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Press release – Collectif des Associations de la Communauté sahraouie en France
Since taking office in 2021, Morocco has repeatedly refused to authorise the visit of the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy for Western Sahara, without valid reasons. It had already done the same with the envoy Christopher Ross; this clearly shows the excessive indulgence of the United Nations towards the intransigence and manoeuvres of the Moroccan occupation regime.
The United Nations did not officially announce the visit of envoy Staffan De Mistura until his arrival in the occupied capital of Aaiun on 4 September 2023.
In addition to the military and media siege imposed on the occupied territories of Western Sahara, and in order to anticipate the visit, the Moroccan authorities have deployed their intelligence services throughout the city. Saharawi activists were kept under close surveillance with the aim of intimidating them and preventing them from approaching or speaking to the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy for Western Sahara.
On the day of Staffan De Mistura’s arrival, occupied Aaiun witnessed a violent and brutal intervention by Moroccan forces against peaceful Saharawi demonstrators.
The heavy-handed intervention against the activists, 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.
Members of the Moroccan occupying forces, dressed in civilian clothes and uniforms, attacked the activists, who were carrying flags of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).
Several Saharawi human rights activists, journalists and bloggers were also humiliated and physically and morally assaulted by the police and paramilitary units as they tried to take part in the demonstration.
In addition, the Saharawi website “Équipe Media” has images and videos showing the brutality of the Moroccan occupying forces against Saharawi demonstrators on Smara Avenue, which was sealed off to prevent citizens from demanding their right to self-determination and independence. Several videos posted on social networks also show this.
Unfortunately, all this took place under the passive gaze of MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara), and in the presence of UN envoy Staffan De Mistura, who was visiting Aaiun.
While we follow with dismay these practices and flagrant violations of human rights, which we strongly condemn and denounce, we reaffirm our full solidarity and support for all those who were attacked or injured during these bloody events.
We urge Mr Staffan De Mistura, the Security Council and all United Nations bodies to assume their legal, political and moral responsibilities in order to organise the free and fair referendum they have promised to guarantee the Saharawi people their inalienable right to self-determination.
We demand the creation of an independent international mechanism for the protection of civilians in the occupied territories and the monitoring of the natural resources of Western Sahara; we demand the unconditional release of all Saharawi political prisoners in Moroccan jails.
We call on the masses of the intifada to continue their peaceful struggle for the dignity, freedom and independence of our people.
Paris, 7 September 2023
Collectif des Associations de la Communauté sahraouie en France
