Petitioners Stake Out Opposing Sides on Western Sahara Question as Fourth Committee Decolonization Debate Continues
Petitioners on the long-standing question of Western Sahara addressed the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) for a second day today, with their statements reflecting opposing stances on Morocco’s claim of sovereignty over the Non-Self-Governing Territory.
Jean Delors Biyogue Bi Ntougou, Groupe D'étude Politique et de Defense (GREPOD) — Universite Omar Bongo — Cenarest, Libreville, Gabon, was among many petitioners who pointed out that for many States, Morocco’s proposal for autonomy in Western Sahara, first spelled out in 2006, is the only credible solution. Many speakers held the Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y de Río de Oro (Frente POLISARIO) and neighbouring States responsible for abuses and violations denounced before the Committee.
Several speakers voiced concern about threats to regional security posed by Frente POLISARIO, including Abdoul Latif Aidara, CISPAIX, who said that the organization is well known for criminal activities and ties to terrorist groups. Eric Cameron, speaking for World Action for Refugees, added that the recruitment of child solders in the Tindouf camps in Algeria is a danger to North Africa and the entire Sahel region. He called on the United Nations to act firmly against the host country, stressing that the only path to solving a “disastrous” humanitarian situation is reaching a political solution based on Morocco’s autonomy initiative.
Other speakers also voiced support for the initiative, including Laila Dahi, who highlighted the important role that women can play. Derek Conway, a British lawyer who said he has often visited the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), said Morocco’s autonomy initiative guarantees a brighter future for the Sahara and the Sahel.
On the other hand, Claude Mangin, speaking for AARASD, said that her husband is an innocent political prisoner in Morocco who was declared guilty after he was tortured by the Moroccan authorities. She added that she herself was expelled from Morocco 2019 and cannot return. The oppression has no limits, she said, alleging that while Morocco has signed all relevant United Nations conventions and presents itself as perfect, it is actually a torture State.
In a similar vein, other petitioners expressed concern about Moroccan occupying forces’ repression of the Sahrawi people, with Said Ayachi, from the Algerian National Committee of Solidarity with the Sahrawi People, drawing attention to what he called the pillaging of the Territory’s natural resources. He called for MINURSO’s mandate — which comes up for renewal by the Security Council later this month — to protect the rights of the Sahrawi people.
Another petitioner, Ladiba Siad Nafe, said that only the Sahrawi people have the right to decide their future and that Western Sahara must be removed from the United Nations’ list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. Chris Sassi, representing SKC, called for negotiations between the two parties to the conflict to resume with a view to reaching a just and lasting solution. The occupying forces must stop violating the rights of the Sahrawi people whose only legitimate representative is Frente POLISARIO, he added.
The Fourth Committee will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Monday, 10 October, to continue its consideration of decolonization matters.
Petitioners on Western Sahara
MERIEM NAILI, European Coordination of Committees in Solidarity with Saharawi People, drew attention to judgements of the Court of Justice of the European Union in two cases where the Court required the consent of the people of Western Sahara in economic activities relating to the Territory. Stressing that this refers only to Sahrawi people and not to the population of settlers introduced by an occupying Power, she said the law has never been clearer, whether at European or international level, but the implementation has been made difficult by unnecessary political moves.
SAID AYACHI, Algerian National Committee of Solidarity with the Sahrawi People, said that it has been 47 years since the Sahrawi people were subjected to savage criminal repression by the Moroccan occupying forces, adding that the Territory’s natural resources have been pillaged in flagrant violation of international law. Morocco has also blocked the peace plan, he said, calling on the Committee to enlarge the mandate of United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to protect the rights of the Sahrawi people.
NOURIA HAFSI, Union Nationale des femmes Algériennes, recalling Algeria’s struggle for self-determination, said: “I belong to a people that zealously guard their independence.” Calling for solidarity with the people of Western Sahara, she said that Morocco has rejected the international community’s attempts to resolve the issue peacefully. Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y de Río de Oro (Frente POLISARIO) sat down with Morocco to negotiate a fair solution, but that country prefers to maintain the status quo, she said, calling on the Security Council to act.
DAVID GOURZONG, Internacional Group of Support and Peace Saharaui People, said that Western Sahara was never an independent territory and that it always belonged to Morocco during the period it was colonized by Spain. As Western Sahara has always been Moroccan Sahara, the “illegal action” of decolonization should not exist and Morocco should recover its territory, he said.
AGUEDA RODRIGUEZ PALOMARES, International Group of support of Peace and reunification of saharaoui people, said there is no basis for the conflict, which does not take into account the history behind the borders that exist between countries in the Sahara. Spain did not play its role with decolonization and did not preserve what it had found. Morocco has been exhaustive at the international level and in diplomacy showing it is possible to peacefully co-exist.
AMANDA DICIANNI, Rescue and Relief International, said the issue of Frente POLISARIO training and deploying child soldiers, while ongoing for many years, has only been addressed recently in public forums. The camps controlled by Frente POLISARIO have become an epicentre of training for child soldiers who are also used as human shields. She demanded an end to the military recruitment of children and called for the holding of seminars in the camps that would encourage youth to settle their differences peacefully. She also called on the Committee to accept the Moroccan autonomy plan as the best solution to stop the use of children as soldiers in conflict.
SOLOMON ASSOR SYDNEY, Surrey Three Faiths Forum, said the Sahara region is a major area of illicit activity as well as a transit corridor for small arms and drugs. Frente POLISARIO is an example of three overlapping agendas, namely terrorism, separatism and organized crime, he said, adding that the Tindouf camps have become a hotbed of repression and human trafficking. Thousands of young people who have been abducted and sent to military training centres become easy prey for terrorist groups when they return to the misery in the camps, he said.
MALAAININ BOULON said that it is a delusion and historical falsehood that the Sahara region is the last colony in Africa. Recalling the history of the tribes of the three Sahara rivers, including his own, he said that Western Sahara was successfully liberated from Spanish colonialism. Noting that 12 international agreements recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, he stressed that the population of the Sahara are not excluded from the management of their affairs, noting that they elect their own representatives.
KAREN HARDIN, Priority PR Group & Literary Agency encouraged the Secretary-General to relaunch round-table talks and to recognize the tremendous job that Morocco has done. From excellent roads and community centres to hospitals and desalinization plants, Morocco has made the barren desert into a place of unique beauty, she said. This is a sharp contrast to the life of the Sahrawi in the Tindouf camps, she added.
VIVIAN EADS, Capitol Hill Prayer Partners, called on the Committee to accelerate its efforts to settle the issue by creating diverse academic round-table discussions that would bring together youth from Morocco and the Tindouf camps. In this setting, they could openly discuss issues that pertain to needs and aspirations pertinent to young people. Academic round tables could also be created for women, she added. She called on the Committee to consider fresh options, adding that a head count by Frente POLISARIO would show their good faith and desire to quickly settle the dispute. The politics of a lack of transparency create a serious credibility gap with Frente POLISARIO, she said.
SOULEYMANE SATIGUI SIDIBE, Institut Sahélien de Recherche et d’Analyse pour la Transformation des Conflits (TIRAC-Sahel), called on the Committee to support the Moroccan approach, which constitutes autonomy. It is the ideal solution for the Sahara and would benefit the African people. “The Kingdom of Morocco is a blessing for Africa, regardless of certain countries supporting separatism,” he said.
JEAN-PAUL LECOQ, French Parliament Assemblée nationale, said Western Sahara has been waiting for its right to self-determination. He called on the Government of France to engage in sincere efforts to ensure the right to self-determination of the Sahrawi people. He asked why there have been no sanctions against the political and economic officials who have exploited the territory despite requests from the Court of Justice of the European Union and the United Nations.
HARALD TROCH, Member of the Austrian Parliament, said that “47 years of refugee life in desert camps is enough”. Recalling the Security Council’s calls for a mutually acceptable solution, he said that this requires compromise and courage. Morocco’s autonomy proposal is serious and credible, he said, noting that it enjoys growing support in the international community as well.
JÉRÔME BESNARD, Autonomy for the Sahara Coalition (AUSACO), noting that that the Moroccan Sahara lives in tranquillity and peace, highlighted the 66 per cent participation rate in the 2021 elections in the Territory. That testified to the strong will of the Sahrawi people to manage their own lives as well as their unwavering attachment to their identity. They benefit from the rights guaranteed in the Constitution of Morocco, he said, adding that Frente POLISARIO is a relic of the Cold War.
NYKAKY LYGEROS, University of Lyon, noted the increasing support from the international community for Morocco’s autonomy initiative, adding that the country is implementing a new development model for the southern regions. The people of Moroccan Sahara actively participate in running their own lives, he said, adding that Frente POLISARIO have no legitimacy.
SUZANNE GOEBEL, The On Purpose Group LLC, noting her background in data analysis, said that there should be no need to guess or even estimate the population of the Tindouf camps. “The United Nations oversees the camps and would be well within its rights to know the exact number of those for whom the United Nations is responsible.” An accurate census is required to enable Frente POLISARIO to better assess the basic needs in health, nutrition, mental health, and education.
LADIBA SIAD NAFE said the Sahrawi people are still hopelessly waiting for their right to self-determination. She said she is “disgusted” by the actions and brutal crimes of Morocco against her people, citing also the actions by other States and the “United Nations’ endless false promises”. The promotion and protection of human rights should also apply to the Sahrawi people. Only they have the right to decide their future, she said.
RICARDO BERNDARDO SANCHEZ SERRA SERRA, Federacion de Periodistas del Peru, said that he has seen with his own eyes what is happening on the ground. The Sahrawi people in Tindouf are imprisoned by Frente POLISARIO and the United Nations must give priority to their liberation. Voicing support for the Moroccan plan, he said Frente POLISARIO is a separatist movement that has diverted food assistance from the people in Tindouf.
RAFAEL JORGE ESPARZA MACHIN, Asociación Canario Marroquí, introducing himself as a founding member of the socialist party of the Grand Canaries, drew attention to the political manoeuvres of the host country of the Tindouf camps. He also noted the humanitarian situation and human rights violations. The host country has given part of its territory to an armed militia, he said, adding that his country supports the Moroccan autonomy plan.
CLAUDE MANGIN, AARASD, said that her husband is an innocent political prisoner in Morocco who was declared guilty after he was tortured by the Moroccan authorities. Noting that other members of her family have been persecuted in Morocco, she said that she was expelled from that country in 2019 and cannot return as she is considered a “danger”. The oppression has no limits, she said, adding that she was subjected to surveillance even in France. Morocco has freely signed all the United Nations conventions and it presents itself as perfect, but it is actually a torture State, she said.
JUANA MARIA HUGUET CHAMORRO, Asociación Social Casa de los Pueblos en Canarias, recalled that in March, sources in the Moroccan royal palace made public a letter by the Prime Minister of Spain that approved the annexation of the Sahara by Morocco. Spain, which abandoned Western Sahara without completing the decolonization process, is further destabilizing the region through its actions. Behind this new understanding between Morocco and Spain is an attempt to appropriate resources that do not belong to those two countries, she said.
ABDOUL LATIF AIDARA, CISPAIX, said that assistance given to Frente POLISARIO poses a threat to security in the Sahel. Frente POLISARIO has made the situation in the camps difficult and it is well known for their many criminal activities. The humanitarian situation in the camps is disastrous humanitarian situation, he said, adding that Frente POLISARIO has ties to terrorist groups.
ERIC CAMERON, World Action for Refugees, said Frente POLISARIO has been recruiting children as soldiers for decades, in a gross violation of human rights. The host country of the Tindouf camps is the main culprit as it has devolved its authority to Frente POLISARIO. The host country has failed to report on measures taken to ensure the protection of children, he said, adding that the recruiting of child soldiers in Tindouf poses a danger to North Africa and the entire Sahel region. He called on the United Nations to take firm and urgent action against the host country, stressing that the only path to solving this “disastrous” humanitarian situation is reaching a political solution based on the Morocco autonomy initiative.
DEREK CONWAY, petitioner, noting that he has visited MINURSO on several occasions, said it is essential that all parties participate in the United Nations-sponsored round-table process, especially the host country of the Tindouf camps. Morocco’s autonomy initiative is a positive compromise-based solution embodying the parameters called for by the international community and benefits from the support of more than 90 countries. Moreover, it is a guarantee of a brighter future for the entire Sahel and Sahara region, he said.
ANDREW ROSEMARINE, International Law Chambers of Andrew M. Rosemarine, calling on the international community to follow the path modelled by the late Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, “who always counselled peace and reconciliation,” said that the momentum of history is moving towards Morocco. Good governance aims for the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people, he said, adding that as an international lawyer and British barrister, he believed that Morocco’s autonomy proposal is fair, flexible and far-sighted. Morocco can be trusted to deliver on the proposal because it is democratic and representative, he said.
MAHMOUD OUBLAL, UGTSARIO, saying that he was on behalf of a union of Sahrawi workers, expressed concern about the difficulties of Sahrawi people in the refugee camps and the diaspora. How can a political solution which could be revised or annulled prevail over the right to self-determination, he wondered, adding that Sahrawi refugees cannot enjoy human rights without the ability to decide their own fate. The natural resources of the Territory should be preserved for future generations, he said, adding that the right to development is undermined when others exploit those resources.
VANESSA RAMOS, American Association of Jurists, stressing that the Sahrawi people have the inalienable right to self-determination, called on all Parties to respect the Geneva Conventions in Western Sahara. Recalling the 1975 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice and the more recent judgements of the European Union’s Court of Justice, she said the free and authentic consent of Frente POLISARIO is essential for economic activities in the Western Sahara. Also expressing concern about the political prisoners in Morocco, she called on the international community to protect Sahrawi defenders of human rights and journalists.
CHRIS SASSI, SKC, urged the international community to shoulder its responsibilities and bring an end to colonialism. He called for the resumption of negotiations between the two parties to the conflict with a view to reaching a just and lasting solution. He further called on the occupying forces to stop violating the rights of the Sahrawi people whose only legitimate representative is Frente POLISARIO.
JEAN DELORS BIYOGUE BI NTOUGOU, Groupe d'Étude Politique et de Defense (GREPOD) — Universite Omar Bongo — Cenarest, Libreville, Gabon, said that for many States, the Moroccan solution is the only credible political solution. The armed groups of Frente POLISARIO, together with neighbouring States, are the only ones responsible for the abuses and violations denounced before the Committee. As such, Frente POLISARIO must be demilitarized through a demobilization, disarmament and reintegration programme. The ceasefire, which that groups have violated, must be restored. Negotiations for implementation of the Morocco plan must begin, he said, echoing the Secretary-General's call for all parties to come to the negotiating table.
LAILA DAHI, petitioner, said that women in the Moroccan Sahara play an important role and give rise for hope for the region, especially those imprisoned in the Tindouf camps. Recalling the September 2021 elections and its 70 per cent turnout, she underscored Morocco’s sovereignty over Sahara, pointing out that many African, European, “American” and Asian countries have accepted autonomy as the only solution to resolve the conflict.
KATHLEEN THOMAS, petitioner, pointing to recent developments such as the 9 August endorsement of the American Bar Association in support of the rights of the people of Western Sahara, said that MINURSO’s mandate must be strengthened. The African Union has denounced the Moroccan presence in Western Sahara as a military occupation, she said, calling for direct negotiations with the sole purpose of organizing a referendum. She asked what the Committee has done to support the rights of the people of Western Sahara, adding: “Nothing.”
MARÍA NIEVES FEBLES BENÍTEZ, Frente Sindical Obrero de Canarias, said that Moroccan authorities are preventing the work of Sahrawi human rights organizations. They are also carrying out arbitrary detentions, she added. Peaceful demonstrations are repressed, she said, pointing also to incidents of rape and torture by the Moroccan police and military.
IGNACIO ORTIZ PALACIO, Fórum Canario Saharaui, expressing concern about the armed group Frente POLISARIO and its separatist desires, said that Spanish forces were attacked several times by that group in the 1970s. He drew attention to the splitting of families, the massive number of people in camps and terrorist acts in Tindouf. He also voiced support for the Moroccan autonomy proposal.
ERNEST PETRIC, petitioner, said self-determination is not the same as decolonization. The Moroccan initiative is far-reaching in a positive way in assuring self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. The provisions on the regional authority, if realized, would enable the people of Western Sahara to decide over most social, economic, cultural and political matters, excluding only those responsibilities within the prerogative of Morocco, such as defence and external relations, he said.
CEDRIC JENART, University of Antwerp, said that unitary States which have adopted greater regional autonomy have a track record of keeping the peace even in volatile and multinational States. The autonomy proposal is thus a fertile basis for further negotiations. It also goes far in its granting of autonomy in light of comparative constitutional law and therefore offers a useful blueprint for a balanced and negotiated agreement, he added.
SIMON DESMAREST, Association des Amis de la République Arabe Sahraouie Démocratique — France, asked why the autonomous plan proposed by Morocco is better than the referendum promised in 1991. Detailing abuses faced by the Sahrawi people, he called on the Moroccan authorities to return to the path of organizing a referendum and negotiations without preconditions.
JOHNITA COLLINS, Reign Embassy Association, said that forcing children in the Tindouf camps to engage in military activities is a serious violation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. For children to fight in a war, they must be groomed, she said, expressing concern about Frente POLISARIO’s “drumbeat of hate” which makes children see themselves as victims of Morocco.
TOURIA HMYENE, Association pour la liberté des femmes séquestrées dans les camps de Tindouf, describing the situation in Tindouf camps as a hell on earth, said that women are married against their will and abused in flagrant violation of their most basic rights. She expressed outrage about the slavery and rape by the armed militia of Frente POLISARIO, adding that its leader has a long criminal history.
MOHAMMED ELAISSAOUI, Organisation pour la fin des violations des droits de l'Homme dans les camps de Tindouf, pointing to security difficulties in the North African region, described Frente POLISARIO as a time-bomb. Adding that various terrorist activities in the region could be traced back to that group, he highlighted how young people in the camps are called to undertake terrorist activities.