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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
The fertilizer company Yara remains under investigation by Norwegian police after having purchased a shipload of phosphates from occupied Western Sahara.
The Executive Board of The Liberal Party of Norway demands that Western Sahara be excluded from EU's cooperation with Morocco.
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.
Press release from the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara, 6 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.
Sahrawi human rights defender Aminatou Haidar is awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award 2008.
Clips taken in May 2008 at the Agadir university.
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.
"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.
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,
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.
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”.
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.
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs last year started supporting this important mine clearing programme in Western Sahara.
Check out this new photo taken of a section of the Moroccan fortification structure extending all through Western Sahara.
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.
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.
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.
Sahrawis in Norway are asking Bergen-owned Gearbulk shipping company to stop trading with Western Sahara. They believe such trade maintains the brutal occupation.
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.
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.
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
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
In violation of international recommendations, 15.000 tonnes of phosphates have been transported from Western Sahara to Colombia.
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.
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.
A number of Saharawi students were injured when Moroccan police stormed into student homes in Marrakech.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Last week, Haddi Yarba, a Sociology student was struck on the head with a stone. Now he has problems finding the words.
Local authorities in South Morocco considers French Claude Mangin, the lady on the left, a threat to public order.
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).
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.
Amnesty International demands investigation of torture allegations against Enaama Asfari
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.
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.
The Sahrawi students in Marrakech are under attack from armed Moroccan gangs. See fresh videos of peaceful demonstrations and victims.
Sahrawi students at the University of Marrakech, Moroccco, are subjected to assault and chasing by armed gangs, according to human rights NGO, CODESA.
Sahrawi human rights defender Naama Asfari has today been before a court in in Marrakech.
Yarba had the incorrect opinions when he arrived El Aaiun airport, but managed to get 4 minutes with his family.
Read the report on the international trade union delegation to occupied Western Sahara from 17th to 22nd of February 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.
The leader of Liberal Youth Norway, Anne Solsvik, reacts strongly to the Grimstad firm Finsam operating in Western Sahara. Agderposten, 12 March 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.
A new publication has just been published by the Norwegian Refugee Council. Order here.
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.
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.
The Sahrawi human rights association ASVDH has started a campaign for the immediate release of their imprisoned general secretary, Brahim Sabbar.
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.
Jinhui Shipping said Wednesday that it will take into consideration the analysis of Norwegian authorities regarding avoiding trade with phosphates from Western Sahara.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Said Mustafa El Baillal (29), studying for a Doctorate in Social Sciences, has received a severe prison sentence.
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.
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.
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!
And says it has no plans to invest there.
Read also: Libyan state oil company in Western Sahara meets international protest
25th of December was a violent day in El Aaiun.
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.
Read also: Incitec optimistic about outlook
Read also: Incitec in no hurry over Dyno
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
Libyan state oil company could be looking for oil in occupied Western Sahara. Check some news clips here.
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.
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.