Slid bar

The Occupation We Choose to Ignore’

Do you know who I am? I am a Sahrawi. The land to which I refer is what is known today as the non-self-governing territory ofWestern Sahara. My country was colonized by the Spanish and the French between 1884 and 1975, divided in two and occupied by Moroccan and Mauritanian forces thereafter, and has been ruled exclusively by the Kingdom of Morocco from 1979 until the present.

The Western Sahara: forgotten first source of the Arab Spring

this is one part of the Arab Spring that western governments don't want to talk about. And their silence, and the UN's complicity in it, is why that repression continues, and a terrible injustice is perpetuated.

ISS - News - The Western Sahara and North African People’s Power

Respect the right of individuals to peacefully express their opinions regarding the status and future of the Western Sahara and to document violations of human rights

King of Morocco to be biggest benefactor of EU trade agreement - Telegraph

it has emerged that the single biggest beneficiary of the deal will be the King of Morocco, who is head of one of the three largest agricultural producers in the north African country and lays claim to 12,000 hectares of the nation's most fertile farmland.

North African Dispatches Africa’s Forgotten Colony

Oblivion it seems is the current reality for the arid North African territory of Western Sahara; often referred to as Africa’s ‘Last Colony’. In my opinion, it would be more accurate to describe it as ‘Africa’s Forgotten Colony’.

1 2 3 4 5

Apr 16, 2012

Australians demand human rights for Western Sahara | Scoop News

Sunday, 15 April 2012, 2:03 pm
Press Release: AWSA

Australians demand human rights for Western Sahara

The Australia Western Sahara Association (AWSA) organised on Friday 13 April 2012 in front of the French Consulate in Melbourne a protest under the slogan: human rights for Western Sahara – the time is now! (Pictures attached).

Some of the protesters were dressed as the three monkeys which embody the proverbial principle to "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". They represent the way in which the United Nations has turned a blind eye to human rights abuses in occupied Western Sahara, most notably, France

The famous British comedian and political activist Mark Thomas attended the protest and spoke to the gathering. He also along with Ron Guy, member of AWSA presented a letter to the French Consul addressed to the French Government (see text attached).

In his speech to the gathering Mr. Thomas said that France has an opportunity to do the right thing and show that it is truly a country that respects human rights by allowing the UN to include human rights monitoring in the mandate of its mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO).

In the letter presented to the French Consulate, AWSA stated that “as part of an international action calling the United Nations to monitor human rights abuses in Western Sahara, we urge France to vote in favour of adding this responsibility to the mandate of MINURSO, the UN mission for a referendum in Western Sahara.”

It is worth recalling that Ms. Lyn Allison, AWSA's president, had sent a letter on 26 March 2012 to the UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, with copies to the 15 Security Council members. A copy of her letter can be seen on http://awsa.org.au/?p=833.

In her letter to Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, Ms Allison stated “You will be aware that MINURSO – the UN mission in Western Sahara – is the only UN peacekeeping mission established since 1978 without a mandate to monitor human rights. This means that Morocco has been able, with impunity, to occupy Western Sahara and subject the Saharawis to arbitrary arrest, disappearances, false imprisonment, unfair trials, torture and the death penalty.” And added “ I write to urge you…to press for human rights monitoring to be included to protect the civilian population there. The measures adopted last year have proved completely inadequate and ineffective.

AWSA’s Press release:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1204/S00206/human-rights-for-western-sahara-the-time-is-now.htm

Africa's last colony -Western Sahara

Navbar