Tifariti (liberated territories), May 19, 2013 (SPS) - The Saharawi people will celebrate tomorrow, May 20th, in the liberated town of Tifariti the 40th anniversary of the outbreak of armed struggle against the occupation, in the presence of national and foreign figures, after commemorating on May 10th the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Polisario Front (10 May 1973).
Representatives of many countries, governmental and non-governmental organizations, political parties and associations that recognize the SADR and support its legitimate struggle for independence will take part in the festivities.
Parliamentarians, human activists and journalists from various countries of the world are also expected to attend the occasion, which will constitute an opportunity to pay tribute to the Saharawi people, who continue to pay a heavy price for regaining the independence of his country.
On this day, 20 May 1975, the Polisario Front announced the outbreak of armed struggle against the Spanish occupation, only 10 days after its creation on 10 May of the same year.
As a quantum leap, the first Saharawi National Council formed on 28 November 1975, to be followed by the birth of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) on 27 February 1976, directly after the withdrawal of the last Spanish soldier from Western Sahara.
The SADR has been a full and founding member of the African Union (AU), formerly the Organization of African Unity (OAU), since 1984. Morocco withdrew from the OAU in protest to SADR’s accession to the African Organization. It is recognized by about 80 countries across the world.
The resolution 34/37 adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on November 21st, 1979 recognized the POLISARIO as the “representative of the people of Western Sahara.”
On April 2013, the UN Security Council adopted the resolution 2099 on Western Sahara, in which he reiterated his call for a “sustainable, fair and mutually acceptable political solution that allows the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara”, while stressing “the importance of improving the situation of human rights” in the Saharawi territories occupied by Morocco.
In a speech delivered at the opening of the festivities commemorating the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Polisario Front on 10 May 2013, the President of the Republic and Secretary-General of the POLISARIO Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz did not “rule out” the possibility to resort to weapons to put an end to Moroccan occupation, if the United Nations failed to definitively resolve the Western Sahara issue by referendum. (SPS)
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