Washington, Oct 6, 2012 (SPS) - The U.S. Department of State has sent a report to the Congress criticizing Morocco’s human rights violations in Western Sahara, confirming that the situation was a matter of “serious concern.”
The report, a copy of it obtained by SPS, was developed by the U.S. Department of State in line with a law passed on December 2011 by the U.S. Congress, which asked the Department of State to ensure respect for human rights in Western Sahara before providing any military assistance to Morocco.
This law states that before granting such funding, the State Department must “submit a report to the appropriations committees within the House of Representatives and the Senate on the measures taken by the Moroccan government regarding the rights of people to peacefully express their views on the status and future of Western Sahara” and should also “prepare a report on the situation of human rights in Western Sahara.”
The Congress, through this law, conditioned US military assistance to Morocco by the right of access to Western Sahara, without any hindrance, for human rights groups, journalists and representatives of foreign governments.
In its report accomplished in accordance with the new U.S. Congress legislation, the State Department noted, first, that Western Sahara is “a non-autonomous territory on which Morocco claims sovereignty, a position which is not accepted by the international community.”
Recalling that the UN Security Council was created the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) in 1991 “to allow the people of Western Sahara to choose either independence or integration with the Kingdom of Morocco “, the U.S State Department insisted that the United States “recently renewed its support for the MINURSO through the adoption of the resolution 2044 of the Security Council last April.”
However, Department of State pointed out that referendum “was never held. Western Sahara remains, de facto, under the administrative authority of Morocco, and, although Morocco is not recognized by the UN as administering power of Western Sahara.”
The U.S. State Department informed Congress that “the general situation of human rights in the Saharawi territories raise a number of serious concerns, including limitation on the freedom of expression and assembly, the use of arbitrary detention and physical and verbal abuse against detainees during arrest and imprisonment.”
Concerning the rights of individuals to express their opinion on Western Sahara, the report noted that Morocco considers that the independence claims of Western Sahara constitute “a serious breach to security.”
In this regard, it noted that there are continuing restrictions, especially for the rights of peaceful assembly and publications calling for independence or a referendum that includes independence as an option.
In this sense, the reports said that “major events on human rights or event specifically in favor of the independence of the Saharawi territories are strictly prohibited by law” in Morocco.
“Those people arrested for protesting against the integration of Western Sahara with Morocco have not always enjoyed a fair public trial,” added the U.S. Department of State.
Also, distributing leaflets calling for the independence of Western Sahara or a referendum that includes this option is prohibited, adding that Moroccan government “refuses the access to controversial websites, such as those advocating independence of Western Sahara.”
On other hand, the report noted that “Moroccan law prohibits citizens to express their opposition to the government’s official position in relation to the Western Sahara.”
Also, it states, most of the media and bloggers practice self-censorship on this issue, while bloggers, who suspect be closely monitored by the Moroccan authorities, are then brought to conceal their identity.”
The U.S. State Department informed the Congress that “the organizations that are considered by the Moroccan government as not subject to Moroccan sovereignty have difficulties to obtain approval or to activate freely.”
Consequently, the non-authorized organizations “may not have the access to public funds or accept financial contributions and difficulties in obtaining permission to hold public meetings,” said the report, citing in particular the case of the Sahrawi Association of Victims of the Grave Human Rights Violations Committed by the Moroccan State (ASVDH) and Collective of the Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders (CODESA).
In his report submitted to the U.S. elected, the State Department also mentioned the visit to Western Sahara in August by a delegation of the American Foundation Robert F. Kennedy for Justice and Human Rights (RFK Center) who had trained, recalls it, a damning report on Morocco for its violation of Saharawis human rights.
The RFK Center delegation focused on the serious violations of human rights committed in Western Sahara, the report pointed out.
The State Department also indicates that “the Moroccan government applies strict procedures that limit the ability of NGOs and activists to meet with journalists,” noting that foreign journalists must obtain prior official authorization by Moroccan Ministry of Communication before meeting with NGOs supporting the independence of Western Sahara.
Concerning the creation of Morocco’s National Council for Human Rights (CNDH) in 2011 in the wake of political reforms, the report stated that U.S. officials have urged Morocco to publish, as promised, the 2011 report of the human rights, one of which is a specific report on the situation of human rights in Western Sahara.
The U.S. Department of State underlined, however, that “Morocco refuses a permanent presence of an office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights or even a mechanism of human rights under MINURSO. (SPS)
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