Moroccan youth organizations hold Algerian authorities responsible for aggressions
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/14/2001

Moroccan youth organizations which took part in the 15th youth and student festival in Algiers before withdrawing from the encounter after being aggressed by Polisario mercenaries held the Algerian authorities and organizing committee responsible for the incidents.

The youth organizations said the Algerian authorities have not accomplished their duty to guarantee the security and safety of participants.

Four youth and student organizations, the Istiqlal youth, the Ittihadia youth, the Socialist youth, the Movement of Democratic youth, and the General Union of Morocco's Students denounced in a joint statement the provocations against their delegations at the festival opening.

What happened in the opening day, mainly provocations before the opening and aggressions in which ten members of the delegation were injured, cannot be considered as an isolated act by people claiming to be from the Polisario secessionists, because the way in which events unfolded show clearly that it was planned while the hosting country security agents stood by and abstained from interfering to secure the participants protection and safety, they deplored.

The five associations also denounced the Algerian media systematic campaign of lies, the defamation and libel uttered by a member of the organizing committee and the organizers' direct involvement in the incidents.

The Moroccan delegation, which was left with no other choice but to leave the festival, recalled that it has been supporting Algeria's candidacy to host the international encounter and has actively taken part in all local, Maghreban, Arab and international preparatory meetings to ensure total success to the festival.

They also renewed faith in the Moroccan and Algerian people's shared historical reference and their attachment to those ties through the consolidation and development of communication channels between the two Maghreban countries' youth.

They also expressed faith in the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA, grouping Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia) as a strategic option and said they are convinced that the youth can play a pioneer role to consolidate the Union, but called for vigilance in facing plans by circles hostile to the project and endeavors to foil initiatives meant to end more than 25 years of tension in the region.

Previous Stories:
  Moroccan parties denounce aggression against Moroccans at world youth festival in Algiers   (8/13/2001)
  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)

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