March 2015

Chahid Al Hafed (refugee camps), March 5, 2015 (SPS) - Thirty nine years pass today, Thursday, since the establishment of the first Saharawi government on 5 March 1976, just five days following the proclamation of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).


The government was formed in a very difficult circumstances characterized by the scourge of war and displacement brought about by the Moroccan military invasion of Western Sahara, which led thousands of Saharawis to fled their home towards refugee camps in Algeria.

Boujdour (occupied territories), March 5, 2015 (SPS) - The Local Coordination of unemployed Saharawi graduate people on Wednesday organized a peaceful demonstration in the occupied city of Boujdour against the illegal plunder of Western Sahara wealth.


The demonstrators chanted slogans calling for their right to employment and decent living.

Smara (refugee camps), March 5, 2015 (SPS) - Dozens of people on Wednesday staged mass demonstration in Smara, Saharawi refugee camps, to protest the continuous illegal exploitation of Western Sahara natural resources by foreign companies, in total conspiracy with the Moroccan occupying state.

London, March 5, 2015 (SPS) - The UK law firm Leigh Day, who is representing the Western Sahara Campaign, has threatened the government to take legal action against the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) over illegal import of products originating from the Western Sahara, according to a press release of the Campaign.

Algiers, March 4, 2015 (SPS) - Several “influential” countries, regional and international organizations as well as active personalities have announced officially their “boycott” of Crans Montana Forum, to be held soon in the occupied Sahrawi city , said Tuesday in Algiers Saharawi Ambassador to Algiers Ibrahim Ghali.

Cantabria (Spain), March 04, 2015 (SPS) - The Sahrawi University of Tifariti and Spanish University of Cantabria on Wednesday signed a set of cooperation agreements providing for the exchange of experiences between the two sides.


The greement was signed from the Saharawi part by Mr. Jatari Hamudi, dean of Tifariti University, and from the Spanish party by Mr. José Carlos Gomez, dean of Cantabria University.


Such agreement aims to promote the exchange of student and professors between both universities.

Canberra, March 4, 2015 (SPS) - The thirty-ninth anniversary of the proclamation of the Saharawi Republic (SADR) has been commemorated in several Australian cities.


On the occasion, the Saharawi flag was raised in the cities of Melbourne, Ballart, Geelong and Victoria as a form of solidarity with the Saharawi people.


On other hand, Melbourne will later this month host an international conference on the Saharawi natural resources.

London, March 4, 2015 (SPS) - The Western Sahara Resources Watch (WSRW) on Monday denounced the oil drilling operations off Western Sahara shores carried out by the U.S. firm Kosmos Energy, asking for the cancellation of its activities.


“Kosmos Energy did nothing to obtain the consent of the people of Western Sahara,” said Erik Hagen, WSRW Chair, adding that the company has no right to drill in the territory.


He also went on saying that such operations undermine UN-led peace efforts in Western Sahara.

Lusaka, March 4, 2015 (SPS) - The Permanent Representative to the AU and Ambassador in Ethiopia, Mr. Lamine Baali, on Tuesday underlined the urgent need to restore peace and security in Africa by completing the decolonization process, calling for concerted efforts to achieve sovereignty over the entire continent.

Algiers, March 4, 2015 (SPS) - The Saharawi national cycling team, consisting of 8 members, will be the guest of honor of the 5th Grand Cycling Tour of Algeria (GTAC 2015), to be held from 6 to 30 March 2015, said Tuesday the President of the Algerian Cycling Federation (FAC), Rachid Fezouine, during a forum hosted by the National Organization of Algerian sports journalists.

El Aaiun (occupied territories), March 4, 2015 (SPS) - Moroccan occupying forces on Tuesday kidnapped the Saharawi activist and former political prisoner, Ghali Bouhala, from his family’s house, said a source from the Ministry of Occupied Territories and Diaspora.


Family of Bouhala reported that her son was forced to get on a car belonging to the Moroccan police and driven to unknown destinations, stated the same source.

Geneva, March 4, 2015 (SPS) - Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ramtane Lamamra on Tuesday in Geneva called on High Commissioner for Human Rights to set up an independent mechanism for monitoring the situation of human rights in Western Sahara.

Geneva, March 3, 2015 (SPS) - A Saharawi delegation takes part at the 28th regular session of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, kicked off on Monday in Geneva, capital of Switzerland.

Sale (Morocco), March 03, 2015 (SPS) - The administration of the Moroccan Sale Prison on Tuesday transferred arbitrarily the Saharawi political prisoner, Mbarek Daoudi, to an unknown destination, said Saharawi right sources.


This sudden move comes after the 72-hour alarming hunger strike Mbarek Daoudi held in protest to the Crans Montana Forum, to be organized in the occupied city of Dajla this month.

Algiers, March 3, 2015 (SPS) - Spain’s Ambassador to Algeria, Mr. Alejandro Polanco, said Monday in Oran, Algeria, that his country supports the efforts being made by the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy, Christopher Ross, to revive dialogue between the parties to the conflict in Western Sahara.

Lusaka, March 3, 2015 (SPS) - The Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU), Mr. Lamine Baali, has called on African states to speed up the implementation of the content of the interim agenda “Africa 2020” on the liberation of the continent from all forms of colonization.

Sale (Morocco), March 03, 2015 (SPS) - The Moroccan occupying authorities have deprived the Saharawi political prisoner, Bashir Jada, of his right to medical treatment, according to the Committee of Saharawi Political Prisoners’ Families.


Bashir was ought to conduct medical examinations outside the jail, but the prison’s administration refused to transfer him, the source said.


On the other hand, the same prison’s administration deprived the Saharawi political prisoner Adaich Daf of his right to have visits. (SPS)

Montevideo, March 2, 2015 (SPS) - A Saharawi delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Ould Salek, attended the inauguration of Dr. Tabaré Vázquez as president of Uruguay in a ceremony held Sunday in the capital Montevideo.

The Saharawi minister greeted the new Uruguayan President and conveyed the gratitude of the Saharawi government and people for their continued support to the Saharawi cause and the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination.

 Algiers, March 2, 2015 (SPS) The South African Ambassador to Algeria Mr. Dennis Thokozani Dolmo, reiterated Sunday his country's position in favor of the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination, during a reception by the Ambassador of SADR in Algiers, Brahim Ghali.

 Mr. Thokozani Dolmo expressed his admiration for the determination, sacrifices and commitment of Sahrawis to their inalienable rights to freedom and independence.

 Ait Melloul (Morocco), March 1, 2015 (SPS) The Saharawi Collective of Human Rights Defenders (CODESA) called the Moroccan authorities to immediately  release the Saharawi political prisoner, Yahya Mohamed Hafed Iaaza, and all Sahrawi defenders of human rights languishing in Moroccan prisons.

 The call comes after the Saharawi political prisoner, serving a term of 15 years imprisonment since his arrest in 2008 for his participation in events celebrating the anniversary of SADR, enters the seventh year, indicated a CODESA statement.