Yearly Archives: 2010

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

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 >>

Crimes Against Humanity in Western Sahara: The Case Against Morocco

Authors: Hanga Sántha Swedish Section of the International Commission of Jurists; Ylva Lennartsson Hartmann Swedish Section of the International Commission of Jurists; Mark Klamberg Stockholm University – Faculty of Law
May 24, 2010

The authors of this report argue that the violations against the Saharawis by Morocco may constitute crimes against humanity. Moreover they suggest that the international community should act as soon as possible to end Moroccan impunity and to make greater efforts for a just and lasting solution of the question of Western Sahara.

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1614745

7 July “Conflict Resolution in the Struggle for Self-Determination” – Western Sahara and Tamil (LTTE) Case Studies.

Sydney Customs House, Circular Quay
MFPA, CPACS (University of Sydney) and the Sydney Peace Foundation present: “Conflict Resolution in the Struggle for Self-Determination” – Western Sahara and Tamil (LTTE) Case Studies.
Workshop led by Prof. Johan Galtung, & Prof. Stephen Zunes
Intro Prof. Stuart Rees.
Venue: Barnet Long Room, Customs House Circular Quay Sydney
Time:  1800 -2000

Fee $30 includes refreshments All welcome.

More information and bookings at http://www.arts.usyd.edu.au/peace_conflict/news/ipra2010.shtml  Note: go to page for full conference booking. Here you can select to book for this single event at Customs House.

AIDC 2010: Why Let Ethics Get in the Way of a Good Story?

Natasha Phillips
Screen Hub
Friday 26 February, 2010
Almost all the truly contentious issues in documentary can be collected around the one phrase: documentary ethics. What happens when a group of documentary filmmakers discuss their private morality in a public space?…….Tom Zubrycki’s reactions are revealing when questioned about the documentary ‘Stolen’ which contains re-enactments in Cronulla and Bondi golf course. He acknowledges the tapes were never buried in the
desert thus making a mockery of one of the central tenets of the so-called ‘drama’ that our intrepid adventurers (sic.) violeta and dan found themselves caught up in…….
Read Natasha Phillips’ report >>

Reader riposte: Western Sahara by Guest Blogger – 9 June 2010

Reader riposte: Western Sahara
by Guest Blogger – 9 June 2010 10:46AM
A response to Danielle Cave’s recent post on the Western Sahara from Kamal Fadel, the representative to Australia of Polisario, the Western Sahara independence movement:

“I was surprised to read Danielle Cave’s recent article on Western Sahara. It was nice to see a fresh perspective on the plight of my country, a country that struggles to gain and maintain media attention in Australia, and in fact, the coverage it does receive is few and far between…..(cont.)

Read full response >>

The Unfinished Business of Decolonisation: West Papua and Western Sahara as Occupied Territories

fadis-photos-034.JPGThe Sydney Centre for International Law at the Faculty of Law at the University of Sydney organised on 9 June 2010 an important public Seminar. The Seminar was fully booked. It was well attended by students, academics and the public in general.
The seminar explored the unfinished business of decolonisation, by considering the legal, political and historical aspects of two territories which raise questions about the international right to self-determination and the enduring legacies of colonialism and occupation.

Read full report >>