MR. PEDRO SÁNCHEZ PÉREZ-CASTEJÓN PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT
Moncloa Palace. 28071 Madrid.
DC:
Mr. Pablo Iglesias Turrión Second Vice-President, Minister of Social Rights
Mrs. María Aránzazu González Laya Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation
Mr. President:
Madrid, November 20, 2020
As you know, on October 21 the Saharawi civilian population began an act of peaceful protest in front of the Guerguerat border crossing, south of Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara, exercising a fundamental right such as that of demonstration. They thus protested against this “illegal breach” used by the Moroccan occupier to transfer part of the Saharawi natural resources illegally expropriated into their territory, facilitating drug trafficking and smuggling, demanding an end to repression, the looting of their natural resources and the celebration of the self-determination referendum agreed upon almost 30 years ago.
Unfortunately, on the 13th the Moroccan government, which according to international law does not have jurisdiction in that area, sent military forces against the civilian population to break up their demonstration and prevent protests. This military attack against the civilian population has been considered by the Polisario Front a violation of the Ceasefire agreed in 1991, with the SADR government decreeing a state of war in the area.
At the same time, in the territories occupied by Morocco, an unusual repression has been unleashed against the Sahrawi population, in addition to what it had previously suffered, through arbitrary arrests, torture, imprisonment and even forced disappearances, as reported by international organizations of human rights.
Given that according to international law and “in accordance with the Resolutions approved by the United Nations General Assembly, and the reports of its Secretary General, the administering power of Western Sahara continues to be Spain” (as dictated by the current Minister of the Interior Mr. Fernando Grande-Marlaska when he was a Magistrate of the National Court)
From the Intersindical Confederation we request the Spanish Government:
- That it intervene to make Morocco comply with international legality, the United Nations Resolutions and its Security Council, and to prevent a war that will only cause pain and death to innocent people who only aspire to live in peace and freedom in their territory, Western Sahara.
- That it take the necessary political steps before the Kingdom of Morocco to demand an end to the repression in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, respect for human rights, immediately release the Saharawi political prisoners, the end of the exploitation of its natural resources and its annexationist claims to Western Sahara that only generate instability and violence.
- That it urge the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to fulfill its mandate, setting the date for the referendum, for which said mission was created and that, 29 years afterwards, wasn’t organized yet.
Sincerely,
Confederal Secretariat
