Morocco warns against Polisario's impediments to Sahara referendum
Morocco, Politics, 10/15/1998

Morocco warned Tuesday against obstacles sown by the Polisario to hamper the holding of a self-determination referendum in the Sahara.

"While some progress was made in the implementation of the referendum process, we cannot ignore the difficulties and the obstacles erected by the other party (Polisario) to hamper the normal unfolding of an impartial constraint-free referendum," Morocco's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ahmed Snoussi told the U.N. General Assembly's 4th commission in charge of special political issues and decolonization.

A much-delayed self-determination referendum is to be held in the Sahara, probably early next year, to decide whether the former Spanish colony, retrieved by Morocco in 1975, sets up on its own or be definitively incorporated into Morocco.

Ahmed Snoussi also underlined the pressure exerted on the population sequestered in the Lahmada camps (Tindouf region, where the Polisario is headquartered).

He warned the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other U.N. agencies against the practices of the other party, "aimed at taking advantage of the repatriation operation and maintaining the refugees under its influence."

The Moroccan diplomat wondered on the competence of the 4th commission to debate the issue, while it is under the Security Council's prerogatives. He also termed as "obsolete" the commission's approach in dealing with the problem.

Joining his voice to Morocco's, Senegal said "it is inappropriate to submit the Sahara dossier to the 4th commission."

The settlement of such an issue goes beyond the 4th commission, said Senegal's Ambassador to Morocco Doudou Salla Diop, who is part of his country's delegation to the General Assembly's 53rd session.

Morocco renewed hope to see the referendum process completed within the soonest possible time.

Despite all obstacles and the several lost years, Morocco never loses hope to see the referendum process completed the soonest possible, Ahmed Snoussi said.

The referendum is stumbling over the thorny issue of the identification of would be voters in the vote.

Identification which resumed at the end of 1997 after almost two years of suspension, is hampered by the Polisario' attempts to shrink the voters' lists.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a recent report that with the registration of 147,000 applicants, the identification process was completed except for the members of three contested tribal groupings, H41, H61 and J51/52.

In order to break the ice, Annan assigned his personal envoy for the Sahara, former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker, to broker a meeting shortly in Lisbon (Portugal) between Morocco and the Polisario.

The meeting will try to reach a compromise between the two sides on the issue of tribes to whom the Polisario is denying the right to take part in the referendum.

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

Search