The Sahrawi Ms. Haidar again in the spotlight

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On 11 November General Basque government awarded Ms. Haidar price Cassin for his “fight for the just cause of the people of Western Sahara”. Ms. Haidar “represents the struggle of the Saharawi people to defend human rights, a task especially difficult and risky because of the stubborn reality that clearly demonstrates how the Moroccan authorities break rights and limit the freedoms of expression, assembly and association, “including the Department of Justice said the Basque government as distinct.

” The defense of human rights is even more complicated and risky for Saharawi women who in their role in development of traditional life have been and continue to be victims of serious abuse, “said the jury to justify his choice.

Ms. Haidar is 20 years old in 1987 when she committed to the independence of Western Sahara controlled by Morocco. It becomes an active militant in the struggle for human rights and chairs the Collective of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders (CODESA). Sometimes known as the Sahrawi Gandhi, it increases since the beginning of its engagement initiatives in favor of independence and peaceful protest. She stayed several times in prison. During his last prison in 2005, the European Parliament has taken its defense and formally requested his release.

Ms. Haidar is a veteran of international awards, in 2009 she received in New York the price of” civic courage “of the American Foundation John Train. It was in 2006 winner of the Basque Juan Maria Bandra, to defend the right of asylum and solidarity with refugees and the 2007 Silver Rose Award from the International Alliance Solimar, which brings together NGOs solidarity with the people Sahrawi-for his work for freedom and human dignity. Finally in 2008 she was honored by leRFK award, the price of human rights founded by U.S. Senator Robert Kennedy. While in Vitoria in the Basque Country on December 1 to receive the prize, Ms. Haidar has once again declared that “independence is the only solution to the conflict.” The news agency reported that SPS Sahrawi called the future Spanish government right from the parliamentary elections of November 18 to “correct the historical mistake” of successive Spanish governments in Western Sahara, saying the former colonizer is responsible the misery of his people. She also expressed the hope that the future Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy “be involved in finding a definitive solution to the conflict.” As for the new political order in Morocco following the legislative elections of November 26, it probably will not change very little. The Sahrawis have strongly denounced the inclusion of Western Sahara in the electoral process and called again to the United Nations and the international community to cease to recognize the sovereignty of Morocco over Western Sahara.


Price René Cassin is a tribute to French born in 1887 in Bayonne, whose commitment and the struggle for the rights were outstanding. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1968, Cassin was Vice President of the Commission on Human Rights at the UN and participated actively in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.

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