The POLISARIO Front calls on Spain to assume its legal, historical, and moral responsibilities in Western Sahara's decolonization process.
The POLISARIO Front concluded its tenth ordinary session by issuing a statement that reiterates Spain's outstanding responsibilities in Western Sahara. The group is urging the Spanish government to accept its "legal, historical, and moral responsibility" to complete the decolonization. They also requested the European Union and other nations to avoid actions that support Moroccan occupation or violate Sahrawi rights to their territory, waters, and airspace.
During the session, held on September 3 and 4, leaders discussed the political, diplomatic, military, and institutional situation of the Sahrawi cause. The statement reaffirmed the Sahrawi people's unity behind the POLISARIO Front and their commitment to self-determination and independence, rejecting any attempts to legitimize the Moroccan occupation. The POLISARIO expressed readiness to contribute to UN-backed efforts, provided any solution guarantees the Sahrawi people's right to freely decide their future.
The Front also denounced human rights violations in occupied territories, including repression, torture, land confiscation, and restrictions on international observers and media. They called for the release of Sahrawi political prisoners, specifically mentioning the Gdeim Izik group. On the African continent, the POLISARIO urged the African Union to intensify efforts for a resolution to the conflict between the Sahrawi Republic and Morocco, based on the AU's Constitutive Act and resolutions.
Why it mattersThe POLISARIO Front's call for Spain to fulfill its responsibilities affects the Sahrawi people by demanding an end to the Moroccan occupation and asserting their right to self-determination and independence.
Read in ASJ →Pedro Sánchez addressed the Western Sahara in Congress, but removed references to Sahrawi people and self-determination from his remarks.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez spoke about the Western Sahara in Congress, using language that omitted the Sahrawi people and their right to self-determination. This occurred on the same day that European flights continued to treat Dakhla and El Aaiún as Moroccan destinations, and over 400 Sahrawis remain missing. Sánchez's speech referenced UN Resolution 2797, focusing on autonomy within Morocco and a political solution, while excluding the resolution's explicit mention of self-determination for the Sahrawi people.
European Union air agreements with Morocco do not legally apply to the Western Sahara, recognizing it as a distinct territory. However, flights to Dakhla and El Aaiún are still operating and promoted as if these cities are within Morocco. This creates a discrepancy between the legal status of the territory and its practical treatment in travel and commerce, blurring the lines of its separate identity.
Amidst diplomatic discussions on autonomy and feasible solutions, the reality of over 400 missing Sahrawis, as reported by CONTRAMUTIS based on the Sahrawi National Human Rights Commission, remains unaddressed. This includes individuals like Basiri, who disappeared after being detained by Spanish authorities in 1970, highlighting that the Sahrawi issue cannot be solely reduced to state-level diplomatic convenience.
Why it mattersThe Sahrawi people are affected by the Spanish Prime Minister's omission of their right to self-determination in official discussions about their territory.
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