UN calls for emergency assistance to Sahrawi populations sequestered in Tindouf
Morocco, Politics, 6/11/2001

Two leading United Nations agencies on Friday called for an emergency assistance to the Sahrawi populations sequestered in Tindouf, in south-western Algeria.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR) and the UN World Food Program (WFP) called on donor countries to provide at least $1.2 million per month to assist these populations, held as hostages by the polisario since 1976.

The UNHCR and the WFP called, in a joint statement, on donor countries to assist these populations who have been living in four desolate camps in south-west Algeria since 1976 in precarious conditions, pending a political solution to the Sahara issue, and who have seen their food intake reduced by 30 percent.

UNHCR has been forced to reduce its spending for these populations by more than $660,000 due to an acute budget shortfall facing the agency. As a result, many of them will not receive clothing material and new tents.

WFP has similarly experienced severe lapses in contributions for the sequestered populations, who this month will receive cereal rations but no oil or lentils. The food supply situation is expected to dramatically worsen in September unless more funds arrive immediately.

According to several testimonies from the Tindouf camps, the humanitarian assistance collected by the polisario has diminished, as repeated reports on the embezzlement of this assistance by the polisario leaders have prompted humanitarian organizations and donor countries to decrease their assistance.

The foodstuffs, equipment and clothing material destined to the sequestered populations were resold by the polisario members in Algeria and in markets of neighboring countries, mainly in Mauritania and Mali.

During the polisario's latest congress held in August 1999, participants had denounced these embezzlements, claimed accounts and pointed an accusing finger at several members in the polisario leader's (Mohamed Abdelaziz) entourage.

UNHCR's representative in Algiers, Althar Sultan-Khan, said these thousands of Moroccans forcibly detained in Tindouf "are in dire need of regular and sufficient aid deliveries." "They are completely depending upon fragile supply lines while interest in their plight - and financial support - appears to be diminishing," he said.

The joint statement recalled that in August 2000, the WFP had launched a call to collect $ 27.8 million to purchase some 64,000 tons of foodstuffs to be distributed to the sequestered populations over two years, but so far the WFP has only distributed 12,000 tons.

The WFP says it needs 3,000 tons of food per month to meet the needs of the most vulnerable populations.

The food supply situation is expected to dramatically worsen in September unless more funds arrive immediately, the WFP says, adding it will be able to feed the sequestered populations for the next two months, but without fresh new contributions, the warehouses will again be empty in September.

Previous Stories:
  Evolution of Sahara issue discussed with UN executive in Geneva   (6/7/2001)
  French MPs hail Morocco's will to reach political solution to Sahara issue   (5/28/2001)
  Turkish parliamentary delegation in Morocco   (5/25/2001)

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