New York (United Nations) 14 June 2022 (SPS)- The Representative of Frente Polisario at UN and Coordinator with MINURSO, Ambassador Sidi Mohamed Omar, affirmed in a statement before the UN 4th Committee on decolonisation yesterday that there is no alternative to the exercise by the Saharawi people of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence, for the UN to resolve this last case of decolonisation in Africa.
“There is no alternative whatsoever to the exercise by the Sahrawi people of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence in line with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and other relevant resolutions” he said.
On another hand, he considered that “the proposals propagated by the occupying state of Morocco and its apologists, including its own created “entities”, aim only to legitimise an act of illegal military occupation of a Non-Self-Governing Territory and to deprive its people of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence, which clearly goes against everything this Committee and the United Nations itself stand for.”
Following is the full text of the statement of which SPS received a copy:
"Statement of the Frente POLISARIO on the Question of Western Sahara
Ambassador Sidi M. Omar
C-24 Substantive Session
New York, 13 June 2022
Madam Chair,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to address the Special Committee on behalf of the Frente POLISARIO, the legitimate and sole Representative of the people of the Non-Self-Governing Territory of Western Sahara in line with relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions.
Distinguished Members of the Committee and Representatives of Member States,
Time does not allow me to go into detail with regard to the latest developments concerning Western Sahara of which parts remain under Moroccan illegal military occupation since October 1975. I would however like to recall certain fundamental facts that have informed the position of this Committee regarding the question of Western Sahara.
As may be recalled, this Committee dispatched a three-member Visiting Mission to the then Spanish Sahara in May 1975 with a view to securing first-hand information on the wishes and aspirations of the people of the Territory.
On 7 November 1975, this Committee adopted the report of the Visiting Mission and endorsed the observations and conclusions contained therein, which include the following fundamental facts as established by the Visiting Mission:
First, there was an overwhelming consensus among Sahrawis within the Territory in favour of independence and opposing any integration with Morocco and Mauritania.
Two, the Frente POLISARIO was the dominant political force in the Territory and enjoyed massive support from the population for its demand for independence.
Three, the General Assembly should take steps to enable the people of the Territory to decide their own future in complete freedom in accordance with the provisions of resolution 1514 (XV) and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly.
These fundamental facts remain unchanged and continue to echo in the halls of this building and beyond as they did forty-seven years ago.
Madam Chair, Distinguished Members of the Committee,
As this very Committee established almost five decades ago, the people of Western Sahara, led by their legitimate and sole representative, the Frente POLISARIO, demand nothing short of independence. Therefore, there is no alternative whatsoever to the exercise by the Sahrawi people of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence in line with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and other relevant resolutions.
In this regard, the proposals propagated by the occupying state of Morocco and its apologists, including its own created “entities”, aim only to legitimise an act of illegal military occupation of a Non-Self-Governing Territory and to deprive its people of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence, which clearly goes against everything this Committee and the United Nations itself stand for.
Madam Chair, Distinguished Members of the Committee,
There is no need to try to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. The milestones on the path towards the completion of the decolonisation of Western Sahara are very clear. The time has therefore come to translate this Committee’s commitment to decolonisation into concrete action and bring about the decolonisation of Western Sahara without further delay.
Until that happens, the Sahrawi people tell you once again, loud and clear, that they will never give up their sacred rights and that they will continue their struggle by all legitimate means to achieve their national aspirations for freedom and independence.
Thank you for your attention." (SPS)
090/500/60 (SPS)