Western Sahara president asks UN intervention to stop EU and Morocco
Saharawis protesting against the EU's provocative plans to pay Morocco for fishing rights in occupied Western Sahara were attacked by Moroccan police yesterday. President-in-exile asked in a letter today UN secretary general for intervention vis-à-vis Morocco's "repeated assaults against the peaceful and defenseless Sahrawi citizens" and to prevent illegal EU fisheries deal.
Last night Saharawis demonstrated against the EU's plans to fish in Western Sahara. No states recognise Western Sahara as part of Morocco, yet the European Commission has negotiated a deal with Morocco for their fish. The UN legal office has specifically stated that such activity cannot take place unless it is in accordance with the wishes of the Saharawis. It is not.
‘We renew demand for urgent action, in line with the United Nations responsibility for the decolonization of Western Sahara, to ensure the security and safety of Sahrawi citizens against the oppression of the Moroccan occupation forces, through a UN mechanism that enables the MINURSO of protecting, monitoring and reporting on human rights in Western Sahara and,’ said the President of the Republic in his letter, according to the Saharawi news service SPS Sunday afternoon.
The president of the Republic also called on the United Nations to intervene with the European Union in order to listen to the legitimate demands of those citizens to refrain from signing any agreement with the Kingdom of Morocco that includes the territory or territorial waters of Western Sahara, because that ‘would be a blatant agression against the right of the Saharawi people and a flagrant violation of international law,’ he added.
The President of the Republic also demand the imposition of all sanctions and pressures necessary on Morocco to comply with the international legitimacy and release all Saharawi political prisoners in its jails, including detainees of Gdeim Izik, and remove the Moroccan wall of separation which represents a crime against humanity.
The occupation of the territory has been condemned by the UN Security Council and General Assembly.
The EU considers to pay Morocco to fish in occupied Western Sahara. An EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement from 2013 would be both politically controversial and in violation of international law.
The international Fish Elsewhere! campaign demands the EU to avoid such unethical operations, and go fishing somewhere else. No fishing in Western Sahara should take place until the conflict is solved.
