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Sahara Weekly News Update

Western Sahara Referendum Support Association (Delemont)
NEWS
January 16, 2005
Posted to the web January 17, 2005

SADR, OCCUPIED TERRITORIES AND SOUTH MOROCCO REFERENDUM, NATURAL RESOURCES,
MOROCCO, COMING UP, INTERNET, NEW PUBLICATIONS
SADR
01.01.05, Creation of the Union of Saharawi Journalists and Writers This new
NGO, which brings together Saharawi journalists and writers, intends to "take
part in the most efficacious way possible in the national struggle for the
independence of Western Sahara". Malainine Lakhal is elected secretary general,
the members of the executive board are M'Barka El Mehdi, Saleh Navaa, Hamdi
Mahjoub and Salek Muftah, as well as two members from the occupied territories
of Western Sahara. [SPS] [communiqu�s] http://www.arso.org/UPES.htm
02.01.05, Death Mohamed Salem El Hadj M'Barek (Paquito, Nourredine) died in the
Netherlands following a serious illness. He had joined the Polisario Front at
its inception, took part in the armed struggle, then represented SADR abroad.
His tour of duty included Great Britain and Scandinavia, then as ambassador of
SADR in Iran and later, India. After becoming seriously ill, he spent the last
years of his life in the Basque Country with his wife, Gurrutze known as
Fatimetou - who lived through war and exile beside the Saharawis as a nurse.
The late talented diplomat and indefatiguable activist was widely known for his
joviality and sense of humour.[>>special page with tributes and condolences]
http://www.arso.org/MSB1.htm
02-03.01.05, External Relations The annual national conference of the Committee
of external relations is held in the presence of the ambassadors and
representatives of the Polisario Front in Europe and the staff of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. The secretary general of the Union of Youth UJSARIO
presents a detailed report on the summer holidays of Saharawi children abroad,
which benefits thousands of children each summer, discussing difficulties
encountered and ways of avoiding them in future. The Minister for Foreign
Affairs, Mr. Ould Salek expresses his view on the past year and the program for
the year 2005. The President of the Saharawi Red Crescent, Mr. Bouhoubeyni
Yahya, warns of the precarious humanitarian situation in the camps, calling on
the international community to increase their assistance. The Association of
Families of Saharawi Prisoners and Disappeared (AFAPREDESA) reports on the
dramatic situation existing in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.
Finally, Mr. Mohamed Khaddad, member of the National Secretariat and
coordinator with MINURSO, looks at the latest developments of the Saharawi
question in the light of Security Council resolution 1570. The Conference pays
a heartfelt tribute to Mohamed Salem El Hadj M'Barek. [SPS]
04.01.05, Rally SADR agrees, for incomprehensible reasons, to authorise the
Barcelona-Dakar Rally to cross its territory, after making contact several
times during the year 2004 with the organisers, without, for all that, being
mentioned as a country on the itinerary or being shown on the official
website's map!!! [SPS]
05.01.05, Parliament The winter session of the National Council examines the
reports of the ministers of the Interior, of Justice and Islamic Affairs, as
well as that of the Secretariat of State for Public Office, SPS reports
laconically.
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
07.01.05, Banned fishing "Fishing boats belonging to army officers have been
observed, mid-week, 5 miles off the coast of Dakhla. Fishing is however,
strictly forbidden less than 12 miles off-shore... The ministry, which has a
GPS detection system, could not be ignorant of this incursion. Neither could
the royal navy, which is supposed to be monitoring the situation. So...?" [Tel
Quel No 158]
Repression, blunders and other abuses..
03.01.05, Boujdour A young Saharawi high school pupil, Khatri Laaroussi, is
killed by a Moroccan policeman who was driving in a drunken state. The family
of the victim lodged a complaint but until now no judicial action has been
taken.[AFAPREDESA] http://www.afapredesa.org/Comunicados/
fr_communiqueAFAPREDESA_08_01_05.htm [Cahiers du Sahara, in Arabic] http://
cahiersdusahara.site.voila.fr/cap3.htm
05.01.05, El Ayoun The management of the black prison refuses to release a
Saharawi citizen, Haddi Cherif, who has just completed his two year term in
detention. [Cahiers du Sahara, in Arabic] http://cahiersdusahara.site.voila.fr/
cap2.htm
05.01.05, El Ayoun Prisoners of conscience in the black prison (Carcel negra)
decide to create "a committee for the protection of Saharawi detainees". They
denounce "the serious human rights abuses occurring in the occupied territories
of Western Sahara", and exhort the Moroccan occupation authorities to comply
with international conventions relating to civil and political rights and
economic, social and cultural rights", as well as to the "Geneva Convention
relating to the protection of civil population in time of war". [SPS]
[Statement in Arabic] http://cahiersdusahara.site.voila.fr/cap00.htm
06.01.05, Goulimine In Goulimine in southern Morocco, Saharawi unemployed
graduates have been holding a sit-in since 3 January outside the town offices
"protesting against their marginalisation by the Moroccan authorities and
claiming their right to work". The security forces intervene savagely on 6
January and disperse the gathering, seriously wounding three people including
one woman.
08.01.05, Assa In Assa (south of Morocco), Saharawi unemployed graduates,
holding a sit-in outside the office of the pacha since mid-November, start an
unlimited hunger strike on 5 January. Their state of health "has seriously
worsened", SPS announces. Meanwhile the Moroccan authorities proceed with
searching (without warrants) the houses of the parents of the demonstrators to
intimidate them. But the families declare themselves to be in solidarity with
the demonstrators and some mothers join the sit-in. [COMMUNIQU� AFAPREDESA,
08/01/05] http://www.afapredesa.org/Comunicados/
fr_communiqueAFAPREDESA_08_01_05.htm The local Committee of the International
Campaign for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Western Sahara in a
statement proclaims its solidarity with the strikers and asks the Moroccan
authorities to accede to their demands.[Cahiers du Sahara in Arabic] http://
cahiersdusahara.site.voila.fr/gl1.htm [in Arabic, see also the site of Cahiers
du Sahara http://cahiersdusahara.site.voila.fr/nss.htm and http://
cahiersdusahara.site.voila.fr/ss654.htm
14.01.05, Amnesty international On the eve of the official visit of the King of
Spain to Morocco on 16 and 17 January and after a recent inquiry on the ground,
AI conveys to the sovereign its concern for the human rights situation in
Morocco and Western Sahara. The NGO points out in particular the question of
the Sahara, freedom of expression, womens' rights and torture. [El Mundo
14.01.05] http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/01/14/solidaridad/1105704399.html
10.01.05, Protests Saharawi human rights activists relate in a statement
conditions surrounding the visit of the AI delegation to Tan-Tan, Smara and El
Ayoun. They protest against the extensive police surveillance of the
delegation, followed everywhere they went, as well as against intimidations
undergone by persons giving testimony and their families who were subjected to
interrogation. [Statement by Saharawi activists after the visit of Mr Philip
Luther to Western Sahara. 12.01.05 in Arabic] http://
cahiersdusahara.site.voila.fr/mil4569.htm
REFERENDUM
10.12.04, Japan The Ministry of Foreign Affairs replies to the Japanese NGOs
which had written to it in October. It expresses assurance that their country,
as a member of the Security Council in 2005, intends to cooperate with the
other members to support the mediation efforts of the Secretary General, but
has no intention of recognising SADR.[corr.]
31.12.04, South Africa In his new year's message, Thabo M'Beki hopes that
significant progress will be made towards the solution of the problems
confronting the peoples of Palestine, Israel, Iraq and Western Sahara.[news24]
http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,6119,2-11-1447_1641547,00.html
03.01.05, Moratinos in Algiers Questioned on the issue of Western Sahara, the
Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs affirms that "Spain and Algeria have the
capacity of their influence to help the two parties in the conflict, Morocco
and the Polisario Front, to move towards the settlement of the conflict in
accordance with international law." [AFP, 07.01.05] http://
www.lintelligent.com/gabarits/
articleAFP_online.asp?art_cle=AFP51145algersonita0
NATURAL RESOURCES
13.01.05, International Campaign The US company, Kerr-McGee, benefiting from
oil exploration contracts granted by Morocco since 2001, remains the last
company active in the territory, after the withdrawal of Total in November
2004. [Weekly news 49-50/2004] http://www.arso.org/01-e04-4950.htm It is the
target of a coordinated international action, which aims to blacklist the
shares of the company, because of its activities denounced as immoral, illegal
and irresponsible, with supporting documents. Associations from 14 countries on
4 continents write to screening agencies specialising in sustainable
development and social responsibility. These agencies evaluate and assess
businesses using ethical, environmental and social criteria. These criteria
increasingly influence the choices made by public and private investors,
pension funds, long term investment funds, etc. The intervention at this level
bore fruit in Norway, where, under pressure from shareholders the company TGS-
Nopec, sub-contracted by Kerr-McGee, abandoned any collaboration in Western
Sahara. It was the same for Fugro NL and more recently, Thor Offshore Services
(Faroe Islands).[Campaign Documents] http://www.arso.org/KerrMG05.htm [Natural
resources file on oil exploration] http://www.arso.org/ressnat.html#act
MOROCCO
08.01.05, Moroccan "Left" The unified Socialist Left (GSU) and the Progress and
Socialism Party (PPS) decide to work together to defend a political solution to
the question of the Sahara through a "democratic management", guaranteeing the
"sovereignty" of Morocco over "its southern provinces" and granting their
populations "wide autonomy" in the management of their affairs, within the
context of a policy of integrated regionalisation.[MAP]
08.01.05, Free Trade Agreement The Committee of Foreign Affairs of the Chamber
of Representatives adopts by a majority the Morocco-USA FTA, without having
read it, according to Le Monde. The Chamber of Deputies does the same on 13.
This agreement, which has still to be adopted at a second reading by the
Chamber of Councillors (Senate), covers "the whole of the Moroccan territory
including the Saharan provinces of the south", according to the minister-
delegate for Foreign Affairs, Taieb Fassi Fihri. The American representative
for Commerce, Robert Zoellick, had affirmed the contrary [letter] http://
www.house.gov/pitts/temporary/040719l-ustr-moroccoFTA.pdf namely that the
agreement concerns "the territory of Morocco recognised internationally and
does not include Western Sahara", in a letter sent to an American
parliamentarian.[AFP]
COMING UP - Madrid, Centro de Imagen EFTI, Calle Fuenterrab�a 4 y 6, metro
Men�ndez Pelayo, 14.01.-15.02.05: "Saharauis. Solo el Desierto", exposici�n
de fotograf�as de Evaristo Delgado, Jos� Mar�a D�az Maroto, Manolo
Laguillo, Jos� Manuel Navia, M�nica Rosell�, �ngel Sanz y Manuel
Sonseca , realizadas por iniciativa de la ONG RIVAS/SAHEL. http://www.efti.es/
coorporativo/expo_nuevas/ene05/mad_Saharauis.htm
- Australia: 10 - 27 February 2005 : Sahara Art Caravan: paintings from the
camps at Gasworks Arts Park in the Angela Robarts Bird gallery, open Thursday-
Sunday 1-5pm . To be opened 8 February 2005 at 6pm at fortyfivedownstairs, 45
Flinders Lane, Melbourne by the writer Arnold Zable and a screening of It's a
long way to Tifariti, >> more http://www.arso.org/07.htm#austr
- Vuelo charter a los campamentos desde Cantabria del 12 al 19 de febrero de
2005. >> Info http://www.labarored.org/interpueblos/Sahara/vuelos/index.htm
5. Sahara Marathon du Sahara : 28.02.2005 Date limite pour les inscriptions �
la course: 1 er f�vrier 2005. Info english : http://www.saharamarathon.org/
Italia: http://www.saharawi.org/ - Mattia Durli (Italia) mdurli[at]saharawi.org
Germany: http://www.tuerlings.de/saharamarathon/main.html Austria: http://
members.aon.at/saharamarathon/ Espa-a: Brahim Cheij : mailto:bcheij@hotmail.com
tel�fono: 0034686215416 - Diego Mu-oz (Espa-a) mailto:
diego.munoz@lastlap.com, tel�fono: 0034630979090
- Cine festival Sahara : 03 - 06 de marzo de 2005: http://
www.festivalsahara.com/
-Las primeras jornadas internacionales sobre derechos humanos del pueblo
saharaui 11 y 12 de marzo de 2005, Ciudad de Olivenza (Badajoz), Informaciones
http://www.jornadasahara.org
- Noviembre 2005: Jornadas internacionales de arqueolog�a, Sahara Occidental
(REKEIZ, Tifaritti) Info: mailto:bcheij@hotmail.com - mailto:
narcis.soler@udg.es
INTERNET
OPINIONS - Le Maroc se pr�pare pour la p�riode transitoire et le
r�f�rendum, Hamdi Salek Allal http://sahara_opinions.site.voila.fr/
HamdiSalekA3.htm - Letter to Jaw Siwek, M.D., Editor, American Family
Physician, From Teresa K.E. Smith de Cherif, M.D., M.I.A. http://
sahara_opinions.site.voila.fr/TSdCheri2.htm - Open letter (about the Forum for
the Future), Dr. Teresa K.E. Smith de Cherif http://
sahara_opinions.site.voila.fr/TSdCheri1.htm - Marruecos fortalece su presencia
ilegal en el Sahara, y el POLISARIO que esta fortaleciendo? Ali uld Lembarki
http://sahara_opinions.site.voila.fr/Aliuldlemb.htm
NEW PUBLICATIONS [External links to newspapers may not be valid after some days
because the servers are restarted]
Fran�ais >> Revue de la presse internationale francophone >>http://
fr.groups.yahoo.com/group/revue-de-presse-sahara-occidental/messages
- Les Grands Dossiers (auditions de l'Instance Equit� et R�conciliation ):
Les noms-dits, Le Journal, N�188 du 25 au 31 d�cembre 2004. http://
www.lejournal-hebdo.com/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=200 - Kerry-McGree plie, Le
Journal-Hebdo, Maroc, No 190, 08-14.01.05 [les affirmations concernant son
retrait du Sahara Occidental sont d�menties par Kerr-McGee] http://
www.lejournal-hebdo.com/article.php3?id_article=2984 - Boukhreis Habib:� Le
rapprochement entre Madagascar et Maroc ne nous g�ne pas�, Tiana R., La
Gazette de la Grande Ile", 14 janvier 2005. http://www.lagazette-dgi.com/v2/
pagefr.php?genre=readarchive&id=25957&rubune=politics&MONTH=Janvier%202005
English
- English publications on Sahara Update mailinglist: http://groups.yahoo.com/
group/Sahara-update/messages
- He's out of Europe and into the world, Ex-Yorkshire MEP relishes his
continuing political role, Leeds Today, 28.12.04. http://www.leedstoday.net/
ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=39&ArticleID=911271 - Morocco: Mining -
Overview, M'bendi, 31.12.04. http://www.mbendi.co.za/indy/ming/af/mo/p0005.htm
- Rumblings in Western Sahara, From a Correspondent in Western Sahara, Middle
East International Online, 06.01.05. http://meionline.com/features/313.shtml -
Kerr-McGee folds, Le Journal Hebdomadaire/Assahifa al- Ousbouia (Morocco), 12
january 2005 [information denied by KMG press contact] http://groups.yahoo.com/
group/Sahara-Update/message/1433
Castellano
- Revista de la prensa en espa-ol http://es.groups.yahoo.com/group/revista-de-
prensa-sahara-occidental/messages
- Lo que el Rey no ver�, Juan Carlos de la Cal, El Mundo, 09.01.05 http://
www.elmundo.es/cronica/2005/482/1105225202.html
- Nuevo libro "Los hijos de la nube" Barona Claudia, editado por Cuadernos de
Langre, Madrid.
Italien - Oltre il muro: la RASD, Violazioni dei Diritti Umani nei Territori
Occupati del Sahara Occidentale. ATTUALITA' dall' 1 al 31 dicembre 2004, A cura
di Jacqueline Philippe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A R S O Association de
soutien a un referendum libre et regulier au Sahara Occidental CH-2800 DELEMONT
E-mail: mailto:arso@arso.org URL: http://www.arso.org Tel.:+41 32 422 87 17
Fax: +41 32 422 87 01 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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