United Nations, April 12, 2012 (SPS) -The Polisario Front has called on the UN Security Council to direct Morocco to cooperate fully with MINURSO by allowing “unhindered and immediate access for the United Nations and associated personnel in carrying out their mandate”.
In letter addressed on Thursday to President of the UN Security Council - US Permanent Representative, Suzan Rice, the Polisario Front representative to UN, Boukhari Ahmed, urged the Security council "to pressurize Morocco to allow free access to the Territory for diplomats, journalists, human rights organizations and other interested observers."
Boukhari Ahmed said "Frente POLISARIO undertakes to do the same in respect of that portion of the Territory of Western Sahara under its control, as well as in the Tindouf refugee camps.”
“The Frente POLISARIO wishes to express its deep concern at the absence of any reference in the Secretary-General’s Report to the failure to make progress on the establishment of an effective international mechanism for regular, independent, impartial and sustained human rights monitoring within a clear mandate covering the entire Territory and the refugee camps, as recommended by the UN’s own Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights” he added.
The Saharawi Diplomat stated that “the past year has demonstrated with absolute clarity that reliance on the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council (HRC) is not a viable route to building an independent and credible human rights monitoring and reporting capacity in Western Sahara”.
In another context, The Polisario Front emphasized the significant steps it has taken to counter terrorist activities in the area under its control and elsewhere in the Sahel.
“We have provided a detailed briefing to the UN’s Department of Peacekeeping Operations on these developments, in particular our quick response to the kidnapping of three humanitarian workers working in the Tindouf refugee camps” said Boukhari in his letter. (SPS)
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