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radioalgerie.dz – Moroccan occupying forces suppressed a peaceful sit-in organised on Monday by Sahrawi human rights associations in the occupied city of El Aaiun to demand the right to independence and self-determination, during the visit of the UN Secretary General’s personal envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, to the occupied Sahrawi territories.
According to local human rights sources, quoted by Sahrawi media, “the demonstrators were dispersed by force and prevented from expressing themselves and demonstrating peacefully to demand the departure of the Moroccan occupation and the legitimate right of the Sahrawi people to freedom, self-determination and independence”.
The heavy-handed intervention by Moroccan forces against the demonstrators, who were chased through the streets and arteries of the town, resulted in several people being injured. Women were not spared the barbarity of the occupying forces, who made “racist and hateful remarks about the demonstrators”, according to the Sahrawi press agency (SPS).
Members of the Moroccan occupying forces, dressed in civilian clothes and uniforms, assaulted Sahrawi activists carrying flags of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). They lashed out at Sahrawi activist and former political prisoner Mahfouda Bamba Lefkir, who fainted before being transferred to hospital with a group of Sahrawi activists, SPS reported.
In addition, the Sahrawi website “Equipe Media” has images and videos showing the brutality of the Moroccan occupying forces against Sahrawi demonstrators on Smara Avenue, which was sealed off to prevent citizens from demanding their right to self-determination. Several videos posted on social networks show Sahrawi human rights activists Leouaâra Khia, Meriem Dember and Mahfouda Bamba Lefkir, and journalist Salha Boutenguiza being brutalised and abused.
Alongside them, Sahrawi activists Abderrahmane Zyou (President of the League for the Protection of Sahrawi Prisoners), Hasna Edouihi and Laârousi Takelbout were humiliated and physically assaulted by police and paramilitary units as they tried to take part in the demonstration.
In the context of the Moroccan occupier’s systemic repressive policy, its intelligence services keep many Sahrawi activists under close surveillance to prevent them from approaching and speaking to the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy for Western Sahara.
The Sahrawi site also posted a video showing the deployment by the Moroccan authorities of military and paramilitary reinforcements, police units and auxiliary forces throughout the city of occupied El Aaiun to prevent the peaceful demonstrations called by Sahrawi activists. Occupation army and police vehicles, including water cannons, were seen in the city centre, while other forces were deployed on Smara Avenue.
The UN secretary-general’s personal envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, arrived in occupied Laâyoune on Monday for a visit to Western Sahara. “Thereafter, he looks forward to undertaking visits to the region and meetings with all parties concerned prior to the publication of the Secretary General’s (Antonio Guterres) report to the Security Council in October,” said a UN statement.
“The Personal Envoy looks forward to further consultations with all parties concerned on the prospects for constructive progress in the political process in Western Sahara during these regional engagements,” the same source said.
In view of the tightening of the military siege imposed by the occupying state in the occupied Saharawi territories and the increased deployment of its security and police forces in several Saharawi cities in anticipation of the visit of the UN Secretary General’s personal envoy, the Saharawi Ministry of Information warned that Morocco will assume full responsibility for any repressive campaign or escalation that takes place during Mr de Mistura’s visit.
In this context, the Saharawi Ministry urged the Security Council and the UN Secretary General to assume their responsibilities in protecting the defenceless Saharawi citizens.
