From refugee camp to lecture tour in Norway
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Salma and Jadietu are touring Norway to talk about the situation in Western Sahara.
Published 06 November 2013


Salma Mohamed (25) og Jadiyetu Salama (25) have travelled from the refugee camps in Algeria to Flekke in Sogn og Fjordane, in Western Norway, to volunteer as Arabic teachers for a year. They hope to make more people aware of Morocco's long lasting occupation. For two weeks they travel with the Support Committee for Western Sahara to talk about the conflict to youth movements, political organisations, high schools and folk high schools.

"I find it very exciting to have the opportunity to talk about Western Sahara. The people we talk to take great interest in the topic. One of our talks was at a school in Bergen. The students there were curious and asked a lot of questions, and the day after many students who were actually not supposed to be in the class came to listen to us. This motivates us to keep telling our story", said Jadiyetu.

The last two weeks they visited Bergen, Oslo, Hamar, Lillehammer, Ringebu, Halden, Sarpsborg and Bømlo. They have a hectic program, but are full of energy.

"The world and the media are silent about our cause. I do this so that other young people will take responsibility for talking about our situation. We have waited for 38 years for our rights to be respected", Salma told.

"To us the right of self determination is a necessity, not only a choice."

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