Quito (Ecuador), June 3, 2013 (SPS) - The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization, also known as Fourth Committee or the Committee of 24, has stressed the need to speedily enable the Saharawi people of their right to self-determination, reported POLISARIO delegation that attended its Caribbean Regional Seminar, convened from 28 to 30 May 2013 in Quito (capital of Ecuador).
Along with some member states, the seminar also attended by representatives of Morocco, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Algeria, U.S.A, UK, Russia and China.
France was absent following the recent decision by the UN General Assembly to reinscribe French Polynesia on the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.
Opening the seminar, the Chairman of the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization, Diego Morejón-Pazmiño (Ecuador) stressed the need to speed up the decolonization of all the 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories, listed on the Committee’s agenda, in particular the case of Western Sahara, which he insisted to be put at the top of international community priorities and interests, so that the Saharawi people enjoy their right to decolonization and self-determination.
The Alternate Permanent Representative of the Ecuador to the UN Mr. Diego Morejón-Pazmiño reiterated his country’s firm position towards the struggle of the Saharawi people, calling on the UN to set up a mechanism to monitor and protect human rights in Western Sahara.
Representative of Tanzania confirmed that Western Sahara “remains the last African colony,” reaffirming support to the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination and independence.
This position also expressed by the representatives of Cuba, who expressed his country’s permanent adherence to need to respect the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination, calling on the United Nations to accelerate the application of UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions on the decolonization Western Sahara.
Recalling to the UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice and the UN path of settlement, Representative of Algeria reaffirmed his country’s solid position in the side of the just struggle of Saharawi people for freedom and independence.
POLISARIO Representative to the UN Mr. Ahmed Boukhari presented a detailed report about the ground developments in Western Sahara, highlighting the role played by the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy Mr. Christopher Ross, which, he said, he faces strong obstruction by Moroccan occupation regime, who attempted to end his mediation last year.
Saharawi diplomat went on saying that in parallel with that, Morocco escalated his repressive policies as well as grave and systematic violations of human rights in the occupied Western Sahara and the cities of southern Morocco, a thing, he pointed out, encouraged super powers like the U.S.A to propose the extension of MINURSO mandate to include the monitoring and protection of human rights in the Territory.
Mr. Boukhari indicated that the position expressed by African leaders, during the recent African Union summit, in strongly adhering to the decolonization of Africa’s last colony, Western Sahara is a “valuable opportunity for the Committee of 24 to push forward the peace process and accelerate the decolonization of Western Sahara.”
This UN Fourth Committee seminar was organized ahead of its official meeting to be convened in New York during the month of June to discuss the situation in every territory of the 17 Non-Self Governing Territories, registered at the United Nations, which have not enjoyed yet the right to decolonization, particularly the Western Sahara. (SPS)
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