After having called Western Sahara a part of Morocco for years, the organisers of Paris-Dakar rally finally succeeded in drawing a correct map. See the route for 2008.
The annual Paris-Dakar rally has for several years crossed Western Sahara. The first part goes through the area north of the city of Smara, under Moroccan occupation. The second part goes through the Polisario-controlled parts of Western Sahara for a few kilometers before the competitors enter Mauritania.
But for several years the organisers of the event have failed to name Western Sahara an independent country, to the anger of Polisario.
But now the map designer has finally got the picture right.
Download the route for 2008 here.
The rally takes place in January 2008.
The occupying power Morocco, which sabotages the work of the UN Human Rights Council in occupied Western Sahara, has begun its first session after being elected to preside the Council.
Today, Morocco was elected to chair the UN Human Rights Council. The result generated strong reactions.
"The credibility of the UN system is at stake", says the Norwegian Support Committee about this week's election of a new presidency of the Human Rights Council. Norwegian organizations are critical of the candidacy.
A Saharawi activist in Moroccan prison last week initiated an open hunger strike.