United Nations (New York), Oct 11, 2011 (SPS) - The Republic of South Africa has confirmed that the imposition of the Moroccan autonomy proposal on Western Sahara, which some in the Security Council insists on labelling as ‘serious and credible’ is in fact “perpetuating a re-colonization of the territory.”
Addressing the UN Fourth Committee on Decolonization, Deputy Permanent Representative of South Africa to the UN, Mr. Doctor Mashabane, urged that those who defend the Moroccan proposal “do so in complete disregard of the fact that there are two proposals for consideration, both presented by the two parties to the negotiation Morocco and the Frente Polisario.”
The South African official noted that the question of Western Sahara, whilst this very legality is on the side of the Sahrawi peoples in their quest for self-determination, the UN remains paralysed on this matter, adding that the UN, as custodian of the international law, has a clear obligation to ensure at all times that strict compliance to this law is maintained.
In this regard, he recalled that both the International Court of Justice in October 1975 and the Legal Department of the United Nations in January 2002 presented opinions on the matter of Western Sahara that “were legally compelling in favour of the Sahrawi people’s quest to exercise their right to self-determination.”
Mr. Mashabane strongly deplored the series of blatant disregard for the principles of the UN and a clear violation of decisions taken by the mandated UN Mission to oversee a referendum over 3 decades ago, has not materialised in the territory.
The South African Deputy Representative outlined that this flagrant demonstration of biasness in an organ such as the Security Council “only serves to entrench insubordination of the Charter, in particular Article 73 of Chapter XI on the Declaration regarding Non-Self Governing Territories as well as the General Assembly’s Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples of 1960.”
“The decision to hold a referendum to give the Sahrawi people all the options to decide on their political destiny has been a clear, unambiguous and longstanding one,” said the South African diplomat, reaffirming his country’s commitment to the African Union position that was reiterated at the 2008 AU Summit in Libya that “Calls for the intensification of efforts towards the holding of a referendum to enable the people of Western Sahara to choose between the option of independence and that of integration into the Kingdom of Morocco.”
He therefore underlined that further prolongation of the status quo on Western Sahara in this Committee is “a negation of the Constitutive Act of the African Union,” adding that the unresolved matter of Western Sahara in this Committee also “constitutes a major impediment to the socio-economic development of the continent and of the need to promote peace, security and stability as a prerequisite for the implementation of our development and integration agenda.”
He also expressed concerned that the natural resources of Western Sahara “are subject to ongoing plunder and exploitation,” recalling to the UN special responsibility, in particular this Committee, “in ensuring that the economic interests of the Sahrawi people are not further undermined or compromised by illegal activities that are presented as international trade agreements.”
Mr. Mashabane stressed that all Member States of the UN have “a clear obligation and responsibility in ensuring that the Sahrawi peoples are consulted in the utilization of any of their natural resources.”
On other hand, he said that the situation of human rights in Western Sahara “has worsened in the territory and many of the Sahrawi people are subjected to gross human rights violations,” considering that the intransigent attitude of some in the Security Council who block attempts to introduce a legitimate human rights component to the MINURSO mandate “once again interfere with the provisions of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.”
The African official called for Capacity-building in Western Sahara as a crucial element for decolonisation, but warning that inadequacy of political, social or economic readiness “should never serve as a pretext for delaying independence.”
He finally appealed to the United Nations to play a core role in helping the Sahrawi people fill a vacuum that is currently not giving full effect to Article 73 of the Charter, and to conduct site visits to the territory.
The discussions at the 4th UN Commission on the question of Western Sahara was completed Monday and culminated on the adoption of a resolution supporting the negotiation process initiated by the Security Council resolutions to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution providing for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
This resolution will be submitted to the UN General Assembly before the end of this year for adoption. (SPS)
090/089/000