Smara (Refugee Camps), 5 March 2016 (SPS) - The people of the Wilaya of Smara, Sahrawi refugee camps, welcomed Saturday UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon and the delegation accompanying him on his visit in the region to relaunch the peace process stalled due to the Moroccan obstacles.
Throughout the reception of the UN delegation, the people of Smara expressed their frustration the United Nations procrastination and repeated postponement of the referendum, which is the best way to put an end to this prolonged conflict. They also expressed their indignation at the cowardly assassination that claimed the life of Saharawi citizen Eshmad Ebbad Djouli, a few meters away from the UN Mission for the Referendum (MINURSO).
The people of Smara raised slogans demanding the United Nations to speed up the solution that enables the Sahrawi people to exercise their right of self-determination, and expressing their concerns at the situation of human rights abuses, plunder of natural resources of Western Sahara and the disregard for the international community.
The UN Chief and the delegation accompanying him was received in the Wilaya of Smara by the Coordinator with MINURSO, Mhamed Khada, Minister of Interior, Hama Salama, and Wali of Smara, Salem Lebsir.
The UN Chief is accompanied by a delegation including UN senior officials, led by his Personal Envoy for Western Sahara Mr. Christopher Reoss, and Special Representative in Charge of MINURSO Ms. Kim Bolduc
The visit of UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon in the region confirms the constant commitment of the United Nations, which has long expressed clearly and explicitly calling for the need to find a peaceful solution to this conflict to ensure the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination in accordance with the requirements of international legitimacy. (SPS)
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