Morocco: No figure can be forwarded before completion of voter identification
Morocco, Politics, 1/30/1999

Morocco's permanent representative to the United Nations has affirmed that the final number of would-be voters in the Sahara referendum cannot be forwarded before the completion of the identification of these voters.

Ahmed Snoussi, who was interviewed by the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat daily, refuted information saying that some 85,000 people out of 147,000 applicants would be allowed to vote in the projected referendum.

The referendum, proposed by Morocco in the early 1980's, has been repeatedly delayed because of the Polisario's procrastination policy. The consultation seeks to determine whether the Sahara -- a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under tripartite accords concluded with Spain and Mauritania -- sets up on its own as claimed by the Polisario front or is incorporated into Morocco.

Snoussi termed such information as "pure intoxication of the public opinion."

He also criticized information and press statements that 3,000 to 4,000 people were accepted out of 65,000 applicants belonging to contested tribal groups, before the beginning of identification of these groups. That is "ill-intentioned" information, Snoussi insisted.

The diplomat hailed the arbitration proposed by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan regarding the issue of the contested tribes.

Those are the tribes that were driven by the repression of the former Spanish colonizers out of the Sahara. The Polisario staunchly oppose the identification of these genuine Sahrawis.

The U.N. had said that with the identification of 147,000 applicants wishing to take part in the referendum, the identification was completed, except for the contested tribes H41, H61 and J51/52.

Snoussi underlined that contacts are underway with the MINURSO officials so that the proposed arbitration will be carried out "in equity and transparency."

He reiterated Morocco's position regarding the respect of the objective conditions contained in the settlement plan, especially regarding voter identification. He stressed the need to take into account the oral testimonies of Sahrawi shioukh without resorting to those of the shioukh of the other party (Polisario).

The Polisario shioukh systematically reject the testimonies of the Sahrawi shioukh, he said, adding that they even refuse to identify persons belonging to their own families, because they come from the Moroccan side.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco and U.N. sign agreement on Sahara settlement plan   (1/29/1999)
  Moroccan party denounces pressures on Morocco by UN mission   (1/26/1999)
  UN Secretary General delays report on Sahara pending outcome of consultations   (1/22/1999)

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