Moroccan parties denounce aggression against Moroccans at world youth festival in Algiers
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/13/2001

Several Moroccan parties and associations have strongly denounced the aggression perpetrated last Wednesday in Algiers against 10 Moroccan youth participating in the world youth festival, by members of the polisario separatist movement.

The Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) of Moroccan Premier, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, the Istiqlal Party (PI), the Party for Progress and Socialism (PPS), the Assahara Al-Maghribia association and the socialist youth association have all issued statements denouncing the aggression described as an odious act.

The USFP imputed the responsibility for this premeditated aggression to Algerian authorities which failed to ensure the security of the participants. It deplored the fact that, contrary to international usage, Algerian authorities did not even apologize for this odious aggression.

Ten members of the 141-member Moroccan delegation to the festival had been injured by mercenaries of the polisario gang, during the opening ceremony of the event.

Morocco officially denounced these acts of violence and protested failure of the host country's authorities to gather the necessary security conditions to participating delegations. The Moroccan delegation withdrew from the festival and King Mohammed VI issued instructions to give victims the best health care.

The PI strongly condemned the aggression perpetrated by the mercenaries and said they were backed by Algeria, while the PI group at the House of Representatives (lower house of the Moroccan parliament) denounced the despicable aggression and called for an emergency meeting of the foreign affairs committee.

For the PI, the aggression will not serve the interests of the Arab Maghreb, which is seeking stability and security.

The PPS political bureau also denounced the aggression and the behavior of Algerian authorities, saying the aggression was planned in advance and organized in blatant complicity of Algerian authorities.

The PPS voiced attachment to the relations of sincere friendship between the Moroccan and Algerian peoples and to the construction of Maghreban unity.

For Assahara Al Maghribia association, the aggression is part of last desperate attempts by Algerian authorities concerning the Sahara issue.

The Moroccan media from all trends have published large comments on the aggression since it happened last Wednesday, underlining Algerian authorities responsibility in these incidents as these authorities are seeking means to reactivate tension in the region and thus foil the Maghreb unity project.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco denounces aggression against Moroccans participating in world youth festival in Algiers   (8/10/2001)
  Spanish judge agrees to look into human rights violations in Tindouf camps   (8/2/2001)
  Algerian president wishes to consolidate relations with Morocco   (7/31/2001)

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