Geneva, 20 December 2020 (SPS) - The representative of the Polisario Front in Switzerland, Omeima Mahmoud Abdel Salam, stressed that the unilateral decision of the outgoing U.S. President, Donald Trump, to recognize the alleged sovereignty of Morocco in Western Sahara, "will not affect the national resistance of the Saharawi people and its struggle for independence and freedom".
"This has pushed the Sahrawis to be more unified and determined to defend their rights by all legitimate means, including armed struggle," Omeima underlined in a statement to the Sputnik News Agency, specifying that the outgoing president's announcement was "a clear encouragement and a green light for expansionist regimes to invade the territories of others, such as the Morocco which continues its aggressive acts against the Sahrawi people and their territory, in full view of the international community".
The Sahrawi diplomat also expressed her hope that U.S. President-elect Joe Biden would take the decision to withdraw this declaration "prejudicial to individuals and international law." Thus, she added, "the international community must face this announcement firmly and take a decision with a political will that will enable the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination and freedom."
In this regard, Ms. Omeima reaffirmed that "the Saharawi people reject Trump's declaration and any decision that violates international legality, the aim of which is always to circumvent its right to self-determination and extend its suffering in exile, under oppression in the occupied territories and the intensification of the plundering of the natural resources of the Western Sahara ".
She concluded that "Sahrawi refugees are fighting for freedom and dignity, and they have created a state in exile for 45 years, despite the conditions and lack of means to demonstrate to the world that they aspire to live in their country, the free and independent Western Sahara". (SPS)
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