New York (United Nations), November 2, 2024 (SPS) – Member of the National Secretariat, Polisario Front Representative at the United Nations and Coordinator with MINURSO Dr. Sidi Mohamed Omar, reaffirmed, in an interview with the Sahrawi National Television yesterday, the determination of the Sahrawi people, led by the Polisario Front, to continue and escalate their legitimate struggle for independence.
During the discussion on the recent resolution adopted by the UN Security Council to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) for another year, the Sahrawi diplomat explained, in continuation of the statement issued by the Polisario Front on the occasion, that four main points can be emphasized regarding the text of the resolution and the discussions that took place on its draft:
First, the Security Council reaffirms that a peaceful, just and lasting solution to the conflict necessarily requires enabling the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, despite the position of France, which threw its weight behind the discussions of the US draft resolution as part of its escalation of its old-new hostile stance against the Sahrawi people and their right to self-determination.
Second, the Security Council reaffirms its call to strengthen cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, including by facilitating visits to the region, which indicates the Council's growing interest in the issue of human rights on the one hand, and its rejection of the continued prevention by the occupying Moroccan state of the visits led by United Nations to the occupied Western Sahara, on the other hand. This position was reflected not only in the language of the resolution, but also in the positions expressed by Member States such as Algeria, Mozambique, Slovenia, Switzerland, the Republic of Korea, Guyana, the United Kingdom and Ecuador.
Thirdly, France has launched a broad and fierce campaign aimed not only at undermining the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination, but also at undermining our people's right to legitimate resistance to defend their rights, by including in the draft resolution a paragraph that encourages "full respect" for the so-called "cessation of hostilities" as part of its clear support for the position of the Moroccan occupying state, which is now calling for a ceasefire that it itself violated and undermined on November 13, 2020.
This French proposal, which also enjoyed American support, was completely rejected by the Sahrawi side, while insisting on adhering to our people's legitimate right to defend themselves and their rights by all legitimate means, including armed struggle, which led to the deletion of this paragraph from the text of the resolution that was voted on, which is a strong setback for the Moroccan occupying state and its protector, France.
Fourth, the strong and principled position of our sisterly Algeria, as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, which was expressed with all force and frankness during the discussions and voting on the draft resolution, where it expressed its complete rejection of the non-transparent and non-consultative manner in which the United States of America, the "penholder", conducted the negotiation process on the draft resolution and the latter's disregard for the proposals of the member states on some of the essential points included in the draft resolution.
Dr. Sidi Mohamed Omar, added that “The fact that our sisterly Algeria submitted two proposals on the subject of human rights for a vote by the Security Council is nothing but evidence of this principled position and its strong commitment to the United Nations Charter and its staunch defense of international law, which exposed the members of the Security Council who defend human rights around the world while choosing silence, inaction and double standards when it comes to Western Sahara”.
He concluded his interview by reiterating that “whatever the content of the latest Security Council resolution, the Sahrawi people remain strongly determined to continue and escalate their struggle by all legitimate means, including armed struggle, to achieve their national aspirations for freedom and independence and to re-establish their sovereignty over the entire territory of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic”.
SPS 110