Western Sahara
Morocco refuses to cooperate on Sahara settlement plan

afrol.com, 29 September - Morocco had refused to cooperate with the United Nations because it had determined that a fair referendum would lead to Saharawi independence, a representative of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (POLISARIO) told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) this night, as it continued hearing petitioners from Non-Self- Governing Territories. 

Salem Bouseif Brahim said Morocco favoured pseudo-solutions that would lead to Moroccan sovereignty. However, such solutions would impugn the credibility of the United Nations and result in a resumption of open-armed conflict, since Morocco’s defiance of international law included serious repression, as reported by international organizations.

To night's meeting was suspended for 10 minutes over the right of Mr. Brahim to speak in place of the scheduled petitioner, Ahmed Boukhari. When Mr. Brahim took the floor, the representative of Morocco noted, on a point of order, that the request for hearing had originally been made by Mr. Boukhari. If he was not present, the Committee should go on to the next petitioner. 

Brahim, when let to speak on behalf of the POLISARIO, recounted the history of the conflict in the Western Sahara, saying that Morocco had broken with the peace plan when it came up with new criteria for the right to vote in the referendum. It had transferred many thousands of settlers in an effort to fraudulently annex the country. A long time had passed and many resources had been committed by the international community in an effort to bring about a legitimate referendum. That was what should occur. Only actual residents of Western Sahara should be allowed to vote. The United Nations had solved the problems and the referendum could have been held at various points, in a way that was suited to the international community. 

However, he said, Morocco had repeatedly obstructed the process and ignored the United Nations resolutions, which clearly warned that the right of appeal should not be used to completely redo the process. Morocco refused to cooperate with the United Nations, because it had determined that a fair referendum would lead to Saharawi independence. It, thus, favored pseudo- solutions that would lead to Moroccan sovereignty. However, pseudo-solutions would also impugn the credibility of the United Nations and return the situation to open armed conflict. That was an imminent possibility, since Morocco’s defiance of international law included serious levels of repression, as reported by international organizations. Those cited the forced disappearance of 1,500 persons and other mass violations of human rights and basic freedoms, and, in general, a repressive process that was consistently excessive. 

Morocco, he said, was making clear efforts to have the United Nations bury the peace plan and void all recourse other than the use of force. It was unfortunate that Morocco had the support of a certain European country that was a permanent member of the Security Council. The United Nations must persuade Morocco to proceed in good faith. The referendum as already agreed upon was the only just way to put an end to the conflict. If the United Nations could not do that, it was merely protecting a colonial situation and it should withdraw. However, it was preferable that it stepped up its efforts to bring about the referendum. It should not allow itself to be intimidated and diverted. It had succeeded in similar situations in Namibia and East Timor, and there was no reason that it could not succeed in Western Sahara, as well. 

Source: UN 

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