Перейти к основному содержанию

Occupied El Aaiun: biggest pro-independence demonstration since 1975

Submitted on

El Aaiun, May 5, 2013 (SPS) - The occupied city of El Aaiun, capital of Western Sahara, witnessed Saturday evening what was described as the biggest demonstration demanding self-determination, independence and withdrawal of Moroccan occupation since 1975, according to eyewitnesses.


The demonstrators poured the streets of Matalaa’s quarter in the occupied city of El Aaiun, where they chanted slogans calling for self-determination and independence, and others similar to those raised during the revolutions of Arab Spring such as; “the people wants self-determination” and “the people wants an end to the occupation.”


Cherkaoui, from Moroccan Council for Human Rights, put the number of Saharawi demonstrators at 500 people in the beginning, before it exceed 2000 people at the end of the demonstration, which lasted about two hours.


Mohamed Salem Lakhel, from the Collective of Saharawi Human Rights Defenders (CODESA), described the demonstration as the largest of its kind in one of the Saharawi occupied territories since 1975, putting the number of participants in this demonstration between 6 and 10 thousand people.


The demonstration coincided with the presence of foreign journalists’ delegation, from the U.S.A, Canada and UK, in the occupied city of El Aaiun.


The move came after the recent UN Security Council resolution on last April 25th.
According to Saharawi activists, these demonstrations will continue in the coming days and expected to be joined by more participants. (SPS)


090/089/TRA