New York, April 20, 2016 (SPS) - Member of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front, Coordinator with MINURSO, Mhamed Khadad, called “urgently” on the United Nations Security Council to assume its responsibilities as repeatedly reaffirmed by its own resolutions, in a statement Wednesday, a copy of which obtained by SPS.
He expressed the condemnation of the Polisario Front to Morocco’s unilateral decision to expel personnel from the MINURSO peacekeeping mission, considering it presents a grave threat to the people of Western Sahara, as well as a serious challenge to the authority of the UN Security Council.
He called for the full restoration of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
He reiterated the readiness of the Polisario Front to enter into negotiations with Morocco, without preconditions and as soon as possible, in accordance with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s statement of 4 November 2015, as cited in his report, and in accordance with Security Council resolutions.
Below is the full text of the statement by Mhamed Khadad, Polisario Coordinator with MINURSO:
“The Frente POLISARIO takes note of the ‘Report of the Secretary-General on the situation concerning Western Sahara, and in agreement with the Secretary-General, calls for the full restoration of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Morocco’s unilateral decision to expel personnel from the MINURSO peacekeeping mission presents a grave threat to the people of Western Sahara, and is a serious challenge to the authority of the UN Security Council. The Frente POLISARIO expresses deep concern about the Kingdom of Morocco’s repeated and sustained efforts to obstruct the UN political process on Western Sahara.
MINURSO was established by Security Council resolution 690 of 29 April 1991 in accordance with Settlement Plan accepted on 30 August 1988 by Morocco and the Frente POLISARIO. The settlement plan, as approved by the Security Council, provided for a transitional period for the preparation of a referendum in which the people of Western Sahara would choose between independence and integration with Morocco. Despite these clear and unequivocal parameters, more than twenty-five years have passed and the Saharawi people are still waiting to fulfill their right to self-determination.
The Frente POLISARIO reiterates its readiness to enter into negotiations with Morocco, without preconditions and as soon as possible, in accordance with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s statement of 4 November 2015, as cited in his report, and in accordance with Security Council resolutions.
The stalled UN political process has led to a deterioration of the human rights situation in the occupied Territory of Western Sahara, where (as cited in the Secretary-General’s report) the Saharawi people are subjected to frequent and well-documented human rights abuses by Moroccan security forces. It has also led to the systematic plundering of the natural resources of the Western Sahara by Morocco. It is essential that the United Nations intensify its efforts to organize a referendum, and address the root cause of these human rights violations, and exploitation of the natural resources of Western Sahara. In this regard, the Frente POLISARO urgently appeals to the Security Council to assume its responsibilities as repeatedly reaffirmed by its own resolutions.” (SPS)
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