Mensenrechtencommissie EP veroordeelt Marokkaanse omgang met Westelijke Sahara (en)

Monitoring of human rights and compliance with international law are needed in the Western Sahara, said Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs at meetings with Polisario Front and Moroccan government leaders on Wednesday. MEPs also called for fact-finding missions to the region.

Polisario Front representative Mohamed Salem Ould Salek and Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Taïb Fassi-Fihri met Foreign Affairs Committee Members to discuss recent incidents in the Western Saharan city of Laâyoune.

Dismantling of the Gdaim Izik protest camp

The dismantling of the Gdaim Izik protest camp by Moroccan forces on 8 November was "a point of no return, everything has to change now", said Mr Ould Salek, who deplored the "restrictions imposed by the Moroccan forces on the movement of diplomats, foreign embassies, Members of the European Parliament, NGO representatives and journalists".

"According to European intelligence reports, between 500 and 600 people died" during the dismantling of the camp, said Ana Gomes (S&D, PT).

Mr Fassi-Fihri denied this. "The camp was dismantled in a perfectly peaceful manner, and not a single civilian died", he stressed, adding that even though "people talk about an 'Auschwitz style internment camp', and we were accused of assassinating people, yet nobody died".

As to claims that journalists, NGOs and politicians had not had free access to the camp, he concluded that "the truth has been distorted; people were able to enter and exit the camp".

To clarify matters, José Ignacio Salafranca (EPP, ES) suggested that the UN mandate in Western Sahara be extended to include monitoring human rights. Ioannis Kasoulides (EPP, CY) urged Mr Fassi-Fihri to consider bringing in an independent third party committee to monitor the human rights situation in the Western Sahara.

The way to self-determination

Polisario's Ould Salek contended that the Western Sahara is the last colony in Africa and insisted on the need for “a process of self-determination for the Western Sahara with a referendum respecting international law”, similar to what happened in East Timor and Namibia.

Moroccan Foreign Minister Fassi-Fihri observed that "a referendum is not a panacea", adding that "self-determination needs to be found by way of political negotiation", and that "Morocco has to be part of any solution found in this issue".

Willy Meyer (GUE/NGL, ES) called Morocco an "occupying force" in the Western Sahara and urged Rabat to respect international law and "release all illegally-detained political prisoners". Mr Fassi-Fihri objected to the use of the word "occupation", saying "you will not find this word in any UN resolution since 1980",  and adding that no UN Security Council resolution has called for a "referendum" in Western Sahara since 2004.

Whose natural resources?

Mr Ould Salek expressed concern over the inclusion of Western Sahara waters in the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement, which is to be renewed in February 2011, and requires Parliament's consent. "Morocco has no legal basis for exploiting these waters", he said, calling on MEPs "to act as the EU's conscience" and take the opportunity to push for Western Saharan waters to be excluded from the agreement.

Mr Fassi-Fihri observed that the Western Sahara "is a poor territory" and that it provides only 1% of (Morocco's) national resources. He added that fisheries "can flourish only thanks to public and private investment" and asked "do you want the local population to be further punished?".

Raül Romeva (Greens/EFA, ES) agreed that Morocco has no legal right to exploit Western Sahara's waters, and urged that they be excluded from the future EU fisheries agreements with Morocco.

EP delegation to Western Sahara

Chair of the EP Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union, Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D, IT), proposed sending a European Parliament delegation to Laâyoune. "We want an open dialogue with Morocco because it is an important partner for the EU", he said.

European Parliament resolution

Mr Fassi-Fihri stated that the European Parliament's 25 November resolution on the situation in Western Sahara "ignores a certain number of facts, such as the presence of credible NGOs and journalists on the ground", and Molotov cocktails and machetes used against Moroccan forces. He considered the resolution "unfair and unbalanced" and said that "Moroccan people feel wounded by it".

Mr Ould Salek felt that the resolution "has once again shown that the European Parliament has a clear role as the democratic conscience of the EU".

Several MEPs reiterated that the resolution was supported by all political groups. "This is an official text", said Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck (ALDE, BE), adding that "you have the right to your opinion but the legitimacy of this text is above your doubts".

Rachida Dati (EPP, FR) pointed out that there had been "no room for debate before the vote on this resolution".

In the chair : Gabriele ALBERTINI (EPP, IT)