Western Sahara News

I thank the Permanent Mission of the United States for having prepared the draft of resolution 2218 (2015), concerning Western Sahara. France voted in favour of the resolution, which it also sponsored, as it appropriately addresses the whole host of aspects pertaining to the question of Western Sahara. It provides the necessary impetus to the political process. It renews for a year the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). And, lastly, it refers to the human dimension of the situation in the territory. This resolution, which we adopted unanimously, provides the necessary momentum to the political situation. The text clearly indicates that the consolidation of the status quo is not acceptable, and that the parties must engage with more resolve and demonstrate greater political will, realism and spirit of compromise in order to advance towards a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution. Resolving the question of Western...

U.S. Mission to the United Nations Office of Press and Public Diplomacy New York, New York April 28, 2015 AS DELIVERED Explanation of Vote by Ambassador Michele J. Sison, U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at the Adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2218 on Western Sahara, April 28, 2015 Thank you, Madam President. The United States supports the Council’s adoption of the resolution renewing the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, MINURSO, for another year. MINURSO is indispensable in its role of supporting stability and security in Western Sahara as it has for the last twenty-four years. The United States believes that the United Nations holds the legitimacy and the impartiality necessary to facilitate a lasting political solution to this conflict. The United States is hopeful that today’s adoption of this resolution will encourage the parties to demonstrate their serious and genuine commitment to the UN-l...

Western Sahara Report of UN's Ban Ki-moon, April 10, 2015 by Matthew Russell Lee

El Aaiún, 14 February 2014 Mohamed Lamin Haidala is a Saharawi. Born in 1994, he lived with his mother in the home of his grandparents in El Aaiún, in the occupied territories of Western Sahara. He died on 8 February 2015, a week after being attacked by 5 Moroccans and then held injured in police custody at the Moroccan police prefecture in occupied El Aaiún. His family is now under Moroccan police surveillance and forbidden to receive the visit of journalists. Those who tried to visit the family, on the evening of February 12, were greeted by stone throwing and beaten with batons and had to flee. According to several witnesses, on the evening of 30 January, Raja Haddi, aged 21, Mohamed Lamin’s aunt was sexually harassed on the street by Abdelwahab Kakaoui. This one was accompanied by another young Moroccan, Belaid Oumka Benomar. Mohamed Lamin, who was next to the house, intervened to request the first one to stop and to respect his aunt. Both Moroccans attacked him ...

By: Anouar Malek in Brussels  A confidential document issued by Morocco’s royal palaces department showed secrets related to the kingdom of Mohamed the Sixth who targeted Algeria. The document was issued on June 19th, 2014. It was addressed to the general department of national territory surveillance, general intelligence department (general administration) and military security department in Morocco. “Our neighbor King” spies on Algerians The number of this document is: Ref 3429/14 and it is untitled ‘An order for execution.’ It starts saying: “upon request from His Majesty and under direct supervision from security affairs advisor of His Majesty (…).” This shows that the “order for execution” was issued by King Mohamed the Sixth in person who ordered to keep watch on “Algerian personalities on the Moroccan national territory.” Algerian diplomatic residences under permanent surveillance King Mohamed the Sixth also ordered to tap their phone calls a...

From Brussels: Anouar Malek/English version: Dalila Henache A very dangerous secret document secret that was leaked by the Moroccan intelligence service, revealed on a clear cooperation between Moroccan regime and the terrorist organization "Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb" through a coordination that reaches a secret meeting that brought the leader of armed bloody organization, "Abdelmalek Droudkel" together with officers in the service of controlling the national soil in the Kingdom of Morocco, in the Mauritanian soil. Leaked document, which dangerous details are revealed by Echorouk, is a correspondence that was dated on May,17, 2011, carrying the number 8460/11, and that is addressed to the adviser of Moroccan King Mohammed VI in security affairs.  It explores how the Moroccan intelligence service tried to revive the terrorist activity in the Algerian territory, through the provision of "high patronage" to the leadership of the terro...

The Saharawi Tea Ceremony “Salam Aliukum,” she said With a smile as she greeted her guests She got up to reach for her tea set Offering the warmest of hospitality As she sat to get the tea ready Her warmness filled the room  With her colorful Melfaha and hands dipped in henna She is the leader of them all The beauty of beauty She represents the strength of every Saharawi woman She is the mother of the nation who’s history  She has engraved in her heart As she got ready for the sacred tea ceremony She turned to her guests with the following question; “Do you know the meaning of each round of tea?” They responded, “No, but please enlighten us with your wisdom.” She took the first small glass and filled it with black tea leaves, and then responded with seriousness, “The first round is bitter like life. When that bitterness hits us we must search for courage and strength, so we can overcome each obstacle with g...