8 November 2010 – The parties to the dispute over Western Sahara met today in New York for the start of the third round of United Nations-backed informal talks, while clashes on the ground between Moroccan security forces and Saharawi protesters have reportedly resulted in a number of deaths and injuries.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=36696&Cr=western+sahara&Cr1=

Australian Book Launch at the New International Bookshop, Melbourne of Stephen Zunes & Jacob Mundy, Western Sahara: war, nationalism & conflict irresolution (University of Syracuse Press)

Roger Clark, a professor of international law at Rutgers Law School, New Jersey, USA in launching this important new work by his colleagues, Zunes and Mundy, recommended everyone to buy the book. He read some excerpts to give the audience a flavour of the clear prose and clear thinking of the authors and he talked about the legal issues in the conflict.
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6:30PM WEDNESDAY 13 OCTOBER
Underground Talk presents:
Roger Clark, Professor, International Law, Rutgers Law School, USA
“Western Sahara: Achieving justice for Africa’s East Timor”

Launch of the latest book by Stephen Zunes & Jacob Mundy (Syracuse University Press) 
Western Sahara; War, Nationalism and Conflict Irresolution

This major new book brings up to date earlier studies of the conflict in the last colony in Africa
Where: NEW INTERNATIONAL BOOKSHOP
TRADES HALL, CNR VICTORIA & LYGON STS, CARLTON
6.30pm

Entry: $5/ $2 concession. More info: (ph) 9662 3744, (email) [email protected]

Download flyer

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 >>

guardian.co.uk , Thursday 13 May 2010
Stefan Simonawitz
The world’s most remote film festival takes place in a refugee camp deep in the Algerian desert

Report:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/may/13/desert-film-festival

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 >>

A film night about Western Sahara, the former Spanish Sahara, at ACMI presented by Melbourne Filmoteca: Latin American, Spanish & Portuguese Film Group and the Australia Western Sahara Association.
One of the films will take us through the highs and lows of Mariem Hassan’s eventful life to discover her as a courageous and enduring character as we witness her artistic transformation into one of the most charismatic and respected figures of the world music scene.

When: Tuesday 30 March 2010 at 7.30 pm

Where: ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image)
Federation Square, Flinders St, Melbourne
All welcome    Flyer about the event

Tickets: $14, $11 (concession) on sale at box office: (03) 8663 2583
or online at http://www.acmi.net.au/ticketing

Further details: http://www.melbournefilmoteca.org/next.html

Irene Jacob: Valentine Dussaut
“THE RUNNER”  (2010, in-production)

The TRAILER for the long-form documentary, “The Runner” is now on YouTube >>

The story of a World Champion long-distance runner from Africa’s last colony, the Western Sahara:
… As he approached the last 200m in the lead of an 8km race, he pulled out a Sahrawi flag – illegal in Morocco and a symbol of the “Sahrawi Intifada” – and waived it across the finish line. Knowing he would be arrested on arrival in Morocco, he immediately sought political asylum in France and has been there ever since.
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