UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES HONORS KENNEDY´S EFFORTS FOR REFUGEES AMONG THEM THE SAHARAWI PEOPLE

The Saharawi Women as well as the whole people of Western Sahara are very pleased to see that the United Nations´s High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Antonio Guterres, has recognized the Senator Kennedy´s great efforts to help the refugees all over the world and specially the Saharawi refugees that are still living in refuggee camps due to the moroccan invasion and illegal occupation to the main cities of Western sahara.

Ted Kennedy was a steadfast defender of the Saharawi people’s right to determine its own future, in line with UN resolutions and international law. We are very pleased that the UN High Commissioner honors Kennedy’s effort for refugees around the world", said Ronny Hansen in The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara.

Some of Kennedy's Western Sahara statements "Due to serious violations of the peace plan by the Government of Morocco, the [MINURSO] observers have been prevented from fostering an atmosphere of confidence and stability conducive to holding a free and fair referendum"Statement before the Senate Foreign Relations Africa Subcommittee, 1 Oct 1992."The ongoing crisis in the Western Sahara raises serious questions regarding the Government of Morocco's willingness to honor its international commitment to a free and fair referendum in the Western Sahara."Statement, January 1994"The International Court of Justice, the Organization of African Unity, the United States, and many nations throughout the world have not recognized Morocco's claim to the Western Sahara, but the Moroccan occupation continues."Statement, June 1999"Morocco gained the respect of the international community when it agreed in 1991 and again in 1997 to allow a referendum on the future of the Western Sahara. These actions demonstrated an impressive commitment to the right of self-determination for the people of the Western Sahara. The referendum is an important part of the peace process, and I hope that it will take place as soon as possible."Press release after meeting between Kennedy and King Mohammed VI, 22 June 2002.See also statement from 2000, in which Kennedy demands that US Secretary of State submits report to the Senate on progress of referendum.Time and again over several decades, Edward Kennedy championed the Western Sahara cause in the US Senate and the White House. He repeatedly criticized the US for not doing enough to pressure Morocco and strengthen the UN effort.

In 2000 he debated the issue directly with the Moroccan King, Mohammed VI. “The referendum is an important part of the peace process, and I hope that it will take place as soon as possible”, Kennedy said in a statement after the meeting. In announcing the 2009 Nansen award, UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said: "Senator Kennedy stood out as a forceful advocate for those who suddenly found themselves with no voice and no rights. Year after year, conflict after conflict, he put the plight of refugees on the agenda and drove through policies that saved and shaped countless lives.

"The Nansen Refugee Award is given annually to an individual or organization for outstanding work on behalf of refugees. Funded by Norway and Switzerland it was created in 1954 in honor of Fridtjof Nansen, the legendary Norwegian polar explorer and scientist, and the first High Commissioner for Refugees. In this role, he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922.

Kennedy made an enormous effort to put the Western Sahara issue on the political agenda. In 2008 he helped award the Saharawi human rights activist Aminatou Haidar the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. "We have lost a loud and clear voice for the Saharawi people, but rejoice today in celebration of his life and service", said Hansen.

SINGER AAZIZA BRAHIM IN THE LONDON AFRICAN MUSICAL FESTIVAL

The Saharawi women express their warmest congratulation for the saharawi singer Aziza Brahim for her wonderful participation this past week-end and for the first time at the London African Music Festival
The young Saharawi singer has given a great concert in the Queen Elizabeth Hall in the framework of the London african Musical Festival in the british capital, London.

The Saharwi singer sings about the plight of her people, and dedicates all her songs to their struggle. Her songs titles say a lot about her engagement, when she sang for “Peace”; “sons of the clouds”; “the battle of Guelta”; “memory of the tanks”; and the song “return” to her people resisting for their right of self-determination and independence and above all the Saharawi people leaving the occupied territories of Western Sahara.

Commenting on this widely appreciated concert, Mr. Y. Lamine Baali, estimated that “this performance of the Saharawi raising star, Azizza Brahim, will undoubtedly contribute in making sure that the Saharawi culture is gradually taking its right place among other African cultures, music in particular, on the international level”.

In the backstage, the Saharawi singer meet with many MPs, diplomats, journalists and representatives of NGOs and activists of the UK Western Sahara campaign, in addition to students organizations and gave an interview to the BBC .

Since 2003 the London African Music Festival has been at the forefront of new African music and this year is no exception, with the festival featuring true legends – Oliver Mtukudzi, Lord Eric Sugumugu, the leader of the mighty Master Drummers of Africa, who premiers his new acoustic group, and maverick jazz organist Ed Bentley who leads his new high energy group that fuses hi-life with funk and jazz solos. As always the festival features women leaders with this year’s stars including The Yoruba Women Choir, Uganda’s diva Rachel Magoola, contemporary jazz saxophonist YolanDa Brown and Hilary Mwelwa leads her remarkable group, Hil St Soul. Tanzanian Fayyaz Virji’s trombone sound has been heard with everyone from Ray Charles to Jools Holland to The African Jazz Allstastars N’Faly Kouyate,Ba Cissoko and Prince Diabate Kora Trio.Guitarist Kunle Olasoju .El- Andaluz features the elite team of Yazid Fentazi,Karim Dellali, Frank Biddulphm hamid Bouri Anna Mudeka whom been considered as a brilliant singer of immense power will show her best at this event.

Lord Eric Sugumugu Acoustic Soul, the leader of the might Master Drummers of Africa will bring his new acoustic project to the UK for the first time. The Cameroonian bassist Sam Djengue Deep is one of the key musicians in African music in Europe .

And from Uganda Rachel Magoola will contribute in putting Ugandan music on the international map with her breathtaking mix African cross rhythms and deep funk grooves. And the Africa’s finest soul singer Hilary Mwelwa and her band Hil St Soul fuse R&B Soul, Western pop and African rhythms to create a unique sound that shines brightly in five studio albums.

Once again, we would like to congratulate this brave young saharawi singer for their efforts to "spread the word" about the just struggle for peace and justice in the Africa´s last colony: Western Sahara and the great role that are playing the saharawi women in this cause.

SAHARAWI MOTHER AND HER DAUGHTER VICTIMS OF A MURDER

The Saharawi Women very forceful condemn the murder of a saharawi woman and her daughter in saharawi occupied city of Dakhla, southern part of Western Sahara.

A Moroccan settler named Brahim Sayeh, who worked for the family of Hamma Menni as pastor, murdered Saturday morning the mother of the family, Salma mint Abdallah (80 years) and her daughter Demba Hamma, while they were asleep, reported a source of the Ministry of Occupied Territories and Saharawi Community Abroad.

The offender committed his crimes around 4 o’clock am, throwing a large stone on the head of the mother of the family who died on the scene before he went to her daughter, raped her and cut her throat stabbing her in the back and subsequently escaping, leaving behind the victims in a deplorable situation, the same source regretted.

The criminal took advantage of the absence of the son of the family moving to the locality of Toaulat, located 60 kilometres northeast of Dakhla, where his family used to go bring their needs, according to the same source.

The victims were discovered about 14 hours after the assassination, by a passers-by who was appalled by these "criminal" actions and hurried to the town to call for rescue, the source added.At least, nine Sahrawi citizens had died in similar circumstances, including three old people knocked by a Moroccan military who drove a truck in the streets of the occupied city of Dakhla, in December 2005.

The victims are: Laamor Sidi Brahim, Taleb Oul Ali Menna and Mohamed Lehsan Sidi Brahim. Since the outbreak of the intifada in May 2005, the Moroccan troops in Western Sahara and Southern Morocco also had committed other crimes after the death of Hamdi Lembarki under torture October 30, 2005 and Likhlifi Abba Cheikh, assassinated by a military near his home December 3, 2005.

In September 2007, young Saharawi Sidha Lehbib Ould Abdelaziz, died in a car that carried him to a psychiatrist at the centre of the city of Agadir (Southern Morocco), because of the "savage torture" that ‘he suffered during the journey, by the Moroccan forces of repression.The last victim was in December 2008 when two Sahrawi students: Houssein Abdessadik Alkteyif and Khaya Baba Abdelaziz died after being driven on by a Moroccan driving a bus at Agadir bus station, the same source recalled.

"TALK TOGETHER" CONDEMNS THE GREAT VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE OCCUPIED WESTERN SAHARA

Voices from all over the world are expressing their strongest condemnation to the continous repression against the peaceful people of Western Sahara in the occupied territories by morocco and also condemn the great violations of human rights in the occupied cities of the Africa´s last colony.
The British organisation, Talk Together, expressed deep concerns about the abduction and torture of two Saharawi young students, El Haouasi Nguia, a 19-year-old and Choummad Razouk, in a press release issued Sunday.The organisation, which runs programmes that bring together different sides of a conflict, to discuss their differences, said it is “deeply concerned by reports that a second member of its group of Layounne participants has been abducted and beaten by police”, reffering to the 20 years old student, Razouk Choummad, and El Haouasi Nguia, a 19-year-old young woman.Choummad, as it was well reported, was abducted by police on September 2, “blind folded, undressed, tortured for 5 hours, and covered in a liquid which he was told was petrol”.

The case of Choummad comes a week after his fellow participant, El Haouasi Nguia, a 19-year-old woman, was abducted, stripped, beaten and threatened with rape. She was also told by her Moroccan torturers “that the footage of the attack would be posted on the internet if she failed to renounce her political opinions and activities. Both students were reportedly quizzed about their planned attendance at the Talk Together programme”, Talk Together’s press release writes. The two young student were due to travel to the UK last month “to take part in the Talk Together conflict resolution course focussing on Western Sahara. A group of six young people from Layounne were prevented from boarding their plane at Agadir airport in Morocco, and subsequently detained and allegedly beaten by the authorities.

A second group of seven Moroccan students, plus their group leader, was also prevented from travelling from Casablanca”.“Talk Together is concerned for the well-being of both groups of young people and has sought advice from Amnesty International regarding their situation. Talk Together has written to the Moroccan authorities asking for clarification on the interventions which prevented the two groups from travelling to Oxford.
It is also requesting that the Layounne and Moroccan groups are reassured they will not be subjected to further attention from the authorities”, the press release further says.

Due to the absence of the Saharawi group from the occupied zones, and the Moroccan group because of the Moroccan authorities, only twenty two participants from the Saharawi refugee camps, and students from seven nationalities participated to a two week course about conflict resolution in Oxford.

These participants, Talk Together says “are now working on their projects to improve the situation”.

SAHARAWI TEENAGER HAIR-RAISING´S TESTIMONY IN YOU TOUBE

The Saharawi Women´s Human Rights Department express their strongest condemnation to the great violations of human rights perpetrated by the moroccan authorities in the occupied cities of Western Sahara.

The young Saharawi student, Nguia El Houasi, appears in a video on You Tube, telling the story of her abduction and torture by Moroccan police last August 27.

The video is in Hassaniya Arabic, you can watch it below with an English translation of what she says:

My name is Nguia El HaouasiI was arrested several times, and the latest abduction was conducted on August 27th, 2009.

Last Thursday, I was on a visit to Hasanna Aliya, saharawi activist, who was tortured by Moroccan police in the city of Tantan. After I left the house along with my friends Hayat Rguibi and Sadani Aliya. After getting out of the house, a police car stopped nearby and was a Landrover model 110.T the officer on-board was Aziz Anouch and his colleague officer Khalid Barakat forced me into the car, and then drove me to the bank river of Sakia El Hamra near the middle school Allal ben abdalla. They handed me over to other police officers in plain clothes who joined us soon after my abduction. They blindfolded my eyes, and began to beat me brutally while using verbal abusive, cursing. Many other police agents joined the existing police gang namely agents belonging to DAG, DST Moroccan secret services. I did not see them, but I distinguished their voices and they asked my many questions such as: What are the dialogues that take place amongst the Saharawis on the return of the saharawi Ould Suelem From the refugee camps?I told him I was not in the city of Laayoune at this time. I was in the city of Agadir.Then they asked me: What do you think regarding this subject of defectors, such as Ould Suelem?I told them that the Polisario was very democratic, and they do not know any form of dictatorship, and that Polisario gives everyone the right to go wherever they like and not like you Moroccans who prevented us from travelling to Britain, and kept us at the airport in el Masira in Agadir. We were going to join the program Talk Together on behalf of the young Sahrawi generations in the occupied Territory, and you the Moroccans, you showed the world that you are dictators. You did not let us travel, and travelling is a human right. After I told them these Answers, they went mad..They said that the Saharawi human rights activists who incites us to engage in peaceful demonstrations, and they are the ones who support us and who give us national flags to raise during the demonstrations.I replied that nobody does incites us, and we do all this only for the defence of our cause and our right and we simply express our views and that it is spontaneous. Then they asked me about the peaceful demonstrations that I supposedly organized in the neighbourhood of Matallah district in Laayoune and who was in it. The officers beat me more in an attempt to make me tell them the names of persons involved. I told them that all the Saharawi people take part in the uprisings, and I do not know any one of them. There are young people, children and women and I was there to express my opinion and I had my flag Like all the Sahrawis. He told me now we will record a video, and we need you to say that it is the Sahrawi human rights activists who incite you to participate and organise these demonstrations and that they are just a group of separatists.After refusing to say these lies, I was asked to strip off my clothes and I refused. They took me down from the car and torn down my clothes leaving me naked in front of their ferocious eyes. All this was done while they were video-taping everything. They beat me in every part of my body. Under the psychological and physical torture and agreed to what I was asked to say.They only gave me my malhfa (Sahrawi women cloth), and blindfoldedme again and more torture followed.When they were filming me, there was a man who asked me all these questions while hiding his face, and they called him by his alias name so that I could not identify him, I am sure he was a VIP government servant. They say that they were filming me to show the world that they maintain security. They threatened me to publish it on the net and expose my body to all the world to scandalize me.I call upon international organizations to intervene to stop violations that occur daily in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, where the Moroccan authorities have also a former political prisoner Loumadi Abd Salam, Who was arrested just two days before me plus what they did to Hayat Rguibi and Hasanna Aliya just recently, and Naama Asfari. Morocco has violated human rights in many ways, where the Moroccan forces filmed sessions of Sahrawi citizens under torture and pressure. We do not bear all this and we are being watched in every place and our houses are besieged and controlled. We can not tolerate this situation anymore. The Minurso are there but they are doing nothing at all to help us. They do nothing to stop the ongoing violations of human rights, and we urge the United Nations to intervene to stop the torture exerted on our people. We need international monitoring and protection. The International community is doing nothing so far to stop this drama. We ask all civil societies in the world and all defenders of human rights to help us and to stop the mass violations committed by the Moroccan occupation forces towards the people of Western Sahara.

SAHARAWI WOMEN´S REPRENTATIVE IN AN IMPORTANT EVENT IN ITALY

At the request of an invitation of the Italian Committee of Solidarity with the Saharawi Peple in Sesto Fiorentino (Florence Provence), Zahra Ramdán, Member of the Executive Board of the National Union of Saharawi Women, has attended yesterday, September 1st, an important event that took place in the mentioned italian town in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Twin-City Agreement between the italian city of Sesto Fiorentino and the saharawi town of Mahbes.The event was chaired by the Vice-President of the Toscana Region, Mr. Federico Gelli, the President of the Province of Florence, Mr. Andrea Barducci, the Mair of Sesto Fiorentino, Mr. Gianni Gianassi, the Reprentative of the Saharawi People in the italian rerion of Toscana, Mr. Dan Hedi and other regional and local authorities.

The Mair of Sesto Fiorentino and the Saharawi Women´s Representative have inaugurated a commerative plaque in occassion of this historical event. The Mair has said among other things: "We have adopted this inniciative of hanging this commerative plaque in the entrance of our institution for expressing our total solidarity and friendship with the saharawi people and for reaffirming our conviction in our principles of respect of human rights and freedom and justice".

When the Saharawi Women´s Reprentative took the floor, she said: "On behalf of the Saharawi People I would like to express our deepest thanks for the continous support to the just struggle of the people of Western Sahara and the great actions of solidarity and friendship made by the Municipality and the people of Sesto Fiorentino with my people whom never can forget the support and solidarity from the beginning of the struggle for self-determination and independence. We express our deep gratitude and reaffirm to you our strong determination in continuing struggling for the respect of our legitimate rights for freedom and independence".

Mrs. Ramdan also said that the saharawi women play an important role in the struggle of the saharawi people for selfdetermination, for the right to decide on the future of their home country. Women played a vital role in the saharawi refugee camps and also in the occupied zones of Western Sahara. They have broken with the western stereotypes about the arab and muslim women. Sahara Women are really an example of emancipation and the struggle for equal rights between women and men. With this symbolic event we reaffirm to the world that they must support the struggle of the saharawi people for peace and justice.