Ghosts of the Sahara
Photographs by Andrew McConnell. Text by Stefan Simanowitz
Stefan Simanowitz is a journalist, broadcaster and human rights campaigner.He is chair of the Free Western Sahara Network
“When you live in the desert it becomes a part of you and you become part of the desert,” says Salek Sahah Yahia.
Namibia calls on African Union for decolonization of Western Sahara :
Kampala (Uganda), July 24, 2010: The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Namibia, Mr. Utoni Nujoma, called on the African Union countries to give more support to the decolonization of Western Sahara, stressing that the right to self-determination is a fundamental human right enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
African Union renews its commitment to continue to work for organization of referendum for self-determination in Western Sahara:
Kampala (Uganda), July 24, 2010: The African Union Commissioner, Mr. Jean Ping, renewed Africa's commitment to a referendum for self-determination in Western Sahara, in his report on the activities of the Commission before the 17th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, which started Thursday in the Ugandan capital, Kampala.
Sahrawi Youth calls on UN Security Council to put end to Moroccan violations of human rights:
Algiers, July 22, 2010: Sahrawi youth delegation, participating in the activities of the second edition of the University Summer School held in Algiers, appealed Wednesday to the international community, led by the UN Security Council to immediately intervene to put an end to the blatant violations of human rights committed by Moroccan repressive forces in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.
Spanish Party demands government to denounce attacks on Saharawi activists and foreigners:
Madrid (Spain), July 22, 2010: The Canaries Coalition (CC) demanded the Madrid government to condemn the attacks Sunday against Sahrawi and Spanish citizens in the occupied city of Al Ayun, during their reception to the sixth delegation of Sahrawi human rights activists returning from a visit to Sahrawi Refugee Camps July 2-17.
According to a statement Tuesday by the Spanish Party "the attacks constitute a series of Moroccan repression against Saharawi people.
Saharawi Students sentenced to two years in prison in Marrakech court of appeal:
Marrakech (Morocco), July 21, 2010: Three Saharawi Students were sentenced to two years imprisonment in force and a fine at the court of appeal in Marrakech, Morocco, on the ground of their positions against Moroccan occupation for Western Sahara.
"After a judicial follow-up for one year and a half for Saharawi students Brahim Bariaz and Ali Salem Ablag and one year for Said Al Waaban, the court in Marrakech sentenced Tuesday each of the group to two years imprisonment in force and a fine at 1000 Dirham," the source said.
Human rights in Western Sahara: Special session of denunciation in Algiers:
Algiers, July 21, 2010: A "special session" of denunciation and condemnation of the "systematic violations" of human rights by Morocco in the occupied Saharawi territories, will be held Wednesday at the International Youth Camp (ANALJ) of Sidi Fredj (Algeria) at the appeal of the National Algerian Committee of Solidarity with the Saharawi people (CNASPS).
UN Special Envoy for Western Sahara expresses preoccupation about human rights in Western Sahara:
Shaheed Al Hafed (Refugee Camps), July 20, 2010 (SPS) - The UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Western Sahara, Mr. Hany Abdul Aziz, conveyed Tuesday his preoccupation regarding human rights situation in Western Sahara, and that of the United Nations on this subject, despite the obstacles that prevent the MINURSO assuming monitoring and protection of human rights.
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi: Referendum is only solution in Western Sahara:
Paris, July 20, 2010: The libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has reaffirmed that "There is no alternative to the referendum in Western Sahara and those who oppose it will pay the price," specifying that "the late King Hassan II of Morocco had agreed to this position," in an exclusive interview, published Monday by the French channel France 24.
The Libyan leader has again called for a referendum on the future status of Western Sahara, regretting that the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) has been deployed since 1991.
