Category Archives: Political issues

Furness Karumba repeating shipment

In 2005, the bulk vessel Furness Karumba became known in Australia, when she shipped phosphates – and 2 dead Moroccan stowaways – from occupied Western Sahara to Australia.
The bulk carrier Furness Karumba is now on a new journey with phosphates to Australia.
The vessel is set to arrive Fremantle Ports, near Perth, on 26th of August, and stay for approximately 8 days, before continuing on the 4th of September.

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A matter of social duty and fertiliser

ocean_id.jpg By Ivan Broadhead
South China Morning Post, 10 August 2008.
A Hong Kong company is linked to Morocco’s brutal exploitation of Western Sahara.
Western Sahara’s government-in-exile took the unusual step last week of warning Hong Kong’s Pacific Basin Shipping that it reserved the right to use “all means” to defend its sovereignty and protect the interests of its people.

Vanuatu and the Saharawi Republic establish diplomatic relations at Ambassadorial level

01/08/2008
The Republic of Vanuatu and the Saharawi Arab Democratic republic decided on Thursday in Port-Vila, to establish diplomatic relations. This was indicated in a joint press release signed by the Minister Delegated by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in Charge of Africa, Mohamed Yeslem Beissat, and Vanuatua’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Georges A. Wells.

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Denmark warns businesses over Western Sahara

Copenhagen (DanWatch) – Denmark is joining an increasing number of governments with official policies against trade in non-renewable resources from Western Sahara. The Danish position echoes the non-trade policies of fellow Scandinavian governments Sweden and Norway.
“Taking the principles of international law regarding non-renewable resources from Non-self Governing Territories as a point of reference, it is the opinion of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs that such exploitation should not take place,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.

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A line in the sand: Africa’s last colony

By Ivan Broadhead South China Morning Post Sunday Post Magazine May 11, 2008Built to keep the Sahrawi from their own land, the berm that bisects Western Sahara is a potent symbol of Morocco’s determination to hold on to Africa’s last colony in the face of long-standing – but weak – international pressure
A Moroccan cluster bomblet protrudes from the Sahara sands among the dunes where 10-year-old Saeed Mahmoud and his five-year-old brother, Hassan, are shepherding their goats.

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Moroccan official recounts war crimes in Western Sahara

Ould Rachid reveals violations committed by Army Officers against Sahrawi civilians
El Mundo
17 June 2008
By Ali Lmrabet

Rabat. “There are several persons […], that is three or four army officers who committed what could be called war crimes against prisoners outside off the battlefield” and “many civilians who were thrown into the desert from helicopters or buried alive,” simply because they were Sahrawis.

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Senator Lyn Allison raises some challenging questions in Senate Estimates discussion

Senate Estimates: 02 June, 2008
STANDING COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE: Discussion

Senator ALLISON—I wonder if I could ask about Western Sahara. Does the new government have a different position on Western Sahara, and Morocco’s status as an occupying country?
Ms Stokes— (FIRST ASSISTANT SECRETARY, South and West Asia, Middle East and Africa Division) I am terribly sorry, Senator; could I ask you to repeat the question.
Senator ALLISON—I was just wondering whether there was any shift at all in attitudes to Western Sahara and in particular the peace plan and the requirement under it and under the UN for there to be a referendum on the sovereignty of Western Sahara. The question really was whether the new government has a different position on Western Sahara than the previous one.
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