Monthly Archives: January 2009

Letter For The Distinguished Members Of The Mission Of The European Parliament Visit To Morocco And Western Sahara

The Saharawi associations active in the field of human rights are honored to send you this letter, through which they wish to express, first of all, welcome and to express the immense joy to take part in this meeting that we have long awaited.

Also, we take this opportunity to share with you our deep concern at the continuing violations of human rights in Western Sahara, with very serious abuses against the Sahrawi civilians in general and the Sahrawi human rights defenders in particular. This is, of course, the result of a political and military conflict that has lasted more than three decades during which it contributed to the climate of frustration that has further increased the suffering of a population which is the victim of all forms of discrimination and humiliations and that is deprived of its right to respect and human dignity.

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Morocco: Suppressing Rights in Western Sahara

Population of Polisario-Run Refugee Camps Remain Vulnerable
(Rabat, December 19, 2008) – Morocco violates the rights to expression, association, and assembly in Western Sahara, Human Rights Watch said in a new report issued today, revealing stark limits to the progress that Morocco has made in protecting human rights overall. Human rights conditions have also improved in the Sahrawi refugee camps managed by the Polisario Front in Algeria, although the Polisario marginalizes those who directly oppose its leadership.

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Declaration confirms exclusive rights to offshore resources

The declaration on 21 January 2009 of an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), the sovereign authority for Western Sahara, confirms its exclusive rights to the oil, gas and fisheries resources offshore of the territory of Western Sahara.  Already recognized by over 80 countries, the SADR’s declaration of an EEZ is a further step toward full statehood, consistent with international law.
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SADR DECLARES OFFSHORE ZONES

MEDIA RELEASE, January 2009
The Government of Western Sahara declared an offshore exclusive economic zone (EEZ) making official its exclusive rights to the oil, gas and fisheries resources offshore of the territory of Western Sahara.

The EEZ law, delineating the exclusive economic zone and the maritime areas of the SADR, was unanimously adopted by the Saharawi National Council (parliament) on 21 January 2009.
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Permanent resistance in Western Sahara

Le Monde Diplomatique – English edition   December 2008
Morocco won control of half of the former Spanish Sahara 33 years ago, and later annexed the rest. Several generations of Saharawis have continued a struggle to be independent, and free of the Moroccan colonial powers. It has cost them everything, but they are not prepared to give up or give in.
Read full report by Colin Murphy