News
In 2002, the Rafto Prize was awarded to the Saharawi symbol of freedom and liberation, Sidi Mohammed Daddach. At the time, he had endured more years in prison than outside. Six years on, he finds himself under constant surveillance, and Western Sahara still under Moroccan occupation. Rafto Foundation, December 15, 2008.
Published 26 December 2008
No less than 426 organisations signed a petition letter, demanding from the EU Commission that occupied Western Sahara be kept clearly outside of the so- called Advanced Status cooperation that Morocco currently is being granted. The petition was sent to the EU Commission this morning. PRESS RELEASE December 5th 2008.
Published 25 December 2008
On December 5th 2008, a petition letter signed by 426 organisations was sent to the EU commission demanding that occupied Western Sahara be kept outside of the Morocco-EU socalled Advanced Status cooperation. Do you wish your organisation had signed, but did not make the deadline?
Published 25 December 2008
Amnesty International fears that Mustafa Abdel Dayem's conviction may have been intended to punish him for his public support for the right to self-determination for the people of Western Sahara. Reat statement 23rd of December 2008.
Published 23 December 2008
UK Minister of Defence clarifies error in recent news report regarding UK troops training in occupied Western Sahara. The British armed forces do not conduct bi-lateral military activity in Western Sahara, minister said.
Published 14 December 2008
The fertilizer company Yara remains under investigation by Norwegian police after having purchased a shipload of phosphates from occupied Western Sahara.
Published 11 November 2008
The Executive Board of The Liberal Party of Norway demands that Western Sahara be excluded from EU's cooperation with Morocco.
Published 09 November 2008
Press release from the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara, 6 November 2008.
Published 07 November 2008
14 Norwegian youth and student organisations - including all political youth parties in Norway - on November 6th sent a letter to Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jonas Gahr Støre.
Published 07 November 2008
Living as an outsider in your own country is like a nightmare. But for Saharawis like Hassan and Aminatou, it is a reality, and they fight for self determination because "This is our land". Sunday Tribune, October 12, 2008.
Published 13 October 2008
Sahrawi human rights defender Aminatou Haidar is awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award 2008.
Published 17 September 2008
The program for the Sahara Marathon 2009 edition is ready.
Published 09 September 2008
The Seoul Peace Prize Committee has today announced that this year's prize is awarded to the president of the US based Defense Forum Foundation, Ms. Suzanne Scholte, for her work on the peoples of Western Sahara and North Korea.
Published 03 September 2008
Clips taken in May 2008 at the Agadir university.
Published 03 September 2008
"A full reading of the Court's entire opinion shows that the ICJ was very clear that the sovereign power in Western Sahara was and is the native Western Saharans. The purpose of a self-determination referendum in Western Sahara is not to decide between competing sovereignties, whether Moroccan or Sahrawi". PhD Candidate Jacob Mundy, goes through the opinion of the International Court of Justice, from 1975.
Published 15 August 2008
The Bergen-owned shipping company Gearbulk is participating in the plunder of Western Sahara and is contributing to maintaining the occupation of Africas last colony. Read op-ed in the Norwegian newspaper Bergens Tidende, 29 June 2008, by Marie Palm in the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara, and Sidiahmed Salem of the Association of Sahrawis in Norway.
Published 05 August 2008
The Namibian-South African company, Etosha Fishing Corp (Pty) Ltd, has been active in the occupied Western Saharan waters for nearly a year. July 21st, Western Sahara Resource Watch and the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara sent Etosha a letter asking them to reconsider their engagement in the area.
Published 04 August 2008
The activities of a South African-Namibian fishing company in occupied Western Sahara have been covered on SABC's radio news programme Tam Tam Express. Hear interview with chairman of the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara, Ronny Hansen, as well as with Javier Garcia Lachica of WSRW, of José Nascimento of Western Sahara Solidarity Forum, and SADR ambassador Oubi Bachir on SABC radio programme "A fishy business" here.
Published 01 August 2008
In approximately 30 years, as production from the worlds phosphate rock reserves reaches a maximum, Western Saharas geopolitical importance will become even more important. Australian researcher Dana Cordell investigates peak phosphorus.
Published 22 July 2008
Not many years ago, Namibia was occupied by neighbouring South Africa. At the time, the Security Council imposed legal sanctions on foreign investments and trade in occupied Namibia. On Thursday, South African SABC TV revealed that Namibians and South Africans are fishing in occupied Western Sahara.
Published 17 July 2008
The EU Commission has admitted that EU vessels fish in Western Sahara, occupied by Morocco. Western Sahara Resource Watch demands an immediate halt to the fishing, until the agreement has been corrected to clearly exclude the territory offshore Western Sahara.
Published 03 July 2008
"It is surprising that mainly Bergen-owned Gearbulk sails for the occupying power Morocco". Read here editorial in one of Norway's biggest newspapers, Bergens Tidende, 29th of June 2008.
Published 01 July 2008
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs last year started supporting this important mine clearing programme in Western Sahara.
Published 23 June 2008
Check out this new photo taken of a section of the Moroccan fortification structure extending all through Western Sahara.
Published 21 June 2008
PRESS RELEASE: 29 parliamentarians from UK, Norway and New Zealand this morning sent a letter to the shipping company Gearbulk, urging the company to stop their phosphate shipments from occupied Western Sahara.
Published 20 June 2008
Human rights defender Brahim Sabbar was released from jail yesterday. When coming home, his house was put under heavy surveillance. Check out some photos taken today, out of his window in El Aaiun.
Published 18 June 2008
Sidi Mohammed Daddach, winner of the Rafto prize, was stoned and beaten senseless in Western Sahara yesterday. Birgitta Ersland, from Bergen, was right in the middle of the tumult. Bergens Tidende, 17 June 2008.
Published 18 June 2008
A statement was unanimously adopted at the Norwegian Socialist Left Party's National Board meeting today, 16th of june 2008, asking Gearbulk to terminate its engagement in Western Sahara. The Socialist Left Party is the second biggest party in the Norwegian coalition government. Read the statement here.
Published 16 June 2008
Sahrawis in Norway are asking Bergen-owned Gearbulk shipping company to stop trading with Western Sahara. They believe such trade maintains the brutal occupation.
Published 16 June 2008
Three Norwegian shipping companies have apologized and stopped their operations in occupied Western Sahara. However, the Bergen-owned company Gearbulk continues their controversial transports. Next week, yet another Gearbulk vessel is due to arrive in a New Zealand harbour with phosphates. The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara argues that the Sahrawi population has suffered a financial loss amounting to 200 million USD, as a result of the shipments of this shipping company alone.
Published 15 June 2008
3 stowaways -probably Moroccan- are now in police custody in Norway after arrving in port of Horten, Norway on 3rd of June. They had hidden in a vessel with fish meal from El Aaiun in occupied Western Sahara, and were discovered as the vessel discharged its cargo in Latvia.
Published 13 June 2008
Built to keep the Sahrawi from their own land, the berm that bisects Western Sahara is a potent symbol of Morocco's determination to hold on to Africa's last colony in the face of long-standing - but weak - international pressure. Ivan Broadhead reports. South China Morning Post, 11th of May, 2008.
Published 05 June 2008
The third 'Norwegian' shipping company in half a year says it will not longer visit ports in occupied Western Sahara. Jinhui Shipping, registered on Oslo Stock Exchange, says to South China Morning Post that it will not contract any more business in the country.
Published 05 June 2008
The appeal trial of Naama Asfari was supposed to take place Monday. Court accepted to postpone the appeal trial until 16th of June -two days after Asfari's 2 months prison term ends. A team of European lawyers and observers was present for the trial.
Related stories:
Sentenced to two months imprisonment
Morocco considers this lady a threat
Before the court today
Asfari's French wife expelled from Morocco
Amnesty demands Asfari torture investigation
Now the French wife is arrested too
"Those accusations are fabricated", wife said.
Sahrawi human rights activist arrested in Morocco
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Published 02 June 2008
Published 01 June 2008
In violation of international recommendations, 15.000 tonnes of phosphates have been transported from Western Sahara to Colombia.
Published 31 May 2008
April this year, a vessel belonging to the Norwegian ship owner company R-Bulk, transported 15.000 tonnes of phosphate from occupied Western Sahara to Colombia. The Norwegian trade union Industry and Energy, as well as the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara and Western Sahara Resource Watch today protests the shipment. The phosphate industry in the occupied country takes place in violation of international law.
Published 30 May 2008
Check out this footage of Moroccan forces surrounding the University campus in Marrakech, and later throwing teargas into the campus. Sahrawis are injured, and flee the campus.
Published 29 May 2008
A number of Saharawi students were injured when Moroccan police stormed into student homes in Marrakech.
Published 28 May 2008
The Norway-based Red Cross Nordic United World Colleges has opened a business to import artefacts from the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria and market them in Norway and Scandinavia.
Published 24 May 2008
The European Liberal Youth demands the termination of the controversial EU fisheries agreement with Morocco that lets European vessels fish in occupied Western Sahara. Read statement from the Liberal Youth's annual Lymec congress, Barcelona 1-4th May 2008.
Published 16 May 2008
Leader of the El Aaiun branch of the Moroccan Association of Human Rights, Mr. Iguilid Hammoud, was, on May 10th, detained by the police, interrogated and then released outside of town.
Published 12 May 2008
One out of five Sahrawi children who have grown up in refugee camps in Algeria are suffering from acute malnutrition. A report that will be is_is_published by the Norwegian Church Aid next week shows that the health of Sahrawi children now are severely affected by the lack of humanitarian aid.
Published 08 May 2008
The Australian Western Sahara Association reacts to a new shipment of phosphate that this week-end arrived Tasmania. May 6th, they sent a letter to the company demanding the imports to stop.
Published 07 May 2008
The Norwegian insurance company, Skuld, keeps insuring ships carrying controversial cargo. After the case of the ship carrying weapons to Zimbabwe, it has now been discovered that Skuld has ensured a ship carrying phosphate from occupied Western Sahara.
Read also: AWSA demands halt to Tasmanian phosphate imports
Read also: AWSA demands halt to Tasmanian phosphate imports
Published 07 May 2008
In a report launched May 6th 2008, American NGO Freedom House rates the situation for political rights and civil liberties in the occupied Western Sahara on the same level of countries such as Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe and Belarus.
Published 07 May 2008
"It is unjust, unjust, unjust", said Enaama Asfari to the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara. Asfari was sentenced on Monday to two months imprisonment for an alleged harassment committed at a time when he was, in fact, being tortured by the police.
Published 01 May 2008
Last week, Haddi Yarba, a Sociology student was struck on the head with a stone. Now he has problems finding the words.
Published 28 April 2008
Enaama Asfari (right) is dreaming of returning to his home in France. But first he would have to win in court. Monday 28th of April, he is appearing before the court in Marrakech.
Published 28 April 2008
Local authorities in South Morocco considers French Claude Mangin, the lady on the left, a threat to public order.
Published 28 April 2008
On Saturday the Sahrawi student, Elkouria Amidane, received anonymous telephone threats. "Leave your home and you will be kidnapped and severely beaten".
Published 28 April 2008
Amnesty International demands investigation of torture allegations against Enaama Asfari
Published 25 April 2008
The leading human rights activist, Enaama Asfari has been arrested in Marrakech. His French wife found him in a prison, after a 3 day long disappearance.
Published 25 April 2008
A group of French human rights activists is now being expelled from Morocco. Among them are Claude Mangin (left), who travelled to the country to attend the trials against her husband (right).
Published 25 April 2008
She travelled to Morocco to be present at the trial against her husband, who is falsely changed by a Moroccan court with a series of charges. Today, French Claude Mangin was arrested too -and she is now threatened with expulsion from Morocco.
Published 24 April 2008
The Sahrawi students in Marrakech are under attack from armed Moroccan gangs. See fresh videos of peaceful demonstrations and victims by clicking "Read more" below.
Published 24 April 2008
A representative of the Norwegian company Aqualyng is Saturday giving a presentation at a conference in occupied Western Sahara. The company is hesitating responding to questions whether they have investment plans in the country.
Published 24 April 2008
A Moroccan website is attempting to discredit the Danish General, Kurt Mosgaard, who was the commanding officer for MINURSO in Western Sahara for two years.
Published 24 April 2008
Sahrawi students at the University of Marrakech, Moroccco, are subjected to assault and chasing by armed gangs, according to human rights NGO, CODESA.
Published 22 April 2008
Sahrawi human rights defender Naama Asfari has today been before a court in in Marrakech.
Published 21 April 2008
Yarba had the incorrect opinions when he arrived El Aaiun airport, but managed to get 4 minutes with his family.
Published 20 April 2008
Read the report on the international trade union delegation to occupied Western Sahara from 17th to 22nd of February 2008.
Published 15 April 2008
The former military chief of the UN mission in Western Sahara believes the UN must stand firmer on the claim for a referendum on independence. "But some permanent members of the Security Council have not wanted to push too hard for this" said Kurt Mosgaard, MINURSO Force Commander 2005-2007. Mosgaard is interviewed in a recent report from the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Published 05 April 2008
The leader of Liberal Youth Norway, Anne Solsvik, reacts strongly to the Grimstad firm Finsam operating in Western Sahara. Agderposten, 12 March 2008.
Published 01 April 2008
By the end of last week, the 30 year old Sahrawi student, Said Bellal, was sentenced to 4 months of prison. Amnesty International writes in a release today that they expect him to be a prisoner of conscience, jailed only for his activities for self-determination for the Sahrawi people. Bellal is sentenced for having taken part in a demonstration in May 2007. His explanation that he was subjected to torture, is not to have been investigated by the police.
Published 31 March 2008
A new publication has just been published by the Norwegian Refugee Council. Order here.
Published 28 March 2008
Since end of February, Sahrawis in Moroccan prisons have been on hunger strike. For the most part they are political prisoners, protesting primarily the bad treatment they receive. Human rights organisations are now issuing warnings that the physical condition for some of the prisoners are worsening.
Published 25 March 2008
The Sahrawi human rights organisation CODESA has put together a report of last year's human rights violations committed by Morocco against the Sahrawis.
Published 22 March 2008
The Danish Youth of the Conservative Party adopts a resolution in favour of Western Sahara in its annual congress, 15th-16th of March, 2008.
Published 21 March 2008
Last year the sister, Elkouria Amidane, met Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. Now her brother is on a hunger strike in a prison in Morocco.
Published 13 March 2008
The Sahrawi human rights association ASVDH has started a campaign for the immediate release of their imprisoned general secretary, Brahim Sabbar.
Published 12 March 2008
Two Moroccan policemen imprisoned for the murder of Sahrawi man in 2005 have been released after a court, this week, reduced their sentences from 10 to 2 years.
Published 12 March 2008
The General Assembly of the Norwegian Labour Party's Oslo Constituency, 7th-8th March 2008, demands that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls Western Sahara an occupied country.
Published 12 March 2008
Anders Forsmo from Vallø, Norway, has been running in Marathons for almost 20 years. On the 25 February he ran once again in the Sahara. Tønsbergs Blad, 6th March, 2008.
Published 11 March 2008
2nd of March 2008, a semi-marathon was arranged in Fjaler, north of Bergen, in solidarity with the Sahrawi refugees.
Published 10 March 2008
Jinhui Shipping said Wednesday that it will take into consideration the analysis of Norwegian authorities regarding avoiding trade with phosphates from Western Sahara.
Published 27 February 2008
Western Saharas government in exile accuses the shipping company J. Lauritzen of contributing to theft of natural resources from the occupied parts of the country.
Published 27 February 2008
Jinhui, the Oslo Stock Exchange-registered dry bulk shipping company, will tomorrow unload its last tons of controversial phosphate in New Zealand. The phosphate originates from occupied Western Sahara and has been shipped out of the country despite advice to the contrary from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Norwatch has got photos and video footage of the unloading.
Published 15 February 2008
The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara has for the fist time discovered that a shipping company registered at the Oslo Stock Exchange is transporting phosphate from Western Sahara.
Published 08 February 2008
On the 25th of February, the Sahrawi refugees will host the 8th edition of the Sahara Marathon in their refugee camps in western Algeria. The refugees have been living in the camps since Morocco illegally occupied their home country in 1975.
Published 06 February 2008
Another investor, Öhman Funds from Sweden, has now divested from the Australian phoshate company Wesfarmers due to its imports of phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara.
Published 31 January 2008
Said Mustafa El Baillal (29), studying for a Doctorate in Social Sciences, has received a severe prison sentence.
Published 28 January 2008
Before the week-end, the Moroccan governmental news service MAP claimed that the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs hailed their autonomy plan for Western Sahara. "Not true", replies Minister.
Published 21 January 2008
From the 10th to 13th January the Moroccan National Tourist Office will be represented at the International Travel Fair 2008 at Lillestrøm, Norway. It is expected that again, the Moroccan tourist authorities will use the fair as an arena for falsely marketing Western Sahara as a tourist destination within Morocco. The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara demands that Norwegian Trade Fairs forbids the Moroccan marketing of its neighbouring country.
Published 17 January 2008
The organisers behind Norway's most significant travel fair have demanded that Moroccan tourism authorities halt the marketing of the occupied Western Sahara in this weekend's "Travel Fair 2008". The fair, taking place just outside Oslo this weekend expects some 40.000 visitors.
Read also: Stop the propaganda!
Read also: Stop the propaganda!
Published 12 January 2008
A resolution adopted by the Executive Board of the Norwegian Centre Party on January 10th 2008, demands the recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. The Centre Party is one of 3 parties in the Norwegian Government.
Published 11 January 2008
Published 05 January 2008
Human Rights Watch said on Friday Morocco must investigate what it said was the beating of two leading human rights activists in Western Sahara and expressed concern it could be part of mass rights abuses there. Reuters, 27 Dec 2007.
Published 29 December 2007
25th of December was a violent day in El Aaiun.
Published 27 December 2007
Pentagon announced on December 18th that the US will do a major sales of war material to Morocco. The agreement entails sales of 24 F-16 combat aircrafts, at a value of 2400 million dollars, as well as 24 T-6B Texan training aircrafts for 140 million. "An important force for political stability and economic progress in North Africa", they state about Morocco.
Published 24 December 2007
An international network organisation working in solidarity with the Sahrawi people, Western Sahara Resource Watch, has swiftly reacted to reports that a subsidiary of the Libyan state oil company [Tamoil] is on the verge of investing between US $100 and $150 million in the occupied Western Sahara.
Published 20 December 2007
Fertiliser company Incitec Pivot will not be rushed into making a takeover bid for explosives manufacturer Dyno Nobel, despite the target company shelving costly expansion plans and releasing forecasts for a cost-cutting program to boost annual pre-tax earnings by $61 million.
Published 20 December 2007
An African invasion has repercussion in Australia, writes Ben Cubby.
Read also: Incitec optimistic about outlook
Read also: Incitec in no hurry over Dyno
Read also: Incitec optimistic about outlook
Read also: Incitec in no hurry over Dyno
Published 20 December 2007
The chief executive of fertiliser maker Incitec Pivot Ltd, Julian Segal, says he is cautiously optimistic about the outlook for earnings in the current financial year.
Published 20 December 2007
The General Assembly of Australian phospahte importer Incitec Pivot, 20 December 2007, was visited by a dead camel and angry protesters.
Published 20 December 2007
According to Moroccan press reports this week-end, a subsidiary of the Libyan state oil company Tamoil will invest 100 to 150 million dollars in occupied Western Sahara. "If this is true, it would mean a serious betrayal of the Sahrawi people's legitimate struggle against occupation", says Western Sahara Resource Watch, an international network organisation working in solidarity with the Sahrawi people.
Read also: Protest over Sahrawi oil deal
Read also: Protest over Sahrawi oil deal
Published 16 December 2007
Libyan state oil company could be looking for oil in occupied Western Sahara. Check some news clips here.
Published 16 December 2007
The Norwegian-Moroccan joint-venture, Sjovik Morocco AS, announced losses of between NOK 40 and 50 million (EUR 5.0-6.3 million) last year. The company has established a processing factory in Zone Industrielle Hay Essalam in the West Saharan coastal city of Dakhla, and is owner of the Norwegian-built purse seiner Midøy Dakhla-1 (ex-Midøy Viking) currently in operation. FIS, 3 Sept 2007.
Published 15 December 2007
During the week-end of 7-9 December the National Board of the Christian Democrat Youth in Norway passed a resolution demanding recognition of the Western Saharan Republic.
Published 14 December 2007
Kosmos Energy has been named "Explorer of the Year" by the World Junior Oil & Gas Congress. Nobody mentioned it is operating illegally in occupied waters offshore Western Sahara.
Published 13 December 2007