Category Archives: Political issues

Flag of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic raised in cities around Australia

leichhardt-flag-2012.JPGThe flag of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic was raised in cities around Australia to celebrate the 36th anniversary of the proclamation of the Saharawi Republic (see photos attached).

On Monday 27th February, the Saharawi flag was raised on the Town Hall of the municipality of Leichhardt in Sydney. The ceremony was attended by Mayor Rochelle Porteous, the Saharawi representative to Australia, and members of the Australia Western Sahara Association (AWSA).

The Saharawi Republic flag was raised in the city of Ballarat where it will fly for two weeks. Mr. Paul Clempson, Secretary of the Ballarat Trades & Labour Council raised the flag on top of the Trades Hall. Trades Hall secretary Paul Clempson said “We are supporting the move because the Sahrawi people are being unfairly treated, and being manipulated and dominated by the Moroccans.”

The Ballarat Courier published a news report about the flag raising at Ballarat Town Hall: Read news report >>

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Western Sahara: Fresh brutality from occupying force

Green Left Weekly, Sunday, February 5, 2012

By Ryan Mallett-Outtrim & Laura Gilbie

The Sahrawi people continue to demand independence after decades of poor treatment under Moroccan rule. Many Sahrawi report being routinely subjected to police brutality and say they suffer widespread discrimination.

Activists in Laayoune face a day-to-day struggle with local authorities. The city is touted by the Moroccan government as a regional development hub, but from the ground looks more like an infantry barracks.

The police station is like an enormous shopping mall. Soldiers are everywhere, patrolling the main streets. ….(continued)

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Pambazuka News : Denial of self-determination and human rights abuses

Pambazuka News Feature by Malainin Lakhal
2012-01-19, Issue 566

This is a transcript of the lecture by Malainin Lakhal, secretary general of Saharawi Journalists and Writers Union, presented during a conference organised in Cairo, Egypt, from 15 to 17 January 2012 by the Habitat International Coalition under the title: ‘Sovereignty over the land and peoples’ right to self-determination’.

Read article and transcript >>

Morocco: Repression Undercuts Reform Pledges to Overhaul Laws, Practices to Support New Constitution

Human Rights Watch: World Report 2012
January 22, 2012
(Rabat) – Morocco’s new government should overhaul repressive domestic laws, curb police violence, and enhance judicial independence if it is to realize the human rights promises contained in the country’s new constitution, Human Rights Watch said today in releasing its World Report 2012. Substantial progress in these areas will prove the sincerity of the reforms announced by King Mohammed VI in response to street protests in Morocco and major upheavals elsewhere in the region in 2011.

HRW  Statement >>

HRW World Report 2012: Morocco and Western Sahara>>

“Robbed of Truth” : Australian Media Premiere

cgep-img_1364.JPGOn Monday 19 December Carlos Gonzáles introduced his new film at the Centre for Ideas at Victorian College of the Arts, part of Melbourne University in the presence of its director, Dr Elizabeth Presa (see photo).

Entitled “Robbed of Truth”, the documentary examines the claim in the earlier Australian film “Stolen” that slavery is widespread in the Saharawi refugee camps. Carlos, who had been the camera man during the second visit of the Australian filmmakers of “Stolen”, retraces their steps meeting the main characters in the film such as Fetim Salami and her family to find out how the film he thought would be about family reunion turned into a film about slavery.
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Carlos González is coming to Melbourne for the premiere screening of his film, Robbed of Truth (a critique of Stolen)

fetim.jpg‘Robbed of Truth’ – Australian Media Premiere

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19TH, 2011 – 1PM

Victorian College of the Arts
School of Film and TV – Federation Hall
234 St.Kilda Road, Melbourne
This screening has been endorsed by The Center for Ideas, University of Melbourne
“Robbed of Truth: The Western Sahara Conflict and the Ethics of Documentary Filmmaking” will be introduced by its director and producer Carlos González.

Flyer about event >>

Facebook page about event and film >>

Western Sahara: Saharawi Political Prisoners On Hunger Strike

Malainin Lakhal
17 November 2011, Pambazuka news/allAfrica.com

The prisoners were taken from a group of more than 200 activists arrested by Moroccan authorities a year ago. And as Malainin Lakhal reports, Morocco has over 60 Saharawi prisoners of conscience, including eminent human rights defender Naama Asfari.

Twenty-four Saharawi human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience, who are to appear before a Moroccan court-martial, are on hunger strike since 31 October, after being one year imprisonment without appearing before a court.

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