Victoria, Lima (Peru), May 4, 2013 (SPS) - A new association of friendship with the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (Spanish acronym; APEARASD) established Thursday at a grand ceremony in the auditorium of the City of Victoria, Lima (Peru), according to a press release issued by the Saharawi diplomatic mission to Peru.
The ceremony was presided over by the Mayor of Victoria and the Saharawi Ambassador in mission to Peru Mr. Sidi Salem Ali Zein, and attended by members of the Association and its Steering Committee, the diplomatic corps in Lima, Council of the City of Victoria, personalities from the world of politics and culture, human rights organizations, Peruvian and foreign media and sympathizers with the just cause of the Saharawi people.
In his speech, the Saharawi Ambassador stressed the importance of the relations of friendship, solidarity and cooperation already existed between the Saharawi people and the peoples of Latin America in general, particularly the Peruvian people, for a shared and common colonial history, Spanish language and Hispanic culture.
He also underlined that the establishment of the Association coincides with the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Frente POLISARIO, and the wave of peaceful demonstrations by Saharawi population in the occupied cities of Western Sahara, after UN Security Council lately approved a resolution on the mandate of MINURSO and the Moroccan occupation forces’ repression against Sahrawi protesters.
During the ceremony, a video about the history of the Saharawi people was screened.
President of the Association, the journalist Ricardo Sánchez Serra, gave a lecture with illustration images, in which he highlighted the latest developments of the Western Sahara conflict and the violation of human rights carried out by Moroccan regime in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.
Speaking about structure, objectives and goals of the Association, the Executive President Mr. Hernán Díaz Seminario said that APEARASD members has to work hard to defend the inalienable rights of the Saharawi people to self-determination and independence in accordance with international law, denounce the Moroccan systematic violations of human rights in the occupied cities of Western Sahara.
He stressed the need for the United Nations to implement a permanent mechanism for monitoring and reporting on these violations and the plundering of Saharawi natural resources.
Persons invited to the event, such as the prominent politician and Parliamentarian Mr. Alberto Adrianzén and the Mayor of Victoria, host of the event, Mr. Sanchez Aizcorbe, expressed support to the Saharawi people in his just struggle for internationally recognized self-determination, emphasizing the need for Morocco to end its illegal occupation of Western Sahara.
The newly formed Peruvian Association of Friendship with the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (APEARASD) includes outstanding journalists, lawyers, economists, politicians, businessmen, professionals and other individuals both from Peruvian and other nationalities. (SPS)
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