Shaheed Al-Hafed, January 15, 2025 (SPS) - The National Council of Algerian Journalists expressed its strong condemnation of the statement issued by the General Union of Arab Journalists during its recent meeting in Dubai, in which it announced its support for the so-called the "autonomy plan within the framework of the alleged Moroccan sovereignty."
The council considered this statement a serious deviation from the fundamental principles of international law and United Nations resolutions, which affirm that the Western Sahara issue is a matter of decolonization and that the Sahrawi people have an inalienable right to self-determination.
The National Council of Algerian Journalists emphasized that the Western Sahara issue is not merely a regional conflict but relates to principles of justice, equality, and the right of peoples to determine their own fate.
The Council referred to relevant United Nations resolutions, including resolutions 1514 and 1541, and the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice issued in 1975, which concluded that there was no legal link between Western Sahara and Morocco that could affect the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination.
The Council called on the General Union of Arab Journalists to respect the principles requiring neutrality and impartiality in dealing with national and international issues, and to avoid getting involved in political positions that serve agendas undermining the credibility of journalistic work and affecting the cohesion and unity of the Arab ranks.
"Any attempt to support projects that contradict international law, such as the so-called 'autonomy plan,' can only deepen divisions and hinder just solutions," stated the Council.
The National Council of Algerian Journalists affirmed that the Sahrawi cause represents a test of the credibility of the international system based on respect for human rights, and that any disregard for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination constitutes a dangerous precedent that could impact similar issues worldwide. It called on all international bodies, including the United Nations, the International Federation of Journalists, and Reporters without Borders, to clearly oppose any positions that undermine the rights of peoples and contradict international laws.
The Council reiterated its absolute solidarity with the Sahrawi people and its legitimate struggle for freedom and independence, urging journalists worldwide to support this just cause and to emphasize that peoples, as historical experiences have proven, are capable of achieving their independence despite pressures and challenges.
"The Western Sahara issue is not only a regional matter but also a humanitarian one concerning the fate of a people striving for justice and freedom on its land. We call on the international community to take urgent action to ensure the implementation of United Nations resolutions and to organize a free and fair referendum that allows the Sahrawi people to exercise its legitimate right to self-determination."
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