Human rights violations in Tindouf camps to be denounced before Durban conference
The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance provides opportunity to remind the whole world of the various forms of human rights violations and discrimination perpetrated against the Sahrawi population sequestered in the Tindouf camps, south-western Algeria, said chairwoman of the committee for Sahrawi families reunion (COREFASA).
In a statement to MAP correspondent in Durban, COREFASA chairwoman, Gajmoula Bent Ebbi, said the serious attempts perpetrated by a handful of mercenaries of the polisario-- a separatist gang claiming the independence of the Moroccan Sahara- violating the human dignity and basic rights of thousands of Sahrawis must be unveiled and denounced by the international community, at a time this community is working to eradicate all forms of racism and intolerance.
The COREFASA members present in Durban held a series of meetings with other ngos, human rights activists and journalists to depict the tragic and inhuman situation of thousands of Sahrawi families that have been suffering for years from the siege imposed on them and from the polisario policy, based on family dismembering, the COREFASA chairwoman said.
Echoing her, member of the committee, Bachir Dkhil, said the human rights violations in the Tindouf camps, that he described as unacceptable, must not be ignored by the international community. He added that the NGOs forum in Durban provided opportunity to expound the Sahara dossier to human rights activists, who are often misled by the polisario propaganda.
He recalled that COREFASA has recently published a book in Spanish, compiling testimonies and analyses on the situation in the camps, in a bid to sensitize the international community to the tragedy of the Moroccan Sahrawis, forcibly detained in the Tindouf camps.
The political solution proposed by the United Nations to settle the Sahara issue is the only way likely to put an end to the ordeal of thousands of Moroccan Sahrawis who are sequestered in "the camps of shame," Bachir Dkhil said, condemning the polisario's repeated threats to resort to armed struggle as "a serious attempt to the Sahrawi populations' right to life, peace and security."
The COREFASA members voiced attachment to human rights and democracy values and their determination to work, together with various Moroccan civil society associations, to promote the rule of the law and the respect of cultural and ethnic diversity as a source of richness and pride for all Moroccans.
Several Moroccan non-governmental organizations, including the Moroccan Human Rights organization attended the NGOs forum that preceded the Durban Conference.
The Moroccan official delegation to the Durban conference is led by foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa.
President of the Moroccan Human Rights Advisory Council, Driss Dahak, is also taking part in the conference.
The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance that started proceeding this Friday will run till September 7.
