London, April 13, 2013 (SPS) - The right of the Saharawi people to self-determination and the situation of human rights in the occupied territories of Western Sahara have been at the heart of talks held on Friday by Mr. Mhamed Khadad, Member of the POLISARIO Front’s political leadership and Coordinator with the MINURSO, with British officials during his visit to the United Kingdom.
Mr. Khadad was received at the UK Foreign Office, where he met with representatives of the parliamentary groups supporting Western Sahara and NGOs working in favour for human rights in the occupied Saharawi territories.
“Britain follows with interest the situation in the occupied territories, in the context of the debate at the UN Security Council through its partners in the region,” he told APS.
He focused on the UN report, which highlights the various testimonies including those of the special report on torture and the report of the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights on the issues of human rights and the flagrant and unacceptable violations committed by Morocco in the occupied Saharawi territories.
This, said Mr. Khaddad, shows, more than ever, the urgent need for the United Nations Organization to support the issue of human rights, like all peacekeeping missions around the world.
Mr. Khadad pointed out to campaign organized this year in the UK by NGOs including the Western Sahara Campaign, which is a member of the International Action Forum for Western Sahara, whose purpose is to ensure the enlargement MINURSO’s mandate to monitor human rights in Western Sahara.
Saharawi official insisted that the solution to Western Sahara conflict goes through the organization of a free and fair referendum on self-determination under the supervision of the UN.
“In this respect, the African Union (AU) adopted a resolution during its last summit in Addis Ababa,” he recalled.
The Saharawi Coordinator with the MINURSO was accompanied by POLISARIO Representative to the UK Mr. Limam Mohamed Limam. (SPS)
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