Together with many other international Western Sahara solidarity groups, we wrote to the UN Security Council ahead of the next vote on MINURSO later this month.
Published: 13.10 - 2018 08:44
Your Excellency
As representatives of human rights organisations, civil society, and solidarity groups from around the world, we are writing to you to place on record our strong belief that the status quo in Western Sahara is unacceptable.
We urge the Security Council to live up to its mandate by strongly encouraging both parties to the conflict to accept Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara Horst Köhler’s invitations for face-to-face negotiations which will move forward the UN political process toward an acceptable solution that would allow for the Saharawi people to exercise their right to self-determination.
As the UN fails to uphold its stated commitment to hold a self-determination referendum under measures put in place 27 years ago following the agreement between the Frente POLISARIO and Morocco, and as evidenced by the existence of MINURSO and its establishment by Security Council resolution 690, the Saharawi people continue to wait for a long-awaited diplomatic solution. The basic principles at stake are simple and fundamental. The right to self-determination is enshrined in the UN Charter and is the foundation on which MINURSO’s mission was built. The failure of the Security Council to move the political process forward and pressure Morocco to act in good faith has enabled a political impasse in Western Sahara that tarnishes the reputation and credibility of the United Nations and its peacekeeping missions.
For over forty years now, the people of Western Sahara remain divided between life in unforgiving desert refugee camps or under a brutal Moroccan occupation where they are deprived of basic rights and opportunities. The current situation in Western Sahara is untenable. A new failure of the Security Council to move the parties closer to a political solution will severely jeopardise the peace and stability of the region.
We, the undersigned, call on you to act with due urgency to support the right of the people of Western Sahara to choose their own political future. This will require political will and bravery by members of the Security Council, but it is no less than the Saharawi people have been promised and deserve.
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of our highest consideration.
Beccy Allen
Coordinator, Western Sahara Action Forum
Adala UK - Sidi Ahmed Fadel, President
Afrika Kontakt - Morten Nielsen, Head of Secretariat
Afrikagrupperna - Louise Lindfors, Secretary General
All Party Group on Western Sahara, UK – Ben Lake, Secretary
Asociación de Amigos del Pueblo Saharaui de las Islas Baleares Catalina - Rosselló Nadal, Presidenta
Asociación de la Comunidad Saharaui en Argon (ACSA) - Boullahi Moh Yehdhih, Administrator
Asociación de la Comunidad Saharaui en la Región de Murcia – Mahmud Mohamed Mulud Hosein, Presidente
Association pour un référendum libre et régulier au Sahara Occidental (ARSO) - Emmanuel Martinoli, Responsable
Associazione di solidarietà con il popolo Saharawi (KARAMA) - Patrizia Minella, President
Bureau International pour le Respect des Droits de l'Homme au Sahara Occidental (BIRDHSO) - Christiane Perregaux, Co-présidente
Comité suisse de soutien au peuple sahraoui - Berthier Perregaux, Président
Coordination of Gdeim Izik Peaceful Movement - Mohamed Ali Haddi, Secretary
Emmaus Stockholm Frida Dunger Johnsson, Secretary General,
Foley Hoag, LLP - Gare A. Smith, Partner
Freiheit für die Westsahara e.V. - Tanja Brodtmann, President
International Platform of Jurists for East Timor - Pedro Pinto Leite, Secretary
National Union of Saharawi Women - Fatma Mehdi Hassan, President
New Internationalist - Chris Brazier, Director
Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara - Erik Hagen, Director
Nushatta Foundation for Media and Human Rights - Lwali Lhammad, Director
Observatoire Des Medias Sahraoui Pour Documenter Les Violations Des Droits De L Homme - Jamal Elmahjoub Mohamed Salem Kraidach, Président
Olive Branch Arts - Becky Finlay Hall, Co-Director
Por Un Sahara Libre - Fito Alvarez Tombo, Director
WESTERN SAHARA CAMPAIGN UK
The Western Sahara Campaign works in solidarity with the Saharawi people to generate political support in order to advance their right to self-determination and to promote their human rights.
Our role is to lobby the UK Government and the EU. You can help us to ensure the UK does not ignore the voice of the Saharawi people.
Follow the news about EU's illegal fisheries in Western Sahara