Australia Western Sahara Association

BHP urged to dump unethical phosphate trade in its takeover of PotashCorp

Barbara — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:46:55 +0000

Australia Western Sahara Association
Press Release, 25 August 2010

The Australia Western Sahara Association today urged BHP-Billiton to suspend PotashCorp’s trade in phosphate from Western Sahara if its takeover bid is successful.

President of AWSA, Lyn Allison, said “If BHP cares anything for business ethics, social responsibility and international law, it will not allow the Canadian fertiliser corporation to buy further Western Saharan phosphate from Morocco.”

Western Sahara Resource Watch has asked for an urgent meeting with BHP in Melbourne, to discuss the human rights element of the possible take-over.

The Canadian fertiliser company is a major importer of phosphate from the disputed territory of Western Sahara occupied by Morocco.

AWSA is the local member of the WSRW international network covering 36 countries around the world asking corporations to cease exploiting Western Sahara’s natural resources until the decolonisation process is complete. Morocco invaded Western Sahara in 1975, as Indonesia did in East Timor and Iraq in Kuwait.

The Canadian fertiliser company PotashCorp is today the biggest importer of phosphate rock from the territory of Western Sahara, occupied by Morocco. By ignoring calls from investors and WSRW over the trade, PotashCorp has been blacklisted by ethically-minded investors in Europe. Now, this human rights issue could end on BHP’s table.

“The Moroccan export of phosphates from the territory contributes to financing the occupation and appears to condone the poor human rights situation in Western Sahara. BHP should know that it is entering into very unethical territory and ought to take the advice of its ethical adviser, Simon Longstaff at the St James Ethics Centre on how to proceed”, former senator, Lyn Allison, said.

BHP in the 1980s withdrew from oil exploration in the territory due to the political situation and its good reputation would be at risk if PotashCorp was allowed to continue its unethical trade.

In 2002 the UN legal department’s head, Hans Corell, delivered a legal opinion saying that two conditions must be satisfied for any exploitation of resources to be legal, it must follow the wishes of the Saharawi people and the trade must be to their benefit. “We know of no attempt by the Moroccan phosphate company OCP to seek the consent of the Saharawi people to export these phosphates. On the other hand, we are well aware of their constant protests against the plunder of their natural resources,” said Cate Lewis of WSRW.

“On 2 August and 9 August peaceful demonstrations on this very topic were held outside the Ministry of Mines & Energy in El Aaiun (capital of occupied Western Sahara)” she added, “these were broken up brutally by the Moroccan security forces”, see:
http://www.wsrw.org/index.php?parse_news=single&cat=105&art=1554

—-
British press on BHP takeover bid and human rights
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/potash-bid-drags-bhp-into-saharan-fight-2058622.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/aug/22/bhp-billiton-potash-corp-western-sahara

Reuters has reported the story as well: http://af.reuters.com/article/metalsNews/idAFLDE67L07L20100822

Further information:
http://www.wsrw.org/
http://www.awsa.org.au/

Contact
Cate Lewis 0407 288 358 or lewis.cate@gmail.com

Human Rights Watch call for Morocco to Release or Try Sahrawi Activists Held 10 Months

Barbara — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:19:05 +0000

Seven Facing Charges in Military Court After Visiting Tindouf Refugee Camps
August 2, 2010
(New York) - Moroccan authorities should release three well-known Sahrawi activists held since October 8, 2009, on charges of “harming state security,” or provide them with a prompt and transparent trial, Human Rights Watch said today.

Read HRW report >>

“Don’t try to lure BP fishermen victims to occupied land”

Barbara — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 01:09:26 +0000

Press release,
Western Sahara Resource Watch
30 July 2010
Louisiana fishermen, victims of the BP Gulf spill, could be moving their place of work to an occupied country,
supporting an illegal and brutal regime. This might be the reality if Washington lobbyists get what they want.Press release >>

The Image and its Discontent: The 29th Sundance Film Festival and the 18th Pan African Film and Arts Festival

Barbara — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 01:01:52 +0000

Festival Reports in Issue 55
by Bérénice Reynaud
….The controversial Australian documentary Stolen (which received PAFF’s Best Feature Documentary Award) argues that slavery still exists in the Polisario camps in Western Sahara – an assertion that was violently criticised during the post-screening panel discussion, that unfortunately degenerated into a screaming match between (and among) the Festival’s organisers and some members of the audience. (….continued)
Read full report >>

Monty Pythons show solidarity with Sahara refugees

Barbara — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:57:00 +0000

Michael Palin and Terry Jones were among the celebrities attending a private view of a photographs from the Western Sahara refugee camps in London on Wednesday. The pair of Pythons joined other actors including Neighbours star Nicola Quilter at the event which showed images of refugees from one of the world’s longest and most forgotten conflicts.
Read more >>

AWSA critique on documentary ‘Stolen’ now updated to 3rd edition

Barbara — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:49:03 +0000

Australia Western Sahara Association has updated its detailed critique on the documentary Stolen to reflect the recent publicity and commentary on the film. This updated edition is now published as the 3rd edition.

Download the critique 3rd edition June 2010 >>

Professor Stephen Zunes speaks on Western Sahara in Sydney

Barbara — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 02:44:57 +0000

A lecture delivered by Professor Stephen Zunes during an event that took place on 7 July 2010 as part of the Fringe Program of The International Peace Research Association (IPRA) conference 2010 which was held in Sydney (Australia) on 6-10 July 2010.

The event was under the title: “Self-determination, 50 years on: Conflict Resolution in the Struggle for Self-Determination” The theme for the event was the issue of self-determination with Western Sahara as an example of where peace perspectives are urgently needed.

Professor Stephen Zunes is Professor of Politics & International Studies and Chair of Middle Eastern Studies Program at the University of San Francisco.

Full-text of Professor Stephen Zunes lecture >>

Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) to remove the so-called “Stolen” film

Barbara — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:34:09 +0000

13 July 2010
Press Release

The Embassy of the Saharawi Republic to the United Republic of Tanzania welcomes the decision by Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), to remove the so-called “Stolen” film from the program of its 13th Festival which is taking place in Zanzibar on 10-18 July 2010.

ZIFF’s Board decided not to screen “Stolen” during the Festival after close and thorough consideration of all the information and representations made by the Saharawis affected by the film including the family of Fetim Sellami a key figure in the film.

Press Release >>

Europe’s assault on Western Sahara

Barbara — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:29:15 +0000

By David Cronin, the Brussels correspondent of Inter Press Service news agency

The theft of fish from Western Saharan waters should be damned by the European commission, not encouraged…..(continued)

Read report >>

Passing of Mr Mahfoud Ali Beiba, President of the Saharawi Parliament

Barbara — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:25:28 +0000

Condolence messages were sent from Australian parliamentarians and from the President of Australia Western Sahara Association on the passing of Mr Mahfoud Ali Beiba, President of the Saharawi Parliament.
Letters were sent by:

Janelle Saffin MP, Federal Member for Page
on behalf of the Parliamentary Friends of Western Sahara (Saharawi People)
Read letter >>

Maria Vamvakinou, MP
Federal Member for Calwell
Read letter >>

Lyn Allison
President
Australia Western Sahara Association
Read letter >>