The Saharan Peoples Support COlluni ttee, USA

volume IX, No.1 SPSCJune-September 1988 LETTER ISSN 0891-608X

till/OAU PEACE EFFORTS CONTINUE reaffirming that the solution AS POLISARIO AND MOROCCO MEET of the questi on of Western Sahara lies in the implementa­ August 11 U.N. Secretary-Gen­ tion of AHG/Res 104 "which es­ eral Javier Perez de Cuellar tablishes ways and means for a presented the joint UN/OAU just and definitive politica l peace proposal designed t o end solution to the Western Sahara the long, bitter war in Western conflict," requesting the par­ Sahara to representatives of ties to the conflict, the the two parties to the con­ Kingdom of Morocco and the flict, the Kingdom of Morocco Frente Popular para la Libera­ and the Polisario Front for t he cion de Saguia el-Hamra y de Liberation of Saguia el-Harnra Rio de Oro to undertake direct and Rio de Oro. Separate meet­ negotiations with a view to ings were held with the par-:ies bringing about a cease-fire to wilh the Foreign Minister of create the necessary condi­ Mali, Modibo Keita, present as tions for a peaceful and fair special envoy of President referendum for self-determina­ Moussa Traore, current chairman tion of the people of Western of the Organization of African Sahara, a referendum without Unity. any administrative or military constraints under the auspices Perez de Cuellar described the of the Organization of African proposal as "a compromise which Unity and the United Nations, will no doubt promote a just and inviting the Chairman of and durable solution of the the OAU and the Secretary-Ge n­ Western Sahara question, under eral of the U. N. to exert ev­ conditions acceptable to the ery effort to persuade the two international community."

The objective of the proposal is to bring about a cease-fire, ·'Atf.m tic followed by a referendum, de­ Ocean termination, in accordance with resolutions of the U.N. General Assembly. Those resolutions include 1514 (XV), 3292 (XXIX), 39/40 and 40/50 which include placing the Western Sahara on the list on non-self-governing territories with the right to self-determination, calling for an advisory opinion by the In­ NIGER ternational Court of Justice, parties to the conflict .... to tween independence for the negotiate, in the shortest territory or acceptance of possible time and in conform- Moroccan sovereignty, and use of the 1974 Spanish census to determine eligibility to vote. The Secretary-General of the U.N. had set September 1 as the proposed deadline for agreement by the two parties to the proposal. Discussions during the month of August ended with both parties agree­ ing to the conditions as out­ F. Po LiS A ~\ a lined in general in the pro­ posal. ity with resolution AHG/ Res 104 (XIX) and the present reso­ Representing the Polisario lution, the terms of a cease­ Front in the meetings in New fire and the modalities for or­ York on August 11 and after ganizing the said referendum. were Bachir Mustapha Sayed, head of the secretariat of the The Secretary-General of the Political Bureau of the Poli­ U.N. and his representatives sario Front, Mohamed Sidati, and the Chairman of the OAU Mouloud Said and Madjid Ab­ (then Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia) douallah. The Morocco dele­ met periodically with represen­ gation was headed by Minister tatives of the Kingdom of Mo­ of Foreign Affairs, Abdelatif rocco and the Polisario Front Filali. from November 1987 to August 1988. Consultation was also It has been reported that the made with Mauritanian and Al­ non-alignen nations will be gerian leaders because of the asked to endorse the peace proximity of those two nations plan at their meeting in to the conflict. Nicosia, Cyprus in September, and, later, to ask the U.N. According to reports, the Au­ General Assembly to approve a gust 1988 proposal does not resolu-tion backing the peace contain a timetable for the plan. It is expected that holding of the referendum, al­ press sure from European though some news reports have nations and the Arab states suggested the close of 1988 as will continue over the months a target date. Among items re­ to corne to ensure the success ported to have been included in of the peace pro-posal so that the proposal were peace negoti­ the suffering undergone by the ations between the two parties, Sahrawi and Moroccan peoples a substantial reduction and over the past thirteen years gradual withdrawal of Moroccan may come to an end and that troops from the territory, the stability in that region of sending of a 2,000 man U.N. northwest Africa might again peacekeeping force and adminis­ return. trative personnel to the region to oversee the referendum, a choice in the referendum be- PUBLICATIONS UPDATE ..... UPDATE of referenda for resolution of conflicts and uses the specific case of Western Sahara to illustrate these SAHRAWI ARAB DEMOCRATIC points. The article is truly REPUBLIC NEWS, SPECIAL NUMBER, interesting now given the Fifteen Years of the Polisario recent agreement of the Front, May 1988, SADR Embassy, Polisario Front and Morocco to E-16, East of Kailash, New the UN proposal for a Delhi, India, June 1988, 25 pp. referendum. This document published by the "AROUND THE CONTINENT, Polisario Front is valuable ALGERIA-MOROCCO, ACCORD because it highlights major REACHED ," AFRI CA NEWS, May 30, events in the struggle for 1988, p. 8. liberation of the Sahrawi "BITS AND PIECES, ON THE people from 1973 to 1988. It DOCKET," AFRICA NE\-lS, August is a catalog rather than an 8, 1988, p. 12. explanation, but the major events of the war for Both articles are brief but independence which includes the contents reflect the political activities as well as careful covering of the issue armed struggle activities, are of Western Sahara by AFRICA all here. Also included are a NEWS since 1976. number of photographs, the Manifesto of the Polisario THE UNITED STATES, MOROCCO AND Front and a general evaluation THE WESTERN SAHARA, John M. of activities. Zindar, Research Analyst, The Center for Defense Information "BUILDING A PEACEABLE KINGDOM for Testimony before the UN IN WARTIME," Stephen Zunes, Special Committee on the Situ­ FRIENDS JOURNAL, July 1988, ation wit~ regard to the im­ Volume 34, No.7, pp. 22-25. plementation of the declara­ tion on the granting of inde­ The article by Zunes, an pendence to colonial countries instructor in the Department of and peoples, August 9, 1988, Politics at Ithaca College, 17 pp. describes his visit in 1987 to the Western Sahara and to the The statement is interesting refugee camps of the Sahrawis. particularly in view of the The close of the article fact that it comes from an includes reference to an analyst with the Center for earlier article by Elise Defense Information, a non­ Boulding in Fellowship and profit, non-partisan, research suggests possible actions by organization, founded and the Friends. directed by retired officers of the U.S. military. Zindar "A PLEBISCITE IN THE WESTERN notes that he trained officers SAHARA?", Anthony Pazzanita, of the Moroccan Royal Armed ACAS BULLETIN, Summer 1988, No. Forces during 1983-85. The 24, pp. 27-30. writer calls for a reassess­ ment of U.S. policy toward The article by Pazzanita, an Morocco and the Western Sahara attorney, describes the process and urges that the U.S. use its leverage with Morocco and scheduled from 8:30-11:00 AM. other appropriate allies to The ASA Annual Meeting is at press for a negotiated settle­ the MCCormick Center Hotel in ment. The major contribution Chicago from October 28-31. of the statement are the tables showing Moroccan arms imports and military expenditures, REPORT OF THE EUROPEAN u.s. foreign military sales COMMITTEES FOR HELP TO THE agreements, military equipment SAHRAWI PEOPLE, JULY 1988 transfers to Morocco and other u.s. military assistance to European Parliament: Morocco. 1. Because of the actions of the Intergroup, two new re­ DISCUSSIONS OF WESTERN SAHARA porters have been named to al­ CONFLICT TO BE PART OF AFRICAN low the Parliament to review STUDIES ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEET its position on the Western Sahara. On May 18, 1988, at Two panels sponsored by ACAS, Strasbourg, a day of informa­ the Association of Concerned tion, political contact, in­ African Scholars, will be held troduction and a Sahrawi cul­ at the annual meeting of the tural evening were held. A ASA in Chicago this fall. The delegation of European Com ­ first of these, The Western-Sa­ mittees led by the President, hara War at Year Thirteen,Part Pierre Galand, was present in I: The International Framework, force. will have panelists, Teresa K. Smith, Yahya Zoubir and John National Intergroups Formed: Entelis. It is from 9 to 11 AM on Sunday, October 30. The 2. In the past several months second part of the panel will national Parliamentary inter­ concern Regional Impact and In­ groups have been established ternal Developments. Panelists for the following countries: include Smith and Anthony Paz­ Austria, Italy, Greece, Bel­ zanita. gium, Switzerland, Ireland, Sweden and West Germany. Also Two other panels will have being formed are intergroups panelists discussing aspects of for Great Britain, Spain, Hol­ the conflict in Western Sahara. land and France. On Monday , October 31, a panel entitled, Decolonization in Af­ Reception of Sahrawi Children rica, the Unfinished Agenda: Namibia, Western Sahara, Eri­ 3. Reception of Sahrawi chil­ tria, is scheduled from 11 AM dren in summer camps in Euro­ to 1 PM. Discussants include pean countries increased by Amare Tekle, George Shepherd 1/3 in 1988 over 1987. and Berhe Habte-Glorgis. On Friday, October 28, a panel on Publications: Continuity and Change in Afri­ can Women's Organizations will 4. Two dossiers: Violation include a paper by Anne Lippert des .lJroits de l'Homme (Spain) on "Sahrawi Women's Insertion and Accord de Peche (France) in the Liberation Struggle in have been published and are Western Sahara." That panel is available from committees of those countries. other publi­ he noted was that the chicken cations will become available project which is the major soon from other committees. source of prot.ein in the camps Future Activities: is now in full operation. (Polisario sources note that 1. International Conference: illness due to protein defici­ Sahara Occidental: La respon­ ency is now disappearing.) The sabilite europeenne- un defi project, funded by the UN High pour les Parlements d'Eu­ Commissioner for Refugees, is rope- influence du travail par­ a state-of-the-art computer­ lementaire, October 12, 1989, ized and air-conditioned op­ Brussels. eration which provides eggs and chicken to the refugees. 2. Fourteenth European Coord­ inating Meeting: The Canary Is­ During his stay Wilson inter­ lands, October 14-16, 1988. viewed a number of Moroccan prisoners of war who expressed hope that a settlement might BROADCASTS ABOUT THE SADR be reached shortly in the con­ flict. He was accompanied by 1. Journalist Carlos Wilson, Sheila Wilson, M.D., during recently returned from the ref­ this visit. In August 1987 ugee camps of the Sahrawis in Wilson had visited the camps Algeria described his visit on and the Western Sahara, cross­ KPOO Radio, 89.5 FM, San Fran­ ing the sand walls with Poli­ cisco, on August 23, 1988, at sario freedom fighters. This 7:45 PM. Wilson's discussion visit his interest focussed on was a follow-up to an earlier the refugee camps. discussion on June 21, 1988. 2. SPSC LETTER editor Anne Lippert was interviewed by Chip Young, on KFAI Radio in Minne­ apolis on August 31, 1988, on the recent peace venture by the UN and the meaning of the agreement by the Polisario Front and Morocco to the refer­ endum.

JOURNALIST VISITS ALL FOUR CAMPS DURING STAY IN SADR Carlos Wilson, a US journalist who spent 12 days in the Sah­ rawi refugee camps last June, noted in a telephone interview with the SPSC Letter that the Sahrawis in the camps exhibit­ The SPSC LETTER is printed four ed a strong belief in their times a year at 217 E. Lehr cause and themselves. He Avenue, Ada, Ohio 45810, U.S.A. visited all the wilaya during A yearly donation of $5 is re­ his stay. Among developments quested to cover mailing costs. PEACE PROCESS CONTINUES ON Arab Democratic Republic. In March representatives of Algeria, Libya, the SADR, Tunisia and Mauritania met in During the Arab Summit Meeting Ouargla, Algeria, to discuss held in Algiers June 7-10, SADR Saharan economics. SADR dele­ Ambassador to Algeria, Mohamed gate Mohamed Fadhel Ismail, Abdelfettah, attended the Arab who is SADR Minister of Com­ League's opening session and merce, spoke on "For A Better the formal dinner. He was an Struggle Against Desertifi­ invited guest to the closing cation" at the three-day meet­ session as well, but did not ing. attend out of deference to con­ cerns for Arab unity. It was It appears that these efforts reported that Moroccan King at regularization of SADR Hassan boycotted the dinner. participation in Maghribi activities including locust Following the Arab Summit a control and the movement of meeting of five of the Maghrib all parties in the region states (Algeria, Morocco, toward some acceptance of the Libya, Tunisia and Mauritania) idea of the Greater Arab was held with King Fahd of Maghrib have been part of a Saudi Arabia in attendance. long-range goal of bringing Questions of bilateral cooper­ the conflict to an end. The ation between the states were referendum is a logical con­ discussed and a statement was clusion to these efforts. issued expressing the desire of the five states to have the question of the conflict in MOROCCAN/ALGERIAN AGREEMENT Western Sahara resolved. The SPEAKS TO CONFLICT RESOLUTION Financial Times reported August 12 that following the Summit In a joint communique follow­ and the meeting of the five ing reestablishment of diplo­ Maghrib states two weeks of matic relations, President direct negotiations were held Chadli Bendjedid of Algeria between Morocco and Polisario and King Hassan II of Morocco representatives in the Saudi noted that "the two parties Arabian city of Jeddah. The concerned with encouraging the Moroccan delegation included a success of international ef­ member of King Hassan's family. forts undertaken with the view to hastening the process of Part of the peace process seems the good offices (UN/OAU) for to hinge on the development of a just and definitive solution the Greater Maghrib; thus, to the conflict in Western Sa­ movement toward building the hara through a fair and free Greater Arab Maghrib has referendum for self-determina­ accelerated with the reestab­ tion, undertaken in the most lishment of diplomatic rela­ total sincerity and with no tions between Algeria and constraints" .... "have decided Morocco. In the past several upon reestablishing diplomatic months Algeria, Mauritania and relations ..... " Tunisia have gradually develop­ ed closer ties and cooperative In an interview in Le Monde undertakings with the Sahrawi (France) and in El Hawadeth (Lebanon) published following NEWS NOTES: THE SADR AROUND the meeting of the five Maghrib THE WORLD AND IN THE NEWS states, President Chadli Bend­ jedid of Algeria made the fol­ lowing comments on the reestab­ 1. An Arab/African Women's lishment of diplomatic rela­ Conference held in Algiers tions between Morocco and Al­ June 27-29 included Palestin­ geria: ian (PLO), Sahrawi (Polisario Front), Namibian (SWAPO), and "We consider the reestablish­ South African (ANC) women par­ ment of diplomatic relations ticipants. The theme of the with our Moroccan brother to conference was peace and in­ be an important contribution dependence and was hosted by to the establishment of a last­ the National Union of Algerian ing climate for peace, good Women. Among women present neighborliness and cooperation was Oum Jihad, widow of Abou in the Maghrib, a strengthen­ Jihad, the assassinated PLO ing of Arab ranks and an en­ leader. couraging step along the way in the search for a just and 2. An SADR delegation led by definitive solution to the Mohamed Sidati took part as conflict between our brothers observers in the working meet­ of the Kingdom of Morocco and ing of the Socialist Interna­ of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic tional held in Madrid May 11- Republic in the Sahara." 12. The delegation met with several of the delegations to He noted that Algeria will the conference. spare "no effort to help speed up the process for resolving 3. A delegation of the Poli­ the conflict in conformity sario Front headed by Mahfoud with the wishes of Africa, of Ali Beida, member of the Exec­ the international community utive Committee and Minister and with the aspirations of the of Foreign Affairs, took part Moroccan and Sahrawi peoples in the meetings of the Inter­ and brothers." In an interview group Peace in Western Sahara with Paul Balta published July of the Europeah Parliament in 2 in El-Bayane (United Arab Strasbourq May 17-20. A meet­ Emirate), El Djazira (Saudi ing with Michael MacCowen, Arabia) and El Qabas (Kuwait president of the Development and Great Britain), Bendjedid Commission of the European added that "Algeria supports Parliament. focussed on Sahrawi without reservations the good development efforts and pro­ offices of the UN and the OAU grams that might be realized (for the resolution of the with European assistance. conflict) while remaining available to facilitate direct A delegation of Sahrawi women or indirect dialogue between led by Guejmoula Ebbe, head of the two warring parties." He the Sahrawi Women's Union, noted that "the dynamic of visited the European Parlia­ dialogue and of rapprochement ment May 17 and 18 and met which has been established in with women members of Parlia­ the region of the Maghrib will ment of the different Euro­ extend naturally to the two pean parliamentary groups. On protagonists in the conflict." May 18 a series of film docu- mentaries on the struggle of the Sahrawis and their daily life were shown in the Parlia­ ment. 4. At the close of its meet­ celebrated the 15th anniver­ ing in Karlsruhe June 15-18, sary of the beginning of their the socialist youth group of current struggle for indepen­ the Social Democratic Party of dence. Earlier, on May 10, the German Federal Republic they commemorated the 15th adopted a resolution calling anniversary of the Polisario for the recognition of the SADR Front, which held its constit­ by West Germany. uant congress at Ain Bentili under the leadership of 5. Mohamed Abdelaziz, SADR Mohamed El Ouali Assayed President, was in Mali June (Lulei). El Ouali, who was 18-20 for a working visit with killed in battle during the· President General Moussa Tra­ fighting with Mauritania, ore, current president of the appears in image on a number OAU. Ibrahim Hakim, SADR of posters and banners and a Minister of Information,visited number of institutions bear with President Juvenal Habyari­ his name. mana of Rwanda on June 17 and carried a message to that The international press was in president from the SADR pres­ full force for the celebra­ ident concerning bilateral tions on May 20 in the refugee relations between the two camps. The celebration in­ nations. Hakim also visited cluded a milit ary parade with Burundi. Mahfoud Ali Beida, arms captured from the enemy, Foreign Affairs, spoke with battalions of women military Rajiv Ghandi, Prime Minister of personnel, commando units and India on June 17 as well. That male battalions and student meeting was attended by two groups. r ollowing the parade other SADR officials: Ali Habib there were visits to an arms Kentaoui, Ambassador to India, display and visits to tradi­ and Malainine Sedik. tional Sahrawi tents. A num­ ber of speeches were given and 6. El Moudjahid, Algerian the evening activities includ­ daily paper in French carried ed Sahrawi musi c and dance. the full text of the congrat­ ulatory statement by SADR Sadek Zouaten, member of the President Mohamed Abdelaziz on permanent secretariat for the the occasion of the Arab Sum­ FLN led an Algerian delega­ mit meeting. The heading in tion to the celebration. In the June 12 issue read: From his speech he emphasized Al­ the President of the SADR. gerian interest in a just and definitive solution to the conflict, a long-standing goal of that nation, according to SAHRAWI FRIENDS CELEBRATE 15TH Zouaten. Other nations repre­ ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR LIBERATION sented at the celebration were STRUGGLE IN AOUSSERD WILAYA Mali, Madagascar, Mauritania, Libya, India, Cuba, Austria May 20 the Sahrawi people as well as support groups.