Bir Lehlou (liberated territories), May 3, 2013 (SPS) - Sahrawi government has urged UN Security Council to guarantee the application of its recently adopted resolution on Western Sahara, while denouncing “vigorously” the Moroccan forces’ systematic repression against Saharawi demonstrators in the occupied territories.
“The Sahrawi government vigorously denounces the systematic suppression against Saharawi peaceful demonstrators in the occupied territories of Western Sahara and in the south of Morocco and urges Security Council to guarantee the application of its last resolution, violated by the Moroccan colonial power, less than 24 hours after its adoption,” said Friday the Saharawi Minister of Foreign Affairs told Thursday Algerian Press Service (APS).
In fact, says the minister, more than forty Saharawis were beaten by Moroccan police in El Aaiun, capital of Western Sahara, before eyes of Amnesty International, just hours after the adoption by the Security Council of the resolution (2099/2013).
Other Sahrawi occupied cities (Smara, Boujdour, Dakhla), as well as Assa and Goulimine in south of Morocco have also been the scene of bloody clashes between peaceful Saharawi protesters and Moroccan forces of repression.
“Peaceful protesters were demanding the right of their people to self-determination referendum, guaranteed by the Charter of the United Nations which the MINURSO was created for and to which both parties agreed upon, the release of Saharawi political prisoners, respect for human rights and stop the exploitation of their natural resources by the new colonizers,” underlined the Minister.
In addition, the Minister noted “a vain attempt” by Moroccan authorities to muddy the waters and give a justification for the forceful intervention against the protesters.
He went on saying that Moroccan repression forces ordered police to be dressed in civilian and official clothes, armed with machetes, clubs and rocks mingle with the crowd of protesters and mobilized an array of camera film scenes where their acolytes simulated attacks against uniformed officers.
Head of Saharawi diplomacy called on international organization of human rights to work in favour of the defense of Saharawis’ right to peaceful protest and free expression, as to contribute in putting an end to the heinous acts perpetuated by Morocco in Western Sahara.
The UN Security Council adopted, on April 25, a resolution 2099 on Western Sahara in which it called, again, for a “just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that allows self-determination for Western Sahara people,” while stressing “the importance of improving the human rights situation” in the territories occupied by Morocco.
The Council also decided to extend MINURSO mandate until 30 April 2014. (SPS)
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