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UN must extend MINURSO mandate to monitor human rights in Western Sahara, says Jeremy Corbyn

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London, February 22, 2014 (SPS) -  British Labour MP, Chair of The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Western Sahara Mr. Jeremy Corbyn demanded the extension of MINURSO’ s mandate to include monitoring of human rights in the Western Sahara, in a report entitled "Why Western Sahara Matters" published Wednesday by Morning Star.  
 
"The UN must immediately renew MINURSO and extend its mandate to monitor human rights throughout the territory," emphasised Mr. Corbyn who recently led a fact-finding mission delegation to the occupied territories of Western Sahara. 
 
Mr. Corbyn also deplored the plunder of Sahrawi natural resources, saying they "should not be exploited" until there is an agreement allowing the Sahrawi people to choose their future.
 
The report mentioned the Moroccan violations raised by Sahrawi human rights organizations such as  "arbitrary arrests, the detention of young people and discrimination against those who speak in favour of self-determination."
 
The British parliamentary delegation witnessed a "violent" intervention by Moroccan security forces to disperse a demonstration organized by Sahrawi citizens on 15 of every month to highlight the need for human rights monitoring. (SPS)
 
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