Yearly Archives: 2017

Media release – Communiqué

The detention of a cargo of phosphate rock  destined for New Zealand from occupied Western Sahara

Sydney, Australia 8 May 2017

Port for phospate export from the Bou Craa mine, near Laayoune Marsa Boujdour in Western Sahara, 11th March 2013. Photo: jbdodane via Flickr (CC BY-NC).

 

On Monday May 1, the government of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (the SADR) and the Saharawi national liberation movement, the Polisario Front, took action to detain pursuant to a court order a cargo of phosphate illegally exported from occupied Western Sahara.  The cargo, intercepted in South Africa while en route to Ballance Agri-Nutrients Limited in New Zealand, has a value of more than $7 million (NZD).

The cargo remains aboard the Marshall Islands registered bulk carrier NM Cherry Blossom at anchor in a South African port.  Ballance Agri-Nutrients has not requested the release of the cargo to enable the vessel to continue its journey to New Zealand. Continue reading →

Phosphate shipment held up as South African court sorts theft claims

The South African High Court has banned the Cherry Blossom, and its $US5 million ($6.7m) cargo of phosphate rock, from leaving Port Elizabeth

The Australian

Ben Butler

9 May 2017

In South Africa, the independence dreams of Western Saharan tribespeople, 55,000 tonnes of phosphate and a ship called the Cherry Blossom have come together in court to create big problems for Australian chemicals and fertiliser group Incitec Pivot. Continue Reading –

What New Zealand Owes The Western Sahara

Huff Post

Michael Dobson

10 May 2017

Mark Wynne is the CEO of Balance Agri-Nutrients, a New Zealand fertilizer company that imports hundreds of thousands of tonnes of phosphate every year from an illegal mine in a brutally occupied territory called Western Sahara. Fortunately for Mark, the Western Sahara is in north-west Africa, which is not a part of the world New Zealanders spend much time thinking about, despite the fact that our primary export industry is currently built upon on this deeply unethical trading relationship. Such ignorance means that when a vessel carrying Saharan phosphate is stopped – as happened last week in Port Elizabeth, South Africa – Mark can throw up his hands, claim that the Western Sahara situation is “very complex” and “deep-running” and (I’m not making this up) “geopolitical,” and thereby avoid having to explain to New Zealanders why it is okay that his company buys millions of dollars worth of illegal phosphate every year. Continue Reading –

 

Morocco phosphate ship held in South Africa port over Western Sahara claim

Reuters

Samia Errazzouki and Patrick Markey

3 May 2017

RABAT/ALGIERS, A Moroccan phosphate ship has been held in a South African port by a complaint from Western Sahara Polisario movement that it transported cargo unlawfully from the disputed territory, a lawyer and Polisario said on Wednesday.

Continue reading…

Plunder vessel detained in South Africa on way to New Zealand

Western Sahara Resource Watch

3 May 2017

A bulk vessel was Tuesday this week detained in the South African port of Port Elizabeth for carrying phosphate rock plundered from occupied Western Sahara.

The vessel NM Cherry Blossom is stuck at anchor 4 kilometers off Port Elizabeth, South Africa, not allowed to continue on its journey to New Zealand continue reading

Why the World Needs to Know About Western Sahara’s Seemingly Endless Struggle for Independence

Africa Speaks 4 Africa

Amira Ali

An interview with a Sahrawi Journalist and Activist

In 1975, Morocco, under King Hassan II, invaded Western Sahara; and since, the Sahrawi people female-dominated society of Arab and Berber descent — have been in an unflagging resistance struggle, committed to self-determination without exception. Today, Western Sahara remains the African continent’s (overtly) occupied territory — a Moroccan colony continue reading

Aziza Brahim is also performing at the Brunswick Music Festival

“Queen of the desert blues and voice of the Sahrawi people”

Aziza Brahim will also be performing at the Brunswick Music Festival, Brunswick Town Hall on Thursday 16 March at 8pm.

Coming to international attention in 2014 after the release of her third album Soutak, Aziza Brahim tours extensively across the globe. In Melbourne for the first time and for one show only, the queen of the desert blues, performs music from her sublime 2016 release Abbar El Hamada.…

Powerfully voiced with arresting and spellbinding grace, Aziza’s languid laments tell of the Western Sahara refugee plight – a tale of both hardship and uplifting hope against all odds. Her music traverses an electrifying expanse between the dusty plains of her Western Saharan roots, the upbeat Latin rhythms of the Cuba of her youth and Spain, her adopted homeland.
Aziza is both a highly potent sonic poet and the voice of the Saharawi people in their ongoing struggle for recognition and justice. Innovation, truth, humility and political outspokenness are the raw materials of her vision

For more information and tickets click here

Report on the January 2017 round of Gdeim Izik trial

The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara

19 February 2017

 

 

 

Approximately 40 Norwegian observers participated on the trial 23-25 January 2017. Law student Tone Sørfonn Moe from Bergen has authored a long observation report about the court case.

This report is available in its entirety in the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara  article here