Monthly Archives: March 2014

SADR AWARDS NEW OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION BLOCK TO RED RIO PETROLEUM LIMITED

18 March 2014

The Government of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) is pleased to announce that it has awarded the Bir Lahlou Block to the UK-based Red Rio Petroleum Limited (“Contractor”), effective from 18 March 2014. The award is under the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) terms previously promulgated by the SADR:

http://www.sadrpma.com/petroleum_legislation.php

The Bir Lahlou block is situated in the north-east corner of the Territory of Western Sahara (see map here: http://www.sadrpma.com/licence_offering.php, in the area controlled by the Frente POLISARIO, which leads the Government of the SADR. The block overlies part of the Paleozoic Tindouf Basin, which extends eastwards into Algeria and east and south into Mauritania. The Basin sits over the top of a stratigraphic section of rocks ranging in age from Cambrian to Carboniferous, which is analogous to other sub-Atlas basins to the north-east, and which produce large amounts of gas and oil in Algeria.
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AWSA slams Incitec Pivot for stolen phosphate from occupied Western Sahara

AWSA today condemned Incitec Pivot for their latest import of phosphate rock, due on Sunday from Western Sahara, saying Pivot should stop the trade with Morocco in what is essentially stolen property, as other Australian fertiliser companies (CSBP/Wesfarmers and Impact) have done.

A shipment of conflict phosphate is due to arrive in Portland on 16 March on board the bulk carrier, Eurosun. The ship will discharge only part of its cargo of phosphate rock in Portland and the rest in Geelong on 20 March. Continue reading →

Sons of the Clouds screened in Melbourne

In collaboration between Filmoteca and the Australia Western Sahara Association (AWSA), The Sons of the Clouds documentary was screened to a large crowd at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne.

The film was introduced by Cate Lewis, Vice-President of AWSA, saying “Every year, in the most remote of the four refugee camps near Tindouf in south west Algeria, a magical, miraculous thing happens,”

“ The Sahara Film Festival takes place on a big screen outside at night. It’s called FiSahara and last October saw its 10th anniversary.”

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DONATIONS NEEDED FOR WESTERN SAHARA REFUGEE CAMP HOSPITAL

SHIPPING CONTAINER TO LEAVE FROM MELBOURNE 2014

MEDICAL SUPPLIES, LAPTOPS, SCHOOL SUPPLIES,

DONATIONS IN KIND DONATIONS TAX DEDUCTIBLE THROUGH UNION AID ABROAD

APHEDA http://www.apheda.org.au (Please specify Western Sahara)

Contact:

Ron Guy 0428 173 970

Georgia Vlassopoulos 0425 702 975

[email protected] – https://awsa.org.au

Fish, phosphates and tomatoes

By Olivier Quarante for
LeMonde diplomatique, Friday 7 March 2014

Morocco exploits Western Sahara’s natural resources

Morocco is making considerable profits from the land and waters of the annexed Western Sahara, and no external power, including the UN, has challenged this.It’s impossible to count the lorries laden with octopus and fish streaming north on the main road between El Aaiun, the major city in the north of Western Sahara, and Dakhla, 500 km south. Continue reading →

SADR flag raised in many Australian cities to mark 38th anniversary

Canberra, Feb 28, 2014 (SPS)

Flag of the Saharawi Republic (SADR) was raised at top of many buildings in many Australian cities to mark the 38th anniversary of the proclamation of SADR, informed Polisario Front’s office there.

In this regard, the Saharawi flag was raised on Balmain Town Hall (New South Wales), Fremantle Town Hall (Western Australia), Moreland City Council (Victoria), Yarra City Council (Victoria), Ballarat Trades Hall (Victoria), Geelong Trades Hall (Victoria) and Victorian Australian Workers Union (Melbourne office).

The move is a gesture of solidarity and support with the Saharawi people and their just cause.

France’s Hollande calls Morocco king to defuse row

Agence France-Presse
February 26, 2014 7:03am

French President Francois Hollande has telephoned Morocco’s King Mohammed VI to soothe diplomatic tensions raised by civil lawsuits filed in Paris accusing Morocco’s intelligence chief of “complicity in torture.”

Morocco, a close ally with strong commercial and cultural ties to its former colonial ruler, had reacted furiously to the announcement last Thursday of two lawsuits filed by an NGO against Abdellatif Hammouchi, the head of its domestic intelligence agency (DGST).

Hollande called the king, who is currently touring West Africa, to reassure him of France’s “constant friendship,” “dispel the misunderstandings” and underline his desire to strengthen ties, the president’s office said Tuesday.