R8: Western Sahara: the last barrier of European colonialism

On 13 November, Morocco launched a military operation in the village of Al Guerguerat in Western Sahara to dismantle a camp set up by around 60 Sahrawi peaceful protesters who were blocking a road which construction was a violation of international law. The Guerguerat road connects the Morrocan-controlled part of the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara (the so-called occupied territories) and Mauritania. Morocco declared the military operation successful, and on 14th November, Polisario Front announced the end to the ceasefire that had been in force since 1991. Since then, hundreds of men from the Sahrawi refugee camps located in Algeria have been military mobilized.

In the last two weeks, the confrontations between Morocco and Polisario have escalated; there have been several clashes, though no civilian casualties have been reported. The pressure on local human rights activists and supporters of Sahrawi selfdetermination has increased, Amnesty International report
In May 2015 “On Freedom for Western Sahara” resolution was adopted by the European Green Party during its 22^nd Council. Five years after the approval of this resolution, we not only have to regret that the vast majority of their demands have not yet been realized, but we can admit the collapse of the ceasefire in the area.

The Sahrawi people have been carrying a tragedy since 1975, year in which the Kingdom of Morocco occupied its territories. Multiple UN resolutions recognize the right of the Sahrawi people to decide their future freely and to seek a peaceful solution that involves its free exercise to culminate the unfinished process of decolonization by the Spanish authorities.

Sahrawi people have been carrying a tragedy since 1975, year in which the Kingdom of Morocco occupied its territories. Multiple UN resolutions recognize the right of the Sahrawi people to decide their future freely and to seek a peaceful solution that involves its free exercise to culminate the unfinished process of decolonization by the Spanish authorities. In recent years, the EU Court of Justice has repeatedly ruled that neither the EU nor any EU Member States has recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, which must be considered as a separate and distinct territory and for which any deal must secure the prior consent of the Sahrawi people. Regrettably, the EU institutions and the Member States appear to have blatantly failed to comply with these rulings.

Since the time of the occupation, regular illegal detentions by the authorities of Morocco to Sahrawi activists and human rights defenders are a common practice. In this context,Human rights violations committed with impunity, in the Polisario Front administered camps are also to be condemned. Following years of rising tensions at the beginning of last November, the Moroccan army violently repressed a peaceful demonstration of Saharawi activists who were blocking the illegal passage of Guerguerat, to later enter the territory controlled by the Polisario Front.

Thus, with this interference by the Moroccan army, the UN-brokered ceasefire established in 1991 has been broken. Fact which must be considered a flagrant breach of the agreement between Polisario Front and the Kingdom of Morocco, and constitutes a direct attack against the Sahrawi people.

1. Reaffirm the solidarity and support of the European Green Party with the Sahrawi people, in their just struggle for their legitimate rights. A fair referendum on the self-determination of Western Sahara needs to be conducted without delay.

2. Reiterate that the problem of Western Sahara is an unfinished process of Spanish decolonization that must be resolved in accordance with international law.

3. Adopt an ambitious strategy for enhanced EU action in support of the UN efforts to reach a just and sustainable solution to the conflict and to appoint an EU Special Representative for Western Sahara;
   
   
   Adopt a strict policy of non-recognition of Morocco’s annexation of Western Sahara, across its sectorial cooperation and technical assistance with Morocco, in line with EU policy positions and international law”;

3. StablishThe establishment of smooth relations between the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and all parties involved : the diplomatic servicerepresentatives of Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania as well as those of the Polisario Front;.

1. Stablish smooth relations between the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the diplomatic service of the Polisario Front;
   1. Through its High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU must firmly condemn the ceasefire violations and call on the parties to stop acts of aggression and human rights violations in the territory of Western Sahara.

3. Stablish smooth relations between the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the diplomatic service of the Polisario Front;

3. Engage in a dialogue with the internationally recognised representative of the Saharawi people, the Front POLISARIO

3. Stablish smooth relations between the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the diplomatic service of the Polisario Front;

3. To facilitate - in coordination with the United Nations - a political dialogue forum between Polisario and Morocco to find a way out of the current escalation and to discuss ways forward to find a solution for a long-term settlement of the conflict.

4. Release Call upon the Moroccan authorities to release of all political prisoners and guarantee free access of the occupied territories of international observers and the media;

4. Release of all political prisoners and guarantee free access of the occupied territories of international observers and the media;

5. Support Saharawi civil society organizations and human rights defenders in the occupied territories and in the refugee camps

5. Renew the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to ensure that the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara is granted a mandate to monitor and ensure the respect for human rights in the occupied territories and that a new UN Special Envoy is appointed as a matter of urgency.

5. Demand the urgent appointment of a new personal envoy of MINURSO (vacant for more than half an year); Renew the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to ensure respect for human rights in the occupied territories.

6. . Suspension of thethose bilateral economic agreements with the Kingdom of Morocco where are includedwhich specifically in-written include the territory, products, services andor resources of Western Sahara without the consent of the Saharawi people, as well as those agreements by which Morocco acts in Western Sahara. In multilateral agreements status of Morocco should be inspected as well.

1. Suspension of the economic agreements with the Kingdom of Morocco where are included the territory, products, services and resources of Western Sahara without the consent of the Saharawi people.
   1. Request the labeling of goods produced in Western Sahara; restrict investments, freeze assets and ban from European visas the individuals and companies responsible for the exploitation of the resources of Western Sahara or who benefit from these resources.

6. Suspension of the economicfisheries and trade agreements with the Kingdom of Morocco where are included the territory, products, services and resources of Western Sahara without the consent of the Saharawi people.

6. Suspension of the economic agreements with the Kingdom of Morocco where are included the territory, products, services and resources of Western Sahara without the consent of the Saharawi people.

7. Call on EU companies, notably in the fisheries and extractive sectors, to cease their activities in Western Sahara and terminate their relations with Moroccan entities based therein

6. Suspension of the Adapt economic agreements with the Kingdom of Morocco where are includedwhich encompass the territory, products, services and resources of Western Sahara withoutto include the consent of the Saharawi people.

6. Suspension of the economic agreements with the Kingdom of Morocco where are included the territory, products, services and resources of Western Sahara without the consent of the Saharawi people.

7. Push for the appointment of a new Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Western Sahara to support mediating and resolving the situation peacefully