News

Press release from the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara, 6 November 2008.

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
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Sahrawi human rights defender Aminatou Haidar is awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award 2008.

Published 17 September 2008
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The program for the Sahara Marathon 2009 edition is ready.
Published 09 September 2008

Clips taken in May 2008 at the Agadir university.

Published 03 September 2008
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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

"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
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The Bergen-owned shipping company Gearbulk is participating in the plunder of Western Sahara and is contributing to maintaining the occupation of “Africa's last colony”. Read op-ed in the Norwegian newspaper Bergens Tidende, 29 June 2008, 

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
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In approximately 30 years, as production from the world's phosphate rock reserves reaches a maximum, Western Sahara's geopolitical importance will become even more important. Australian researcher Dana Cordell investigates “peak phosphorus”.

Published 22 July 2008
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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
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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
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"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
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Check out this new photo taken of a section of the Moroccan fortification structure extending all through Western Sahara.

Published 21 June 2008
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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
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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
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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
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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: 
 

Published 02 June 2008
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The Norwegian shipping company R-Bulk apologizes that one of their vessels has transported phosphates from Western Sahara, and say they will do their utmost to prevent it from happening again.

Read also: Japanese shipping company behind transport from Western Sahara

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

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
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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
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A number of Saharawi students were injured when Moroccan police stormed into student homes in Marrakech.

Published 28 May 2008
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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
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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
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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
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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 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
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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
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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

Published 07 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
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"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
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Local authorities in South Morocco considers French Claude Mangin, the lady on the left, a threat to public order.

Published 28 April 2008
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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
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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

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

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
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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
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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

The Sahrawi students in Marrakech are under attack from armed Moroccan gangs. See fresh videos of peaceful demonstrations and victims.

Published 24 April 2008
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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
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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