Trade unionists call for solidarity with Western Sahara

The 6th Congress of the Western Sahara General Union of Saguia El Hamra and Rio de Oro Workers (UGTSARIO) took place from October 19-21, 2008, in El Aaiun, one of four Saharawi refugee camps in the Hamada desert in south-west Algeria. The brutally harsh Hamada desert, justifiably termed the most inhospitable place on Earth, has become the home away from home for more than 160,000 Saharawi refugees since Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara in 1975. Three Australian trade unionists (two from the Australian Workers Union --AWU -- and one from the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance -- MEAA) travelled thousands of kilometres to attend the congress and participate in the 4th International Trade Union Conference in Solidarity with the Western Saharan Workers, which was convened as part of the 6th UGTSARIO congress. All three were also members of the Australian Western Sahara Association. UGTSARIO congress The UGTSARIO congress was attended by 380 delegates representing different sectors of Saharawi workers, from refugee camps as well as from Mauritania, Algeria, Spain and France. Currently there are four unions affiliated to the UGTSARIO, and the rest of its membership is made up of individual workers. There is a push to develop more unions, specific to particular sectors. Most notable was the high number of women delegates at the congress, which indicates a high level of women’s participation in public life and work. The congress officially opened with the singing of the national anthem and a speech by Mohamed Abdelaziz, president of the Democratic Republic of Western Sahara (SADR), honouring the contributions and sacrifices made by Saharawi workers. Outgoing secretary general of the UGTSARIO, Mohamed Cheikh Mohamed Lehbib, then presented the UGTSARIO bureau’s financial and activities reports, before inviting international delegations representing 16 trade unions to give greetings. Around 70 international guests attended the congress, representing trade unions and organisations from the African Union, Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa, Spain, Italy, Australia, Portugal, Norway, Greece, Mexico and Sweden. The congress also heard from former phosphate workers from the Western Saharan territories occupied by Morrocco. Due to the fierce repression against Saharawis in the occupied zone and a heavily mined 2500-kilometre long wall separating it from the liberated areas and the refugee camps, the participation of these workers could only occur via phone link up. Over the three days the congress debated the adoption of its new national program and elected a new leadership until its next congress in four years. In a rare opportunity the Australian delegations became ``international observers’’ – able to witness the UGTSARIO election process, which was fascinating and very democratic. Mohamed Cheikh Mohamed Lehbib was re-elected general secretary with a high margin and a new executive bureau was also elected. International Trade Union Conference in Solidarity with the Western Saharan Workers This conference (targeted at the international guests) was held on October 20, and was part of the 6th UGTSARIO congress. It focused on discussing three main issues: 1) the plundering of Western Sahara’s natural resources by Morocco and other countries/companies and how to develop a solidarity campaign, 2) abuse of Saharawis’ human rights and workers’ rights abuses by the Moroccan regime, in Morocco proper and occupied Western Sahara 3) supporting UGTSARIO’s membership of international trade union federations. The conference was attended by representatives of 23 trade unions and organisations from 11 countries, representing more than 200 million trade unionists. Iberian peninsular trade unionists were the most represented with three Spanish confederations (the UGT – linked to the current Spanish government, USO and CC.OO), one Basque (ELA), one Galician (CIG) and one Portuguese (CGTP). Italian unionists were represented via the CGIL (the General Confederation of Italian Workers); the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) sent a sizable delegation, as did the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), which participated for the first time. The Algerian federation UGTA sent its general secretary and OUSA – a pan-African federation – and the World Federation of Trade Unions also participated. Ron Guy, representing the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), spoke for our delegation on the conference panel. The Australian delegation also represented the AWU and the Socialist Alliance. In his conference contribution Ron Guy raised the issue of natural resource theft as being critical to any solidarity campaign that tries to achieve more than just deliver emergency aid to the refugee camps, and instead sharply refocus on the illegal occupation of Western Sahara and the Saharawi people’s claim of sovereignty over their territory. Our delegation argued that Morocco’s illegal trade deals with foreign countries and companies help finance the occupation, and provide legitimacy and support for its continuation. Highlighting this natural resources issue, we argued, automatically brings in the question of sovereignty, which can be avoided by only focusing on human rights abuses. Australian and Norwegian activists, represented by three young Western Sahara Resource Watch members who are teaching English in the camps, are helping to lead this specific campaign. Our reports about work done in this area were enthusiastically received as were our proposals for action. No other country represented at the conference had done any concrete work/actions on this issue to date, even though their own countries are profiting from trade deals with Morocco relating to the theft of the Saharawis’ resources. The East Timor struggle for independence was raised many times during the conference, as it is very pertinent to the Western Sahara situation. Our delegation put forward a proposal for other union federations present to join our protests against Australian company Wesfarmer’s illegal imports of Western Saharan phosphate (Wesfarmer’s fertiliser subsidiary, CSBP is the second-biggest Australian importer of phosphate from Western Sahara). We also moved for an international day of action against the theft of Saharawi resources to take place; targeting companies and/or our respective governments. After discussion, a subcommittee of six people, including a member of the Australian delegation, was nominated to develop a declaration, reflecting the decisions and mood of the conference floor. The final declaration (see below) included the proposal of an international day of action in 2009 against natural resource theft, sending delegations to the occupied territories as ``witnesses to the occupation’’ and to advocate for UGTSARIO’s inclusion in international trade union bodies. There was some initial resistance by the Spanish UGT representative to the inclusion of support for an international day of action on resource theft in the declaration, which was eventually resolved. The declaration was unanimously endorsed by both the international conference and the UGTSARIO congress. The Australian delegation won respect from the international guests and Saharawi trade unionists alike for our work and political interventions we brought to the conference. The Saharawis know that more political solidarity is crucial in order to move closer to finding a just solution to their desperate situation. And this can only be done through pressure being put on complicit governments (such as Spain, France and Australia) by the international solidarity and workers’ movement. The UGTSARIO general secretary came to visit us after the congress to thank us for our participation. Our delegation was also interviewed for the Algerian media and a Saharawi radio show. The conference also presented us with the opportunity to meet other trade unionists and strengthen important networks. Interestingly, many of the international unionists present at the congress had heard about Australia’s horrendous WorkChoices laws and the undemocratic, Gestapo-like Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC)! After spending four days at El Aaiun camp the Australian delegation moved to the ``27 February camp’’ to continue its solidarity work. UPES, the Saharawi Writers and Journalists Union, general secretary Malainin Lakhal, who had visited Australia in 2007, helped us organise important meetings with members of the community, SADR government officials and other international solidarity organisations. Delegation member Margarita Windisch (MEAA member, Socialist Alliance and Democratic Socialist Perspective activist, and Green Left Weekly journalist) held a media workshop for members of a youth group from the camp. The workshop was designed to give basic skills on how to write for a Western newspaper and help promote the Saharawi cause internationally. The workshop was very interactive and finished with each participant writing a news article of 300 words. Hopefully we will see articles coming form Western Saharan writers more regularly. Delegation member Garry Holliday gave an Aussie Rules football workshop (believe it or not!) to about 100 schoolkids. Most of the Saharawi youth are very skilled in soccer, so picking up the basics of Aussie Rules was a relatively easy task for these natural talents. While we didn’t have enough time to cohere a Saharawi team together to challenge our very own footy greats at the next grand final, we certainly left a good impression and showed that solidarity can come in many ways. Bringing back footage of the workshop will hopefully help raise the plight of the Saharawi people in Australia. We are aiming to get another mention on a football website that already advertised the workshop in October and are working to get a spot on Australian TV’s sports shows. (See http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20081013231446908) Conclusion Even though the Saharawi struggle seems obscure in Australia, it has very close similarities with the East Timorese and the Palestinian peoples’ struggles for national self-determination. Furthermore, Australian companies (Incitec Pivot-- see http://news.theage.com.au/business/shareholders-approve-incitec-201-split-20080905-4aig.html -- and Wesfarmers -- see http://www.wsrw.org/index.php?parse_news=single&cat=105&art=936) are benefiting from the occupation of Western Sahara and the repression of its people by the Moroccan regime. The visit to the camps was a unique and very humbling experience. It certainly showed what humanity is capable of -- from the most brutal aggression by an elite few (the Moroccan government and its allies) for economic gain, to the heroic resistance of a small nation in the most adverse circumstances. The Saharawi people show in practice that collectivity, organisation and respect can make the critical difference between the survival of a unique people and culture or its disappearance. Thirty-three years of occupation, repression and life as refugees has neither dinted their integrity nor dashed their hopes for justice. At the same time the Saharawi people also pleaded with us to continue and strengthen our solidarity work because they are painfully aware that without international solidarity and pressure their struggle may be lost. Recommendations: 1) That Australian trade unions endorse the declaration of the 4th International Trade Union Solidarity Conference with Saharawi Workers and actively pursue the key points and participate in proposed actions. 2) Send further trade union delegations to Western Sahara (to the occupied zones and the refugee camps) and strengthen their relationship with UGTSARIO. 3) Promote the Western Saharan struggle among its members and in its publications. 4) Join and/or affiliate to the Australian Western Sahara Association (AWSA: www.awsa.org ) Photos of the trip are available at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=67307&l=7aacc&id=675522663 Declaration of the 4th International Trade Union Conference in Solidarity with the Western Saharan Workers, October 20, 2008, El Aaiun refugee camp The trade unions that participated in the 4th International Trade Union Conference in Solidarity with the Western Saharan Workers on October 20, 2008, in El Aaiun (which was part of the 6th congress of UGTSARIO) declare their concerns again about the situation of Western Sahara: The lack of results from the direct negotiations between Morocco and the Frente Polisario under the auspices of the UN; after four meetings the Moroccan government’s refusal to find a solution in accordance with UN resolutions has been re-confirmed. In this regard, we reiterate our support for the UN resolutions that demand the withdrawal of Morocco from Western Sahara, the ability to exercise the right to self-determination and the holding of a referendum in which the Saharawi people can determine their future. In this year that celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Moroccan government continues to violate the basic human rights of Saharawis in the occupied territories with impunity. The arrests, tortures, trials and arbitrary detentions, the disappearances, the intimidations are normal practices that the Saharawi population has to endure. In order to hide its repressive actions and deny international condemnation thereof, the Moroccan government denies international observers the right to enter Western Sahara. The deterioration of basic living standards, working conditions, education, sanitation and right to work is constant. To be Saharawi becomes an obstacle to access employment, which converts itself into discriminatory practice in contravention of the International Labour Organisation and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We reaffirm our position, which is outlined in previous trade union conferences, and demand from countries, the European and African Unions not to engage in agreements that affect the sovereignty of Western Sahara and the exploitation of its natural resources. We reject the recent preferential trading status between Morocco and the EU. We also reject the exploitation of Saharawi natural resources, in accordance with the international law enshrined in the UN resolution 1514. This resolution prohibits occupying or colonial powers to engage in commercial activities in occupied territories during the process of decolonisation. The UN resolution 1514 is violated by the presence of Australian, Norwegian, South African and Spanish multinational companies, amongst others, in the occupied territories, who have signed agreements with, and have been given concessions by, the Moroccan government and companies to exploit the natural resources. The trade unions present at the conference affirm that within the current international trade union movement they have to contribute to the presence of the UGTSARIO within international trade unions confederations. The observer status of the UGTSARIO, at the founding congress of the International Trade Union Confederation and in the EU-African trade union summit that took place in Lisbon, helped bring UGTSARIO further into the international trade union movement. We consider that the participation of the UGTSARIO in future trade union meetings is necessary for its future affiliation to international trade union bodies. It is also necessary to include the UGTSARIO in the trade unions’ policies of cooperation as a partner and develop projects that include trade union and professional training in important sectors such as health, education, construction and industries related to the environment, in the refugee camps and liberated territories. At the same time we call on the international trade unions to continue to provide food aid to the Saharawi refugees. With regards to human, labour and trade union rights we demand of the Moroccan government to comply with ILO conventions and end its discriminatory policies towards the Saharawi people in the occupied territories. We also demand the freeing of political prisoners and that Morocco takes responsibility for the Saharawi “disappeared”. We agree to inform the ILO about Morocco’s violation of Saharawi labour and trade union rights. We agree to pressure our respective governments, the EU and the African Union, as well as multinational companies and other institutions to denounce : a) the human rights violations of Saharawis by Morocco b) the illegality of the agreements between Morocco, government administrations and any companies that allow the exploitation of Saharawi natural resources. We demand from the EU to be [consistent] in the defence of human rights and democracy in its commercial agreements with countries outside the EU. To reinforce actions of solidarity and protest, we agree to work towards an International Day of Action in 2009 that focuses on the grave situation of the Saharawi people and the exploitation of their natural resources. We oppose Morocco’s denial of access to the occupied territories by international observers to witness the reality on the ground. We believe that not solving the Western Saharan conflict puts the development of a Euro-Mediterranean dialogue -- in which important countries are either actively or passively involved -- at risk. It is impossible to construct peace, stability and development in the Mediterranean region without taking into account the rights of the Saharawi people, the occupation of its territories and the violation of human rights, which are fundamental to any democratic society. Finally, we congratulate the members and delegates of the UGTSARIO, for the outcomes of their 6th congress. This declaration was signed by representatives or members of the following unions and organisations: OUSA – African Union; UGTA – Algeria; UGT, CC.OO, USO – Spain; CIG – Galicia; ELÄ – the Basque country; CGTP – Portugal ; COSATU – South Africa ; NLC – Nigeria; Confederación Obreros de Campesinos – Mexico; ACTU – Australia; AWU, Victorian Branch – Australia; AWSA – Australia; MEAA – Australia ; Socialist Alliance – Australia; FSM – Greece; CGIL – Italy; Western Sahara Resource Watch International – Norway.

A Voice for the Voiceless

A "ghost, a living dead, a young woman back from a kind of hell that bears no name." These are the words of Aminatou Haidar, a human rights activist from Western Sahara, upon her release in 1991 from captivity by Moroccan security officials. Ms. Haidar hails from Western Sahara, a coastal nation just south of Morocco. The people of Western Sahara, the Sahrawi, are a traditionally nomadic people who were for centuries self-sufficient and content. But today 180,000 Sahrawis survive on donated food in refugee camps which dot the scorched dunes of western Algeria. Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until Spain withdrew in 1975, but Sahrawi hopes for independence were dashed when Morocco promptly invaded. The UN’s International Court of Justice ruled in October 1975 that Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara was illegitimate. The Sahrawis have been fighting for liberation ever since. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (the government in exile) is recognized by the Organization of African Unity and by 75 individual nations as the legitimate government of Western Sahara. A 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire agreement promised a referendum for national self-determination, but Morocco has spent the succeeding decade doing everything in its power to prevent the referendum from actually taking place. While the Sahrawis languish in exile, their leaders weigh continued patience against going back to war to regain their homeland. Aminatou Haidar has dedicated her life to fighting the injustices and grave human rights violations perpetrated against the Sahrawi people. In the early 1980’s, after having lived through the atrocities committed by the invading Moroccan forces in her youth, Ms. Haidar joined a non-violent resistance against the colonizers. In 1987, when she was 21 years old, she was one of 700 peaceful protestors arrested for participating in a rally in support of a referendum for self-determination. Seventeen women, including Ms. Haidar, were among more than 70 who were "disappeared". She was subjected to the worst kinds of torture, including electrical shocks all over her body. At other times, she was detained in cramped spaces where she was forced to stand most of the time. She was completely isolated from the outside world throughout her detention. Her health has been permanently damaged by these five years of torture and abuse suffered at the hands of the Moroccan police. Since her release in early 2006, Aminatou Haidar has tirelessly led an international awareness campaign to make known the human rights violations perpetrated daily against the Sahrawi people by the Moroccan State in the occupied territories of Western Sahara. I have been to the desert refugee camps where the Sahrawi people sit wasting away as the world turns a blind eye toward their condition. They live and die in camps just across the Algerian border, unable to go home to the land that was taken from them. The greatest human rights challenges of our day are represented by situations like that of Western Sahara. Many people have never heard of the Sahrawi. There are no Hollywood celebrities that have taken up the cause of the Sahrawi people. It is these forgotten people that need the strongest and most dedicated human rights campaigners. Aminatou Haidar embodies the strength of the human spirit and the enduring desire for freedom. Without the efforts of people like Ms. Haidar, the most egregious human rights violations might go quietly unnoticed in the forgotten corners of the world. On November 12, Ms. Haidar will be recognized for her tireless efforts when she is presented with the 2008 R.F.K. Human Rights Award in a ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights was established in 1984 to support courageous individuals from around the world who have dedicated their lives to confront severe human rights violations. I am pleased that we will take an evening to recognize the life and work of Ms. Haidar because she has given a voice to the voiceless, and no one is in greater need of this than the Sahrawi people.

Activist’s honour puts pressure on Morocco

Aminatou Haidar talks about Western Sahara during an interview in Washington. Dennis Cook / AP With her hands and feet bound and her body tied to a wooden plank, Aminatou Haidar endured hours of torture, including electric shocks and threats of rape. “My body is only a heap of flesh and bones. The police begin to practise systematic methods of torture and other cruel and degrading treatment,” the Western Saharan activist wrote after her Moroccan captors released her. “The more I resisted, the more the methods of torture diversify and sadism attains its heights.” Ms Haidar, 41, was a 20-year-old student in 1987 when she took part in a peaceful demonstration aiming to earn self-determination for her homeland. After the protest she was detained along with dozens of others and became one of many “disappeared”. Her Moroccan captors released her after four years and her ordeal set in motion her long battle to help get recognition for the Western Sahara. It is a fight that has thrust the divorced mother of two to the forefront of the Algerian-backed Polisario Front, which has been trying to get its own homeland for more than 30 years from its neighbour Morocco, which is backed by the United States and France. Analysts say a human rights award for Ms Haidar from the Washington-based Robert F Kennedy Memorial, and the appointment of a new UN envoy to the area, could bring the cause enough attention to begin resolving it. On Thursday, Kennedy’s widow, Ethel, will present the award to Ms Haidar, who is seen as an ambassador for her people and has previously been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, in a move that goes against the grain of the US government’s position on the Arab country, which has been embroiled in the bitter dispute since Spain ended its colonial rule in the mid-1970s. “The award adds pressure on Morocco and bolsters Polisario’s case in terms of international thinking,” said Jacob Mundy, a Western Sahara analyst with the Middle East Information and Reporting Project. Stephen Zunes, a professor of politics and international studies at the University of San Francisco, said the award gave badly needed publicity to the situation. “It puts Morocco in a difficult situation. It’s going to make it harder for them to arrest and torture her again. “Moroccans have tried to portray anyone opposing them as a Polisario terrorist and she is clearly not a terrorist and is part of a generally popular struggle. The conflict stems from Morocco sending occupying forces into the Western Sahara, one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, after Spain relinquished its claim. The move disobeyed resolutions by the UN Security Council and a ruling from the International Court of Justice that rejected Morocco’s claim on the land and recognised the Western Saharans’ right to self-determination. Polisario fought a guerrilla war against the occupiers until 1991, and since then several peace deals have been rejected by both sides. Last month, the UN General Assembly approved a draft resolution designed to promote a new phase of negotiations. Both parties welcomed the move, but Morocco has not yet backed the appointment of the proposed new UN envoy, Christopher Ross, who is a former US ambassador to Syria and Algeria. The move would put the United States back at the centre of the conflict, but Mr Mundy said Mr Ross could face a tough challenge. “He will have the same limited tool kit, which is all carrot and no stick.” Each side is unflinching in its position and Mr Mundy said the new US administration, led by Barack Obama, would have little effect on the situation because the country is unlikely to change its stance: Morocco is too important strategically. The last US envoy to the area was James Baker, a former secretary of state under George H W Bush. His proposals involved Western Sahara becoming a semiautonomous region of Morocco, with a referendum then being held on independence. Last month, five former US ambassadors to Morocco issued a statement saying independence was out of the question and backed the autonomy plan. Analysts said there are only two likely outcomes for the Western Sahara – resolution through international pressure or an armed uprising by Polisario. Mr Zunes said the best way to effect a resolution was pressure from human rights groups in France and the United States to stop their countries’ support of Morocco. “People in the territories need to take things into their own hands through massive non-co-operation and protests to try to make the territory ungovernable and force the occupiers that the status quo is unacceptable.” Mr Mundy said he agreed, but said the environment for armed conflict still exists. “Unless this becomes a bigger issue for international solidarity networks, unless they can ramp up the pressure on governments, I don’t see the situation improving. “Change will only happen if the situation explodes and Polisario decides to go back to war, or some demonstration boils out of control. “The situation in the Western Sahara could become much more unstable, much more violent.” bslabbert@thenational.ae

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Aminatou Haidar address

Special Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award

Saharawi human rights activist addressed the audience participating to the reception organised on her honour last Thursday in Washington where she received the Robert Kennedy Award for Human Rights. Here is the complete text of the address: -------------------------------- Remarks by Aminatou Haidar 25th Annual Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, November 13th, 2008 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC As Prepared for Delivery ----- Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear friends, allow me to thank the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights for uniting us during this event to commemorate together the virtues of a brave man who devoted his life to the fight for freedom and the promotion of human rights. We pay a great tribute to the spirit of Robert Francis Kennedy. "Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance." Those were the words of Robert Francis Kennedy, and as the 2008 human rights award is bestowed upon me on his behalf, I find myself inspired by the same ideals he defended with such conviction and selflessness. I have to tell you that as Robert Francis Kennedy, I believe that "all can freely speak and act to share in the decisions which shape their lives." Moreover, I share his belief that the fight against injustice is the highest form of courage. My people, the Sahrawi people, have greatly suffered from the consequences of an unfair war waged since 1975 by the Moroccan state against their will. Today more than half of my people live in Diaspora, sometimes in very difficult conditions, far from their country and their families, while the other half continues its heroic pacific resistance against the Moroccan occupation. More than 500 Sahrawis have been declared missing since the Moroccan invasion of Western Sahara and the Moroccan state still refuses to give information regarding their status although it conducts propaganda campaigns under the guise of a so-called truth commission, an organization that is supposedly for equity and reconciliation and that runs around the world without giving any real answers on the grave violations of human rights perpetrated against the Sahrawi population. Since May 21, 2005 a non-violent uprising of the Sahrawi population started, proclaiming its right to self–determination. Since then, wherever there is a strong concentration of Sahrawi, demonstrators have gathered in public squares or on university campuses chanting slogans proclaiming their right to self-determination and waving Sahrawi flags. This is always dangerous for the demonstrators who risk being hit by police batons or even torture, which sometimes leads to death as was the case of three young Sahrawis: HAMDI LEMBARKI, BACHAIKH LAKHLIFI and SIDHA ULD LAHBIB or leads imprisonment for up to fifteen years as is the case of the Sahrawi human rights defender YAHIA MOHAMED LHAFED or can even lead to becoming disabled for life as was the case for the Sahrawi students SULTANA KHAYA who lost her right eye and LWALI QADMI who became paraplegic after being subjected to the brutality of the Moroccan security forces. Not to mention the daily ransacking of homes and the constant intimidation and harassment campaigns against the Sahrawi human rights defenders including arrest on the grounds of human rights activism, the loss of jobs, the prohibition of free movement and more importantly the systematic prohibition to form human rights organizations such as the COLLECTIF DES DEFENSEURS SAHRAWIS DES DROITS DE L’HOMME ‘‘CODESA’’ of which I am President and which is still banned by the Moroccan administrative authorities and the ASSOCIATION SAHRAWIE DES VICTIMES DES VIOLATIONS DES DROITS DE L’HOMME ‘‘ASVDH’’ which is also facing the same fate. Ladies and Gentlemen, as a Sahrawi woman victim of the Moroccan repression, subjected to forced disappearance and arbitrary detention, and also as a human rights defender, I reaffirm today that the current situation of human rights in the occupied territories of Western Sahara is tragic and continues to deteriorate on a daily basis. I bear witness to the distress of the Sahrawi population, and call for the protection of their basic rights. It is urgent, it is imperative to renew efforts and intensify the work required to put an end to our suffering. It is widely known that the Western Sahara conflict primarily affects the prosperity of both the Sahrawi and the Moroccan people. It also affects the rest of the Mahgreb and the hopes of its people. The time has come to put an end to the unbearable sufferings that this situation is creating for the population. Shouldn’t the Sahrawi people, in all fairness, benefit from an international protection against the cruel repression that they are being subjected to? How long will the international community maintain its regrettable non-interference approach while a whole people sees its right to self-determination be trampled underfoot by foreign occupation? The time has come to uphold real commitments in order to accelerate the process toward self-determination. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights visited Western Sahara May 15-19 2006 and confirmed in its report that all human rights violations committed by the Moroccan authorities in Western Sahara stem from the denial of a basic right according to the UN, namely the right to self-determination of the Sahrawi people, an inalienable and perpetual* right. A fourth round of negotiations between Sahrawi and Moroccan leaders recently took place in Manhasset under the auspices of the United Nations and a fifth round is expected. However, the prevailing feeling among the Sahrawi people, even the most optimistic, is that these discussions seem to remain unsuccessful which unfortunately gives rise to disappointment and a lack of hope in the Sahrawi people . Less than two years from the deadline for the completion of the plan of action of the Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, which was set in 2010, the Sahrawi people are still expecting to receive the support of the international community and to see the United Nations play an active role in seeking a just and equitable solution to this tragic conflict. Allow me as I stand here, on behalf of all Sahrawi human rights defenders, to urgently call upon the international community and particularly the United States to do all they can for the protection of the Sahrawi citizens under Moroccan occupation. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind you that about forty Sahrawi political prisoners (among them human rights defenders) are still behind bars in Moroccan jails and in the infamous El Aaiun prison. They are living in deplorable conditions, mistreated and deprived of their basic rights; their only crime is to have defended the right to self-determination of their people. These prisoners need our support and solidarity so that they can find their freedom. Let us therefore together demand their immediate release and demand information on the fate of the Sahrawi missing since 1976. In conclusion, I find myself once again reminded of the hopes of ROBERT FRANCIS KENNEDY who believed that the influence enjoyed by the United States in the world should be used in support of peace and justice. He said and I quote: "…The great challenge to all Americans…is to maintain loyalty to truth; …to maintain loyalty to freedom as a basic human value, and … to keep in our hearts and minds the tolerance and mutual trust." Finally, I would like to dedicate this prestigious award to the Sahrawi political prisoners, the victims of the Moroccan repression and to the Sahrawi human rights defenders who are performing a noble task and enduring innumerable sacrifices in defending the rights of others. Long live peace – Long live solidarity – Long live friendship. And thank you. Aminatou Haidar, human rights laureate of the 2008 ROBERT F. KENNEDY Human Rights Award

Adress of Kerry Kennedy

Special: Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award Remarks by Kerry Kennedy 25th Annual Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, November 13th, 2008 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC As Prepared for Delivery ----- On the eve of my father, Robert Kennedy’s 83rd birthday it is a fitting tribute to his life and legacy that we honor Aminatou Haidar, the "Sahrawi Gandhi," with the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. Aminatou is a courageous leader in her peoples’ almost half-century long battle to realize their inalienable right to self-determination. In 1975, the Government of Morocco invaded Western Sahara on the eve of its anticipated referendum on independence from Spain. The invasion was in defiance of a clear ruling by the International Court of Justice holding that the arguments presented by Morocco "do not establish any tie of territorial sovereignty between the territory of Western Sahara and the Kingdom of Morocco." Indeed, the Court aligned itself with United Nations resolutions regarding decolonization of the Western Sahara, and emphasized in its opinion "the principle of self-determination through the free and genuine expression of the will of the [Sahrawi] people…." In response to the invasion, the Polisario launched an armed struggle against the occupying Moroccan forces. The Polisario established the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in February 1976, which has subsequently been recognized by numerous countries and is a full member state of the African Union. Most of the indigenous Sahrawi people fled the Moroccan troops and went into near permanent displacement, primarily in Polisario-run refugee camps in Algeria. Morocco’s military forces eventually assumed control of most of the territory, including all major towns. Since the first calls for decolonization in the 1960s, widespread international support for the Sahrawi’s right to self-determination has consolidated. As the U.N. Secretary General recently stated, "no member state of the U.N. recognizes Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara." To the contrary, in Resolution 2625 the U.N. General Assembly has stipulated that "no territorial acquisition resulting from the threat or actual use of force shall be recognized as legal," and the United Nations has passed dozens of resolutions affirming and reaffirming the right of the Sahrawi to determine their own future. In 1991, based on Morocco’s promise to hold an internationally supervised referendum on the future of the territory, the Polisario and Morocco agreed to a ceasefire. But the Government of Morocco refused to allow the referendum to move forward. Instead, it engaged in a relentless campaign of violence as a military strategy to maintain territorial control and suppress civil and political rights. Moroccan troops and government authorities have silenced dissent, suspended rights to free expression and assembly, and harassed, threatened, jailed, tortured, and "disappeared" countless Sahrawi. , Mock trials on trumped-up charges are standard fare, followed by unspeakable cruelty. For years, the suffering of the Saharawi was virtually muted by the Moroccan authorities. But that silence has been broken by one woman. One woman on a mission to give voice to a repressed and impoverished people in a remote portion of the Sahara desert. Aminatou Haidar’s unyielding quest to raise the profile of her beloved homeland has brought the plight of the people of Western Sahara to the corridors of power throughout the world. Aminatou was born in 1967, and grew up amidst the human rights atrocities committed by Morocco’s occupying forces. In 1987, at the age of 21, she joined a peaceful demonstration organized during a visit from a U.N. mission. In response, Moroccan police arrested her along with more than 400 peaceful demonstrators, of whom 70 would lengthen the list of the disappeared. Seventeen of the women, including Aminatou were targeted for unimaginable torture. Abducted by Moroccan police in plain clothes, she was gagged, starved, sleep deprived, subjected to electric shock, severely beaten - and worse. Her meager rations were infested with insects, and lice covered her body. Throughout her captivity, Aminatou’s tormenters refused her access to her family, her lawyer, or any contact with the outside world. To this day, her detention haunts her. She regularly passes her torturers on the street. Threats from police and others are a frequent occurrence. But Aminatou will not be stopped. Aminatou began organizing against the occupation and led efforts for the release of prisoners of conscience. She spoke eloquently regarding the rights of women and children, and the importance of non-violent protest. In June 2005, Aminatou was arrested once again, tortured, and incarcerated in the "Black Prison" of El-Aaiun. A kangaroo court sentenced her to 7 months in jail for her outspoken support of human rights in Western Sahara. Despite the torment, Aminatou refused to be cowed. On the very day of her release she defiantly issued this public statement. "The joy is incomplete without the release of all Saharawi political prisoners and without the liberation of all the territories of the homeland still under the occupation of the oppressor." Although human rights organizations cannot legally register in occupied Western Sahara, Aminatou serves as the President of the Sahrawi Collective of Human Rights Defenders (CODESA). CODESA is at the cutting edge of social change, advocating for basic rights and defending the oppressed. Bravery is most commonly associated with a single act of daring at a precise moment in time; often in war. But battlefield bravery pales in comparison with the quality of courage exemplified by Aminatou, who, despite bloodshed, torture, starvation, disease, and the savagery of an occupying army which brought death to many of her people, and the rape of her beloved land, has made it her mission to speak the truth to those in power about the plight of her people. She will not be dismissed, and all of us here today will work to ensure that she will not be silenced. Nobel Prize Laureate and holocaust survivor Elie Weisel says that the opposite of love is not hate; the opposite of love is indifference. For years, indifference has characterized the international community’s posture toward the Western Sahara. But Aminatou’s love for her people is so affecting, and her words of so full of truth and promise, that she may yet turn the tide of history itself and renew our faith that good ultimately triumphs over evil. The cruelties and obstacles of this swiftly changing planet will not yield to obsolete dogmas and outworn slogans. It demands the qualities of youth: not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease."It is an honor now to join another woman who, like Aminatou, personifies the predominance of courage over timidity and

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Senator Patrick Leahy address

Special: Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award

Senator Patrick Leahy Remarks For Presentation Of The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award To Aminatou Haidar November 13, 2008 Thank you for that kind introduction. I also want to thank Ethel, Kerry and the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights for inviting me to speak here today. It is an honor to stand in for my good friend Senator Ted Kennedy, who has been, and continues to be, such an eloquent force for human rights in this country and around the world. Whether he is reminding us of our moral obligation to provide a safe haven for Iraqi refugees, leading the fight in Congress against apartheid in South Africa, or championing the rights of political prisoners in China, Senator Kennedy has led the way on the most important human rights issues of our time. It is a remarkable record that the rest of us in Congress should strive to emulate. This is especially important today, after the scandals of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, which have so sullied our international reputation. As the new Obama Administration and the Congress work together to reintroduce America to the world, we must reaffirm our unequivocal denunciation of the use of torture and our commitment to human rights. This is as necessary here at home as it is abroad. The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights is a living reminder of a time when Robert Kennedy, at such a young age, showed this country what the role of the Attorney General of the United States could and should be. He was not just the Attorney General for the President or his Administration. Not just the Attorney General for those of privilege and power. No. He was the Attorney General for upholding the law for all Americans. That principle was trampled on shamelessly during the past eight years. It must never happen again. The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award not only informs us of a laureate’s cause and courage, it also provides the recognition and support to enable him or her to continue working, often at great personal risk, for the principles we cherish. This year’s laureate, Ms. Aminatou Haidar, has been called the "Sahrawi Gandhi." She is one of the best-known human rights activists of her homeland, Western Sahara. Aminatou Haidar’s personal story is both tragic and inspirational. Tragic for the suffering she has endured in seeking to promote respect for universal freedoms. Inspirational for her courage, her devotion to her people and to human rights, and for what her life says about the resilience of the human spirit. Her commitment to non-violence began as a young university student, witnessing the abuses of the Moroccan security forces. As Kerry just described, in 1987 Ms. Haidar was imprisoned and tortured because she dared to speak out. For four years she was "disappeared," and during that entire time she was blindfolded, totally cut off from her family and the outside world. Her health was permanently damaged by the abuses she suffered. After her release in 1991, Ms. Haidar described herself as "a ghost, a living dead, a young woman back from a kind of hell that bears no name." As the Sahrawi poet, Mohamed Ebnu wrote, "And we still wait for a new dawn. We still wait to begin again," Ms. Haidar resumed her work to call attention to the denial of human rights in Western Sahara. In June 2005, when Ms. Haidar was again arrested, again beaten and injured, and again arbitrarily detained, she did not give in to anger or despair. Instead, she and a group of 37 other Sahrawi political prisoners held a 51-day hunger strike in an effort to obtain more humane prison conditions, investigations into allegations of torture, and the release of political prisoners. For seven months she was separated from her two children, knowing nothing of their fate. Those of you who are parents and grandparents, as I am, can only imagine how agonizing that would be, and for her children as well. During her detention, Ms. Haidar gained international renown as a dedicated and determined human rights defender. She was adopted by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience, and she gained the support of other human rights organizations and the European Parliament. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights conducted an assessment in the Western Sahara, finding serious human rights abuses and concluding that "the right to self-determination for the people of Western Sahara must be ensured and implemented without further delay." Since her release in 2006, Aminatou Haidar has continued her non-violent struggle tirelessly. She is President of the Sahrawi Collective of Human Rights Defenders – CODESA – which Moroccan authorities have denied the right to legally register in Western Sahara. Her courage to speak out has also provided other Sahrawi women the strength to talk publicly about their own suffering, including those who have been victims of the previously unspeakable crime of rape. Her humility, despite her importance in the human rights movement in Western Sahara, may be one reason that she is so revered. Another, undoubtedly, is her unwavering commitment – with grace and honesty, with bravery as her strongest tool – to end the abuse suffered by her people and to demand their legal and inalienable right to self-determination. A colleague of hers perhaps said it best: "She is neither a polemicist nor an ideologue, but simply a woman who has seen and experienced too many abuses to remain quiet anymore." Over the years, following Senator Kennedy’s lead, I and other Members of Congress have called for a referendum on the future of Western Sahara. The right to self-determination is one that the founding fathers of our own country recognized as both just and necessary. The United Nations has adopted numerous resolutions reaffirming the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination. It is important to recognize and commend the Government of Morocco for its recent efforts to protect human rights. Morocco has become a party to most of the major human rights treaties. It is also a valued friend and ally of the United States. It is now time for Morocco to fulfill its treaty obligations to uphold the civil and political rights of the Sahrawi people. I cannot help wondering where Ms. Haidar finds the strength – despite provocations and abuse, despite the threat of being returned to prison knowing she might not survive. As Robert Kennedy said in Capetown, South Africa, "Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change." Perhaps, when Ms. Haidar speaks today, she will tell us. But I do know that her example inspires each of us, not only to continue to support her and the Sahrawi people, but to defend the rights of so many others who struggle as she does, often in obscurity, against forces far stronger. That is the mission of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, and we embrace it again here today.

Entrega del Sahara a Marruecos: aniversario de la traición.

El 14 de noviembre de 1975 España entregó a los saharauis a los marroquíes. España faltó a su compromiso de celebrar un referéndum de autodeterminación. Y para el pueblo saharaui comenzó un brutal genocidio. Pero ningún periódico habla ya de ello.

Los mismos que hablan de "memoria histórica" están haciendo todo lo posible para que las jóvenes generaciones desconozcan la mayor traición de la historia de España desde que en el año 711, el conde de Ceuta, Don Julián, facilitara la invasión musulmana que significó la pérdida de España (como la calificó el insigne historiador del Sáhara, José Ramón Diego Aguirre).

España había ganado a Marruecos todas las batallas internacionales sobre el asunto del Sáhara Occidental:
- La Asamblea General de la ONU había reconocido el derecho a la autodeterminación y la independencia del pueblo saharaui;
- el Tribunal Internacional de Justicia (TIJ) confirmó ese derecho el 16 de octubre de 1975;
- el Consejo de Seguridad condenó la invasión marroquí del territorio mediante la siniestra "marcha verde".

España había dado su palabra de celebrar un referéndum de autodeterminación. Se dispuso a organizar el referéndum en 1974, pero la ONU le pidió suspenderlo hasta que el TIJ determinara si el Sáhara Occidental fue alguna vez marroquí. Una vez que dijo que nunca había sido de soberanía marroquí, no quedaba ya ningún obstáculo para proseguir con el referéndum.

Es más, el propio Príncipe de España, Juan Carlos de Borbón, dijo el 2 de noviembre en El Aaiún (que los colaboracionistas con Marruecos llaman "Layún"):
"

"España cumplirá sus compromisos y tratará de mantener la paz, don precioso que tenemos que conservar. No se debe poner en peligro vida humana alguna cuando se ofrecen soluciones justas y desinteresadas y se busca con afán la cooperación y el entendimiento entre los pueblos. Deseamos proteger también los legítimos derechos de la población civil saharaui, ya que nuestra misión en el mundo y nuestra historia nos lo exigen"

Sin embargo, el 14 de noviembre de 1975, en secreto, a espaldas de la opinión pública, el gobierno firmó el "acuerdo de Madrid" que, de hecho, cancelaba la celebración del referéndum y entregaba el territorio a Marruecos y Mauritania.

¿Qué ocurrió?
No hay explicación lógica ni razonable. Sólo la hipótesis de que hubo una traición permite explicar lo ocurrido. Una traición que sigue actualizándose mientras España no denuncie ese acuerdo inmoral, ilegal y políticamente suicida.

"Estatuto avanzado" de Marruecos en la UE: el sarcasmo continúa

Francia quiere hacernos comulgar con ruedas de molino. Es comprensible que favorezcan a su protegida (Marruecos) pero es sarcástico que el ministro de soidaridad y asuntos sociales francés ponga como ejemplo a un país, Marruecos, donde se violan los derechos humanos en general, incluidos los derechos sociales.

El ministro francés de Trabajo, relaciones sociales, familia y solidaridad de Francia, Xavier Bertrand acaba de decir que:

"el estatuto avanzado otorgado a Marruecos es el signo de que apreciamos las reformas que se han emprendido: en materia de modernización de la economía, de derechos humanos y de buen gobierno, de modernización social... la Unión Europea está muy contenta de ver a Marruecos como pionero de la región sur del Mediterráneo".

Unos pocos datos recientes que todo un ministro francés de solidaridad seguro que conoce:

1. Una estudiante torturada en los sótanos de la plaza Jamaa el Fnaa de Marrakech.
Mientras los turistas alegremente dejan sus divisas para financiar a la tiranía alauita en la famosa plaza de Marrakech, debajo de la misma los esbirros del majzén recuerdan a los opositores que "democracia" y "derechos humanos" tienen un significado algo diferente en Marruecos.

2. Explotación laboral en Tánger de mujeres y niñas.

3. Sigue en pleno auge la práctica de autorizar el matrimonio con muchachas menores de edad. Pese a la hipocresía del majzén por las declaraciones del imán integrista Mohamed Al Maghraoui:

"El año pasado, (en Marruecos) los magistrados concedieron 33.560 autorizaciones a chicas menores de 18 años, el 87% de las solicitadas. 159 correspondieron a niñas de 14 años."

Que siga la fiesta.

La "Marcha verde": vergüenza de ayer, amenaza de mañana

Hoy, 6 de noviembre, hace 33 años que la "Marcha verde" ideada por Kissinger y ejecutada por Hassán II, invadió el territorio del Sahara Occidental. Esa violación de las fronteras internacionales fue condenada. Pero la pasividad de las Naciones Unidas para reparar esta violación incita a Marruecos a reclamar nuevas tierras: Mauritania, parte de Argelia, parte de Mali y, por supuesto, parte de España.

La Marcha Verde era el "plan B" para el supuesto de que el Tribunal Internacional de Justicia (TIJ) no diera la razón a Marruecos en sus pretensiones anexionistas sobre el Sáhara (como así ocurrió). Para esta gente, el Sahara Occidental tenía que caer en manos de Marruecos: por las buenas... o por las malas.
Y, en efecto, esta Marcha se anunció el mismo día, 16 de octubre de 1975, en el que L TIJ dejó bien claro para siempre que Marruecos nunca había ejercido soberanía sobre el Sáhara Occidental.

Una vez puesta en movimiento, escoltada por el "pacífico" ejército marroquí se dirigió al territorio del Sáhara y el día 6 de noviembre violó la frontera internacional. El Consejo de Seguridad, en su importantísima resolución 380 condenó la marcha y pidió la retirada de Marruecos del territorio.
La Marcha Verde, por tanto, es una violación del Derecho Internacional. Y sin embargo...

Marruecos celebra como fiesta nacional esta violación (declarada por el Consejo de Seguridad) del Derecho Internacional. Una violación, encima, específicamente dirigidada contra España.

Esta violación no sólo no se castiga, sino que algunos (en España, de forma destacada, Rodríguez Zapatero y Moratinos) apoyan medidas (la última, el "estatuto avanzado" para Marruecos en el seno de la UE) legitiman la ocupación.

Esto sólo puede producir un efecto: alentar el expansionismo marroquí. Hoy, ¡en 2008!, el editorialista del periódico oficioso de Mohamed VI (y pariente), Hassan Alaoui, reivindica como parte de Marruecos ya no sólo el Sáhara Occidental y los territorios españoles norteafricanos, ¡¡sino también toda Mauritania, el oeste de Argelia y el noroeste de Mali!!

Del hecho se desprenden varias conclusiones:

La primera, es ¿cómo es posible ser "amigos" de Marruecos mientras este país celebra como fiesta "nacional" una agresión contra España?

La segunda, es ¿cómo es posible confiar en la palabra de Marruecos cuando enaltece como página gloriosa la violación de sus compromisos internacionales como miembro de Naciones Unidas?

Y la tercera, y más preocupante, es ¿cómo va a haber estabilidad y paz en el norte de África mientras se premie la política expansionista marroquí?

Victoria de Obama: otra mala noticia para Mohamed VI

La victoria de Obama supone una nueva derrota para las pretensiones de Mohamed VI en el Sahara Occidental. Y es que el candidato del "majzén" era McCain. Por ello, sería razonable esperar algunos cambios en la política USA sobre este asunto, aunque el vicepresidente de Obama, Biden, "sensible" a las pretensiones marroquíes puede ser un freno a ese cambio.

Los vínculos de McCain con el majzén marroquí se remontan, cuando menos, a 2005. En 2005, McCain fue "contactado" por el lobby pro marroquí en EE.UU. para presionar al Frente Polisario para que liberara a los últimos prisioneros de guerra que mantenía por la guerra de liberación del Sáhara Occidental. McCain no se limitó a firmar un papelito, sino que se prestó a invitar a seis antiguos prisioneros de guerra marroquíes al Congreso de los EE.UU (alguno conocido por las calumnias que ha vertido sobre las circunstancias de su prisión) y a intervenir en la CNN y la CBS defendiendo la posición de Marruecos en aquel momento. El propio McCain en la misiva que dirigió a Mohamed Abdelaziz para pedir la liberación de los prisioneros asumió ciertas calumnias vehiculadas por el majzén y que el Frente Polisario ha demostrado como falsas.
Las gestiones de McCain se sumaron a las de otros políticos conocidos por su pertenencia al lobby pro marroquí en EE.UU.

No se sabe si los "esfuerzos" de McCain fueron "desinteresados", pero lo habitual, por un lado, es que las actividades lobbystas en EE.UU. se hagan a cambio de algo y, por otro lado, que Marruecos dé ciertas "recompensas económicas" a cambio de este tipo de pronunciamientos. Pero si esto pertenece al ámbito del secreto de los fondos reservados, lo que no es secreto es que el majzén quedó extraordinariamente satisfecho por los servicios prestados por McCain y le otorgó la máxima condecoración del régimen marroquí, el "Wissam alauita", que marca a los miembros del lobby pro marroquí.

Habida cuenta de los vínculos habidos en el pasado, no sería descabellado pensar que Marruecos pudo haber contribuido financieramente a la campaña de McCain, su candidato. Por contra, el periódico oficioso de Mohamed VI, decía el 14 de septiembre(quizá un tanto fantasiosamente), que Obama "frecuentaba a los dirigentes del Polisario".

No puede, en consecuencia, extrañarnos la alegría de los saharauis por la victoria de Obama, ni la preocupación del Majzén por la derrota de McCain.

Mohamed VI da una patada a Bush

Han esperado hasta el último día, pero lo han hecho. En último día de su mandato, el diario marroquí portavoz oficioso del rey Mohamed VI, acaba de arrear una patada a Bush II. Al mismo Bush cuya (segunda) administración ha sido, posiblemente, la que más ha apoyado las pretensiones expansionistas marroquíes en el Sahara. Una lección para los del lobby pro-marroquí en España.

La política del presidente Bush II respecto a Marruecos, como en otros aspectos de las relaciones exteriores, ha tenido dos etapas muy diferenciadas. La primera presidencia de Bush fue muy distinta de la segunda.

En su primera presidencia, Bush apoyó a James Baker III, que es quien mejor ha conocido el asunto del Sáhara Occidental y quien ha presentado la propuesta más realista para resolver el conflicto.

Pero la pressión del lobby pro-israelí, con Elliot Abrams a la cabeza, hizo que en su segunda presidencia se diera un giro de 180º. El por qué del apoyo del lobby pro-israelí a Marruecos tiene varias causas, y no es la menor que en su día Hassán II espió a los otros dirigentes árabes en beneficio del Mossad. La nueva política de la segunda adminitración Bush fue considerar como "serio" y "creíble" un proyecto de pseudo-autonomía para el Sáhara presentado por Marruecos en 2007 y que era muy inferior a otro proyecto presentado en 2003 que Baker consideró "insuficiente". Vivir para ver. Nunca el apoyo USA había ido tan lejos.

Ahora, cuando termina el mandato de Bush, el diario oficioso de la monarquí marroquí dice:

La elección de este marte supone un tachón simbólico de esta gestión apocalíptica de una administración que ha preferido extraer sus inspiraciones de la ideología del evangelismo que de la razón.
Pero esta gestión no borra las pesadillas, ni restituye las vidas de los miles de jóvenes americanos muertos en las guerras "antiterroristas", en nombre de este siniestro 'The West and the rest' quye el libro de Samuel Huntington sobre el choque de civilizaciones ha creído ilustrar.
Una herencia como ésta no deja indiferente a ningún pueblo, a ningún país y a muy poca gente.

Tomen nota los miembros del lobby pro-marroquí en España de la recompensa que les dará en su día el "Majzén". Y es que, aunque árabes, conocen el dicho de que "Roma no paga a los traidores".

¿Crisis en España? ¡Regalamos 200 millones a la tiranía marroquí!

¿Quien dijo que en España había crisis? ¡Nos sobra el dinero! Y por eso se lo regalamos a la tiranía de Mohamed VI. 200 millones de euros, para ser exactos

La información apareció el 30 de octubre en uno de los diarios portavoces oficiosos del "Majzén" (la estructura de poder mafioso-totalitario en Marruecos).
Y, sin embargo, una de dos. O los corresponsales españoles en Marruecos no dan importancia al hecho... o sí se la han dado pero los responsables de sus diarios han creído que esta información es mejor que no la conozcan los españoles. Parecen más importantes los dos millones de euros del despacho de Touriño que los 200 millones de euros regalados a Marruecos. Esto es síntoma de que la libertad de información en España está gravemente enferma.

En el año 2007, regalamos a Marruecos 81'47 millones de euros (más de 13.500 millones de las antiguas pesetas) en concepto de ayuda no reembolsable de "cooperación al desarrollo".

Se ve que era poco. El embajador de España en Marruecos, un hombre de Felipe González y Chaves, acaba de anunciar que "subimos la apuesta". El próximo año regalaremos 200 millones de euros (más de 33.300 millones de pesetas) a la tiranía de Mohamed VI en concepto de ayuda de "cooperación al desarrollo", por supuesto, no reembolsable.

¿Qué se hace con ese dinero? Alá supongo que lo sabe, pero nosotros no porque ese dinero no se fiscaliza según los estándares mínimos de un Estado de Derecho. De hecho, llevamos regalando al régimen marroquí millones, y millones, y millones, para ayudar al "desarrollo" sin que sepamos en qué se han gastado exactamente. Y siendo dinero del contribuyente las cuentas de este gasto debieran ser absolutamente exhaustivas. Pero no lo son. El resultado es que en un Estado dominado por la corrupción es fácil imaginar donde termina tanto dinero.

La prensa del régimen marroquí manipula al presidente de la Rioja.

El presidente de La Rioja, Pedro Sanz, ha visitado Marruecos. Allí, supongo que en respuesta a una pregunta capciosa, ha dicho algo que es totalmente cierto:

- "la autonomía no significa dividir un país, sino descentralizar".

Esto es cierto.

El problema es que la prensa del régimen, la agencia oficial de noticias (MAP) y el periódico "de cámara" del palacio real (Le Matin)... ponen esta frase bajo la rúbrica

"Sahara: autonomía no significa dividir un país, afirma presidente de La Rioja"

No me creo que el presidente de la Rioja haya dicho esto a propósito del Sahara Occidental. Insisto, no me lo creo.
Si lo ha dicho, entonces hay que recordarle al Señor Sanz que el Sahara Occidental no forma parte de Marruecos.
Pero si no lo ha dicho, como supongo, creo que debiera hacer una protesta formal por el uso que se hace de sus palabras.
La dignidad de ser presidente de una Comunidad Autónoma española creo que no permite que la agencia oficial de prensa de un gobierno no demócratico manipule sus palabras.
¿O sí?

El Africom en Marruecos, historia de un bulo

Hace meses que se hizo circular la especie de que el Africom (el nuevo mando militar norteamericano para África) se iba a instalar en Marruecos. Se llegó a decir a este respecto que el Pentágono construía "una enorme base militar de mil hectáreas" en la localidad de Tan Tan, población situada en el Sáhara Occidental expoliado a raíz de los acuerdos hispano-francés de 1912 e hispano-marroquí de 1958 que regalaron este territorio a Marruecos.
La "información" se rebotó en numerosas páginas de internet, en español y en francés.

Pero la información era falsa.
De entrada, que yo sepa, nadie ha podido ofrecer una fotografía de la "enorme basa militar", cosa que no debiera ser difícil de existir la misma. Y es que, en efecto, la base no existe.
Pero es que ya desde junio se sabe que el Africom no se iba a instalar en Marruecos... y ni siquiera en África, sino que se iba a crear en Stuttgart. Así lo publicó el diario argelino LE JEUNE INDÉPENDANT en su edición de 15 de junio de 2008.

La información no sólo era falsa. Además hizo ver las vergüenzas de nuestro Ejército.
El general Luis Alejandre, el 14 de junio de 2008, publicaba un artículo en EL PERIÓDICO donde reafirmaba el bulo. Un artículo sin desperdicio. Vale, podía tener un pase porque "Le Jeune Indépendant" publicaba su información un día después, aunque sorprendía que el general hiciera suya una afirmación tan aventurera sin tener pruebas....
Lo que ya no tenía pase es que, después de que el diario argelino desmontara el bulo, volviera otra vez a repetir el cuento el día 18 de junio.
Y es que no hablamos de un militar cualquiera. Hablamos de un individuo ... ¡que fue JEMAD (Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa)! ¡Qué información, que conocimiento de la política internacional, qué... sobrecogedor!

Esta era la situación cuando el 1 de octubre se anunció la puesta en marcha del Africom.
Pero a veces las mentiras tienen largo recorrido. Y cuando, efectivamente, se puso en marcha el Africo, nuevamente circuló la especie de que lo hacía desde Marruecos. El mismo día que volvía a circular el bulo, un periodista bien informado, dejaba claro que el Africom no tenía ninguna base en África. Algún medio electrónico (como Minuto Digital) también informó correctamente del tema.

Todo inútil. La bola de nieve del bulo seguía su curso.
Y tuvo que intervenir Vince Crawley, portavoz del Africom para desmentir el bulo sobre Tan Tan y para afirmar que el Africom "no ha negociado con ningún gobierno, excepto el alemán, para establecer su cuartel".
Pues ni así.
Ángela Rodicio (a la que por su afición a velarse a la usanza musulmana le pusieron el mote de "Fátima" Rodicio) vuelve con el cuento. En la edición de LA VOZ DE GALICIA del martes 14 de octubre de 2008, la ex-corresponsal de TVE para Oriente Próximo, publica un artículo (no disponible, que yo sepa, en la edición digital) titulado "De Rota a Tan-Tan" repitiendo lo mismo.
Y yo me pregunto, visto lo que publica sobre el Occidente árabe, ¿mantenía el mismo "rigor" Ángela Rodicio para informar sobre el Oriente Medio?

Racismo asesino de Marruecos

No es la primera vez que el "Majzén" (la estructura del poder marroquí en torno al sultán) es responsable de un crimen racista.
Recordemos.
Emigrantes negro-africanos asesinados a tiros por la espalda en la valla de Melilla.
Recordemos que en el colmo del cinismo, Marruecos llegó a acusar a la Guardia Civil de haber asesinado a estas personas.
Recordemos que la investigación demostró que los disparos vinieron de las fuerzas marroquíes.

Recordemos.
Recordemos que en una de las numerosas crisis migratorias, Marruecos decidió "limpiar" (eso sí, provisionalmente) de emigrantes la frontera con España en Melilla.
Recordemos el "método": conducir a los emigrantes al desierto del Sáhara Occidental y abandonarles, sin agua, y cerca del muro minado que divide en dos el territorio (el muro de la vergüenza).
Recordemos que los emigrantes, con teléfonos móviles, denunciaron el crimen que se preparaba.
Recordemos que Marruecos lo negó todo... y recordemos que el periodista Luis de Vega, en una gran exclusiva, obtuvo la prueba fotográfica de que Marruecos mentía.

Sí, recordemos
Y no nos extrañemos de que AHORA Marruecos vuelva a abandonar a los emigrantes en el desierto del Sáhara Occidental, según denuncia "Médicos del Mundo".
Emigrantes abandonados en una zona que se halla entre el muro de la vergüenza y la frontera del Sáhara Occidental con Mauritania. Una franja de unos 10 km. de largo, minada por causa de la guerra entre Marruecos y el Ejército de liberación saharaui. Un terreno peligrosísimo, abandonado por todos y al que llaman "Kandahar" como a la ciudad afgana que albergaba todos los tráficos.
Emigrantes que Marruecos condena a muerte. Son negros.

Y mientras, y es que la Historia es sarcástica, la UE firma un acuerdo para otorgar a Marruecos un estatuto privilegiado vistos sus "progresos" en materia de democracia y derechos humanos.
Y mientras Goytisolo, el que denunciaba el racismo de El Egido, disfruta los favores del régimen criminal marroquí y calla.

N.B.
Por cierto, el 7 de octubre de este año, el general Abdelaziz Bennani, jefe del Ejército de ocupación marroquí en el Sáhara Occidental, en un discurso en Agadir subrayaba "la importancia de la dimensión humanitaria en la lucha contra la inmigración ilegal".

Sáhara Occidental: aniversario del dictamen del Tribunal Internacional de Justicia

El 16 de octubre de 1975, el Tribunal Internacional de Justicia, con sede en La Haya, hizo público su dictamen sobre la cuestión del Sahara Occidental.
Es el documento jurídico más importante sobre la cuestión. Fue una derrota en toda regla de las pretensiones de Marruecos. Pesa sobre una losa en la diplomacia del Majzén cuya estrategia consiste en ignorar el dictamen y hacer todo lo posible para que los demás lo ignoren.
España fue quien defendió los derechos del pueblo saharaui. Lo hizo un equipo dirigido por el catedrático González Campos, del que formaban parte también Fernando Arias-Salgado, José Manuel Lacleta, Ramon Sedó. Sus intervenciones se pueden consultar en los tomos IV y V de las actuaciones.
El resultado, como he dicho, fue una victoria para el pueblo saharaui cuyo derecho a la autodeterminación y a la independencia quedó consagrado para siempre.

Aquí se encuentra el resumen (la página citada erróneamente habla de texto completo) en español del dictamen. El texto completo se puede consultar (en francés e inglés) en esta página.

Extraigo algunos pasajes:

- "Los elementos e informaciones puestos en conocimiento de la Corte indican que en el momento de la colonización española existían vínculos jurídicos de subordinación entre el Sultán de Marruecos y ciertas tribus que vivían en el territorio del Sáhara Occidental. Indican además la existencia de derechos, incluidos ciertos derechos sobre la tierra, que constituian vínculos jurídicos entre el complejo mauritano, en el sentido en que lo entiende la Corte, y el territorio del Sáhara Occidental.

En cambio, la Corte llegó a la conclusión de que los elementos e informaciones puestos a su disposición no demostraban la existencia de ningún vínculo de soberanía territorial entre el territorio del Sáhara Occidental, por una parte, y el Reino de Marruecos o el complejo mauritano, por la otra.

Por lo tanto, la Corte no comprobó que existieran vínculos jurídicos capaces de modificar la aplicación de la resolución 1514 (XV) en lo que se refiere a la descolonización del Sáhara Occidental y, en particular, a la aplicación de la libre determinación mediante la expresión libre y auténtica de la voluntad de las poblaciones del territorio.”

Nueva resolución de la ONU sobre el Sahara, nueva derrota marroquí

La Cuarta Comisión de la ONU acaba de votar la nueva resolución sobre el Sahara Occidental. Nueva derrota de las pretensiones marroquíes a pesar de todos los apoyos que tenía, aunque no es totalmente satisfactoria para el pueblo saharaui. ¿Qué dice esta resolución? ¿Por qué es una derrota para Marruecos? ¿Por qué esta resolución no es totalmente satisfactoria?
La Comisión de Descolonización de la Asamblea General de Naciones Unidas (la "Cuarta Comisión") acaba de adoptar por consenso la nueva resolución sobre el Sáhara Occidental patrocinada por Argelia, Sudáfrica y otros Estados.

¿Qué dice?
La Resolución establece reafirma varias cosas importantes:

1º. Que la ONU reconoce que existe el "pueblo del Sahara Occidental".

2º. Que ese pueblo tiene "derecho inalienable a la autodeterminación y a la independencia".

3º. Que el pueblo saharaui es un "pueblo colonial", lo que significa que el territorio del Sáhara Occidental es una colonia que debe descolonizarse.

4º. Que apoya las negociaciones entre las partes, que son Marruecos y el Frente Polisario, para lograr esa autodeterminación e independencia.

5º. Que las negociaciones deben ser de buena fe y entablarse sin condiciones previas

6º. Que el único dueño del destino del Sáhara Occidental es su pueblo, que decidirá, él y sólo él, si quiere ser independiente, integrarse en otro Estado (con o sin autonomía) o establecer una libre asociación con otro Estado.

7º. Que esa decisión debe ser tomada por el pueblo saharaui, sólo por él, y de forma libre.

¿Por qué es una derrota marroquí a pesar de que fingen satisfacción?

1º. Porque Marruecos no reconoce la existencia del "pueblo saharaui"

2º. Porque Marruecos no reconoce el derecho a la libre determinación e independencia del pueblo saharaui.

3º. Porque Marruecos no reconoce que el Sáhara Occidental es una colonia.

4º. Porque Marruecos no actúa de buena fe en las negociaciones e impone una condición previa (discutir sobre la "autonomía" y sólo sobre esa sedicente "autonomía").

5º. Porque Marruecos no reconoce que el Sahara pueda elegir entre la integración en Marruecos mediante una pseudoautonomía o la independencia.

6º. Porque Marruecos no reconoce que esa decisión deba ser tomada por el pueblo saharaui de forma libre.

¿Por qué, a pesar de todo, esta resolución es insatisfactoria?

1º. Porque sigue ignorando las terribles violaciones de los derechos humanos que Marruecos ha cometido y sigue cometiendo en los territorios ocupados.

2º. Porque sigue ignorando el saqueo de las riquezas saharauis (fosfatos, pesca, arena) que está llevando a cabo Marruecos a espaldas del pueblo saharaui.

Marruecos: estatuto avanzado en la UE ¿cómo es posible?

El 13 de Outubro se ha celebrado la 7ª Reunión del Consejo de Asociación Marruecos/Unión Europea. En esta reunión se ha acordado elevar las relaciones de la UE con Marruecos para atribuir al país norteafricano un "estatuto avanzado".

En términos muy sencillos, el "estatuto avanzado" implica tener una relación que no es la de un Estado miembro de la UE, pero es más importante que la que tienen los selectos Estados que mantienen un Acuerdo de Asociación. En otras palabras: el "estatuto avanzado" implica tener una relación privilegiada con la UE... sin tener que someterse a sus engorrosas exigencias en materia de democracia, respeto del Derecho y derechos humanos. Para un país como Marruecos, monarquía absoluta, donde reina la arbitrariedad y los derechos humanos son constante e impunemente violados es la situación ideal, sin duda.

Por ello, es lógico que Marruecos quiera tener este estatuto... pero ¿es lógico que la UE se lo otorgue?

Veamos.

¿Democracia?
Marruecos es una monarquía absoluta en la que el rey controla todo el poder político (ejecutivo, legislativo y judicial), el poder económico (es el primer propietario de bienes muebles e inmuebles en el país) y poder social (mediante la imposición de su carácter de "príncipe de los creyentes" que no resiste un mínimo análisis histórico y teológico).

¿Respeto al derecho?
Marruecos viola el Derecho Internacional. Ocupa ilegalmente el Sáhara Occidental. Reivindica territorios españoles terrestres y marítimos que no le corresponden. En cuanto al Derecho interno es notorio que todo es una farsa en manos del Majzén (el sistema construido alrededor del sultán marroquí).

¿Derechos humanos?
Marruecos viola cotidianamente los derechos humanos en el territorio ocupado del Sahara Occidental. No es "propaganda". Así lo afirma el Alto Comisariado de Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos.

Igualmente viola los derechos humanos de los propios "fieles súbditos" marroquíes. Sin ir más lejos, en junio de este año se produjo una brutal represión en Ifni por la que nadie, absolutamente nadie, ha respondido.
Y qué decir de los derechos humanos de los emigrantes, que son asesinados a tiros por la espalda o abandonados en el desierto para que mueran de sed....

Y por si fuera poco, Marruecos se dedica a espiar a los países de la UE y a corromper a sus políticos. Recientemente se ha descubierto una red de espionaje marroquí en Holanda, con una amplia red de agentes reclutada entre los emigrantes marroquíes.

Igualmente se ha revelado la trama que organiza el embajador marroquí en Francia para corromper a los mismísimos legisladores galos.

Y sin embargo, leemos cosas como éstas:
- portavoz de Exteriores francés:
"Marruecos ha hecho muchos esfuerzos... especialmente en materia de derechos humanos y buen gobierno".

- Moratinos:
"es un gran día para Europa, para Marruecos y para España"

- Benita Ferrero-Waldner (comisario de asuntos exteriores de la UE y gran, grandísima amiga del majzén):
"la experiencia marroquí podría incitar a los demás países a seguir la misma vía" (¿cuál? ¿la de asesinar emigrantes, ocupar países vecinos y establecer una monarquía absoluta?)