DOCSLIB.ORG

Desaparecidos Saharauis

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Desaparecidos Saharauis THE SAHARAN PEOPLES SUPPORT COMMITTEE, USA ISSN 0891-608X UN SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO WESTERN SPANISH SUPPORT COMMITTEE SEEKS SAHARA VISITS REGION IN FEBRUARY 90 INFORMATION ON SAHRAWIS WHO ARE IMPRISONED OR DISAPPEARED Johannes Mann, special representative Human rights activists in Spain to UN Secretary-General Javier Perez associated with Support Committee de Cuellar for the Western Sahara, is activities for the Sahrawi people in that region this month in an ef­ undertook a letter-writing campaign fort to end the apparent stalemate in in September-November 1989 in an the peace process. effort to find large numbers of Sahrawis who have disappeared since Mann, a Swiss citizen, will visit the start of the war between Morocco Morocco, the occupied territory and and the Polisario Front. the free territory of the Western Sahara, and will undoubtedly confer Postcards with pictures of those who with other interested parties to the have disappeared and the dates of conflict as has been done in the their disappearance were mailed to past. Spanish and Moroccan authorities. In an attempt reminiscent of Amnesty In­ Efforts to move forward on the refer­ ternational actions, other support endum of the Sahrawis are seen as groups throughout the world were necessary. With the completion of asked to join in the effort to gain the process of independence for information about those who have Namibia, the Western Sahara remains disappeared. one of the few areas on the docket of the 4th Committee of the UN. Below is a copy of part of the cards sent: UN Secretary-General Perez de Cuellar is working closely with OAU Chairman Hosni Mubarek of Egypt to bring a resolution to the conflict. DESAPARECIDOS SAHARAUIS FEBRUARY 27, 1976 - FEBRUARY 27, 1990 14 YEARS OF THE SAHRAWI ARAB DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC RECOGNIZED OFFICIALLY BY 73 NATIONS MEMBER OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SWISS SUPPORT GROUPS ASSIST SAHRAWIS SWISS AUTHOR DESCRIBES HER SUPPORT WITH SOLAR POWER IN SAHARAN DESERT WORK FOR SAHRAWI REFUGEES IN CAMPS A pilot program with solar power in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria Christiane Perregaux, author of in March 1987 led Genevan technician­ L'Ecole sahraouie: De la caravane a engineer Max Schneider and the Swiss la guerre de liberation, noted in an Support Committee for the Sahrawi interview in August in Algeria that People to undertake a larger project: the Swiss Support Committee was lighting for 25 kindergartens and as created in 1976 and that it has two many dispensaries throughout the branches, one German, the other refugee camps. French. The francophone branch is made up of individuals who contact The project included three aspects: the press, humanitarian groups and 1. Capturing solar energy with the Swiss Confederation. The German­ solar panels, speaking group is made up of several 2. Stocking the energy, associations for assistance: Terre 3. Redistribution of the energy. des Hommes, Entraide ouvriere, etc. She noted that a number of political A 7 1/2 ton container full of light­ parties have also established poli­ ing materials for use with solar cies with regard to the conflict in power left Geneva in July and arrived Western Sahara. in the camps in the beginning of September. Schneider and two members Perregaux's book resulted from her of the Swiss Support Group went to research of several years and her the camps at the same time for the several stays in the camps. installation. Financing of the project is being undertaken by several sources. First of these is the favorable price for the materials due to the project's being within the framework of "North­ South" transfer of technology. The Swedish Red Cross had already sup­ plied about half the cost of the project in September. The European Community, through a non-governmental Belgian organization, has also been asked for funds. The SPSC LETTER is published about four times a year at 217 E. Lehr An important aspect of the project Avenue, Ada, Ohio 45810, USA. has been its learning dimension. During the pilot project Schneider A donation of $5 is requested yearly had instructed three Sahrawi elec­ to cover costs of publication and tricians in solar energy. The work mailing. of formation will continue during the construction of the solar network for Some past issues of the LETTER are the kindergartens and dispensaries. available. Write the above address The Swiss engineer had also studied for information concerning the the actual terrain before designing availabili ty of volumes and numbers. the current project. The SPSC LETTER is in its 10th volume PEACE FOR THE SAHRAWI PEOPLE IN 1990 of publication. PEACE PROCESS FOR WESTERN SAHARA efforts to annex the Western Sahara, CONTINUES DESPITE DIFFICULTIES: the explanation for this stance has WILL 1990 BRING THE REFERENDUM? been "long-term ties with Morocco" (in the same breath one can state An Editorial that the same sort of long-term ties also existed with Tunis and Algiers); "East-West balance" (a concept that As the winds of change touch every seems to be outmoded); links with a continent in this new decade of the "more democratic government"(Morocco) 90's, the question arises as to as opposed as to a less democratic whether the Sahrawis of Western government (Algeria?)? (As a side Sahara will also benefit from this note one must note that Amnesty In­ new spirit of democracy and coopera­ ternational has issued a report that tion growing throughout the world is harshly critical of Morocco's and existing between former enemies. human rights record. The 28-page document asserts that the government In Europe we see the reunification of of King Hassan II has systematically Germany in the offing; multi-party tortured hundreds of prisoners and elections in the Soviet Union and killed others during long periods of throughout Eastern Europe; the with­ detention.) drawal of Soviet forces in Czechoslo­ vakia; the abandonment of the long­ Since the war began between Morocco term parties/leaders by some nations and the Polisario Front in 1975, this in Eastern Europe; disarmament talks writer can recall the numerous between the U.S. and the Soviet Union explanations given her in writing or that might mean major reductions in orally in meetings with u.S. military spending for both nations. officials concerning the need to strengthen Morocco so that North In South Africa it appears that Africa would not be dominated by a apartheid is waning; the ANC is no state with strong ties to the Soviet longer persona (association) non Union. The world that that kind of grata; Nelson Mandela is free. explanation belonged to is apparently Namibia becomes independent in March. dead now, if it even existed in 1975 . In North Africa Algeria has held This long preface is given to under­ multi-party elections; it is streng­ score the longstanding need for the thening long-term ties with the West; u.S . to rethink its North African it is expected that the economy will policy, if it really has one, in become more of a mixed economy than terms of the political realities previously foreseen. which truly exist. It is in the long-term and short-term interests of In Nicaragua the Sandinistas sup­ the U.S., it appears to this writer, ported a multi-party free election. to urge Morocco to fully cooperate It appears there will be an orderly with UN/OAU initiatives for a fair transfer of power. referendum, to withhold all delivery of arms to Morocco and to put a "Strategic interests" explanations moratorium on arms sales to Morocco that have dominated u.S. foreign until the question of Western Sahara policy apologia in the past seem to is resolved; and to vote with the have little or no reference to majority of the UN General Assembly current events . on the Western Sahara issue. In the past when u.S. officials have The U.S. has not been in the fore­ explained support of Morocco in its front of movements for popular democracy in Africa since the days of Senator John Kennedy who called for A: For a long time there wasn't a self-determination for the Algerians. Sahrawi representative in Geneva any The u.S. has followed the lead of more. Today it's become indispen­ European, Asian, North American and sable since the UN and the OAU have South American nations----very launched the peace process, agreed to slowly, and in the view of some in principle by Morocco and the Poli­ observers, rather grudgingly, and sario Front. In addition, the repre­ often only at the behest of outrage sentative for the UN for the peace by ordinary u.S. citizens who believe plan is in Geneva and it is necessary in the American dream of personal to maintain contact with him. This liberty, self-determination, the peace process has raised much hope rights of peoples and equality before which continues with the Sahrawis. the law. Further, since Morocco has repre­ sentation in Geneva, it is necessary In the case of Western Sahara, the that the special representative of U.S. should finally abandon its the UN also find a Sahrawi spokes­ outdated policy of tacit (and actual person in the same city. (At the military) support of Morocco and time of the interview, the special become the advocate for a negotiated representative for the UN was M. settlement of an on-going, troubling Hector Gros Espiel. It is now conflict which ought to be resolved Johannes Manz, also a Swiss citizen.) to help that region lessen its economic difficulties, achieve It is from Geneva that the UN Mission stability, and develop a plausible left in October 1987, and Switzerland "Greater Maghreb." By taking this had offered the airplane which action the u.S.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Refugee Camps and Exile in the Construction of the Saharawi Nation
    Singing like Wood-birds: Refugee Camps and Exile in the Construction of the Saharawi Nation Nicola Cozza Wolfson College Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies Refugee Studies Centre Queen Elizabeth House Faculty of Social Studies University of Oxford Trinity Term 2003 [ttf CONTENTS Acknowledgments viii Glossary of abbreviations and acronyms ix Maps x - xv I - INTRODUCTION 1 'Humanitarian emergencies': the merging of global influences and local processes 4 Saharawi refugees, Polisario camps and social change 7 Methodological considerations 12 Verbal interactions 15 Trust, tribes and bias: assessing interviewees' information 19 Fieldwork and trans-local processes 22 Outline of the following chapters 26 II - THE GENESIS OF WESTERN SAHARA AND OF ITS POST-COLONIAL CONFLICT. AN HISTORICAL ANALYSIS 31 Western Sahara: a geographical overview 32 The birth of the Moors 34 Traditional tribal hierarchies 37 Inter-tribal hierarchies 37 The 'tribe' in Western Sahara 41 The 'ghazi' and social change 43 Spanish colonisation 45 From Spanish colony to Spanish province 48 Identifying Spanish Saharawi and providing goods and services 55 Colonial plans for independence 61 The birth of the Polisario Front 63 The last years of Spanish colonisation in Western Sahara 64 Genesis and development of the armed conflict in Western Sahara 71 III - WHO ARE THE SAHARAWI? THE REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DIMENSIONS OF THE PEACE-PROCESS IN WESTERN SAHARA 78 'Saharawi': blood, land and word-games 79 From the UN to the OAU, and back to the UN 82 The MINURSO and the 1991 UN plan 85 The dispute over voter eligibility 91 The 1974 Census 92 Morocco vs.
    [Show full text]
  • The Polisario Front
    EUROPEAN STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY CENTER (ESISC) THE POLISARIO FRONT CREDIBLE NEGOTIATIONS PARTNER OR AFTER-EFFECT OF THE COLD WAR AND OBSTACLE TO A POLITICAL SOLUTION IN WESTERN SAHARA? Under the leadership of Claude MONIQUET, ESISC President November 2005 METHODOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS Founded in May 2002, the ESISC (European Strategic Intelligence and Security Centre) has taken on, from its inception, the work of observing and analyzing the international terrorism and strategic questions that had been conducted for many years by some of its promoters. The work of the ESISC analysts is based: . On the systematic examination of all the “open sources” (newspapers, magazines, books, etc) available on the questions of terrorism, political violence and strategic problems. On close relations and exchanges with other research centres, in particular in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. On regular meetings with political and military leaders, and members of the intelligence communities. On ad hoc field missions carried out by ESISC researchers or by other experts appointed by them. This systematic approach has enabled the ESISC to create and develop prospective analysis systems, databases (biographical, geographical, thematic and, in terms of terrorism and organized crime, “Perpetrator Group” and “Target Group”) and other instruments that contribute to the permanent evaluation of the tensions, the general threat and the relative threat relating to one or more given targets. This analysis is made available to ESISC’s clients and partners. This report falls within the ESISC’s STUDIES remit. The ESISC further publishes many analysis and synthesis papers that are available on its website: www.esisc.org For all contact: [email protected] This report remains the exclusive property of the ESISC, and any publication other than that expressly envisaged by the law would require prior written permission.
    [Show full text]
  • The Unfinished Referendum Process in Western Sahara
    The Unfinished Referendum Process in Western Sahara By Terhi Lehtinen Terhi Lehtinen is the Programme Officer at the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM), Onze Lieve Vrouweplein 21, 6211 HE Maastricht, The Netherlands; Tel: +31 43 350 2923; Fax: +31 43 350 2902; E-mail [email protected] Abstract The Western Saharan conflict, between Morocco and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario), has constituted a major threat to regional stability in North Africa since the Spanish decolonisation in 1975. The war has cost thousands of lives, with prisoners of war taken on both sides, and forced Morocco to construct a huge fortified wall in the Sahara. The conflicting parties have a fundamental disagreement on the status of Sahara; Morocco claims its marocanity based on the region’s historical ties with Moroccan dynasties. In contrast, the Polisario fights for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination, bolstered by Organization of African Unity (OAU) principles and United Nations (UN) resolutions. However, the underlying dispute concerns the control of the region’s rich phosphate and fish resources. The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (Minurso) has played the major role in the organisation of the referendum for self-determination, delayed several times due to disagreement on the voter identification and registration. In January 2001, the Polisario declared the end of the ceasefire, effective since 1991, due to Morocco’s failure to respect the agreed principles. The political settlement of the dispute remains difficult to achieve and frustration on the ground is increasing.
    [Show full text]
  • Download the Full Report
    HUMAN RIGHTS OFF THE RADAR Human Rights in the Tindouf Refugee Camps WATCH Off the Radar Human Rights in the Tindouf Refugee Camps Copyright © 2014 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-62313-1654 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people worldwide. We scrupulously investigate abuses, expose the facts widely, and pressure those with power to respect rights and secure justice. Human Rights Watch is an independent, international organization that works as part of a vibrant movement to uphold human dignity and advance the cause of human rights for all. Human Rights Watch is an international organization with staff in more than 40 countries, and offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Goma, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Tunis, Washington DC, and Zurich. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.hrw.org OCTOBER 2014 978-1-62313-1654 Off the Radar Human Rights in the Tindouf Refugee Camps Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1 Freedom of Movement .............................................................................................................. 1 Freedom of Speech, Association, and Assembly ....................................................................... 2 The Use of Military Courts to Investigate and Try Civilians .........................................................
    [Show full text]
  • POETRY, MEMORY, and IDENTITY in SAHRAWI COMMUNITIES by Tara Flynn Deubel
    Between Homeland and Exile: Poetry, Memory, and Identity in Sahrawi Communities Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Deubel, Tara Flynn Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 10/10/2021 22:47:24 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/146067 BETWEEN HOMELAND AND EXILE: POETRY, MEMORY, AND IDENTITY IN SAHRAWI COMMUNITIES by Tara Flynn Deubel __________________________ Copyright © Tara Flynn Deubel 2010 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the SCHOOL OF ANTHROPOLOGY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2 0 1 0 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Dissertation Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Tara Flynn Deubel entitled Between Homeland and Exile: Poetry, Memory, and Identity in Sahrawi Communities and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. _______________________________________________________________________ Date: 11/10/09 Thomas K. Park _______________________________________________________________________ Date: 11/10/09 Mamadou A. Baro _______________________________________________________________________ Date: 11/10/09 Ana M. Alonso _______________________________________________________________________ Date: 11/10/09 Anne H. Betteridge _______________________________________________________________________ Date: 11/10/09 Aomar Boum _______________________________________________________________________ Date: 11/10/09 Julia A. Clancy-Smith Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the dissertation to the Graduate College.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights in the Tindouf Refugee Camps WATCH
    HUMAN RIGHTS OFF THE RADAR Human Rights in the Tindouf Refugee Camps WATCH Off the Radar Human Rights in the Tindouf Refugee Camps Copyright © 2014 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-62313-1654 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people worldwide. We scrupulously investigate abuses, expose the facts widely, and pressure those with power to respect rights and secure justice. Human Rights Watch is an independent, international organization that works as part of a vibrant movement to uphold human dignity and advance the cause of human rights for all. Human Rights Watch is an international organization with staff in more than 40 countries, and offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Goma, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Tunis, Washington DC, and Zurich. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.hrw.org OCTOBER 2014 978-1-62313-1654 Off the Radar Human Rights in the Tindouf Refugee Camps Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1 Freedom of Movement .............................................................................................................. 1 Freedom of Speech, Association, and Assembly ....................................................................... 2 The Use of Military Courts to Investigate and Try Civilians .........................................................
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Morocco and Western Sahara, July 9-19, 2018
    Morocco and Western Sahara, July 9-19, 2018 VLADIMIR DINETS Notes: I will summarily refer to both countries as “Morocco” in the introduction, but it doesn’t mean that I recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. See Addendums 1-2 for identification guides to shrews and gerbils of the area. I got very few photos; some of those are in Addendum 3. Morocco is popular among mammalwatchers, and for good reasons. Many of its ~100 species of land mammals are endemic, near-endemic, or easier to find than elsewhere. I managed to see 72 of them (plus two dolphins) in 11 days; a larger team can probably see 80+ in two weeks. The country is reasonably safe (as long as you don’t use roads), beautiful (few other places have so successfully resisted the plague of junk architecture), and friendly (sometimes excessively). There are great trip reports from Morocco, including the pioneering reports by Richard Webb and the excellent recent report by Bebbi Babbler team. I’ll try to avoid too much repetition. Even with so much coverage, some of the best sites, such as the amazing Kef Azigza, are not yet on mammalwatchers’ radar; I’ll describe those sites in more detail. Summer is not the best time to visit Morocco. Daytime temperatures in the desert can reach 51oC, so rocks and tussocks don’t cool until morning, making thermal imagers almost useless. Everything except the highest elevations is very dry. The only advantage is that high mountains are snow-free, but there are no high-elevation endemics among Moroccan mammals.
    [Show full text]
  • ETOP SITREP Update for February, 2016 OFDA/AELGA YTB Page 1
    ETOP UPDATE II-2016 OFDA-AELGA ISSUED MARCH 5, 2016 Emergency Transboundary ACTIONS BEING TAKEN Outbreak Pest (ETOP) Situation Update for February, 2016 with a Mauritania continued survey and Forecast till mid-April control operations treated 1, 214 ha Un résumé en français est inclus in Tiris Zemmour in the northern part of the country during February (5,259 SUMMARY ha treated since the beginning of the current on November 2, 2015). The Desert Locust (SGR1) situation Morocco continued survey in Dakhla continued developing in February in Region - Oued Ed-Dahab, Laayoune- winter breeding areas in northwest Sakia El Hamra and Guelmim-Oued Africa. Morocco and Mauritania Noun as well as Figuig province south controlled 2,255 ha during this month. of the country and treated 1,041 ha Solitary adults were also reported in during February (3,663 ha have been northern Mali and western Algeria rd treated since December 23 ). Two and a few adults and late instar fixed-wing Turbo Thrush spray aircraft hoppers were reported in Temesna, are on stand-by in the Dakhla-Oued Niger. No locusts were reported in Ed-Dahab Region. Chad, Senegal, Libya or Tunisia during this period. FAO and Morocco/CNLAA provided training to Afghanistan and Some scattered solitary adults were Kyrgyzstan staff to improve locust detected in a few places in winter management in CAC and strengthen breeding areas in the central outbreak collaborations among ETOP countries. region in Sudan, Yemen, Saudi The training was carried out from 31 Arabia and northwest Somalia. No January to 17 February and at CNLAA locusts were reported in Djibouti, HQ in Inzegane in Draa Region.
    [Show full text]
  • Cultural Heritage and Conflict: the Threatened Archaeology Of
    Cultural Heritage and Conflict: The Threatened Archaeology of Western Sahara NICK BROOKS Little archaeological research has been conducted in Western Sahara as a result of the territorial conflict between Morocco, which occupies some 80 per cent of the territory, and the Frente Polisario independence movement, which administers the remainder of the territory from the Saharawi refugee camps in southwestern Algeria. While some archaeological studies have been undertaken recently, there has been no recent excavation, or dating of archaeological materials and palaeoenvironmental indicators, and little detailed publication of the archaeology in international journals. This is largely due to problems of access and logistical difficulties resulting from the ongoing political conflict and the security situation in neighbouring Algeria. This article is based on observations made during two seasons of fieldwork in 2002 and 2005 in the Polisario-administered ‘Free Zone’. It provides a brief overview of the archae- ology of the Free Zone, addresses threats to archaeological sites within the context of the mili- tary and political conflict between the Polisario and Morocco, and discusses the wider political relevance of archaeology in Western Sahara. Introduction: Recent Historical Background Western Sahara, formerly known as the Spanish Sahara, has been the subject of a ter- ritorial dispute between Morocco and the indigenous Frente Polisario independence movement since the withdrawal of Spain, the former colonial power, in 1975. Border- ing Morocco, Algeria and Mauritania, Western Sahara has been described as the ‘last colony in Africa’, and its situation has often been compared with that of East Timor before the latter’s recent independence from Indonesia.1 Armed conflict between Morocco and the Frente Polisario2 (hereafter referred to simply as the Polisario) was precipitated when the Moroccan government of King Hassan II sent troops and settlers into Western Sahara during the ‘Green March’ of 1975, on the eve of the Spanish withdrawal.
    [Show full text]
  • Parliamentary Contribution to Resolving the Western Sahara Conflict
    http://assembly.coe.int Doc. 13526 06 June 2014 Parliamentary contribution to resolving the Western Sahara conflict Report1 Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy Rapporteur: Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER, Switzerland, Socialist Group Summary Underlining the need to continue negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations with a view to achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution to the Western Sahara conflict, the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy calls on all parties to show realism and a spirit of compromise in order to move the negotiations forward. It also encourages all member States of the Council of Europe to redouble and join their efforts in the search for a definitive political solution in order to establish lasting security and stability in the Sahel-Saharan region. Despite the progress made by Morocco with regard to diverse questions relating to human rights and democracy, the committee is nevertheless concerned about a number of alleged human rights violations in Western Sahara, as well as the humanitarian situation in the Tindouf camps, and proposes a number of recommendations to be addressed to the Moroccan authorities and to representatives of the Polisario Front and Algeria. In particular, the Parliament of Morocco should be invited to continue to develop a culture of human rights in Western Sahara and to be open to discussions with all representatives of Saharan civil society, as well as with the Polisario Front representatives based in the Tindouf camps, in order to develop mutual confidence and to facilitate negotiations. 1. Reference to committee: Doc. 12603, Reference 3783 of 20 June 2011.
    [Show full text]
  • Researched and Compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Tuesday 13 & Wednesday 14 May 2014
    Algeria - Researched and compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Tuesday 13 & Wednesday 14 May 2014 Information on refugee camps in the Tindouf region including: Current human rights situation; In April 2013 a publication released by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights notes that: …“the UN has failed to resolve the conflict, leaving nearly the entire Sahrawi population, comprised of roughly 500,000 people, without effective human rights protection…The situation is particularly urgent for the more than 125,000 Sahrawi refugees who subsist in what were intended to be temporary camps established near Tindouf, Algeria in 1976” (Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights (18 April 2013) Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights). This report also notes: “Sahrawi refugees have subsisted in isolated refugee camps under extreme conditions for almost four decades. In spite of international efforts to provide more than 125,000 people with the basic necessities of life, conditions in the refugee camps have negative consequences for the physical and psychological integrity of the inhabitants…The delegation observed conditions in the camps that cannot be accepted as part of any permanent standard of living. These conditions include, among others, permanent exposure to extreme heat, limited electricity and sanitation, lack of variety in diet, and very limited career alternatives…The camps are situated in a harsh desert environment that does not allow for farming. The residents are dependent on humanitarian assistance from the World Food Programme, ECHO, AECID, and UNHCR” (Ibid). A document issued in December 2013 by the UNHCR states that the: “…Sahrawi refugees living in five camps in Tindouf are almost totally dependent on humanitarian assistance, as opportunities for income generation are scarce” (UNHCR (1 December 2013) Algeria, p.1).
    [Show full text]
  • Sustainability of Houses in Sahara Martínez Esparza, Carla
    Sustainability of houses in Sahara Martínez Esparza, Carla Anna Consultant: Henrik Kopp VIA University College, Horsens, Denmark Bachelor of Architectural Technology and Construction Management 26th November 2012 SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS BATCoM Bachelor of Architectural Technology and Construction Management DISSERTATION TITLE: “SUSTAINABILITY OF HOUSES IN SAHARA” CONSULTANT: ERIK TOFT AUTHOR: CARLA ANNA MARTINEZ ESPARZA DATE/SIGNATURE: 26/ NOVEMBER/ 2012 VIA Student number: 163843 Number of copies: 2 Number of pages: 66 (2400 characters per page) Number of characters: 57031 Font: Calibri 12 All rights reserved – no part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior permission of the author. NOTE: This dissertation was completed as part of a Bachelor of Architectural Technology and Construction Management degree course – no responsibility is taken for any advice, instruction or conclusion given within! PREFACE This dissertation is part of the final examination for the Bachelor of Architectural Technology and Construction Management Education. The project is proposed as an overall reflection of temporary settlements to resolve the problem of people displaced by situations resulting from natural disasters, armed conflict or otherwise trigger a forced relocation of a large group of people. Nevertheless we used a particular case, a situation of political exile to do it more real. Obtain information has not been too easy; if it considers that the place was going to be temporary. In addition, some data could be different according to sources. ABSTRACT The report contains urban analysis from Algeria refugee camps and solutions to improve its urban organization to reduce as far as possible the level of instability. To be conditioned by climate, resources, materials and habits from the desert.
    [Show full text]