Ban Ki-Moon supports human rights monitoring - We need your help!
In his strongest ever statement on Western Sahara, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has recognised the need for human rights monitoring in the Territory.
The report comes in the wake of the Gdeim Izik trials, condemned by human rights organisations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch as 'flawed.' Ban Ki-Moon’s comments also come in the wake of earlier calls for human rights monitoring by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, who expressed concern about the use of torture on Saharawi political activists.
Whilst the Secretary General's report is key to guiding the UN Security Council’s vote on MINURSO, it means nothing unless members actually commit to implement it.
Despite repeated calls from human rights organisations in previous years, pressure from France and Morocco has so far ensured that effective human rights monitoring has not been implemented.
Your action can make all the difference this year.
Join Western Sahara Action Forum in emailing to demand that the UN lives up to its legal and moral responsibilities and monitors human rights violations in Western Sahara:
Suggested text (if you have time to personalise and send individually please do, otherwise BCC to all email addresses)
Hon. Ambassador,
Following the UN Secretary General’s recognition of the need for ‘independent, impartial, comprehensive and sustained monitoring of the human rights situations in both Western Sahara and the camps’ please ensure this is included within the upcoming resolution on Western Sahara.
Human rights violations against Saharawi who question the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara are commonplace. This was recently confirmed by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Mendez’ who reported torture, ill treatment, excessive force and kidnappings used to intimidate protestors. The Secretary General’s comments strengthen the calls of numerous human rights organisations, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Mr Mendez who recommended a ‘robust regional inter-governmental human rights monitoring mechanism’ in the Territory.
The language on human rights included in the 2011 resolution completely failed to provide an understanding of the torture and ill-treatment including rape, beatings, extreme violence and arbitrary arrest and detention regularly reported in Western Sahara. The Security Council must not permit Morocco to maintain its illegal occupation though a strategy of violence and terror. The people of Western Sahara urgently need permanent, independent human rights monitoring that reports directly to the UN Security Council. This is essential to gain a transparent and comprehensive understanding of human rights in the Territory.
Please fulfil your duty to the people of Western Sahara and ensure this is included in the upcoming resolution.
Yours sincerely
[NAME]
The Western Sahara Action Forum (WSAF) is a new international coalition of organisations spread across Europe, North America and Asia, formed as a result of growing international concern about the human rights situation in Western Sahara. Contact details: Hon. Ambassador Susan E. Rice (US), USUNPublicAffairs@state.gov H.E. Sir Mark Lyall Grant (UK) UK@UN.int H.E. Mr. Fernando Arias (Spain) Rep.nuevayorkonu@maec.es H.E. Gérard Araud (France) france@franceonu.org H.E. Mr Vitaly Churkin(Russia) politdesk-rusun@un.int H.E. Mr Eugene-Richard Gasana (Rwanda, and Security Council President) ambanewyork@minaffet.gov.rw Help us grow the campaign. Please email info@wsaforum.org to be added to our mailing list and find us on Twitter and Facebook.
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.
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