| WESTERN SAHARA Western Sahara Western Sahara Joined United Nations: N/A Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 12/10/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE- DISPUTED |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
None (Laayoune {El Aaiun} operates as a de facto
capital by Morocco and Saharawi. Bir Lehlou
serves as the interim capital of Saharawi)
capital by Morocco and Saharawi. Bir Lehlou
serves as the interim capital of Saharawi)
491,519
note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility
and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2010 est.)
note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility
and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2010 est.)
Abbas El-Fassi
Prime Minister of Morocco
since 19 September 2007
Prime Minister of Morocco
since 19 September 2007
Mohamed VI is a monarch and thus achieves his position through
hereditary; Mohammed Abdelaziz is the Secretary General of the
Polisario Front and President of the Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic- a government in exile residing in Tindouf Algeria. Neither
is formally recognized pending Western Sahara sovereignty
Next scheduled election: None
hereditary; Mohammed Abdelaziz is the Secretary General of the
Polisario Front and President of the Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic- a government in exile residing in Tindouf Algeria. Neither
is formally recognized pending Western Sahara sovereignty
Next scheduled election: None
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT-
DISPUTED
DISPUTED
SELECTION PROCESS
Prime Minister of Morocco appointed by the Monarch; Prime
Minister of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic by
appointment of the President
Minister of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic by
appointment of the President
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Arab, Berber
| RELIGIONS |
Muslim
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for
the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between Morocco
and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas,
abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted
administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an Organization of African Unity (OAU) member in 1984;
guerrilla activities continued sporadically until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented on 6 September 1991 (Security Council
Resolution 690) by the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara or MINURSO
the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between Morocco
and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas,
abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted
administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an Organization of African Unity (OAU) member in 1984;
guerrilla activities continued sporadically until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented on 6 September 1991 (Security Council
Resolution 690) by the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara or MINURSO
| LANGUAGES |
Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
| BRIEF HISTORY |
Western Sahara area has never formed a state in the modern sense of the word. Phoenician/Carthaginian colonies established or
reinforced by Hanno the Navigator in the 5th century BC have vanished with virtually no trace. The desertification of the Sahara
during the "transitional arid phase" ca. 300 BC - 300 AD" made contact with some parts with the outside world very difficult before
the introduction of the camel into these areas, from the third century of the Christian era on. The camel was primarily used as a beast
of burden. People walked beside them. Also camel's meat, milk and skin were important. The horse, not the camel was the animal
that was used in warfare in the period 1000-1500 AD ("the period of horse warriors and conquest states"). Before Islam arrived in
the 8th century AD a Berber population inhabitated the western part of the Sahara, consisting of nomads (mainly of the Sanhaja
tribal confederation) in the plains and sedentaries in river valleys, in oases and in towns like Awdaghust Tichitt, Oualata, Taghaza,
Timbuktu, Awlil, Azuki and Tamdult. The new faith achieved quick expansion, but Arab immigrants initially only blended
superficially with the population, mostly confining themselves to the cities of present-day Morocco and Spain. In the time of the
Almoravids professional warriors had fought as 'mujahideen' in their holy war. Just like the people who had united in zawyas, the
mujahideen began to form tribes based on their specific occupation. This development was accelerated by the arrival of Maqil Arab
tribes. In the 13th and 14th century, these tribes migrated westwards along the northern border of the Sahara to settle in the Fezzan
(Libya), Ifriqiya (Tunisia), Tlemcen (Algeria), Jebel Saghro (Morocco), and Saguia el-Hamra, (Western Sahara). When the Maqil
Arabs arrived in the western part of the Sahara the muyahidin were most prone to Arabization. While the zawiya tribes retained
many of their Berber characteristics, the warrior tribes tried to 'Arabize' as much as possible. The Arabized Berber tribes controlled
key oasis settlements of the Sahara and played an important role in the trans-Saharan slave trade. The Maqil tribes, who entered the
domains of the Sanhaja Berber tribe, sometimes intermarried with the Berber population. The Arabo-Berber people of the region is
now known as Saharawis. After the fall of the Almoravid empire in 1147 the new Moroccan empires (Almohads, Merinids and
Wattasids) retained sovereignty over the western part of the Sahara but the effectiveness of it depended largely on the sultan that
ruled. It was only with the coming to power of the Saadi Dynasty that the sovereignty of Morocco over the western part of the
Sahara became complete again: The Portuguese colonisers were expelled from Cape Bojador and from Cap Blanc and the borders
of Morocco were moved up to the Senegal River in the south-west and to the Niger River in the south-east (see: Battle of Tondibi
in 1591). The Moroccan sovereignty over the western Sahara did not change with the coming of the (present) Alaouite Dynasty in
1659. At the invitation of Germany 14 countries attended the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885 to come to an agreement amongst
them about the division of the territories. At the time of the conference, 80% of Africa was still under traditional African control.
What resulted of the conference was a new map with geometric, often arbitrary, boundaries of fifty new countries. Morocco was
cut up between Spain and France. Morocco's oases of Tuat in the south-east went to the immense territory of the French Sahara.
Northern Morocco went to Spain as did a large part of the western Sahara that had been part of Morocco until then. As with most
Saharan peoples, the tribes reflect a highly mixed heritage, combining Arab, Berber, and other influences, including black African
ethnic and cultural characteristics. In 1884, Spain claimed a protectorate over the coast from Cape Bojador to Cap Blanc. Later,
the Spanish extended their area of control. In 1958 Spain joined the previously separate districts of Saguia el-Hamra (in the north)
and Río de Oro (in the south) to form the province of Spanish Sahara. Raids and rebellions by the indigenous Sahrawi population
kept the Spanish forces out of much of the territory for a long time. Ma al-Aynayn started an uprising against the French in the
1910s, at a time when France had expanded its influence and control in North-West Africa. French forces finally beat him when he
tried to conquer Marrakesh, but his sons and followers figured prominently in several rebellions which followed. Not until the
second destruction of Smara in 1934, by joint Spanish and French forces, did the territory finally become subdued. Another
uprising in 1956 - 1958, initiated by the Moroccan-backed Army of Liberation, led to heavy fighting, but eventually the Spanish
forces regained control - again with French aid. However, unrest simmered, and in 1967 the Harakat Tahrir arose to challenge
Spanish rule peacefully. After the events of the Zemla Intifada in 1970, when Spanish police destroyed the organization and
"disappeared" its founder, Muhammad Bassiri, Sahrawi nationalism again took a militant turn. From 1973 the colonizers gradually
lost control over the countryside to the armed guerrillas of the Polisario Front, a nationalist organization. Successive Spanish
attempts to form loyal Sahrawi political institutions (such as the Djema'a and the PUNS party) to support its rule, and draw activists
away from the radical nationalists, failed. The fall in 1974 of the Portuguese Estado Novo-government after unpopular wars in its
own African provinces seems to have hastened the decision to pull out. In late 1975, Spain held meetings with Polisario leader
El-Ouali, to negotiate the terms for a handover of power. But at the same time, Morocco and Mauritania began to put pressure on
the Franco government: both countries argued that Spanish Sahara formed an historical part of their own territories. The United
Nations became involved after Morocco asked for an opinion on the legality of its demands from the International Court of Justice
(ICJ), and the UN also sent a visiting mission to examine the wishes of the population. The visiting mission returned its report on
October 15, announcing "an overwhelming consensus" in favor of independence. Neither Morocco nor Mauritania accepted this,
and on October 31, 1975, Morocco sent its army into Western Sahara to attack Polisario positions. On November 6, 1975
Morocco launched the Green March into Western Sahara. About 350,000 unarmed Moroccans converged on the city of Tarfaya
in southern Morocco and waited for a signal from King Hassan II of Morocco to cross into Western Sahara. As a result, Spain
acceded to Moroccan demands, and entered bilateral negotiations. On February 26th 1976 Spain's formal mandate over the
territory ended when it handed administrative power on to Morocco in a ceremony in Laayoune. The day after, the Polisario
proclaimed in Bir Lehlou the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) as a government in exile. Mauritania in its turn renamed
the southern parts of Río de Oro as Tiris al-Gharbiyya, but proved unable to maintain control over the territory. Through the 1980s,
the war stalemated through the construction of the Moroccan Wall, but sporadic fighting continued, and Morocco faced heavy
burdens due to the economic costs of its massive troop deployments along the Wall. In 1991 Morocco and the Polisario Front
agreed on a UN-backed cease-fire in the Settlement Plan. The UN dispatched a peace-keeping mission, the MINURSO, to
oversee the cease-fire and make arrangements for the vote. Initially scheduled for 1992, the referendum has not taken place, due to
the conflict over who has the right to vote. A second United Nations attempt to solve the conflict, James Baker's 2003 peace plan,
though accepted by the Polisario, met rejection out-of-hand from Morocco, which had by then reneged on its promise to hold a
referendum, declaring it "unnecessary". The UN dispatched a peace-keeping mission, the MINURSO, to oversee the cease-fire
and make arrangements for the vote. Initially scheduled for 1992, the referendum has not taken place, due to the conflict over who
has the right to vote. A second United Nations attempt to solve the conflict, James Baker's 2003 peace plan, though accepted by
the Polisario, met rejection out-of-hand from Morocco, which had by then reneged on its promise to hold a referendum, declaring it
"unnecessary". In May 2005, a wave of demonstrations subsequently dubbed the Independence Intifada in separatists circles, broke
out. These demonstrations, which continued into 2006, were the most intense in years, and engendered a new wave of interest in
the conflict - as well as new fears of instability. Polisario has demanded international intervention, but declared that it could not stand
idly by if the "escalation of repression" continues. In 2007 Morocco requested U.N. action against a congress to be held by the
Polisario Front in Tifariti from December 14th to December 16th. Morocco claims Tifariti is part of a buffer zone and the holding
the congress there violates a ceasefire between the two parties. In addition, the Polisario Front is planning a vote on a proposal for
making preparations for war. If passed it would be the first time in 16 years preparations for war have been part of the Polisario's
strategy.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Western Sahara
reinforced by Hanno the Navigator in the 5th century BC have vanished with virtually no trace. The desertification of the Sahara
during the "transitional arid phase" ca. 300 BC - 300 AD" made contact with some parts with the outside world very difficult before
the introduction of the camel into these areas, from the third century of the Christian era on. The camel was primarily used as a beast
of burden. People walked beside them. Also camel's meat, milk and skin were important. The horse, not the camel was the animal
that was used in warfare in the period 1000-1500 AD ("the period of horse warriors and conquest states"). Before Islam arrived in
the 8th century AD a Berber population inhabitated the western part of the Sahara, consisting of nomads (mainly of the Sanhaja
tribal confederation) in the plains and sedentaries in river valleys, in oases and in towns like Awdaghust Tichitt, Oualata, Taghaza,
Timbuktu, Awlil, Azuki and Tamdult. The new faith achieved quick expansion, but Arab immigrants initially only blended
superficially with the population, mostly confining themselves to the cities of present-day Morocco and Spain. In the time of the
Almoravids professional warriors had fought as 'mujahideen' in their holy war. Just like the people who had united in zawyas, the
mujahideen began to form tribes based on their specific occupation. This development was accelerated by the arrival of Maqil Arab
tribes. In the 13th and 14th century, these tribes migrated westwards along the northern border of the Sahara to settle in the Fezzan
(Libya), Ifriqiya (Tunisia), Tlemcen (Algeria), Jebel Saghro (Morocco), and Saguia el-Hamra, (Western Sahara). When the Maqil
Arabs arrived in the western part of the Sahara the muyahidin were most prone to Arabization. While the zawiya tribes retained
many of their Berber characteristics, the warrior tribes tried to 'Arabize' as much as possible. The Arabized Berber tribes controlled
key oasis settlements of the Sahara and played an important role in the trans-Saharan slave trade. The Maqil tribes, who entered the
domains of the Sanhaja Berber tribe, sometimes intermarried with the Berber population. The Arabo-Berber people of the region is
now known as Saharawis. After the fall of the Almoravid empire in 1147 the new Moroccan empires (Almohads, Merinids and
Wattasids) retained sovereignty over the western part of the Sahara but the effectiveness of it depended largely on the sultan that
ruled. It was only with the coming to power of the Saadi Dynasty that the sovereignty of Morocco over the western part of the
Sahara became complete again: The Portuguese colonisers were expelled from Cape Bojador and from Cap Blanc and the borders
of Morocco were moved up to the Senegal River in the south-west and to the Niger River in the south-east (see: Battle of Tondibi
in 1591). The Moroccan sovereignty over the western Sahara did not change with the coming of the (present) Alaouite Dynasty in
1659. At the invitation of Germany 14 countries attended the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885 to come to an agreement amongst
them about the division of the territories. At the time of the conference, 80% of Africa was still under traditional African control.
What resulted of the conference was a new map with geometric, often arbitrary, boundaries of fifty new countries. Morocco was
cut up between Spain and France. Morocco's oases of Tuat in the south-east went to the immense territory of the French Sahara.
Northern Morocco went to Spain as did a large part of the western Sahara that had been part of Morocco until then. As with most
Saharan peoples, the tribes reflect a highly mixed heritage, combining Arab, Berber, and other influences, including black African
ethnic and cultural characteristics. In 1884, Spain claimed a protectorate over the coast from Cape Bojador to Cap Blanc. Later,
the Spanish extended their area of control. In 1958 Spain joined the previously separate districts of Saguia el-Hamra (in the north)
and Río de Oro (in the south) to form the province of Spanish Sahara. Raids and rebellions by the indigenous Sahrawi population
kept the Spanish forces out of much of the territory for a long time. Ma al-Aynayn started an uprising against the French in the
1910s, at a time when France had expanded its influence and control in North-West Africa. French forces finally beat him when he
tried to conquer Marrakesh, but his sons and followers figured prominently in several rebellions which followed. Not until the
second destruction of Smara in 1934, by joint Spanish and French forces, did the territory finally become subdued. Another
uprising in 1956 - 1958, initiated by the Moroccan-backed Army of Liberation, led to heavy fighting, but eventually the Spanish
forces regained control - again with French aid. However, unrest simmered, and in 1967 the Harakat Tahrir arose to challenge
Spanish rule peacefully. After the events of the Zemla Intifada in 1970, when Spanish police destroyed the organization and
"disappeared" its founder, Muhammad Bassiri, Sahrawi nationalism again took a militant turn. From 1973 the colonizers gradually
lost control over the countryside to the armed guerrillas of the Polisario Front, a nationalist organization. Successive Spanish
attempts to form loyal Sahrawi political institutions (such as the Djema'a and the PUNS party) to support its rule, and draw activists
away from the radical nationalists, failed. The fall in 1974 of the Portuguese Estado Novo-government after unpopular wars in its
own African provinces seems to have hastened the decision to pull out. In late 1975, Spain held meetings with Polisario leader
El-Ouali, to negotiate the terms for a handover of power. But at the same time, Morocco and Mauritania began to put pressure on
the Franco government: both countries argued that Spanish Sahara formed an historical part of their own territories. The United
Nations became involved after Morocco asked for an opinion on the legality of its demands from the International Court of Justice
(ICJ), and the UN also sent a visiting mission to examine the wishes of the population. The visiting mission returned its report on
October 15, announcing "an overwhelming consensus" in favor of independence. Neither Morocco nor Mauritania accepted this,
and on October 31, 1975, Morocco sent its army into Western Sahara to attack Polisario positions. On November 6, 1975
Morocco launched the Green March into Western Sahara. About 350,000 unarmed Moroccans converged on the city of Tarfaya
in southern Morocco and waited for a signal from King Hassan II of Morocco to cross into Western Sahara. As a result, Spain
acceded to Moroccan demands, and entered bilateral negotiations. On February 26th 1976 Spain's formal mandate over the
territory ended when it handed administrative power on to Morocco in a ceremony in Laayoune. The day after, the Polisario
proclaimed in Bir Lehlou the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) as a government in exile. Mauritania in its turn renamed
the southern parts of Río de Oro as Tiris al-Gharbiyya, but proved unable to maintain control over the territory. Through the 1980s,
the war stalemated through the construction of the Moroccan Wall, but sporadic fighting continued, and Morocco faced heavy
burdens due to the economic costs of its massive troop deployments along the Wall. In 1991 Morocco and the Polisario Front
agreed on a UN-backed cease-fire in the Settlement Plan. The UN dispatched a peace-keeping mission, the MINURSO, to
oversee the cease-fire and make arrangements for the vote. Initially scheduled for 1992, the referendum has not taken place, due to
the conflict over who has the right to vote. A second United Nations attempt to solve the conflict, James Baker's 2003 peace plan,
though accepted by the Polisario, met rejection out-of-hand from Morocco, which had by then reneged on its promise to hold a
referendum, declaring it "unnecessary". The UN dispatched a peace-keeping mission, the MINURSO, to oversee the cease-fire
and make arrangements for the vote. Initially scheduled for 1992, the referendum has not taken place, due to the conflict over who
has the right to vote. A second United Nations attempt to solve the conflict, James Baker's 2003 peace plan, though accepted by
the Polisario, met rejection out-of-hand from Morocco, which had by then reneged on its promise to hold a referendum, declaring it
"unnecessary". In May 2005, a wave of demonstrations subsequently dubbed the Independence Intifada in separatists circles, broke
out. These demonstrations, which continued into 2006, were the most intense in years, and engendered a new wave of interest in
the conflict - as well as new fears of instability. Polisario has demanded international intervention, but declared that it could not stand
idly by if the "escalation of repression" continues. In 2007 Morocco requested U.N. action against a congress to be held by the
Polisario Front in Tifariti from December 14th to December 16th. Morocco claims Tifariti is part of a buffer zone and the holding
the congress there violates a ceasefire between the two parties. In addition, the Polisario Front is planning a vote on a proposal for
making preparations for war. If passed it would be the first time in 16 years preparations for war have been part of the Polisario's
strategy.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Western Sahara
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the
population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population
must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all
trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing
European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy
interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in
2006 the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the
Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Western Sahara)
population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population
must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all
trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing
European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy
interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in
2006 the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the
Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Western Sahara)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
Following to the Madrid Accords, the territory was partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in November 1975, with
Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds. Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in
August 1979, with Morocco moving to annex that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control over the
majority of the territory. A portion is administered by the SADR. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic was seated as member of
the Organisation of African Unity in 1984, and was a founding member of the African Union. Guerrilla activities continued until a
United Nations-monitored cease-fire was implemented September 6, 1991 via the mission MINURSO. The mission patrols the
separation line between the two territories
In 2003, the UN's envoy to the territory, James Baker, presented the Baker Plan, known as Baker II which would have given
Western Sahara immediate autonomy as the Western Sahara Authority during a five-year transition period to prepare for a
referendum, offering the inhabitants of the territory a choice between independence, autonomy within the Kingdom of Morocco, or
complete integration with Morocco. Polisario has accepted the plan, but Morocco has rejected it. Previously in 2001, Baker had
presented his framework plan, called Baker I, where the dispute would be finally solved through an autonomy within Moroccan
sovereignty, but Algeria and the Polisario front refused it. Algeria had proposed the partition of the territory instead.
The population under Moroccan control participates in countrywide and regional Moroccan elections. A referendum on
independence or integration with Morocco was agreed upon by Morocco and the Polisario Front in 1991, but it has yet to take
place.
The population under Polisario control and in the Sahrawi refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria, participates in elections to the Sahrawi
Arab Democratic Republic.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Western Sahara
Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds. Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in
August 1979, with Morocco moving to annex that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control over the
majority of the territory. A portion is administered by the SADR. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic was seated as member of
the Organisation of African Unity in 1984, and was a founding member of the African Union. Guerrilla activities continued until a
United Nations-monitored cease-fire was implemented September 6, 1991 via the mission MINURSO. The mission patrols the
separation line between the two territories
In 2003, the UN's envoy to the territory, James Baker, presented the Baker Plan, known as Baker II which would have given
Western Sahara immediate autonomy as the Western Sahara Authority during a five-year transition period to prepare for a
referendum, offering the inhabitants of the territory a choice between independence, autonomy within the Kingdom of Morocco, or
complete integration with Morocco. Polisario has accepted the plan, but Morocco has rejected it. Previously in 2001, Baker had
presented his framework plan, called Baker I, where the dispute would be finally solved through an autonomy within Moroccan
sovereignty, but Algeria and the Polisario front refused it. Algeria had proposed the partition of the territory instead.
The population under Moroccan control participates in countrywide and regional Moroccan elections. A referendum on
independence or integration with Morocco was agreed upon by Morocco and the Polisario Front in 1991, but it has yet to take
place.
The population under Polisario control and in the Sahrawi refugee camps of Tindouf, Algeria, participates in elections to the Sahrawi
Arab Democratic Republic.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Western Sahara
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has
remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO),
but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; several states have
extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria,
while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are
sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria
remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO),
but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; several states have
extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria,
while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are
sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) |
None reported.
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
None reported.
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2009 Human Rights Report: Western Sahara
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Morocco claims the Western Sahara territory and administers Moroccan law through Moroccan institutions in the estimated 85 percent
of the territory it controls. However, Morocco and the Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro
(Polisario), an organization that has sought independence for the formerly Spanish territory since 1973, disputes Morocco's sovereignty.
The population of the territory was approximately 405,000, an estimated 100,000 of whom were attributable to Moroccan in-migration.
Over the years there have been several attempts to broker a solution. In 2007 the first face-to-face negotiations between representatives
of the Moroccan government and the Polisario began under UN auspices. Morocco proposed autonomy for the territory within the
kingdom; the Polisario proposed a referendum in which full independence would be an option. On April 30, the UN Security Council
adopted Resolution 1871 extending MINURSO's mandate until April 2010. The resolution also called on member states to consider
voluntary contributions to confidence building measures carried out under the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that
allowed increased contact between family members separated by the dispute. After four meetings in 2007 and 2008 produced little
progress, both sides participated in an informal August 10 and 11 meeting under the auspices of Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary
General for Western Sahara Christopher Ross and agreed to reinvigorate negotiations.
Morocco considers the part of the territory that it administers to be an integral part of the kingdom with the same laws and structures
conditioning the exercise of civil liberties and political rights. Accordingly, ultimate authority rests, de facto, with King Mohammed VI,
and human rights conditions in the territory tended to converge with those in the kingdom.
There were no reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings or politically motivated disappearances.
The government inquiry into an alleged mass gravesite discovered in May 2008 at a former military barracks in Smara, undertaken by the
Laayoune Court of Appeal, found no human remains. Media reports and the governmental Consultative Council for Human Rights
(CCDH) confirmed this finding and expressed satisfaction with closing the case.
There were credible reports that security forces sometimes engaged in torture, beatings, and other mistreatment of detainees. Although
the CCDH reported that security forces engaged in serious abuses such as these less frequently than in previous years, Human Rights
Watch (HRW), Amnesty International (AI) and local NGOs continued to report abuse, especially of Sahrawi independence advocates.
Click here to read more »
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Morocco claims the Western Sahara territory and administers Moroccan law through Moroccan institutions in the estimated 85 percent
of the territory it controls. However, Morocco and the Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro
(Polisario), an organization that has sought independence for the formerly Spanish territory since 1973, disputes Morocco's sovereignty.
The population of the territory was approximately 405,000, an estimated 100,000 of whom were attributable to Moroccan in-migration.
Over the years there have been several attempts to broker a solution. In 2007 the first face-to-face negotiations between representatives
of the Moroccan government and the Polisario began under UN auspices. Morocco proposed autonomy for the territory within the
kingdom; the Polisario proposed a referendum in which full independence would be an option. On April 30, the UN Security Council
adopted Resolution 1871 extending MINURSO's mandate until April 2010. The resolution also called on member states to consider
voluntary contributions to confidence building measures carried out under the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that
allowed increased contact between family members separated by the dispute. After four meetings in 2007 and 2008 produced little
progress, both sides participated in an informal August 10 and 11 meeting under the auspices of Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary
General for Western Sahara Christopher Ross and agreed to reinvigorate negotiations.
Morocco considers the part of the territory that it administers to be an integral part of the kingdom with the same laws and structures
conditioning the exercise of civil liberties and political rights. Accordingly, ultimate authority rests, de facto, with King Mohammed VI,
and human rights conditions in the territory tended to converge with those in the kingdom.
There were no reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings or politically motivated disappearances.
The government inquiry into an alleged mass gravesite discovered in May 2008 at a former military barracks in Smara, undertaken by the
Laayoune Court of Appeal, found no human remains. Media reports and the governmental Consultative Council for Human Rights
(CCDH) confirmed this finding and expressed satisfaction with closing the case.
There were credible reports that security forces sometimes engaged in torture, beatings, and other mistreatment of detainees. Although
the CCDH reported that security forces engaged in serious abuses such as these less frequently than in previous years, Human Rights
Watch (HRW), Amnesty International (AI) and local NGOs continued to report abuse, especially of Sahrawi independence advocates.
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
February 9, 2010
Council for Human Rights
Thirteenth Session
Item 3 of the agenda
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural including the right to development
Report of the Working Group on Disappearances Enforced or Involuntary *
Mission to Morocco
I. General Comments
A. General Background
5. The history of Morocco after its independence and the beginning of the reign of King Hassan II was marked by a period of political
tension between the monarchy and parties opposition. Many political persecution took place and have generated serious violations of
human rights. In 1975, a dispute over the Sahara was born after Spain abandoned the territory. The status of Western Sahara must be
determined by a referendum organized by the United Nations, which has however been postponed several times because of fundamental
differences between the parties. This situation not is determined in close connection with many cases of violations of human rights and
disappearances registered in the country. However, during the last decade of reign of King Hassan II and under the current reign of King
Mohammed VI, Morocco has tried to reconciliation with the victims in investigating abuses and recognizing the State responsibility.
C. The right to truth and reconciliation
1. Public hearings and testimony
34. Public hearings held for the victims were the dimension most visible work of the IER. These hearings were not mentioned in the
mandate of IER, but commissioners have interpreted the appearance of their mandate on the "Contribution and enrichment culture of
dialogue" as an authorization conduct such hearings. September public hearings were held in Rabat, Figuig Rachidia, Khenifra,
Marrakech and El Hoceima, between December 2004 and May 2005. A final hearing scheduled in Laayoune in Western Sahara was
canceled for political and security reasons.
2. The right to truth and the cases of enforced disappearances
38. With regard to the truth, the final report of the ERC determines that 742 cases of missing persons have been resolved. Of these, 89
people died in secret detention centers, 173 in arbitrary detention or disappearance but forced their place of burial has not been
determined, 11 in armed clashes between 1961 and 1964 and 325 due to excessive use of force during a event. Finally, 144 were killed
in armed clashes that took place in the region disputed Western Sahara. The report also indicates that 66 cases remain pending, which
should be investigated by the Monitoring Committee of the work of the ERC created by CCHR.
Click here to read more »
February 9, 2010
Council for Human Rights
Thirteenth Session
Item 3 of the agenda
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural including the right to development
Report of the Working Group on Disappearances Enforced or Involuntary *
Mission to Morocco
I. General Comments
A. General Background
5. The history of Morocco after its independence and the beginning of the reign of King Hassan II was marked by a period of political
tension between the monarchy and parties opposition. Many political persecution took place and have generated serious violations of
human rights. In 1975, a dispute over the Sahara was born after Spain abandoned the territory. The status of Western Sahara must be
determined by a referendum organized by the United Nations, which has however been postponed several times because of fundamental
differences between the parties. This situation not is determined in close connection with many cases of violations of human rights and
disappearances registered in the country. However, during the last decade of reign of King Hassan II and under the current reign of King
Mohammed VI, Morocco has tried to reconciliation with the victims in investigating abuses and recognizing the State responsibility.
C. The right to truth and reconciliation
1. Public hearings and testimony
34. Public hearings held for the victims were the dimension most visible work of the IER. These hearings were not mentioned in the
mandate of IER, but commissioners have interpreted the appearance of their mandate on the "Contribution and enrichment culture of
dialogue" as an authorization conduct such hearings. September public hearings were held in Rabat, Figuig Rachidia, Khenifra,
Marrakech and El Hoceima, between December 2004 and May 2005. A final hearing scheduled in Laayoune in Western Sahara was
canceled for political and security reasons.
2. The right to truth and the cases of enforced disappearances
38. With regard to the truth, the final report of the ERC determines that 742 cases of missing persons have been resolved. Of these, 89
people died in secret detention centers, 173 in arbitrary detention or disappearance but forced their place of burial has not been
determined, 11 in armed clashes between 1961 and 1964 and 325 due to excessive use of force during a event. Finally, 144 were killed
in armed clashes that took place in the region disputed Western Sahara. The report also indicates that 66 cases remain pending, which
should be investigated by the Monitoring Committee of the work of the ERC created by CCHR.
Click here to read more »
Freedom In The World 2010 Report
Political Rights Score: 7
Civil Liberties Score: 6
Status: Not Free
Overview
Talks between the Moroccan government and the pro-independence Polisario Front continued in 2009, but the two sides remained at
odds over whether to allow a referendum on independence. Pro-independence activists continued to be detained and harassed, and the
conditions on the ground for most Sahrawis remained poor.
In 2004, the Polisario Front accepted the UN Security Council’s Baker II plan (named after former UN special envoy and U.S. secretary
of state James Baker), which called for up to five years of autonomy followed by a referendum on the territory’s status. However,
Morocco rejected the plan, as it could lead to independence, and in 2007 offered its own autonomy plan.
Because the Polisario Front remained committed to an eventual referendum on independence, the two sides failed to make meaningful
progress in several rounds of talks that started in 2007 and continued through 2009. Also in 2009, some UN Security Council members
expressed concern about the human rights situation and proposed that the council consider expanding MINURSO’s mandate.
As the occupying force in Western Sahara, Morocco controls local elections and works to ensure that independence-minded leaders are
excluded from both the local political process and the Moroccan Parliament.
Western Sahara is not listed separately on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, but corruption is believed to be at
least as much of a problem as it is in Morocco.
According to the Moroccan constitution, the press is free, but this is not the case in practice. There is little in the way of independent
Sahrawi media. Moroccan authorities are sensitive to any reporting that is not in line with the state’s official position on Western Sahara,
and they continue to expel or detain Sahrawi, Moroccan, and foreign reporters who write critically on the issue. Human Rights Watch
(HRW) reported that in October 2009, plainclothes police told two Morocco-based Spanish journalists to leave the El-Aaiun home of Sidi
Mohamed Dadach, who heads the Committee to Support Self-Determination in Western Sahara (CODAPSO). Online media and
independent satellite broadcasts are largely unavailable to the impoverished population.
Click here to read more »
Political Rights Score: 7
Civil Liberties Score: 6
Status: Not Free
Overview
Talks between the Moroccan government and the pro-independence Polisario Front continued in 2009, but the two sides remained at
odds over whether to allow a referendum on independence. Pro-independence activists continued to be detained and harassed, and the
conditions on the ground for most Sahrawis remained poor.
In 2004, the Polisario Front accepted the UN Security Council’s Baker II plan (named after former UN special envoy and U.S. secretary
of state James Baker), which called for up to five years of autonomy followed by a referendum on the territory’s status. However,
Morocco rejected the plan, as it could lead to independence, and in 2007 offered its own autonomy plan.
Because the Polisario Front remained committed to an eventual referendum on independence, the two sides failed to make meaningful
progress in several rounds of talks that started in 2007 and continued through 2009. Also in 2009, some UN Security Council members
expressed concern about the human rights situation and proposed that the council consider expanding MINURSO’s mandate.
As the occupying force in Western Sahara, Morocco controls local elections and works to ensure that independence-minded leaders are
excluded from both the local political process and the Moroccan Parliament.
Western Sahara is not listed separately on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, but corruption is believed to be at
least as much of a problem as it is in Morocco.
According to the Moroccan constitution, the press is free, but this is not the case in practice. There is little in the way of independent
Sahrawi media. Moroccan authorities are sensitive to any reporting that is not in line with the state’s official position on Western Sahara,
and they continue to expel or detain Sahrawi, Moroccan, and foreign reporters who write critically on the issue. Human Rights Watch
(HRW) reported that in October 2009, plainclothes police told two Morocco-based Spanish journalists to leave the El-Aaiun home of Sidi
Mohamed Dadach, who heads the Committee to Support Self-Determination in Western Sahara (CODAPSO). Online media and
independent satellite broadcasts are largely unavailable to the impoverished population.
Click here to read more »
Morocco urged to investigate deaths in Western Sahara protest camp
11 November 2010
The Moroccan authorities must open an independent investigation into events that led to a number of deaths and injuries at Gadaym Izik,
a protest camp near Laayoune, Western Sahara, Amnesty International said today.
The government says nine people were killed during Monday's operation and in its aftermath, including eight members of the security
forces.
Local human rights activists have told Amnesty International that 11 camp residents were seen lying injured on the ground, some of
whom were bleeding while others had been burnt.
According to reports, thousands of Sahrawis were also forcibly removed from the protest camp by Moroccan security forces.
"This was clearly a very serious incident and one that threatens to fuel further tension in Western Sahara," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty
International's director for the Middle East and North Africa programme.
"The Moroccan authorities must launch an immediate, independent inquiry and get to the bottom of what occurred and consider asking
the UN to assist.
"We need to know what sparked the security forces' action and whether the force they used was reasonable and proportionate or
excessive. If excessive force was used, those responsible must be held to account."
According to accounts received by Amnesty International, the first residents knew of the impending security forces' action was at about
6am on Monday when a helicopter flew over the camp ordering the residents to leave.
Minutes later, the security forces are said to have forced their way into the camp, beating residents and using tear gas and cannons firing
hot water to force them out of their tents which were then burnt or bulldozed.
The Moroccan authorities say that the operation was necessary to free camp residents who were being held there against their will. They
say too that the security forces encountered serious resistance.
Morocco's official news agency has reported that five police or other security officials were killed and three others died on Tuesday
from injuries they had sustained, and that one Sahrawi man was accidentally killed by a speeding police car in Laayoune. His death is
being investigated, according to the authorities.
Click here to read more »
11 November 2010
The Moroccan authorities must open an independent investigation into events that led to a number of deaths and injuries at Gadaym Izik,
a protest camp near Laayoune, Western Sahara, Amnesty International said today.
The government says nine people were killed during Monday's operation and in its aftermath, including eight members of the security
forces.
Local human rights activists have told Amnesty International that 11 camp residents were seen lying injured on the ground, some of
whom were bleeding while others had been burnt.
According to reports, thousands of Sahrawis were also forcibly removed from the protest camp by Moroccan security forces.
"This was clearly a very serious incident and one that threatens to fuel further tension in Western Sahara," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty
International's director for the Middle East and North Africa programme.
"The Moroccan authorities must launch an immediate, independent inquiry and get to the bottom of what occurred and consider asking
the UN to assist.
"We need to know what sparked the security forces' action and whether the force they used was reasonable and proportionate or
excessive. If excessive force was used, those responsible must be held to account."
According to accounts received by Amnesty International, the first residents knew of the impending security forces' action was at about
6am on Monday when a helicopter flew over the camp ordering the residents to leave.
Minutes later, the security forces are said to have forced their way into the camp, beating residents and using tear gas and cannons firing
hot water to force them out of their tents which were then burnt or bulldozed.
The Moroccan authorities say that the operation was necessary to free camp residents who were being held there against their will. They
say too that the security forces encountered serious resistance.
Morocco's official news agency has reported that five police or other security officials were killed and three others died on Tuesday
from injuries they had sustained, and that one Sahrawi man was accidentally killed by a speeding police car in Laayoune. His death is
being investigated, according to the authorities.
Click here to read more »
Western Sahara: Beatings, Abuse by Moroccan Security Forces
Investigate Violent Response to Disturbances
November 26, 2010
(New York) - Moroccan security forces repeatedly beat and abused people they detained following disturbances on November 8, 2010,
in the Western Sahara capital city of El-Ayoun, Human Rights Watch said today. Security forces also directly attacked civilians, a
Human Rights Watch investigation showed. The Moroccan authorities should immediately end the abuse of detainees, and carry out an
independent investigation into the abuse, Human Rights Watch said.
Early on November 8 the Moroccan security forces moved to dismantle the Gdeim Izik tent camp - about 6,500 tents Sahrawis had
erected in early October to protest their social and economic conditions in Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara. That set off violent
confrontations between residents and security forces both in the camp and in nearby El-Ayoun. Eleven security officers and at least two
civilians were killed, by official count. Many public and private buildings and vehicles were burned in the city.
"The security forces have the right to use proportionate force to prevent violence and protect human life, but nothing can justify beating
people in custody unconscious," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
Following the initial violent confrontations, Moroccan security forces participated with Moroccan civilians in retaliatory attacks on
civilians and homes, and blocked wounded Sahrawis from seeking medical treatment. Such conduct, and the beating of persons in
custody, cannot be viewed as force used legitimately to prevent or stop violent acts by some demonstrators such as stone-throwing or
arson, Human Rights Watch said.
In the aftermath of the violence on November 8, Moroccan security officials detained hundreds of Sahrawis in connection with the
disturbances, more than 100 of whom are still being held. Another nine have been transferred to Rabat for investigation by a military
court, Sahrawi human rights lawyers in El-Ayoun told Human Rights Watch.
Restricted Access to Information
After the tent camp was dismantled, Moroccan authorities tightly limited access to El-Ayoun, allowing few journalists or representatives
of nongovernmental organizations to reach the city and turning back many who tried. A Human Rights Watch researcher was prevented
twice from boarding a flight to El-Ayoun on November 11, and finally flew there on November 12. The researcher and Human Rights
Watch's El-Ayoun-based research assistant were able, from November 12 to 16, to interview injured civilians and police officers in
hospitals and at homes. They also met with Mohamed Jelmous, governor of the El-Ayoun-Boujdour-Saguia el-Hamra region.
"We are glad Morocco changed course and allowed Human Rights Watch to carry out an investigation in El-Ayoun," Whitson said. "But
a government that says repeatedly that it has nothing to hide should prove that by allowing all media and nongovernmental organizations
to come and to collect information without obstacles."
Click here to read more »
Investigate Violent Response to Disturbances
November 26, 2010
(New York) - Moroccan security forces repeatedly beat and abused people they detained following disturbances on November 8, 2010,
in the Western Sahara capital city of El-Ayoun, Human Rights Watch said today. Security forces also directly attacked civilians, a
Human Rights Watch investigation showed. The Moroccan authorities should immediately end the abuse of detainees, and carry out an
independent investigation into the abuse, Human Rights Watch said.
Early on November 8 the Moroccan security forces moved to dismantle the Gdeim Izik tent camp - about 6,500 tents Sahrawis had
erected in early October to protest their social and economic conditions in Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara. That set off violent
confrontations between residents and security forces both in the camp and in nearby El-Ayoun. Eleven security officers and at least two
civilians were killed, by official count. Many public and private buildings and vehicles were burned in the city.
"The security forces have the right to use proportionate force to prevent violence and protect human life, but nothing can justify beating
people in custody unconscious," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
Following the initial violent confrontations, Moroccan security forces participated with Moroccan civilians in retaliatory attacks on
civilians and homes, and blocked wounded Sahrawis from seeking medical treatment. Such conduct, and the beating of persons in
custody, cannot be viewed as force used legitimately to prevent or stop violent acts by some demonstrators such as stone-throwing or
arson, Human Rights Watch said.
In the aftermath of the violence on November 8, Moroccan security officials detained hundreds of Sahrawis in connection with the
disturbances, more than 100 of whom are still being held. Another nine have been transferred to Rabat for investigation by a military
court, Sahrawi human rights lawyers in El-Ayoun told Human Rights Watch.
Restricted Access to Information
After the tent camp was dismantled, Moroccan authorities tightly limited access to El-Ayoun, allowing few journalists or representatives
of nongovernmental organizations to reach the city and turning back many who tried. A Human Rights Watch researcher was prevented
twice from boarding a flight to El-Ayoun on November 11, and finally flew there on November 12. The researcher and Human Rights
Watch's El-Ayoun-based research assistant were able, from November 12 to 16, to interview injured civilians and police officers in
hospitals and at homes. They also met with Mohamed Jelmous, governor of the El-Ayoun-Boujdour-Saguia el-Hamra region.
"We are glad Morocco changed course and allowed Human Rights Watch to carry out an investigation in El-Ayoun," Whitson said. "But
a government that says repeatedly that it has nothing to hide should prove that by allowing all media and nongovernmental organizations
to come and to collect information without obstacles."
Click here to read more »
Security forces were worried about physical integrity of people captive in Gdeim Izik camp, official
08 November 2010
Interior Minister Taeb Cherqaoui affirmed that the Moroccan authorities intervened to dismantle the Gdeim Izik camp in way that
preserved the physical integrity of people held captive in there, without using weapons or firing any gunshot during vandalism acts in
Laayoune.
In a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Taïb Fassi Fihri, the Interior Minister said that Morocco is a democratic country which
honors human beings and upholds human rights universal values.
Since the camp was set up, the Moroccan authorities chose dialogue to reach a solution to social problems, he said, adding that it was
impossible to make another choice which does not comply with Morocco’s orientations and democratic values.
The intervention was carried out only when it became known that the camp was controlled by traffickers, gangs and opportunists
serving foreign agendas, who resorted to blackmail and violence to prevent people from leaving the camp, he affirmed.
Individuals with criminal records said that the camp’s evacuation depended on the State’s commitment to cancelling judicial proceedings
against them, and members of trafficking gangs demanded the annulment of their description of wanted people and the release of other
members in jail, the Minister said, adding that people with social demands became hostage of this situation and were prejudiced to violent
acts.
Cherqaoui recalled the organization of aggressions as showed in a video, screened at the press conference, on the details of the
dismantling operation of the camp and the criminal and vandalism acts committed by these gangs in Laayoune.
The gangs used 4*4 vehicles driving at high speed to hit the security forces and set different places ablaze, he underlined, stressing that
these individuals were ex-convicts armed with swords, axes and knives which they used to threaten the population and commit cold-
blooded murders.
Click here to read more »
08 November 2010
Interior Minister Taeb Cherqaoui affirmed that the Moroccan authorities intervened to dismantle the Gdeim Izik camp in way that
preserved the physical integrity of people held captive in there, without using weapons or firing any gunshot during vandalism acts in
Laayoune.
In a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Taïb Fassi Fihri, the Interior Minister said that Morocco is a democratic country which
honors human beings and upholds human rights universal values.
Since the camp was set up, the Moroccan authorities chose dialogue to reach a solution to social problems, he said, adding that it was
impossible to make another choice which does not comply with Morocco’s orientations and democratic values.
The intervention was carried out only when it became known that the camp was controlled by traffickers, gangs and opportunists
serving foreign agendas, who resorted to blackmail and violence to prevent people from leaving the camp, he affirmed.
Individuals with criminal records said that the camp’s evacuation depended on the State’s commitment to cancelling judicial proceedings
against them, and members of trafficking gangs demanded the annulment of their description of wanted people and the release of other
members in jail, the Minister said, adding that people with social demands became hostage of this situation and were prejudiced to violent
acts.
Cherqaoui recalled the organization of aggressions as showed in a video, screened at the press conference, on the details of the
dismantling operation of the camp and the criminal and vandalism acts committed by these gangs in Laayoune.
The gangs used 4*4 vehicles driving at high speed to hit the security forces and set different places ablaze, he underlined, stressing that
these individuals were ex-convicts armed with swords, axes and knives which they used to threaten the population and commit cold-
blooded murders.
Click here to read more »
Western Sahara: Statement by lawyers on the deteriorating health conditions of six hunger-striking human rights defenders
in arbitrary detention
Posted on 2010/04/27
Further to the Front Line Urgent Appeal sent on 9 October 2009, Front Line has received the following information regarding the case of
seven imprisoned Western Saharan human rights defenders in arbitrary detention.
Further Information
On 13 April 2010, seven lawyers issued a statement on the case of seven well-known Sahrawi human rights defenders and the
deteriorating health conditions of six of them who are on a hunger strike in Sale prison since 18 March 2010 in a protest against their
continued detention without charge since their arrest on 8 October 2009, and violations of their rights as prisoners of conscience.
The seven Human rights defenders are: Mr Ali Salem Tamek, the Vice-President of the Saharawi Collective of Human Rights Defenders
(CODESA); Mr Brahim Dahane, the President of the Saharawi Association of Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights (ASVDH);
Mr Ahmad Anasiri, the General Secretary of the Saharawi Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Smara; Mr Yahdih Ettarrouzi,
a member of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH); Mr Rachid Sghayar, a member of the Action Committee Against
Torture in Dakhla/Western Sahara; Mr Saleh Lebayhi is the President of the Forum for the Protection of Saharawi Children and the head
of the Samara branch of AMDH, and Ms Idagja Lachgare, a member of the executive office of ASVDH. Idagja Lachgare is at present
under conditional release since 28 January 2010, apparently due to a deterioration in her health conditions, having spent three months and
twenty days in detention. The other six human rights defenders remain in Sale military prison.
In their statement, the lawyers said that four of them had met with the investigatory judge of the military court of Rabat on 12 April
2010, and that the judge had informed them that the investigation concerning the 6 hunger strikers and Idagja Lachgare is still ongoing.
After the meeting with the investigatory judge, the lawyers said that they had visited the group of detainees in the local prison of Salé,
where the prisoners were presented to them in wheelchairs, with the exception of one who walked in.
The lawyers stated further that: “we learned that Saleh Lebaihi had also started a hunger strike, in spite of his poor health. The visit to the
prisoners has allowed us to note the severe conditions of the detainees’ health, leading to weight loss, loss of consciousness, headaches
and physical pain. On the other hand, while the prisoners retain good morale, remain attached to life due to the righteousness of their
cause and are confident towards the future, they do detest the oblivion and indifference surrounding their current situation, especially
since no government official has made the effort to see them or talk to them since our visit and after 26 days of hunger strike.
According to them, the press as well as the majority of political and human rights activists in the world treat them with the same
indifference. We have tried to get them to renounce or even temporarily suspend their hunger strike, but to no avail”.
In their statement, the lawyers also sought to draw public attention to the grave health situation of the detainees who continue their
hunger strike, and appealed to "all concerned with this case at the level of prison administrations, at the level of justice and even at the
political decision-making level,...to urgently intervene to save the lives of the hunger strikers". The lawyers called upon the public, the
media, international human rights organizations and human rights activists to monitor the situation closely and to help the detainees realise
their demand for immediate release or to be tried promptly and fairly.
Click here to read more »
in arbitrary detention
Posted on 2010/04/27
Further to the Front Line Urgent Appeal sent on 9 October 2009, Front Line has received the following information regarding the case of
seven imprisoned Western Saharan human rights defenders in arbitrary detention.
Further Information
On 13 April 2010, seven lawyers issued a statement on the case of seven well-known Sahrawi human rights defenders and the
deteriorating health conditions of six of them who are on a hunger strike in Sale prison since 18 March 2010 in a protest against their
continued detention without charge since their arrest on 8 October 2009, and violations of their rights as prisoners of conscience.
The seven Human rights defenders are: Mr Ali Salem Tamek, the Vice-President of the Saharawi Collective of Human Rights Defenders
(CODESA); Mr Brahim Dahane, the President of the Saharawi Association of Victims of Grave Violations of Human Rights (ASVDH);
Mr Ahmad Anasiri, the General Secretary of the Saharawi Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in Smara; Mr Yahdih Ettarrouzi,
a member of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH); Mr Rachid Sghayar, a member of the Action Committee Against
Torture in Dakhla/Western Sahara; Mr Saleh Lebayhi is the President of the Forum for the Protection of Saharawi Children and the head
of the Samara branch of AMDH, and Ms Idagja Lachgare, a member of the executive office of ASVDH. Idagja Lachgare is at present
under conditional release since 28 January 2010, apparently due to a deterioration in her health conditions, having spent three months and
twenty days in detention. The other six human rights defenders remain in Sale military prison.
In their statement, the lawyers said that four of them had met with the investigatory judge of the military court of Rabat on 12 April
2010, and that the judge had informed them that the investigation concerning the 6 hunger strikers and Idagja Lachgare is still ongoing.
After the meeting with the investigatory judge, the lawyers said that they had visited the group of detainees in the local prison of Salé,
where the prisoners were presented to them in wheelchairs, with the exception of one who walked in.
The lawyers stated further that: “we learned that Saleh Lebaihi had also started a hunger strike, in spite of his poor health. The visit to the
prisoners has allowed us to note the severe conditions of the detainees’ health, leading to weight loss, loss of consciousness, headaches
and physical pain. On the other hand, while the prisoners retain good morale, remain attached to life due to the righteousness of their
cause and are confident towards the future, they do detest the oblivion and indifference surrounding their current situation, especially
since no government official has made the effort to see them or talk to them since our visit and after 26 days of hunger strike.
According to them, the press as well as the majority of political and human rights activists in the world treat them with the same
indifference. We have tried to get them to renounce or even temporarily suspend their hunger strike, but to no avail”.
In their statement, the lawyers also sought to draw public attention to the grave health situation of the detainees who continue their
hunger strike, and appealed to "all concerned with this case at the level of prison administrations, at the level of justice and even at the
political decision-making level,...to urgently intervene to save the lives of the hunger strikers". The lawyers called upon the public, the
media, international human rights organizations and human rights activists to monitor the situation closely and to help the detainees realise
their demand for immediate release or to be tried promptly and fairly.
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Police assault on an activist in the 5 th delegation that visited the camps
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Today and as always the Moroccan police still bothering Sahrawi activists. Hassane AALAYA fifth member of the Sahrawi activist group
that went to the Saharawi refugee camps, and activist HALI AMHAMAD fourth group member. Both were arrested in the street
"Twenty-four of November" at 19:30 pm on June 17, which coincides with the anniversary of the Intifada Zemla 1970.
FSB arrived Moroccan troops and asked the activists their identity cards as a provocation, and then asked Hassane the car to accompany
police to obtain information from him, but on arrival the vehicle was pushed very hard against it . He pinned her hands and legs and
began to insult and torture, in a very harsh and severe in all parts of your body.
He was taken in a civilian car outside the city at a checkpoint south. When approaching this point the car spun and ended up in an
unknown road, far from the highway and everything. In this place, began to question him about the articles they have published the
youth of the Intifada in recent days. As the activist refused to answer he was tortured until he began bleeding from the nose. I poured
water and left. Leaving the young man lying there, alone and in terrible physical and mental conditions.
Hassane is a member of the ASVDH (Sahrawi Association of Victims of Grave Human Rights activist and the intifada demonstrations
calling for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination and independence.
All this is a violation of human rights of the Saharawi people by the Moroccan state to spread fear in the hearts of the Saharawi activists
and citizens. And it is a violation of the recommendations of the Security Council of the UN.
After this major event, we call for international monitors to ensure human rights in Western Sahara and to draw up reports on what
happened.
Center to Preserve Sahrawi Collective Memory
Laayoune, Western Sahara on June 17, 2010
Click here to read more>>
Police assault on an activist in the 5 th delegation that visited the camps
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Today and as always the Moroccan police still bothering Sahrawi activists. Hassane AALAYA fifth member of the Sahrawi activist group
that went to the Saharawi refugee camps, and activist HALI AMHAMAD fourth group member. Both were arrested in the street
"Twenty-four of November" at 19:30 pm on June 17, which coincides with the anniversary of the Intifada Zemla 1970.
FSB arrived Moroccan troops and asked the activists their identity cards as a provocation, and then asked Hassane the car to accompany
police to obtain information from him, but on arrival the vehicle was pushed very hard against it . He pinned her hands and legs and
began to insult and torture, in a very harsh and severe in all parts of your body.
He was taken in a civilian car outside the city at a checkpoint south. When approaching this point the car spun and ended up in an
unknown road, far from the highway and everything. In this place, began to question him about the articles they have published the
youth of the Intifada in recent days. As the activist refused to answer he was tortured until he began bleeding from the nose. I poured
water and left. Leaving the young man lying there, alone and in terrible physical and mental conditions.
Hassane is a member of the ASVDH (Sahrawi Association of Victims of Grave Human Rights activist and the intifada demonstrations
calling for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination and independence.
All this is a violation of human rights of the Saharawi people by the Moroccan state to spread fear in the hearts of the Saharawi activists
and citizens. And it is a violation of the recommendations of the Security Council of the UN.
After this major event, we call for international monitors to ensure human rights in Western Sahara and to draw up reports on what
happened.
Center to Preserve Sahrawi Collective Memory
Laayoune, Western Sahara on June 17, 2010
Click here to read more>>
| Click map for larger view |
| Click flag for Country Report |
Mohammed VI
King of Morocco since 30 July 1999
King of Morocco since 30 July 1999
Mohamed Abdelaziz
President of the Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic since 1976
President of the Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic since 1976
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
None reported.
Abdelkader Taleb Oumar
Prime Minister of Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic since 29 October 2003
Prime Minister of Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic since 29 October 2003