New York, Oct 13, 2012 (SPS) - South Africa has pointed out that any proposal to the conflict of Western Sahara “should be placed at the ballot box”, which is the only accurate assessment of desires of the Saharawi people, criticizing the current attempts, by Morocco and some in the Security Council, to impose an option of autonomy in Western Sahara.
Speaking at the UN Decolonization Committee on Friday, Deputy Permanent Representative of South Africa to the UN Mr. Doctor MASHABANE said that any proposal to the conflict of Western Sahara “should be placed at the ballot box”, calling to allow the Saharawi people to choose between the three options: independence, autonomy, or free association, rather than the current attempts to impose an option of autonomy.
Mr. Mashabane added in this respect that the imposition of a specific proposal, which some in the Security Council insisted on labeling as “serious and credible”, was in complete disregard for the fact that there the Frente POLISARIO had also presented a proposal.
“It was compelling that the question of legality was clearly on the side of the Saharan peoples. Most authoritatively, the International Court of Justice in October 1975, and more recently, the United Nations Legal Department in January 2002, had presented opinions on the matter, in favour of the Saharan people’s right to self-determination,” stated the South African Diplomat.
“However, in response to those compelling legal considerations, there had been blatant disregard for the principles of the United Nations and international law. Those entrusted in a permanent capacity to maintain international peace and security had instead opted to exercise a flagrant demonstration of bias,” he added.
Mr. Mashabane underlined that the Article 73 of the United Nations Charter “set out very clearly a series of obligations for administering Powers”, adding that there steps must be taken to improve the conditions of the Saharan people in the social, economic, political and educational contexts.
To fill the vacuum of information in occupied Western Sahara, he called for visits to the Territories by the United Nations and its various agencies, which would provide a first-hand impression of developments there and the steps being taken by the administering Powers.
The South African Deputy Representative said that his county “very concerned about plundering and exploitation of natural resources on the Territory of Western Sahara”, considering it a “flagrant violation of international law.”
He finally urged all Member States of the United Nations “to ensure that the Saharan people were consulted in the utilization of any of their natural resources.” (SPS)
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