Saharawis’ right to self-determination must be respected – Envoy

What is the current situation in Western Sahara?In the last few years, the issue of human rights gained a lot of attention within the general spectrum of the conflict because of the ongoing oppression and systematic violations the Moroccan authorities are committing, on a daily basis, against the Saharawi civilians living in the occupied areas. […]

What is the current situation in Western Sahara?
In the last few years, the issue of human rights gained a lot of attention within the general spectrum of the conflict because of the ongoing oppression and systematic violations the Moroccan authorities are committing, on a daily basis, against the Saharawi civilians living in the occupied areas. The drama, in addition to the suffering of the people, is the fact that all those atrocities are committed, very often, only meters from the United Nations Mission in the territory. MINURSO which unfortunately has no mandate so far to monitor the Human Rights situation due to the joint  Moroccan and French veto inside the UN Security Council. Obviously the right to self-determination through a genuine free and democratic referendum is the main issue at stake in the conflict. And once again, this referendum that was decided and agreed upon by the two parties–Morocco and the Polisario Front under the auspices of the international community since 1991 did not take place until now because of the Moroccan objection to cooperate with the UN to organise it. With the time passing and waiting for the international community to honour its promise to the Saharawi people by organising the referendum of self-determination, the urgent and alarming crisis of human rights violations in the occupied part of the territory is becoming the most visible face of the conflict.  Having said that, I would like to seize this opportunity to commend Nigeria on the tireless efforts deployed inside the UNSC in 2010 and 2011 to make sure, the rights of the Saharawi people and the African Union position are fully respected.
What is the development on the political settlement of the Western Sahara issue?
The mediator who is responsible to broker an agreement between the two parties was not able to move or have any progress because of the denial of Morocco to cooperate on the original plan of the referendum on self-determination. Morocco, officially, still attached to a position that Moroccans themselves don’t believe in anymore which is the offer of autonomy for the territory under Moroccan sovereignty. Needless to say that such proposal belongs to the past now. It has been there since 2007 but nobody buys the offer because it is neither credible nor implementable. Such thought is in contradiction with the legal status of the territory, with the UN and AU resolutions and above all in contradiction with the views and interests of the People of the territory, the Saharawis.
What has been the stand of the Arab world on the issue?  
The Arab League is silent on the issue of Western Sahara. They would always employ a very simple and ‘comfortable’ argument that the issue is on the agenda of the UN and the African Union and they don’t want to interfere in the process. The current Secretary General of the Arab League Mr. Alarabi who is a well renowned diplomat and very knowledgeable on the history of the conflict and its legal nature since his tenure in New York, stated clearly recently that his organisation supports the right of self-determination of the Saharawi people. And, Since the Arab league doesn’t recognise the Moroccan stand on the matter; we have no big complaint about that. To be honest we are not ambitious on getting explicit support from there because of many reasons that you may know.
Apart from the steps taken by the UN, what steps has the AU taken on the issue?                  
The African Union is clear on the matter. Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara is in breach of the founding principle and charter of the organisation and subsequently should be opposed. One of the founding principles of the OAU was the full respect of the inherited borders from the colonial era. Thanks to such rule, African countries avoided entering in open wars with each other. Morocco invaded and occupied the Spanish Sahara, a territory that was subject to a decolonisation process on which Africa have had a position of support and solidarity since 1965.
When Morocco colonised Western Sahara, the majority of African countries decided to recognise the Saharawi Republic as an independent state and later on in 1984 admitted it as a full fledged member. Morocco decided to withdraw in protest and since then is not a member of the African family. Morocco was punished by Africans on the basis of what was perceived as a big insult to all Africans by colonising a sister African country. The AU is present within the UN mission in Western Sahara and is discussing the matter regularly in the executive council meetings and summits.
What effort have your people put in to get the issue resolved apart from that of the international community?
All what we can do is to enhance our struggle for freedom. As you may know, since 1975, the Saharawi people are divided into two parts. One in the occupied cities, the other in the liberated area and the refugee camps. The people in the last part have fought the war against the occupation and forced Morocco to go back to “reason” in 1991 with the signature of the ceasefire and the deployment of the MINURSO to organise the referendum. Their resistance, resilience and bravery are beyond description according to all international observers including the Pentagon which published a book this year on the war and efficiency of the Saharawi army.
What has been Nigeria’s specific contribution in resolving the crisis and what else does your country want Nigeria to do?
Nigeria’s position with regard to the conflict of Western Sahara is something you can understand by reading Nigeria’s own history. It is a country which has been all the time on the side of the oppressed people in Africa. Nigeria was and still one of the most outspoken African countries on African matters in international forums. Nigeria’s recognition of the Sahrawi Republic in 1984 was instrumental to granting the Saharawi Republic full membership in the Organisation of Africa Unity (OAU) by then. That is something the Sahrawis will never forget. Nigeria as a an influential member in the African Union is trying to lobby the international community for a settlement of the conflict in Western Sahara on the basis of the democratic choice of the Sahrawi people. Nigeria was very consistent with the AU’s position and with its own history when sitting at the UN Security Council in 2010 and 2011.
Nigeria together with South Africa played a major role in making the voice of Africa heard inside the UN Security council. Nigeria is doing its best in that regard.  As African brothers, sharing is a key tradition of brotherhood and solidarity. Nigeria is a country with well known credentials in the matter. Nigerian government is exploring on the bilateral and multilateral levels possible means of assistance to alleviate the suffering of the refugees. We are certain of the generosity of Nigeria and Nigerian people. We have been working last years on organising visits of some Nigerian delegations to Western Sahara. We want our peoples to get to know each other to learn from each other. That is what matters the most.