April 2015

New York, April 22, 2015 (SPS) - The Saharawi Coordinator with the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), Mr. Mhamed Khadad, on Wednesday declared that the Polisario Front would review its cooperation with the MINURSO, if the latter gives up its primary mandate in organizing a free and fair referendum in Western Sahara.


Speaking to Reuters, the Saharawi official said that the Frente Polisario “cannot accept that MINURSO is acting in the territory as if it was Moroccan territory.”

El Aaiún (occupied territories), April 22, 2015 (SPS) - The Saharawi human rights activist Ahmed Nasiri and several members of his family were arrested Tuesday at a checkpoint in the city of Tantan (Morocco), in his way back to the city of Agadir where he underwent surgery on his nose.


On 17 April this year, the Saharawi activist was attacked by Moroccan policemen after his participating in a peaceful demonstration in the occupied city of Smara (Western Sahara) to call for the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination. (SPS)

Algiers, April 22, 2015 (SPS) - Algeria and Rwanda expressed Wednesday their support to United Nations’ efforts to reach a just and lasting political settlement, based on Western Sahara people’s “inalienable” right to self-determination through a “free, honest and impartial referendum.”

Paris, April 22, 2015 (SPS) - Seventeen French non-governmental organizations has called on President Francois Hollande to work so that the monitoring of human rights in Western Sahara is included in the mandate of MINURSO, like other UN peacekeeping missions in the world.


In an open letter to French President, the ONGs said the peaceful demonstrations organized by Saharawi population “are violently repressed,” adding that many Saharawi activists are being arrested and convicted in unfair trials.

Algiers, April 22, 2015 (SPS) - Mexican Ambassador to Algeria, Mr. Juan José Gonzales, on Monday reaffirmed his country’s support to the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination in accordance with United Nations resolutions.


Speaking to Radio Algeria International, the diplomat said Mexico acknowledges the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination, independence and to decide their social status.

Chahid Al Hafed (refugee camps), April 22, 2015 (SPS) - A delegation of the Algerian Constitutional Council will begin as from today, Wednesday, a two-day visit to the Saharawi refugee camps.


At the start of their visit, the delegation will hold working session with members of the Saharawi Constitutional Council, with aim to exchange ideas and experiences, as to study a memorandum on cooperation between the two councils.

Beirut, April 22, 2015 (SPS) - The World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) on Tuesday adopted a resolution of support to the Saharawi cause, in its meeting held in Beirut, capital of Lebanon.


The resolution asked the United Nations (UN) to find a solution to the Saharawi cause by allowing the Saharawi people to enjoy their right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant international resolutions.

Murcia (Spain) April 21, 2015 (SPS) - The Minister of Vocational Training, Employees and Public Function, Ms. Khira Bullahi, was received by the President of the Municipal Council of Molina de Segura, Mr. Edward Linares, as part of her visit to Murcia, Spain.

El Aaiun (Occupied Territories) April 21, 2015 (SPS) - The Coordination of Gdim Izik, in collaboration with the Saharawi Center for Culture and Thought, has organized the first conference about the reality of young Saharawi people under Moroccan occupation.


The conference was held under the theme: “Sahrawi Youth and National Struggle: Reality and Victories”.


The event was attended by a large number of Saharawi activists, especially young people.

Smara (Occupied Territories), April 21, 2015 (SPS) - The Sahrawi student movement in the occupied city of Smara has denounced the barbaric intervention by various Moroccan security services against the Sahrawi people in the occupied city of El Aaiun, capital of Western Sahara, said a source of the Ministry of Occupied Territories and Communities Abroad.


The movement voiced its solidarity with the victims of this barbaric attack, pledging to continue the struggle against all forms of repression.

Havana (Cuba), April 21 2015 (SPS) - The Minister of Public Health, Mr. Mohamed Lamine Daddy, takes part at the work of the “Health for All” international forum, held until April 24th, at the invitation of his Cuban counterpart, Roberto Morales Ojeda.


The meeting aims at exchanging experiences in the field of public health.

Chahid Al Hafed (refugee camps), April 21, 2015 (SPS) - The Saharawi National Human Rights Commission (SNHRC) has called upon the UN, AU and EU as well as all international human rights organizations and mechanisms to shoulder responsibility vis-à-vis the flagrant violations of human rights being committed by Moroccan repressive forces against innocent Saharawi citizens.

European Parliament, April 20, 2015 (SPS) - The Intergroup on Western Sahara in the European Parliament has asked Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon to urgently act to remove the burdens that prevent MINURSO from applying the international law which requires the consultation of the opinion of the Saharawi people about their future, in a letter today.

 Birlehlu (Liberated Zones), April 20, 2015 (SPS) - The President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Mohamed Abdelaziz, has emphasized that the responsibility for the protection and safety of the defenseless Saharawi civilians in the occupied territories of Western Sahara is the responsibility of the United Nations, pending the decolonization of the territory through a fair and transparent referendum under the auspices of the United Nations.

Melbourne, April 20, 2015 (SPS) - The President of the Australia Western Sahara Association (AWSA), Ms Lyn Allison, demanded that the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) will include the monitoring of human rights in Western Sahara.

Washington, April 19, 2015 (SPS) - The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights condemned Saturday the attack, recently, in El Aaiun (Sahrawi occupied territories) on human rights activist Aminatou Haidar and Sahrawis who were demonstrating peacefully.

Madrid, April 19, 2015 (SPS) - Minister for Maghreb and African Affairs Abdelkader Messahel underlined Algeria’s position towards the issue of Western Sahara, emphasizing the support to the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination, in a two-day visit paid to Spain and ended on Friday.

At the end of his stay in Madrid, in which he held several meetings, Messahel pointed out the regional issues broached with the Spanish officials; particularly that relating to Western Sahara.

Smara (Occupied Territories), April 18, 2015 (SPS) – Several Sahrawi peaceful protestors were injured Friday following a “brutal” attack carried out by elements of the Moroccan police and standby forces in the streets of the occupied city of Smara, according to Sahrawi human rights sources. 

The demonstrators waved Sahrawi national flags and chanted slogans demanding self-determination and independence of the Saharawi people and expressing solidarity with Saharawi political prisoners in various Moroccan prisons.

 Luanda (Angola) April 18, 2015 (SPS) - Angola and Namibia has called on the international community to intensify efforts to enable the Saharawi people of exercising their right to self-determination and independence.

 On the occasion of the working visit by the Namibian President, Dr. Hage G. Geingob,to Angola on Thursday, the two countries reiterated their support for the just cause of the Saharawi people in a joint statement.

Oslo, April 18, 2015 (SPS) - The biannual congress of the Norwegian Labour Party stated that "Western Sahara must now have its independence", in a motion adopted Friday.

The Labour Party demands that Norway gets engaged so the parties reach a political solution to end the conflict and contribute to the Saharawi’s legitimate right to self-determination and freedom.