Sydney, April 27, 2013 (SPS) - The POLISARIO Representative to Australia Mr. Kamal Fadel gave Friday a talk to the students at the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, which is part of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney, about the issue of Western Sahara under the title “Western Sahara: Decolonisation, Human Rights and Self-Determination.”
The talk is part of the University’s program (United Nations, Peace and Security).
In his talk, the Saharawi representative provided a background to the case of Western Sahara, underlining the UN’s clear position towards Western Sahara not only through its Charter but also through many other specific resolutions as well as the opinion of the International Court of Justice.
Mr. Fadel underlined that the UN promised to organise a referendum of self-determination in Western Sahara 21 years ago but has not delivered on that promise due to Morocco’s violations of UN resolutions and peace plans and the lack of political will from members of the UN Security Council to put pressure on Morocco.
The Saharawi Representative highlighted the abhorrent human rights abuses committed by the Moroccan regime in Western Sahara and the failure of the UN Security Council to include in the mandate of the UN Mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO) the monitoring of human rights.
He stressed the fact that MINURSO remains the only UN peacekeeping mission established since 1978 to be operating without the capacity to monitor human rights is an anomaly that must be rectified.
POLISARIO Representative also hoped that the failure of the UN Security Council not to include human rights monitoring in its latest resolution regarding Western Sahara is not going to be interpreted by Morocco as a green light to continue and increase its abuse of human rights in Western Sahara.
The Representative drew attention to the illegal exploitation of Western Sahara resources and the involvement of Australian companies in the illegal importation of phosphate from Western Sahara through Morocco.
He also discussed the important role the global civil society could play in putting pressure on their governments to make sure that Western Sahara is not ignored.
The Saharawi Representative concluded by stressing that for United Nations Western Sahara remains a colonial case to which the UN doctrine and practice relating to decolonisation must be applicable.
“This means that the Sahrawi people have an inalienable right to self-determination and independence to be exercised in a free, fair and democratic referendum on self-determination,” he added.
He therefore indicated that Morocco, which has accepted many peace plans based on the option of a referendum of self-determination, should cooperate with the international community and allow the speedy organisation a referendum that enables the Saharawi people to exercise their right to self-determination and independence.
The Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPACS) at the University of Sydney promotes interdisciplinary research and teaching on the causes of conflict and the conditions that affect conflict resolution and peace. (SPS)
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