Rome, Nov 16, 2013 (SPS) - Spanish MPs and human rights activists denounced Saturday in Rome, capital of Italy, the support of their country to Morocco regarding the Western Sahara issue and called for revision of privileges provided by Europe to Morocco, which illegally occupies the Western Sahara.
“The successive Spanish government pay importance to protecting the economic interests of their country by supporting Morocco, and show very little concern over the situation of the Saharawis,” Mr. Pablo Escobar, Spanish parliamentarian and human rights defender, told APS, on the sidelines of the 38th European Conference of Coordination and Support to the Saharawi People (EUCOCO).
“When it comes to the Western Sahara, there is a contradiction in Spain’s positions, because while the society denounce, the government remains passive or support the Moroccan latitudes,” he indicated.
“Before coming to power, Spanish politicians of the left parties often show support and solidarity with the Saharawi people and their cause, but once in power, they follow the policy of their predecessors,” he said.
“I think Spain is afraid that Morocco would decide to end its colonization of Ceuta and Melilla (cities in northern Morocco, administered by Spain). Therefore, it supports Morocco, even when it violates human rights in the Saharawi territories and commits atrocious crimes,” said the MP, who has been campaigning for the Saharawi cause for over twenty years.
Ms. Rosalia Perera, member of the Spanish Observatory for Human Rights Defenders, for her part, stated that her country “is among the countries that have used their influence in order that the European Union (EU) agrees to grant Morocco an advanced status, while also remains standstill before its violations of human rights in Western Sahara.
“There is a clause in this privileged status that obliges Morocco to respect the rights and freedoms, both in its territory or in the Western Sahara, which he occupies illegally since 1975,” she said.
Elvira Hernandez, member of the delegation of the Spanish United Left and EU Parliament, for her part, described as “irresponsible” the EU’s decision to grant a privileged status for two countries (Israel and Morocco) in the Mediterranean, while they are both colonial powers.
“It is unacceptable that Morocco continues to be a strategic partner of Europe, while European envoys wishing to inquire about the situation of the Saharawis in the occupied territories are systematically repressed by the Moroccan border police,” she added. (SPS)
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