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April 2016

EU Parliament intergroup for Western Sahara reiterates "unflinching" support to Sahrawi cause

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Brussels, , April 23, 2016 (SPS) -The European Parliament intergroup "Peace for the Saharawi People" has reiterated Thursday in Brussels its "unflinching" support to the Sahrawi cause, calling on the UN Security Council to renew its Mission for the referendum in Western Sahara (Minurso) enabling the Sahrawi people implement its right for self-determination.

Support to Ban Ki-moon appeal for exercise of Sahrawis' right to self-determination

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Brussels, April 23, 2016 (SPS) – Chairman of Belgian Committee of Support for Sahrawi People Pierre Galand and President of French Association of Friends of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (AARASD) Regine Villemont urged the UN Security Council to support the appeal of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to exercise of Sahrawi people's right self-determination.

MIDDLE EAST EYE: Western Sahara on verge of war, says Polisario spokesman

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Polisario Front's Ahmed Boukhari tells MEE that UN must stop Moroccan interference in referendum mission or there will be 'no choice' but war
Tuesday 19 April 2016 09:38
It was a statement that reignited the war of words over the future of Western Sahara.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon last month referred to Morocco's "occupation" of the region - a statement that led to mass protests in Morocco and Rabat ordering the removal of civilian members of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and the closure of its military liaison office.

Polisario Front reaffirms commitment to negotiating with Morocco

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New York, April 21, 2016 (SPS) -The Polisario Front reaffirmed Wednesday in New York its willing to engaging in  negotiations with Morocco on the status of Western Sahara and expressed its concern over repetitive blockings from Morocco to undermine the UN political process. 

Polisario Front appeals to UN SC to assume its responsibilities on Western Sahara

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New York, April 20, 2016 (SPS) - Member of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front, Coordinator with MINURSO, Mhamed Khadad, called “urgently” on the United Nations Security Council to assume its responsibilities as repeatedly reaffirmed by its own resolutions, in a statement Wednesday, a copy of which obtained by SPS.

Spanish group sends humanitarian aid to Saharawi refugees

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Madrid (Spain), April 20, 2016 (SPS) - Spanish group supporting Saharawi people has sent humanitarian aid to Saharawi refugee camps in Tindouf, said the organization's chairman, Maite Gimenez.
The support, the first this year, is made up of 23,000 kg of foodstuffs while the rest consists in toys, medicine and medical equipment, the source told El Correo de Burgos newspaper.
The aid, from the group based in the Spanish city of Burgos, includes three vehicles intended for the Saharawi ministries of Health and Cooperation, Gimenez noted.

President of Republic congratulates his Zimbabwean counterpart on Independence Day

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Bir-Lehlou, April 20, 2016 (SPS) - President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Mohamed Abdelaziz, sent Tuesday a congratulatory message to H.E. Mr Robert G. Mugabe, the president of the Republic of Zimbabwe, on the 36th Anniversary of the Independence of this sisterly country.

UN chief slams Morocco in latest report on Western Sahara

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New York (UN), April 20, 2016 (SPS0 - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has severely criticized Morocco for its practices and statements against him, in his latest report on Western Sahara sent Monday to the Security Council, covering the situation on the ground and the progress made in the negotiation process to resolve the conflict.

AU denounces expulsion of MINURSO members by Morocco

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Addis-Ababa, April 20, 2016 (SPS) - President of the African Union Commission (AU) Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma denounced the expulsion by Morocco of members of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), stressing that Rabat's decision is a "dangerous precedent."
Dalmini-Zuma sent a letter on 13 April to the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, in addition to the communiqué of the 588th meeting of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) on the situation in Western Sahara, the AU stated in a communiqué.

Campaign in Denmark against illegal investments in occupied Western Sahara

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Copenhagen (Denmark), 19 April 2016 – Danish banks and pension funds should not make the occupation a good business for Morocco.  "Drop investments in Africa's last colony”, “Don’t support illegal occupation”, “#DisinvestSahara and stop the theft,” written, among other things in the flyers and on the banners in street action organized by Afrika Kontakt Organisation activists on Monday in Copenhagen in front of Scandic Hotel, where JØP held their general annual meeting.

Mogherini urged to intervene on expulsion of MINURSO staff by Morocco

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Brussels, April 19, 2016 (SPS) - European deputies, concerned by the situation in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, urged the European Commission, particularly the high representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, to intervene on the expulsion of the civilian staff of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) by Morocco.

Ban Ki-moon demands MINURSO activities be fully restored

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New York, April 19, 2016 (SPS) - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday urged the Security Council" to restore and support the mandated role" of the UN Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), following the staff cuts ordered by Morocco.
In a report to the Security Council, Ban Ki-moon said that the expulsion of MINURSO international civilian components, decided by Rabat, "can be expected to be exploited by terrorist and radical elements," and will have "significant implications for the stability of the region."

Ban Ki-moon: It is time to engage in "serious negotiations" to settle Western Sahara conflict

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Washington, April 19, 2016 (SPS) -The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon affirmed Tuesday that "it is time to engage in serious negotiations" leading to the self-determination of the Western Sahara people.
"It is time to engage in serious negotiations without pre-conditions and in good faith in order to reach a mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara,” the UN SG stressed in the recommendations of this periodic report on Western Sahara, of which APS obtained a copy.

Occupied Western Sahara: France has “key role” in resolution of conflict

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Paris, April 16,2016 (SPS) - France has a “key role” to play in the resolution of the conflict in Western Sahara, said Monday a French deputy from the socialist parliamentary group (Meurthe-et-Moselle), underlining that there “is no alternative to the total respect to the United Nations resolution 1514.”

Security Council must assume its responsibilities to preserve stability in region

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Djanet (Algeria), April 18, 2016 (SPS) - Participants in the regional conference on Western Sahara unanimously urged Sunday in Djanet (province of Illizi) the UN Security Council to assume its responsibilities for the preservation of stability, favour the self-determination referendum and force Morocco to respect decisions of international legality.

Security Council has to get serious over Western Sahara issue

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Djanet (Algeria), April 18, 2016 (SPS) - The head of the delegation of the Algerian National Committee for Solidarity with Saharawi People in Djanet (province of Illizi), Boudjemaa Souileh, urged Sunday the UN Security Council to get serious about Western Sahara issue, stressing that it is first and foremost a matter of "peace and security in the region."

Cornell University organizes conference on self-determination in Western Sahara

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New York, April 16, 2016 (SPS) - On April 18, 2016, Cornell Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic (New York, USA) will spotlight the fight for self-determination in Western Sahara—often referred to as Africa’s last colony, on Monday, April 18, 2016, at 1:25 – 2:25 Eastern Standard Time, at Cornell Law School, Myron Taylor Hall, Room 277, the organizers have indicated in a statement.

Demonstration of Sahrawi nationals in Paris to denounce occupation, claim self-determination

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Paris, April 16, 2016 (SPS) - Many Sahrawi nationals held Saturday in Paris a sit-in in Trocadero (Paris) near Morocco’s embassy in France to denounce “oppression” exerted by Moroccan authorities on the Sahrawi people since 40 years.
Raising the flag of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), demonstrators chanted “No alternative to self-determination,” while denouncing the “oppression” exerted by Moroccan authorities against the Sahrawi people “in complicity” with France. 

"We support Saharawi people's cause until independence" (Spanish civil society, political parties)

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Madrid (Spain), April 16, 2016 (SPS) - Hundreds of Spaniards representing organizations and political parties backing Saharawi people expressed Saturday, in Madrid, their "unfailing  support" to the Saharawis, who have been struggling against Moroccan occupation, for more than 40 years, to "recover independence and their basic rights in line with the international legality."