on 25 April 2015 the United Nations Security Council extended for another year the presence of MINURSO (Mission of the United Nations for the referendum in Western Sahara) in the former Spanish Sahara, divided by the Occupied Territories (illegally invaded by Morocco) and the territory of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR occupies a fifth of former Spanish Sahara). When the ceasefire agreed between the POLISARIO (Popular Front for the Liberation of Saquia el Hamra and Rio de Oro) and Morocco ended the war, which had lasted since 1976, Resolution 690 of the Security Council of the UU NN April 29, 1991 established the MINURSO said.
This Mission (comprising some 250 military and civilian) was intended to organize a referendum on self-determination Western Sahara, in addition to monitoring the maintenance of the ceasefire, ensure the demining of the territory (in 2014 more than 3,200 mines were rendered unusable), manage both sides the release of political prisoners, facilitate family visits between the two territories, etc. Since then, it has failed in its main objective, as the referendum still held although there is a census of Sahrawis organized by Spain, disputed by Morocco and the subject of disagreement on whether voters should be those living in Western Sahara ( This would include many Moroccan settlers) or ethnic Sahrawis (which would include refugees in Tindouf, the Izarguien settled between the parallel 27 ° 40′N and Uad Draa -old Cape colony Juby- and even the seated Imeraguen on the coast of Mauritania).
But, whether by discrepancies in the census, either by the difficulties that periodically raises Morocco (which, paradoxically, is concerned that a large proportion of the settlers in the Saharan territory vote for independence), the binding referendum is in the air. Lately, Morocco has decided to dispense with the census and has decided not to admit the referendum and will only support a system of broad autonomy for the former colony, which is rejected by the Saharawis.
Meanwhile, the Moroccan authorities occupants continue to commit constant abuse of the Saharawi population: arbitrary arrests, repression of demonstrations for independence, beatings, house searches without a warrant, excluding Sahrawi jobs in agriculture and fishery, police brutality, killings in police stations, remand prisons without trial dates, deprivation of natural resources themselves, etc. But as MINURSO will not be attributed jurisdiction to investigate and denounce the violation of Human Rights (DD HH), its members must remain indifferent to their continued violation.
In March 2014 the United States they proposed MINURSO provide that power, but Morocco protested angrily, claiming that it affected national sovereignty; and France, authentic mentor Makhzen, opposed the initiative, which Resolution 2152 (2014) of the Security Council of the NN UU which extended the mandate of MINURSO until 30 April 2015 did not mention, as He intended, to the monitoring of violations of DD HH. And the same thing happened a year later with Resolution 2218 (2015) which extended the mandate until 30 April 2016; lack of the more significant mention as that Spain (which is still formally the administrator of Western Sahara country and held about strategic silence ) part and in 2015 the Council Security as a nonpermanent member; and as the United States, France, Britain and Russia Permanent Members with veto power they are with Spain the Group of Friends of the Sahara. As mentioned if this make your friends, do not make your enemies!
It is striking that no news of Western Sahara transcends the mass media Spanish, despite the existence of press agencies like Sahara press Service or organizations such as Western Sahara Resource Watch , which account without filter Moroccan reality of Western Sahara. The so-called great Spanish public only knows of the Saharawi when their children are welcomed in Spain in the summer or when NGOs collect food and school supplies for the Tindouf camps. Nothing informs the public of repression of felonies perpetrated Morocco in the Sahara The last territory in the world subject to a colonialist power! So close to Spain, so close to the Canary Islands …
Spanish politicians have remained on Western Sahara and Sahrawis a position when they are in opposition and another radically contrary when hold responsibilities of government. Thus, Felipe González proclaimed in 1976 against the Saharawi: “Do not promise, I promise to history to say that the PSOE will be with you until the final victory” ; but the president did not take during his long tenure any favorable measure to Sahrawis (recognition of their Spanish nationality, recognition of SADR, etc.), and the newspaper “El Mundo” reported on March 1, 2010 that Felipe González built a villa
Trinidad Jimenez manifested itself in Madrid on 12 July 2003 for the independence of Western Sahara Sahrawi displaying stickers; however being Foreign Minister in October 2010 claimed no information about the attack and dismantlement (with death of several Sahrawi) of Gdeim Izik or Camp of Dignity peacefully set on the outskirts of El Aaiun, when all agencies press, the Spanish Congress and the European Parliament already had fulfilled knowledge of what happened. Or an action for the benefit of the Sahrawi, not a word of condemnation of the Moroccan brutalities …
The now MEP Esteban Gonzalez Pons and now parliamentary Basque Inaki Oyarzabal exhibited a Spanish flag with the Saharawi flags at a demonstration in Madrid on October 13, 2010, wanting to make clear that the commitment of Spain with the Saharawis. But since 2011 the Government supported by the Popular Party, of which the above are members, has not taken any action in favor of the original inhabitants of Western Sahara; nor he has condemned the abuses of the Moroccan occupiers against the population; nor has it recognized the Spanish nationality of the residents counted or their descendants; or recognize the authenticity of documents issued by the authorities of the SADR; or deters Spanish companies that, contrary to art. 73 of the United Nations Charter and art. 1.2 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (New York, 12/19/1966) – traded products (phosphates, sand) extracted from the Saharan soil, or fish taken from its waters; waters which, incidentally, now the Spanish commissioner in the European Union Miguel Arias Canete stood south of Agadir ; just as the Cervantes Institute, which has centers in Morocco (Casablanca, Fez, Marrakech, Rabat, Tangier and Tetouan), Algeria (Algiers and Oran), and Tunisia, he announces that it will open a center in El Aaiun, placing in north Africa! as if the expression Western Sahara out nefarious. Everything is to not disturb the Commander of the believers.
It was only the party Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD), who on 29 October 2009 presented at the Congress of Deputies a proposition of law to establish the principles that should govern the Spanish foreign policy regarding the Western Sahara (which included support for self-determination of the Saharawi people, recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic , etc.). The proposal was rejected and today, UPyD is no longer in Congress.
However, the legal reality is stubborn. The Plenum of the Criminal Division of the National Court has issued an order on July 4, 2014 in the case of the murder of Spanish citizens Baby Handay Buyema on November 8, 2010 at Camp Gdeim Izik, self by keeping open the investigation of the case; meanwhile the Central Court of Instruction No. 5 has issued an order on April 9, 2015 eleven Moroccan officials processing (gendarmes, police, etc.) for genocide committed during the invasion and subsequent occupation of Western Sahara; what matters is that it is recalled that Spain, mandated by the NN UU, remains formally the administrator of Western Sahara and therefore has jurisdiction over the territory (art. 8 of the Civil Code and 23.1 of the Organic Law of the Judiciary). On the other hand, the Court of Justice of the European Union just cancel the December 10, 2015 the agricultural agreement between the EU and Morocco on 12 March 2012 because Morocco (whose sovereignty over Western Sahara the Court denies) operates illegally the natural resources of the territory to the detriment of the Saharawi people. What has made recognizing the undeniable right of the Frente POLISARIO, the legitimate representative of the people of Western Sahara as the United Nations, to litigate in Europe in defense of their interests.
It is also stubborn diplomatic reality. The Frente POLISARIO has recently achieved a special international recognition on June 23, 2015 to be taken by a party to the Additional Protocol (8 June 1977) to the Geneva Conventions on the protection of victims of international armed conflicts.
We are in February 2016. 40 years ago that Spain left the Western Sahara, which was immediately occupied by Morocco, who persecuted its population with bombing napalm , well poisoning, strewn with mines, executions, rape, etc. The fierce repression continues, and the MINURSO persists in his forced inability to monitor respect for human rights. The question arises, what will the Friends of the Sahara when in April 2016 is raised before the Security Council the extension of the mission.
Thanks to: News Navarra
Source: http://www.noticiasdenavarra.com/2016/02/08/mundo/sahara-occidental-el-fracaso
-de-una-mission Date of publication of original article: 02/08/2016
URL of this page in Tlaxcala: http://www.tlaxcala-int.org/article.asp?reference = 17675
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