Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
A Letter from Boukhari Ahmed to the Security Council
AB/2/sc/2/09
His Excellency
Mr. Yukio Takasu
President of the Security Council
United Nations
New York, February 17, 2009
Mr. President
On behalf of the Frente POLISARIO and the Saharawi people, I wish to bring to your attention the continued pattern of human rights abuses of the Saharawi civilian population inside the occupied Territory of Western Sahara.
MINURSO was established in 1991 for two inseparable purposes: first, to monitor the ceasefire between Morocco and Frente POLISARIO forces; and second, to organize a referendum for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara by which they will freely choose between independence and integration into Morocco. Eighteen years later, due to Moroccan intransigence, no such referendum has taken place.
Until the fundamental right of self-determination of the Saharawi people is secured, the United Nations has a responsibility to protect the population of the Western Sahara pursuant to its clearly defined obligations towards Non Self-Governing Territories, as set out in Article 73 of the Charter of the United Nations. I recall that Members of the United Nations have accepted as a ‘sacred trust the obligation to promote to the utmost…the well-being of the inhabitants of these territories’ and to ensure ‘their just treatment and their protection against abuses’. These fundamental Charter obligations include the provision of basic human rights.
Despite these clear legal requirements, the Saharawi people in the occupied Territory have suffered grave violations of their most basic human rights. More than five hundred Saharawi civilians who were kidnapped by Morocco forces remain in unknown locations. Hundreds were kept for more than 16 years in secret prisons and dozens were killed or died during their imprisonment. Since 2005, a peaceful intifada engaged by the Saharawi population in the occupied territories is taking place and, still, the repression has been the response of Morocco forces. Three civilians were killed since the beginning of the intifada.
I recall in this regard that on 8 September 2006, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) delivered a report expressing serious concern at the human rights situation in Western Sahara, and documenting incidents of arbitrary arrest, harassment, and intimidation of human rights activists, including excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators. While the report, unfortunately, has not been yet made public, it linked clearly the egregious and brazen human rights abuses in the occupied territory to the denial of the Saharawi people’s inalienable right to self-determination. The High Commissioner therefore recommended that the United Nations should institute a capacity to monitor human rights in the occupied Territory.
The findings of the OHCHR were confirmed by a similarly critical report published by Human Rights Watch in December 2008, [Human Right Watch, Human Rights in Western Sahara and in the Tindouf Refugee Camps, 19 December 2008] which documents Morocco’s systematic and abusive efforts to suppress political dissent in the occupied Territory.
According to Human Rights Watch, these efforts are manifested by ‘arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, restrictions on associations and assemblies, and through police violence and harassment’. The report also finds that Moroccan security forces ‘arbitrarily arrest demonstrators and suspected Saharawi activists, beat them and subject them to torture, and force them to sign incriminating police statements, all with virtual impunity; and the courts convict and imprison them after unfair trials’, all in violation of Morocco’s obligations as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In light of these grave findings, Human Rights Watch recommends that the Security Council should ‘expand the mandate of MINURSO to include human rights monitoring and reporting in both Western Sahara and in the POLISARIO-administered camps in Algeria’.
In his report to the Security Council on 14 April 2008 (S/2008/251), the Secretary-General noted that, while MINURSO has no staff dedicated to human rights monitoring, it is the duty of the United Nations to uphold human rights standards in all of its operations.
We urge the Security Council to act upon the recommendations of the High Commissioner and establish a human rights component within the MINURSO mandate to protect, promote and monitor the human rights situation of the Saharawi people as long as the conflict over the decolonization of Western Sahara remains unresolved. The Frente POLISARIO would welcome such an initiative and stands willing to cooperate in full with the Security Council in this regard. Our hope is that, through Security Council diligent efforts, the United Nations will address responsibly the long-standing and systematic denial of the human rights of the Saharawi people, and pave the way towards securing a democratic and legitimate process of self-determination in the Western Sahara.
I would be grateful to your Excellency if you could bring this letter to the attention of the Security Council Members.
I avail myself of this opportunity to express to you my highest consideration.
Ahmed Boukhari
Representative of the Frente Polisario
His Excellency
Mr. Yukio Takasu
President of the Security Council
United Nations
New York, February 17, 2009
Mr. President
On behalf of the Frente POLISARIO and the Saharawi people, I wish to bring to your attention the continued pattern of human rights abuses of the Saharawi civilian population inside the occupied Territory of Western Sahara.
MINURSO was established in 1991 for two inseparable purposes: first, to monitor the ceasefire between Morocco and Frente POLISARIO forces; and second, to organize a referendum for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara by which they will freely choose between independence and integration into Morocco. Eighteen years later, due to Moroccan intransigence, no such referendum has taken place.
Until the fundamental right of self-determination of the Saharawi people is secured, the United Nations has a responsibility to protect the population of the Western Sahara pursuant to its clearly defined obligations towards Non Self-Governing Territories, as set out in Article 73 of the Charter of the United Nations. I recall that Members of the United Nations have accepted as a ‘sacred trust the obligation to promote to the utmost…the well-being of the inhabitants of these territories’ and to ensure ‘their just treatment and their protection against abuses’. These fundamental Charter obligations include the provision of basic human rights.
Despite these clear legal requirements, the Saharawi people in the occupied Territory have suffered grave violations of their most basic human rights. More than five hundred Saharawi civilians who were kidnapped by Morocco forces remain in unknown locations. Hundreds were kept for more than 16 years in secret prisons and dozens were killed or died during their imprisonment. Since 2005, a peaceful intifada engaged by the Saharawi population in the occupied territories is taking place and, still, the repression has been the response of Morocco forces. Three civilians were killed since the beginning of the intifada.
I recall in this regard that on 8 September 2006, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) delivered a report expressing serious concern at the human rights situation in Western Sahara, and documenting incidents of arbitrary arrest, harassment, and intimidation of human rights activists, including excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators. While the report, unfortunately, has not been yet made public, it linked clearly the egregious and brazen human rights abuses in the occupied territory to the denial of the Saharawi people’s inalienable right to self-determination. The High Commissioner therefore recommended that the United Nations should institute a capacity to monitor human rights in the occupied Territory.
The findings of the OHCHR were confirmed by a similarly critical report published by Human Rights Watch in December 2008, [Human Right Watch, Human Rights in Western Sahara and in the Tindouf Refugee Camps, 19 December 2008] which documents Morocco’s systematic and abusive efforts to suppress political dissent in the occupied Territory.
According to Human Rights Watch, these efforts are manifested by ‘arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, restrictions on associations and assemblies, and through police violence and harassment’. The report also finds that Moroccan security forces ‘arbitrarily arrest demonstrators and suspected Saharawi activists, beat them and subject them to torture, and force them to sign incriminating police statements, all with virtual impunity; and the courts convict and imprison them after unfair trials’, all in violation of Morocco’s obligations as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In light of these grave findings, Human Rights Watch recommends that the Security Council should ‘expand the mandate of MINURSO to include human rights monitoring and reporting in both Western Sahara and in the POLISARIO-administered camps in Algeria’.
In his report to the Security Council on 14 April 2008 (S/2008/251), the Secretary-General noted that, while MINURSO has no staff dedicated to human rights monitoring, it is the duty of the United Nations to uphold human rights standards in all of its operations.
We urge the Security Council to act upon the recommendations of the High Commissioner and establish a human rights component within the MINURSO mandate to protect, promote and monitor the human rights situation of the Saharawi people as long as the conflict over the decolonization of Western Sahara remains unresolved. The Frente POLISARIO would welcome such an initiative and stands willing to cooperate in full with the Security Council in this regard. Our hope is that, through Security Council diligent efforts, the United Nations will address responsibly the long-standing and systematic denial of the human rights of the Saharawi people, and pave the way towards securing a democratic and legitimate process of self-determination in the Western Sahara.
I would be grateful to your Excellency if you could bring this letter to the attention of the Security Council Members.
I avail myself of this opportunity to express to you my highest consideration.
Ahmed Boukhari
Representative of the Frente Polisario
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
the Assasination of two Young Sahrawi Student in Agadir
Agadir (Sur de Marruecos), 02/12/2008 (SPS) Dos estudiantes saharauis, Houssein Abdessadik Alktaif y Khaya Baba Abdelaziz, murieron el lunes por la noche tras ser atropellados por un autobús marroquí durante una sentada en la carretera de Agadir junto a la estación, mientras que otros resultaron gravemente heridos, afirmó una fuente del Ministerio saharaui de los territorios ocupados y la inmigración.
Según la información reunida por la misma fuente, los estudiantes saharauis en Agadir, que participaron en una sentada para pedir ser transportados junto a sus familias para pasar la fiesta Id Aladha, "fueron sorprendidos por un autobús marroquí que giró a alta velocidad en su dirección matando a dos de ellos e hiriendo a varios otros ".
Entre los heridos se encuentran dos estudiantes saharauis Belkadi Mbarek y Bouh Alkharrachi que fueron transportados al hospital de Agadir en estado de coma.
Los dos estudiantes saharauis Houssein Abdessadik Alkteif y Khaya Baba Abdelaziz seguian sus estudios en la Universidad Ibn Zohr en Agadir (Marruecos).
Otros tres, Al Hadifa Breiha, Asla Al Salem y Ahmed Ben Mustapha Taleb fueron detenidos por las fuerzas marroquíes que dispersaron violentamente a los manifestantes.
En diciembre de 2005, ciudadanos saharauis murieron en circunstancias similares, incluidos tres ancianos atropellados por un camión militar marroquí en una de las calles de la ciudad ocupada de Dakhla. Se llamaban Laamor Sidi Brahim, Taleb Oul Ali Menna y Mohamed Lehsan Sidi Brahim. (SPS)
Assassinat de deux étudiants sahraouis et d'autres blessés ou arrêtés au cours d'un sit-in à Agadir
Agadir (Sud du Maroc), 02/12/2008 (SPS) Deux étudiants sahraouis, Houssein Abdessadik Alkteyif et Khaya Baba Abdelaziz ont trouvé la mort lundi soir après avoir été traversés par un marocain à bord d'un bus, à la station routière d'Agadir, alors que d'autres ont été grièvement blessés, a rapporté une source du ministère sahraoui des territoires occupés et de la communauté.
Selon des informations recueillies par la même source auprès des étudiants sahraouis sahraouis à Agadir, qui participaient à un sit-in réclamant le transport vers leurs familles pour passer la fête d'Id Aladha, "ont été surpris par l'arrivée d'un bus immatriculé A 6687 qui filait à une haute vitesse en leur direction et a tué deux et blessé plusieurs d'entre eux".
Parmi les blessés deux étudiants sahraouis, Belkadi Marek et Bouh Alkharrachi quoi a tété transporté en coma vers l'hôpital d'Agadir, selon un premier bilan cité par la même source.
Les deux étudiants sahraouis, Houssein Abdessadik Alkteif et Baba Abdelaziz Khaya poursuivaient leurs études à l'université Ibn Zohr d'Agadir (Maroc), rappelle-t-on.
Trois autres, Al Hadif Breiha, Al Asla Ahmed Salem et Moustapha Ben Taleb ont été arrêtés par les forces marocaines qui ont procédé brutalement à disperser les manifestants, a ajouté la même source.
Au mois sept citoyens sahraouis avaient trouvé la mort dans des circonstances similaires, dont trois personnes âgées choquées par un militaire marocain à bord d'un camion qu'il conduisait dans les avenues de la ville de Dakhla occupée, en décembre 2005.
Il s'agit de : Laamor Sidi Brahim, Taleb Oul Ali Menna et Mohamed Lehsan Sidi Brahim.
Depuis le déclenchement de l'Intifada en mai 2005, les militaires marocains au Sahara Occidental et au Sud du Maroc avaient également commis d'autres crimes après celui de Lembarki Hamdi mort sous la torture le 30 octobre dernier et Likhlifi Abba Cheikh, assassiné par un militaire non loin de son domicile le 3 décembre 2005, rappelle-t-on.
En juillet 2007, Dada Ali Ould Hamma Ould Nafaa, décédé dans une clinique à Agadir, endurant d'une maladie chronique, rappelle-t-on.
L'ultime victime qui remonte à septembre 2007 est le jeune sahraoui, Sidha Ould Abdelaziz Ould Lehbib, mort à bord d'une voiture qui le transportait vers un centre de psychiatre à la ville d'Agadir(sud du Maroc), en raison de la "torture sauvage" qu'il a subit durant le trajet, de la part des forces de répression marocaines, a précisé la même source. rappelle-t-on encore.
Killing of two Sahrawi students and others injured or arrested at a sit-in in Agadir
Agadir (Southern Morocco), 02/12/2008 (SPS) Two Saharawi students Houssein Abdessadik Alktaif and Khaya Abdelaziz Baba died Monday evening after being run over by a Moroccan bus during a sit-in at Agadir Road Station, while others were seriously injured, said a source from the Ministry of Saharawi occupied territories and immigration.
According to information gathered by the same source from the Saharawi students in Agadir, who participated in the sit-in calling for to be transported to their families to spend the Id Aladha feast, "were surprised by a Moroccan bus which spun at high speed in their direction killing two of them and injuring several others."
Among the wounded were two Saharawi students Belkadi Mbarek and Bouh Alkharrachi who transported to the Agadir hospital suffering from a coma.
The two Saharawi students Houssein Abdessadik Alkteif and Khaya Baba Abdelaziz continued their education at Ibn Zohr University in Agadir (Morocco).
Three other Al HADIFA Breiha, Asla Al Salem and Ahmed Ben Mustapha Taleb were arrested by Moroccan forces which violently dispersed the demonstrators.
In December 2005 Sahrawi citizens had died in similar circumstances, including three elderly run over by a Moroccan military truck in one of the streets of the occupied city of Dakhla. They are Laamor Sidi Brahim Taleb Ali Menna Oul Lehsan and Mohamed Sidi Brahim.
Since the outbreak of the intifada in May 2005, the Moroccan forces of occupation in Western Sahara and Southern Morocco had also committed other crimes such as the killing of Hamdi Lembarki who died under torture on October 30, and Likhlifi Abba Cheikh who assassinated by a Moroccan military man near his home on December 3, 2005.
In July 2007, Dada Ali Ould Hamma Ould Nafaa, died in a clinic in Agadir, as a result of negligence.
The last victim was in September 2007, young Sahrawi, Sidha Ould Abdelaziz Ould Lehbib, who died in a car carrying him to a psychiatrist center in the city of Agadir (Southern Morocco), due to the "savage torture" he suffered during the journey, by the Moroccan forces of repression. (SPS)
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
United Nations Human Rights Chart:
Article 3:
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 8.
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10.
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and oArticle 13.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country
bligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 20.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association
Moroccan Police forces would anything to silence Saharwis in the Occupied territory. They are beating civilians and torturing them out in the streets and inside prisons and local police stations. The whole Territory is a big prison where human rights are denied to Sahrawis. the moroccan Regime is brutally mistreating Sahrawis and savagely oppressing everyone including children and elders.
Pictures are a wintness to what happens on a daily basis in all districts of the cities in the occupied W.Sahara. One can only weep on the fate of Sahrawis under occupation while the world is watching silently. Morocco still retains its position as an opresseor with the blessing of some powerful Western States.
"Sahawri who are detained and arbitrarily arrested have no impartial legal representation.I’ve heard of terrible stories involving torture, rape, forced abortions, and a constant pressure by Morocco on the Saharwi people" says Blogger from : WWW.FOREIGNPOLICYBLOGS.COM
Beleive it or not, this still happens in cities of the occupied W. Sahara where atrocities of the moroccan regime goes unpunished.
"Morocco’s boasts about its human rights record fall flat when it allows the police to beat and intimidate rights activists like Rahmouni and Alansar", said Sarah Leah Whitson, director for the Middle East and North Africa Division at Human Rights.
Pictures of brutality and severe opressiom can tell more than Words can say!
Amnesty says in oine of its reports on Western Sahara( www.amnesty.org):
"Since May 2005, the territory of Western Sahara, particularly the town of Laayoune, has been rocked by a series of demonstrations. In many of them, Sahrawi (Western Saharan) demonstrators have expressed their support for the Polisario Front or called for independence from Morocco.(1) These views are anathema to the Moroccan authorities, which have not only responded in a heavy-handed manner to the protests, thereby exacerbating tensions, but also widened the scope of the repression by arresting and detaining long-standing human rights activists who were monitoring and disseminating information on the crackdown."
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