Shaheed Al Hafed (refugee camps), Dec 31, 2011 (SPS) - The issues related to human rights violations and natural resources looting in Western Sahara marked the debate over the conflict in Western Sahara in 2011, one year, which ends with achievements in the diplomatic front for the Saharawi people, according to observers.
The shock wave of Moroccan repression on Gdeim Izik camp, set up by the Sahrawis a few miles from El-Aiun (occupied Saharawi capital), in November 2010, which aroused the indignation of the international community, and incessant attacks on human rights have reacted the U.S. Congress.
Thus, the recent decision of the U.S. Congress conditioning military aid to Morocco in advance to the respect for human rights, free movement of journalists and representatives of humanitarian organizations in Western Sahara, has been called “historic” by the Saharawi President, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz, and many observers, especially as it coincided with the holding of the 13th Congress of the Polisario Front.
Before this law was passed in the U.S. Congress, the issue of respect for human rights in the occupied Saharawi territories had occupied an important place in the debates surrounding the United States by the repression that had befallen the Saharawi peaceful resistance.
The US-based Human Rights Watch published in New York towards the end of 2010, a damning report on the attack by Moroccan forces against Sahrawi camp, Gdeim Izik, after an investigation violation of human rights during and after the dismantling of the camp.
This report was followed by a damning report, published March 16, 2011, by the Research Center of the U.S. Congress, denouncing the violation of human rights of Sahrawis by Morocco and suggesting the measures taken by the two U.S. parliamentary institutions to force that country to respect these rights in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.
This American Parliamentary body had reported in his paper for members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the atrocities committed against the Sahrawis and the coercive measures against international organizations for human rights and media dealing with this issue.
The U.S. State Department had confirmed on April 10, 2011, on the violations of human rights committed by Morocco in Western Sahara, while noting that the mandate of MINURSO (UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) continued to be deprived of the monitoring mechanism of these rights.
The European Parliament had displayed a similar attitude, adopting towards the end of 2010, in Strasbourg, a resolution condemning, for the first time, violence in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.
These setbacks to the policy of the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara had an impact on the course of events, doing that for the first time, the Sahrawi occupied territories, 54 in number, were able to attend the Congress of the Polisario Front in Tifariti , a town in the Saharawi territories liberated.
The other side, called a “major diplomatic victory” for the Moroccan expansionist policy was imposed by the European Parliament, through its refusal, announced in December to extend the fishing agreement with Morocco, because it includes the territorial waters of Western Sahara.
Moreover, the question of Western Sahara has been a central concern of the international community, receiving, again, the support of the UN General Assembly and the Security Council reaffirmed during this year, the solution to self-determination of the Saharawi people.
In its latest resolution on this issue, the UN General Assembly supported the negotiation process initiated by the Security Council since 2007 to achieve “a just, lasting and mutually acceptable to enable the determination of the people of Western Sahara.”
This political solution was clarified by the Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki-moon, who noted that if one resulted in a final status through which the Sahrawi population has not expressed his views clearly and convincingly, “could create new tensions in Western Sahara and in the region.”
On other hand, the Security Council endorsed, in turn, a resolution in which it reiterated its commitment to help both parties to the conflict, the Polisario Front and Morocco, to reaching a solution that allows self-determination of the Saharawi people.
But the victory obtained by the Polisario Front in the last resolution of the Security Council is that for the first time, this decision-making body of the UN has unequivocally called Morocco, as the occupying power to respect the human rights of the Saharawi people, and this after years of neglect of this issue because of opposition from a member of the Security Council.
The evolution displayed by the Spanish Popular Party (PP-in power), to the Saharawi question, is in line with the wishes of Sahrawis who have continued to challenge Spain on its historic responsibility as a former colonial power in Western Sahara.
Thus, the PP announced, in its political programme, its support to the process of negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario Front in order to achieve an outcome consistent with the resolutions of the Security Council to guarantee the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination.
In this context marked by outstanding success in terms of human rights and diplomacy, the Polisario Front held its Thirteenth Congress in Tifariti, from December 15 to 23, a congress that saw the re-election of Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz at the head of the Front. (SPS)
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