Referendum in Sahara depends on participation of all Moroccans of Sahrawi origin
Morocco-USA, Politics, 1/17/2000

The holding of the referendum in the southern provinces depends on the participation of all Moroccans of Sahrawi origin.

The statement was reiterated by heads of Sahrawi tribes and elected representatives at meetings here Friday with a delegation of the American congress staffers.

The heads of tribes and elected representatives said that all Sahrawis must enjoy the right to be identified as would-be voters in the referendum and that the U.N. settlement on the Sahara must be implemented in form and essence.

While renewing backing to the U.N. settlement plan and determination to extend all material and moral assistance to the MINURSO (French acronym for the U.N. mission supervising the holding of a referendum in the Sahara), Morocco remains attached to the right of all the natives of the southern provinces to participate in the referendum, they stated.

The United Nations is trying to hold a referendum in the Sahara-- a Moroccan southern territory, formerly under Spanish rule, that was retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords. The referendum that will give the people of the Sahara a choice between independence or integration with Morocco, has been repeatedly delayed because of the maneuvers of the separatist Polisario which seeks to shrink the voters list.

Annan announced last December an additional delay to 2002 or later of the voting.

The heads of tribes and elected representatives also denounced the Polisario maneuvers to hamper the holding of the referendum and described the dire situation prevailing in the Tindouf camps where the Polisario is forcibly sequestering Moroccan Sahrawis.

They called the US staffers to inform the American public opinion and the international community on this situation and to endeavor to lift the siege imposed on the sequestered persons to enable them return to their homeland, Morocco.

Head of the US delegation, congressman Howard Coble, underlined the centuries-old relations binding Morocco and the United States and said this trip enabled the delegation members to better know Morocco.

The delegation paid a two-day information visit to Laayoune for talks with Moroccan local authorities, ambassador in charge of coordination with MINURSO, Mohamed Loulichki, and special representative of the U.N. secretary general for the Sahara, William Eagleton.

Previous Stories:
  Congress staffers leave Rabat on two-day tour in Laayoun   (1/15/2000)
  King Mohammed receives US delegation   (1/13/2000)
  King Mohammed VI appoints new senior officials at interior department   (1/3/2000)

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