New York, April 10, 2013 (SPS) the Polisario representative to the UN, Ahmed Bukhari, on Tuesday welcomed the new report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon on Western Sahara, while stressing that this report is '' shy'' due to the Moroccan threatens.
'' The report is balanced but shy and reflecting the impact of the diversion tactics and intimidation practiced by Morocco to undermine UN efforts to resolve the question of Western Sahara occupied,'' said the Saharawi representative in response to the report which will be submitted shortly to the Security Council.
Nevertheless, he said, the report of the UN chief'' contains strong elements to convince the Security Council to take the necessary measures for the establishment of a permanent mechanism to monitor the human rights situation in Western Sahara, which has been severely aggravated by many events as described in the document.''
The Polisario Front, and as pointed out a large number of international organizations of human rights,'' continue to believe that MINURSO is the best and most appropriate framework to ensure that mission monitoring human rights and we have expressed our willingness to work in this direction with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights'', argued Bukhari.
Possibly taking this measure, he said, the Security Council would give MINURSO the same tools that are included in the mandates of all peacekeeping missions of the United Nations in place since 1978,'' he said.
In this sense, it has been observed that the special rapporteurs, as shown also by the Secretary General of the UN itself,'' is not a valid alternative to a permanent mechanism for monitoring human rights. ''
Addressing the fundamental question of the right to self- determination, Bukhari said that'' this right, which is the only base, recognized by the international community to resolve the Western Sahara conflict cannot and should not be conditioned by desires of an occupying power.''
Indeed,'' the two principles are self-determination and human rights are enshrined in the UN Charter,'' he said.
The only solution, he stressed, is'' a peaceful and democratic solution to resolve a conflict of decolonization and, through a referendum of self-determination is, in fact, the only reason for the presence of MINURSO in Western Sahara.''
Asked about the signs of the UN report on the situation in Mali and the Sahel and in which Mr. Ban warned that "the rise of instability and insecurity in and around the Sahel requires urgent solution to the Western Sahara conflict,'' Mr. Bukhari said that it might be'' misunderstood.
The Western Sahara issue'' is a decolonization issue that must be resolved with or without the events happening in the Sahel,'' said Mr. Bukhari.
'' We, like all African countries are concerned about the stability and security in Mali or in any other place in Africa, but there should be no confusion between an internal problem in one country, on one hand, and the right to self-determination of the people of the last colony in Africa located in another part of the region, "he said.(SPS)
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