Massachusetts (United States), 4 February 2025 (SPS) - The prestigious American university, Harvard, organized a conference on Monday addressing the struggle of the Sahrawi people for their independence.
The conference was led by Mouloud Saeed, Representative of the Polisario Front to the United States, and Bill Fletcher Jr., co-chair of the American Campaign for Western Sahara, an organization advocating for the Sahrawis' right to self-determination.
During his speech, the Representative stated that Morocco had no evidence of its alleged sovereignty over Sahrawi territories. "There is not a single document that Morocco can present proving any legitimacy" to its claims on Western Sahara territories, he said. "This is an illegal occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco," the speaker asserted, emphasizing that the Makhzen was clearly violating international law.
Western Sahara is designated by the United Nations as a "non-self-governing territory," he noted, reminding that the UN supports the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination. The issue of Western Sahara has been "on the UN agenda since the 1960s," he informed.
The United Nations "continues to insist that any solution must be based on respect for the people's right to self-determination, which Morocco, of course, ignores," the diplomat added.
The Sahrawi Representative also criticized the support provided by the United States and France to the Moroccan occupier, particularly pointing out France. "The real problem we have in the region, the number one issue we face, is the French," he asserted.
Taking the floor, Bill Fletcher Jr. recalled that decisions announced by international institutions, such as the Court of Justice of the European Union, bolster the Sahrawis in their struggle for independence. "These international decisions are important ideologically and demonstrate that we are on the right side of history," Fletcher expressed.
He called for more actions on the ground to raise awareness of the Sahrawi cause. "We need popular movements in France and the United States" in support of the Sahrawi cause, he said.
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