Chahid El Hamed (Saharawi Republic) 16 Jan 2021 (SPS)- The President of the Sahsrawi National Commission for Human Rights (CONASADH), Mr. Abba El-Haissan, warned the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General to Western Sahara, Mr. Staffan De Mistura, that the failure of the UN to protect international humanitarian law and international human rights law in Western Sahara will not help in rebuilding Saharawi people's trust in the UN’s efforts to resolve the conflict.
Also attended by the President of the Association of the Families of the Sahrawi Prisoners and Disappeards (AFAPREDESA), Mr. Abdeslam Omar, and members of the two bodies, in addition to Polisario Front’s Representative at the UN, Sidi Mohamed Oma, the meeting was an opportunity to CONASADH and AFAPREDESA to brief Mr. De Mistura on the human rights situation in Western Sahara, providing him with reports and documentations on the issue.
In his briefing Mr. Aba El-Haisann expressed his Commission’s deep concern about the serious escalation of Moroccan violations of human rights, especially after Morocco's violation of the ceasefire agreement on 13 November 2020, and the subsequent perpetuation by various Moroccan authorities of grave violations of human rights, and crimes that can be classified as war crimes. and crimes against humanity.
In this context, he said, "We are chocked by the UN’s neglect of the serious human rights situation, even though all international organizations have denounced and reported about Morocco's violations to no avail. We happen to ask ourselves if Saharawi people don’t deserve protection or maybe they are not entitled to enjoy human rights?"
The President of the Commission expressed deep concern, “about the catastrophic situation lived by the family of Sid Brahim Khaya, suffering from a tight siege, torture and even rape, in front of everyone, and yet the UN doesn’t move a finger even though all international organizations have reported the case and condemned the Moroccan practices against this family.”
El-Haisen further expressed concerns about the dangerous situation of the Saharawi political prisoners in Moroccan jails, calling for the UN direct intervention to release them, and calling on the Personal Envoy to provide them the necessary attention.
The President of AFAPREDESA, Mr. Abdeslam Omar, provided the UN Envoy with a detailed presentation on enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention, in addition to the efforts made by the association in collaboration with international bodies and experts after the discovery of mass graves containing thedead bodiesa of Saharawi victims of disappearance that Morocco had denied or provided false information about their fate.
On the other hand, the Abdeslam called on the UN to protect Saharawi civilians deliberately assassinated by the Moroccan forces of occupation, which does not hesitate to use drones to commit these crimes.
Abdeslam recalled that there are also Algerian and Mauritanian and merchants among the civilian victims, in addition to Saharawis of course.
Abba El-Haissan and Abdeslam called on the UN Envoy to pay special attention to the violations of the international humanitarian law and international human rights law in Western Sahara, given that they have a direct impact on the lives of Saharawi civilians as individuals and as a group, considering that the failure of the United Nations to give this file the attention and protection it deserves will undoubtedly affect the confidence of the Saharawis in international bodies and efforts to resolve the conflict. (SPS)
090/500/60 (SPS)