News
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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
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Sahrawi human rights defender Naama Asfari has today been before a court in in Marrakech.

Published 21 April 2008
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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
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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
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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
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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
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A new publication has just been published by the Norwegian Refugee Council. Order here.

Published 28 March 2008
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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2nd of March 2008, a semi-marathon was arranged in Fjaler, north of Bergen, in solidarity with the Sahrawi refugees.
Published 10 March 2008
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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
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Western Sahara's 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Said Mustafa El Baillal (29), studying for a Doctorate in Social Sciences, has received a severe prison sentence. 
 

Published 28 January 2008
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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
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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!

Published 12 January 2008
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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
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Published 05 January 2008
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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
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25th of December was a violent day in El Aaiun.

Published 27 December 2007
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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
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An African invasion has repercussion in Australia, writes Ben Cubby.
Read also: Incitec optimistic about outlook
Read also: Incitec in no hurry over Dyno
Published 20 December 2007
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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
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
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 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
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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

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
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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
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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
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Norwegian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Raymond Johansen, reaffirmed "the steady position" of his country as well as its readiness to "contribute to the success of the negotiations", during a recent meeting he held with POLISARIO Front's Coordinator with the MINURSO, Mhamed Khadad, a Saharawi official
source indicated.
Published 13 December 2007
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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
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When it arrived New Zealand, they claimed Predator came from Port Jasfar in Morocco. It really came form El Aaiun in occupied Western Sahara.
Published 10 December 2007
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A Saudi Arabian bird hunting expedition in occupied Western Sahara is now caught on photo.
Published 11 December 2007
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One of the most important importers of phosphates from occupied Western Sahara is located in New Zealand. Check out their factory here.
Published 10 December 2007
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Norwegian insurance company divests from Australian fertilizer importer over imports from Western Sahara.

Published 03 December 2007
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At its Board Meeting in Vilnius, December 2nd 2007, The European Students' Union (ESU) unanimously voted through a motion calling for the protection of Sahrawi students. ESU is the umbrella organisation of 47 national unions of students from 36 countries. In total, ESU represents today 11 million students all over Europe. 
Read also: Norwegian Student Unions pass resolution on Western Sahara. 
Read also: Students at Ås University declare their support

Published 03 December 2007
The following resolution was adopted at joint national board meeting of The National Union of Students in Norway (Norsk Studentunion, NSU) and the Norwegian Association of Students (Studentenes Landsforbund), held on Nov. 30-Dec. 1 2007.
Published 03 December 2007

Declaration of support to students in Western Sahara, approved at the Student Parliament of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Ås), on November 19th 2007.

Published 03 December 2007
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Morocco is entering new oil contracts with European firms to illegally search for oil in Western Sahara.

Published 28 November 2007
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"Failure to recognise the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic would constitute a grave and unacceptable betrayal of our own struggle, of the solidarity Morocco extended to Mandela and the liberation movement, and our commitment to respect the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitutive Act of the African Union", said the South African ambassador to Norway at a seminar in Oslo. Read his speach, delivered at the University of Oslo, 20 November 2007.

Published 28 November 2007
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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.

Published 25 November 2007

Sahrawi student Elkouria Amidane interviewed on the popular radio show Osenbanden, on Norwegian national broadcaster, NRK P3, 21 November 2007. Hear the interview here.

Published 22 November 2007
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The national board meeting of Young Conservatives demands respect for human rights in occupied Western Sahara, along with a widening of the UN forces mandate, increased financial aid, and recognition by Norway of the Western Sahara Republic.

Published 20 November 2007
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The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs brushes aside debating the legal status of Western Sahara, while at the same time rhetorical statements made by the Ministry show a changing viewpoint. Only a week ago, the Ministry was adamant that the Western Sahara should be viewed as annexed, while now they talk about "the situation in the area". A rather odd statement can be read here.

Published 19 November 2007
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Successful seminar at Red Cross Nordic United World College in Norway.

Published 18 November 2007
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Elkouria Amidane's mother, and her two sisters, aged 14 and 24, have been released from police custody. "I called my Mother today. She could hardly speak. She had screamed so much during the interrogation that her voice was failing."

Published 12 November 2007
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Mother and two sisters arrested.

Published 09 November 2007

Update Saturday 12:15 GMT
The aunt and grandmother of Elkouria Amidane are now reported to be in safety. Friday night the Moroccan police were at their door. The two managed to escape in last minute. 

For more information, please call Jørn Henriksen +47 95161741.

Published 09 November 2007
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More than 60 people gathered today in a demonstration in front of the Moroccan embassy in Oslo, Norway, calling for the respect of human rights in Western Sahara. 
Read also: Amidane's closest family is arrested
Read also: "My aunt and grandmother are safe"

Published 10 November 2007
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Says to Norwegian national broadcaster they did not know of the conflict -and that they will never trade with Western Sahara again.

Published 09 November 2007
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"We have a dream today to see the rise of our colorful flag and to see freedom reigns in our capital city of El Aaiun in a Free Western Sahara soon." The Sahrawi student Agaila Abba Hemeida spoke to the UN.

Published 07 November 2007

In this interview with Al Jazeera, Nov 2nd 2007, Dumisani Kumalo, South Africa's permanent representative to the UN, criticizes the security council for double standards on Western Sahara and slams Morocco's "powerful friends".

Published 06 November 2007
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Check out photo of the new walls around the university area. Students fear they can no longer stage demonstrations.

Published 31 October 2007
Political prisoner El Ouali Amidane was end of September transferred to a new prison -but he is still not given permission to study.
Published 28 October 2007
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Sahrawi students fear that the end has come for study opportunities in the major cities of Morocco.

Published 28 October 2007
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Through an impressive piece of research, a US blogger this week forced a pro-Moroccan propaganda campaign down on its knees.

Published 28 October 2007
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Senia Bachir Abderahman, who has studied in United World Colleges in Norway for two years, spoke on October 9th for the Fourth Committee in the UN. The Committee treats the world´s remaining decolonisation issues. Read her speech here.

Published 16 October 2007
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The brilliant short movie "Children of the Clouds" gives an extraordinary feeling on how it must be for a youth in a country with more police and security forces than civilians.

Published 07 October 2007
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Sahrawi students suffer under occupation. The ones who are imprisoned, are refused their right to study. Protest here!

Published 21 September 2007
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"The UN must widen, without delay, the prerogatives of the MINURSO", said Daha Rahmouni, member of the Sahrawi human rights organisation ASVDH at the UN UN Human Rights Council in Geneva this week. Rahmouni demands that the MINURSO also should work for the protection of human rights in occupied Western Sahara.

Published 29 September 2007
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Members of parliament protesting in front of Incitec Pivot offices, importer of phosphate from occupied Western Sahara.

Published 25 September 2007

Read the statement here, published on the Norwegian government's homepages September 12th, 2007.

Published 24 September 2007
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"Morocco has no right to exploit the natural resources in Western Sahara for its own benefit", said Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Bildt, in parliament this week.

Published 20 September 2007
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The political prisoner El Ouali Amidane applied to be transferred to a prison in Agadir, in order to pursue his studies. The demand was turned down by the prison authorities. Yesterday he started a hunger strike, demanding his right to study.
Read also: El Ouali transferred -but to wrong prison

Published 18 September 2007
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Wednesday afternoon, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign affairs publicized on their webpages an announcement that they discourage Norwegian businesses from operating in Western Sahara. The statement was made at the same time as another Norwegian vessel was discovered transporting phosphates to New Zealand. See Norwatch films of the Norwegian phosphate exports, taken in New Zealand Wednesday.

Published 18 September 2007
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Support a good cause.
Published 13 September 2007
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Once more, it is revealed that the Norwegian owned but UK- based company Gearbulk is assisting the Moroccan occupying power in exporting phosphates from Western Sahara. One of their bulk transport vessels arrives New Zealand on September 9th. -This is war profiteering, says the Association of Sahrawis in Norway in a press release today.

Published 04 September 2007

Representatives of Western Sahara's Polisario Front (the Saharawi liberation movement) and the Moroccan government met in Manhasset, New York, on August 10 and 11 with a view to "achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara" - the words of UN Security Council's Resolution 1754, adopted on April 30.

Published 25 August 2007
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Read the testimony of Tarruzi Yehdih, a Sahrawi human rights activist and former political prisoner. Yehdih was released on July 14th, 2007 from the Black Prison in El Aaiún, Western Sahara.

Published 25 August 2007
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Arrested in the Moroccan- occupied Western Sahara. Aftenposten/NTB, 21 August 2007.
Published 21 August 2007
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“Someone must stop these terrible violations of human rights against my people.” This summer the Sahrawi student Elkouria Amidane visited Norway. She came to tell her side of the story about what is happening in the occupied territory of Western Sahara. Through demonstrations and protests against Moroccan authorities, and her fight for the freedom of a people, she has endured both torture and persecution.

Published 23 August 2007
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...The case of Western Sahara. 
Article published by Dr. Juris (PhD) Hans Morten Haugen, University of Oslo in Law, Environment and Development Journal.

Published 17 August 2007
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Written by Agaila Abba Hemeida, this poem is dedicated to all the Saharawi children, especially the children who lost their fathers in the war for the freedom of Western Sahara. Agaila has lived and studied in the US for the last 6 years.

Published 13 August 2007
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The student Elkouria Amidane from Western Sahara visited Norway from July 20th to August 6th 2007.

Published 06 August 2007
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It's a fair bet that few New Zealanders will ever have heard of Western Sahara or the Saharawi people who inhabit this territory. We have no obvious connection to the area and the most we could say is that from its name we'd expect to find it on the west coast of North Africa.
Published 03 August 2007

Norwegian-Japanese owned company Gearbulk transports phosphates from occupied Western Sahara to New Zealand. Check out Norwatch video documenting the illegal exports.

Published 27 July 2007
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A visiting journalist from Western Sahara today appealed for support from New Zealand to block trade supporting the military occupation of his country by Morocco. Pacific Media Centre, New Zealand, 23 July 2007.

Published 26 July 2007
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The Sahrawi human rights activist, Aminatu Haidar, has won the Silver Rose Award.
Published 24 July 2007
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Members of parliaments in Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand and at home in Norway are not at all happy with shipowning firm Gearbulk. Aftenposten, 29 June 2007.

Published 09 July 2007
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Is it a toilet? Is it Island Oil & Gas office? Is it both? Judge yourself.

Published 04 July 2007
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PRESS RELEASE: 06/29/2007. This morning, parliamentarians from the UK, Norway, New Zealand and Japan sent a letter to the London-based shipping company Gearbulk. The company profits from the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara.

Published 29 June 2007
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Hear Polisario's representative to the UN, Mr. Ahmed Boukhari, and Chairman of the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara, Mr. Ronny Hansen, interviewed on South African radio June 28th, 2007.

Published 01 July 2007
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Carlos Ruiz Miguel analyses the Moroccan plan for Western Sahara. First published on the Grupos de Estudios Estratégicos, www.gees.org.

Published 01 July 2007
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Norwegian diplomats want bulkers to stop loading phosphate in Western Sahara but their jawbones are their only weapon. 
 

Published 28 June 2007
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Gearbulk, a company partially owned by the Jebsen family, ships phosphates from Western Sahara on behalf of the Moroccan occupying authorities. Norwatch can reveal that a Jebsen vessel docks Tuesday in a harbour in New Zealand. This trade is contradictory to discouragement from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Published 27 June 2007
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The Jebsen owned company Gearbulk is transporting phosphates from occupied Western Sahara, and ignoring the advises from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to not carry out trade with the country.

Published 26 June 2007
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June 20th, workers at the phosphate mines in Western Sahara planned a demonstration in front of the offices of their employers. But before they managed to get started, they were stopped by Moroccan police.
Published 21 June 2007