Skip to main content

Spanish parties reaffirm their support for self-determination of Sahrawi people

Submitted on

Madrid, 2 July 2023 (SPS) - The federation Izquierda Unida (United Left/IU), bringing together Spanish left-wing parties, has reaffirmed its position in favour of the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination, condemning the human rights violations committed by the Moroccan occupier in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.
In its program for the Spanish general elections on July 23, the IU reaffirms its "position of support for the Sahrawi people and its legitimate representative, the Polisario Front, in its exemplary struggle for self-determination and independence for Western Sahara", reported Saturday the Europa Press agency.
In the same program entitled "Working for peace", and submitted to Sumar (a left-wing coalition led by Yolanda Diaz, second vice-president of the Spanish government), the Izquierda Unida, which is part of this coalition, condemns "unreservedly" the repression of the Moroccan occupier committed against Sahrawi civilians and its violations of human rights in the illegally occupied Sahrawi territories.
The party now joins Sumar, who reaffirmed at the end of June its position supporting the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination.
"We maintain the position we have always defended: We support the self-determination of the Sahrawi people within the framework of United Nations resolutions," affirmed Diaz.
A candidate for the presidency of the Spanish government, the current Minister of Labor was also keen to point out that all Sumar members "support this position" on Western Sahara.
According to the Europa Press agency, this coalition affirmed that its position was based on "respect for human rights, a criterion that will govern relations with Morocco", as its spokesman, MEP Ernest Urtasun, had indicated.
The latter stressed that "the defence of the right to self-determination of the Sahrawi people was one of the points that would be clearly addressed in the electoral program".
"Sumar's position on Western Sahara will be unique and consistent, based in particular on the defense of the self-determination of the Saharawi people, in compliance with UN resolutions and the mandate of MINURSO (UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara)", he further stressed.
062/T