Moroccan expats in US protest against Algeria
Morocco-USA, Politics, 7/2/2005

Moroccan expatriates in the United States staged Friday a sit-in before Algeria's embassy in Washington to denounce Algiers hostile stance towards Morocco in the Sahara issue.

Algeria is providing military, diplomatic and logistic assistance to the Polisario Front, a guerrilla movement that lays claim to Morocco's southern provinces, the Sahara.

Several NGOs took part in the demo, urging for the release of Moroccans still held captives by the Polisario separatists in the Algerian territory in blatant violation of human rights and the Geneva convention.

"Polisario is a terrorist organization," "Polisario is responsible for war crimes," "Free the Moroccans held in Tindouf now," read the slogans and banners waved by demonstrators.

"We hope Algerian leaders would review their position that is hostile to Morocco's territorial integrity," said a member of the Moroccan House of advisors, who took part in the sit-in on the fringes of his participation with a parliamentary delegation in the 14th annual session of the parliamentary assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), held in Washington.

Abdelhak Tazi, member of the same delegation said "we ask Algerian officials (...) to release the detained Moroccans and allow the sequestered Sahrawis return to their homeland, Morocco."

Member of the organization "Freethemnow.org, Calvin Dark, said he is taking part in the sit-in to raise the awareness of the public opinion on the misery of Moroccans held in Tindouf.

"Freethemnow.org," he said, has recently posted a petition online, urging for the immediate and unconditional release of all Moroccans held in the Polisario-controlled camps.

The sit-in addressed a letter to the Algerian president, calling him to immediately release the Moroccans held in Tindouf and allow the sequestered populations in the camps return to their country.

Previous Stories:
  Al Hayat: US engages dialogue solely with legal Islamist movements, US official   (6/23/2005)
  US calls for 'dialog' and 'cooperation' to solve Sahara dispute   (6/22/2005)
  FTA to allow Morocco export non-Moroccan textile products to USA   (6/4/2005)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search