Shaheed Al-Hafed (Refugee Camps), 20 January 2025 (SPS) - Arab journalists and activists have disowned a recent statement issued by the Arab Journalists Union, which announced its support for what is called the "autonomy project" within the framework of Morocco's "alleged sovereignty" over Western Sahara. They consider this a blatant violation of all laws and international legitimacy that recognize the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination.
The Sahrawi Union of Journalists and Writers noted that it received messages and positions from Arab journalists and activists who unanimously agreed that the Arab Journalists Union's statement represents an illegal and illegitimate stance that has no connection to truth and deeply undermines all professional journalistic ethics and the principles of union work, which should support the right of peoples to determine their own destinies.
This was echoed by Mahmoud Al-Saleh, head of the Arab Committee for Solidarity with the Sahrawi People, who stated that the Union's position "does not reflect the stance of Arab journalists, which has been expressed over more than half a century through thousands of media positions, journalistic investigations, and also scientific and historical research in this field." He described it as an illegal and illegitimate position that has no connection to truth, and a political stance aimed at pleasing the Moroccan regime.
Mr. Al-Saleh reaffirmed his committee's commitment to "the right of the Sahrawi Arab people to self-determination and the declaration of their independent state on their internationally recognized and historically known land," emphasizing that "Western Sahara has no historical, geographical, customary, traditional, or cultural connection to the Kingdom of Morocco. Therefore, any position or declaration from the Arab Journalists Union will not change this fact in any way and does not give any party the right to take such action."
Hamdy Al-Husseini, an Egyptian writer and journalist supportive of the Sahrawi cause, stated that there is a "just cause for the Sahrawi people and a noble struggle for liberation and self-determination, and this issue is still on the agenda of the United Nations and the UN Security Council." He expressed regret that this issue is "unknown in the Arab media due to deliberate actions, and there is marginalization and an attempt to obscure and mislead the Arab media about this issue so that it does not reach public opinion."
Hussein Abu Rass, a Palestinian politician, shared a similar view, affirming the Sahrawi people's right to freedom and independence. He said, "Our position is clear regarding the right of peoples to self-determination according to international law, and our stance is based on our struggle in Palestine to achieve our right to self-determination."
Jihan Al-Lawati, a member of the Tunisian Journalists Syndicate and a member of the African Journalists Union, expressed her strong astonishment at the recent position of the Arab Journalists Union, which "deeply undermines all professional journalistic ethics and all principles of union work, which should support the right of peoples to self-determination, as well as the necessity of maintaining neutrality and championing justice by anyone who considers themselves a unionist and defender of their colleagues' rights."
Yemeni activist and journalist Abdul Aziz Al-Turab believes that the time has come for the Sahrawi people to enjoy the right to self-determination after their long struggle, noting that this people need support for their right to self-determination and their independent sovereign state.
For her part, Haifa Musallam, a Jordanian human rights activist, stated that the position taken by the Arab Journalists Union "does not reflect the true Arab media stance, which has stood by the right of peoples to self-determination," emphasizing that "the struggle of the people of Western Sahara for more than half a century cannot be ignored by an irresponsible decision stemming from a political stance of Arab regimes."
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