U.N. opens new identification center in central Morocco

The United Nations has opened a new center in Meknes (central Morocco) to identify would-be voters in the self-determination referendum that the U.N. plans to hold in the Sahara.

Moroccan radio said that the new center receives identification applications from Moroccan Sahrawis residing in the provinces of Fez, Boulmane, Taza, Al-Huceima, Meknes, Tafilalet and other provinces.

The United Nations mission for the referendum in the Sahara (MINURSO) started on Monday in the Meknes center the hearing of 101 applicants from the Ait Lahcen Injouren tribe and is hearing on Tuesday applicants from the Rguibat Charg tribe.

MINURSO has so far identified a total of 135,667 would-be voters since the identification operation first started in August 1994. A total of 60,112 applicants were identified before the operation was interrupted in December 1995, Map reported.

Morocco and the United Nations decided in April to open new identification centers in the northern parts of Morocco, namely in Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakesh and Meknes, in addition to the centers in Sidi Kacem and Kelaat Sraghna.

The MINURSO also has bureaus in the southern Moroccan provinces, Tindouf (south-western Algeria) and northern Mauritania.