Category Archives: Political issues

Phosphate plundering in Western Sahara:the illegal explotation goes on

09.09 – 2012
Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) continues to monitor phosphate rock exports from occupied Western Sahara.  This update report provides details of exports and vessels involved in the trade over the period from 1 June until 31 August 2012 (the Observation Period).

There are two Australian shipments on the list, Alycia to Impact Fertlisers in Hobart on 8 August and Maple Crystal to IPL, currently discharging 9000 tonnes of phosphate in Portland, Victoria.

Full report >>

AWSA press release: Shipment of Conflict Zone Phosphate arriving in Geelong Wednesday

4 September 2012: Australia Western Sahara Association  PRESS RELEASE  – for immediate release

As the Margiris super trawler arrives in Australian amid controversy, another ship, the bulk carrier, Maple Crystal is due at Lascelles wharf in North Shore Geelong on Wednesday 5 September, bringing a stolen cargo of phosphate rock from Western Sahara for the Australian Fertiliser company, Incitec Pivot (IPL).

The cargo is bought by IPL from the autocratic regime of Morocco which has no ownership of these phosphates.

“We do not see how IPL can have legal title to import this mineral”, says Cate Lewis of the Australia Western Sahara Association.

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RFK Center observes grave human rights violations in Western Sahara

(Washington–Sept. 3, 2012)
Following a human rights delegation to Western Sahara, the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights (RFK Center) is issuing a statement with preliminary observations evaluating the human rights situation in Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara and the Sahrawi refugee camps near Tindouf, Algeria.

Report about delegation’s visit >>

Read delegation’s Statement of preliminary observations >>

A Brush with Morocco’s Secret Police in Laayoune, Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara

(2012-08-28) The following op-ed by Kerry Kennedy, President of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, appeared yesterday in the Huffington Post. Ms. Kennedy is currently leading a human rights delegation in Western Sahara.

She wrote this article while the delegation was in Laayoune, meeting with members of civil society including RFK Human Rights Award Laureate Aminatou Haidar.

Read Kerry Kennedy’s report >>

Photos >>

Morocco denies shameful beating of woman human rights defender

Morocco denies shameful beating of woman human rights defender.
Frontline Defenders: Mary Lawlor’s blog

“I got news that police were breaking up and beating demonstrators. News came that a woman human rights defender had been badly injured and was asked would I like to see her. I went to the hospital with Eric Sottas, where I took this photo, as she lay waiting to be treated. Her name is Soukainajed Ahlou and she is President of the Forum for Sahrawi women. ….(cont.)

Read full post >>

Ban Ki-moon rejects Morocco calls to replace Western Sahara envoy

August 26, 2012, RECORDER REPORT

UN leader Ban Ki-moon on Saturday told Morocco’s monarch he would not give in to demands to change his peace envoy on the Western Sahara conflict, diplomats said.

Morocco announced in May that it no longer has confidence in UN envoy Christopher Ross, who it accused of being “unbalanced and biased” in attempts to mediate a solution for the disputed territory at the heart of one of Africa’s oldest conflicts.

Read article >>

“No other choice” than self-determination for Western Sahara

Peter Kenworthy, NTA Newstime Africa, 
“There is no other choice but self-determination,” says a lady interviewed in a new documentary about Western Sahara made by 31-year-old English independent film-maker and journalist, Dominic Brown. She is the wife of one of the many activists belonging to Western Sahara’s indigenous population, the Saharawis, who have been imprisoned and tortured for campaigning for independence for Africa’s last colony….(cont.)

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Kerry Kennedy leads high level delegation to assess human rights situation

21 August : Press release

On Thursday 23 August Kerry Kennedy of the Robert F Kennedy Center and Mary Lawlor, Founder and Executive Director, Front Line Defenders will take part in a high level delegation to Western Sahara to assess the human rights situation on the ground in both Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara and in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria.

Read article and press release >>