Shahهd El-Hafed (Sahrawi Republic), 13 August 2024 (SPS) – The Ministry of Information of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic issued a statement mourning the passing of one of the staunchest friends of the Sahrawi people and a fierce advocate for their right to self-determination and independence, Swiss doctor, politician, and writer Emmanuel Martinoli, who passed away on Sunday, August 11.
Below is the full text of the statement:
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Ministry of Information
Statement on the Passing of a Friend of the Sahrawi People and a Prominent Advocate for Their Right to Self-Determination and Independence
The Ministry of Sahrawi Information deeply mourns the loss of one of the greatest friends of the Sahrawi cause and one of its most determined defenders—politically, media-wise, and at the humanitarian level—Dr. Emmanuel Martinoli, a former Swiss parliamentarian writer and politician, who passed away at the age of 83. Dr. Martinoli dedicated much of his life to defending just causes, particularly the Western Sahara issue, which he embraced since 1976.
On this sorrowful occasion, the Ministry extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, especially to his wife, Dr. Marie-Claire Martinoli, who stood by him throughout his activist journey to raise awareness about the Sahrawi cause and continues to support the cause to this day.
The late Dr. Martinoli, along with his wife, visited the Sahrawi refugee camps since the onset of the invasion and displacement, where they worked tirelessly to shed light on the suffering of the Sahrawi people both in their home country and across Europe since 1976. To this end, he, along with his wife and many colleagues, founded the Swiss Solidarity Movement. They also focused on breaking the Moroccan media blockade on the issue by establishing the first comprehensive electronic portal dedicated to the Sahrawi cause in the late 1990s (arso.org), ensuring the Sahrawi issue was prominently present on the internet.
The late Dr. Martinoli participated in and contributed to numerous solidarity activities with the Sahrawi cause in Europe, either in person or through media follow-up. He also supported and accompanied the Sahara Press Service (SPS) since its inception in 1999, aiding in launching its first website and monitoring its work for years. On this occasion, the Ministry conveys the condolences of all the journalists working with the agency to the family of the deceased.
With his passing, the Sahrawi cause loses a fierce defender and principled advocate for the right of peoples to self-determination and freedom. He supported the struggles of all oppressed peoples for liberation, even contributing to the founding of the magazine "L’Ouest Saharien," which focuses on African affairs, particularly North Africa and the Sahrawi cause, and which he led from its establishment in 1997 until 2017.
In conclusion, the Ministry extends a special tribute to the family of the deceased, his wife and children, and to the members of the Swiss Solidarity Movement, one of the first solidarity movements with the Sahrawi cause and a major contributor to breaking the Moroccan and Western media blackout on the Western Sahara issue. (SPS)
090/500/60 (SPS)