The SPD and a Dutch NGO call on Morocco to respect human rights in the Western Sahara

Berlin, 31/01/2007 (SPS) The Dutch Democrat Party (SPD) and the Association of Threatened peoples (Geselschaft fuer bedrohte Volker) called on the Moroccan government to respect the human rights in the Western Sahara and asked for a prompt resolution of the conflict, so as to avoid a new war, the Saharawi representation in Germany indicated. "The situation of the Saharawi population is source of concern. They still suffer from massive human rights violations and a political solution of the conflict that languishes for decades is repeatedly postponed", the two parties said. "All efforts of mediation undertaken by the UN and all the good offices political missions have so far failed", the President of the working group of external policy in the SPD, Niels Annen, also member of the Bundestag, declared in a pres release. "The conditions of life of the Saharawi people must be ameliorated, otherwise war risks resuming anew between Morocco and Saharawis. The European Union has no interest in a military conflict on its borders", he said. "So, to avoid war the Saharawi people should be granted social and political perspectives", he estimated. ON its side the human rights and humanitarian aid’s Commission and the Commission of Cooperation and aid for development in the Bundestag decided to include the Saharawi question in the agenda of its next meeting, it was indicated. On another hand, the humanitarian association, the Association of Threatened peoples, published last January the 21, a report on the human rights violations in the occupied zones of the Western Sahara (http://www.gfbv.de/report.php?id=22). This document, of 23 pages, gives a detailed report (with names, dates, places, arrests, tortures, arbitrary trials) on the human rights violations committed by the Moroccan forces of repression in the occupied territories of the Western Sahara during the year 2006 in addition to the abusive arrests that touched some 600 persons. It called on Morocco "to immediately and unconditionally release the Saharawi political prisoners and put an end to the crimes it commits against the citizens who peacefully expressed their rejection of the Moroccan occupation of their territory". The Dutch organisation also asked for the enlargement of the prerogatives of the MINURSO to include the protection of the Saharawi citizens and guarantee their legitimate right to peaceful demonstrations and freedom of expression. (SPS)