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Europaparlamentet 'fordømmer kraftigt' Marokkos angreb på lejr i Vestsahara
Af Peter Kenworthy, Kommunikations- og Projektmedarbejder
Marokkos hårdhændede metoder Vestsahara ser endeligt ud til at have givet bagslag, med den globale opmærksomhed som angrebet på protestlejren i de besatte områder har fået.
Europaparlamentet vedtog i dag en resolution, der ”udtrykker den største bekymring over den betydelige forværring af situationen i Vestsahara og fordømmer kraftigt de voldelige episoder, der fandt sted i Gadaym Izik-lejren under lukningen heraf og i byen Laâyoune”. Resolutionen beklager desuden tabet af menneskeliv under Marokkos brutale rydning af den fredelige protestlejr, og henviser til, at parlamentet generelt er ”foruroliget” over menneskerettighedssituationen i Vestsahara.
I øvrigt beklager resolutionen Marokkos forsøg på at forhindre medierne i at rapportere fra de besatte områder i Vestsahara, samt den marokkanske chikane af journalister og menneskerettighedsforkæmpere der trodser Marokkos medie-blackout.
Ifølge Mohamed Beissat, Vestsaharas befrielsesfront, Polisarios, repræsentant i Europa, er resolutionen en sejr for kampen for menneskerettighederne i Europaparlamentet. ”Europaparlamentets stærke fordømmelse støttes entydigt, og er det eneste passende svar på det frygtelige Marokkanske angreb på over 30.000 Sahrawier, som demonstrerede fredeligt for deres rettigheder”.
Abba Malainin, Polisarios repræsentant i Danmark er enig. ”Jeg hylder Europaparlamentets beslutning, og er taknemmelig for, at de stærke nationer ikke har vetoret her. Europaparlamentets fordømmelse af de systematiske menneskerettighedskrænkelser imod Vestsaharas oprindelige befolkning, burde have lært Marokko en lektie. Marokko må nu forstå, at det internationale samfund ikke længere vil lade deres overtrædelser gå ustraffet hen. Marokko må også forstå, at en permanent løsning på konflikten i Vestsahara kræver at Sahrawiernes ret til selvbestemmelse respekteres”.
Apparently, Morocco’s heavy-handed strategy in Western Sahara has finally backfired with the global attention that the raid of the protest camps in the occupied territories has received.
Today, the European Parliament passed a resolution that “expresses its greatest concern about the significant deterioration of the situation in Western Sahara and strongly condemns the violent incidents which occurred in Gdaim Izyk camp while it was being dismantled and in the town of Laâyoun”. The resolution also “deplores the loss of human life” during Morocco’s brutal raid on the peaceful protest camp, and insists that the parliament is generally “concerned” about the human rights situation in Western Sahara.
The resolution further “regrets” Morocco’s denial of media access to the occupied territories in Western Sahara, as well as Morocco’s harassment of journalists and humanitarian organisations that defy the attempted media blackout.
According to Mohamed Beissat, Polisarios representative in Europe, the resolution is a victory for the values and principles of the European Parliament. “The strong condemnation of the European Parliament has been supported unanimously and is the only adequate reply to the horrendous criminal attack of Morocco against more than 30.000 Sahrawis who have been peacefully demanding the respect of their global rights.”
Abba Malainin, Polisarios representative in Denmark, agrees. “I salute the resolution of the European Parliament, and am thankful that its decisions cannot be vetoed by powerful nations. The Moroccan Government has been taught a lesson from today’s European Parliament condemnation of its systematic human rights violations against the Saharawi people. It should now understand that the international community will no longer accept that Morocco’s violations can go on with impunity. It should also understand that a lasting and permanent solution of the issue of Western Sahara passes through the respect of the Sahrawi people right to self-determination.”
