SPS) - The Council of Ministers on Thursday condemned, in the strongest term, the Moroccan occupying state’s policies of procrastination and obstruction to the international efforts, demanding action from the UN to decolonize the last colony in Africa, Western Sahara.

Chahid Al Hafed (refugee camps), Feb 19 (SPS) - A new batch of the National Gendarmerie Force, the batch of martyr Mhamed Mohamed Abdallahi Rahel, on Thursday graduated.


The graduation ceremony was overseen by the President of the Republic, Supreme Commande-in-Chief of Armed Forces and General-Secretary of the Frente Polisario Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz, in the presence of Prime Minister Abdelkader Omar and Defense Minister Mohamed Lamin Bouhali, along other members of the National Secretariat and Government. (SPS)

Chahid Al Hafed (refugee camps), Feb 19, 2015 (SPS) - The President of the Republic, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and Secretary General of the Frente Polisario, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz, on Thursday morning chaired a meeting of the Staff of the General Command of Saharawi People’s Liberation Army.


Convened at the Ministry of National Defense, the meeting examined the army’s readiness and set future programmes.