Official statement on Morocco’s blockage of CODESA’s Consitutional Congress

08 Oct 2007 | Statements

El-Ayoune – Western Sahara
October 6th , 2007

ASVDH learned through the media that the Collective of the Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders [CODESA] was deprived of its right to free gathering by the refusal of the Moroccan authorities to receive the notification relating to the constitutional assembly, which was scheduled to be held on Sunday, October 7, 2007, during the meeting of Democratic Confederation of Workers (CDT) in El-Ayoune.

This arbitrary action occurs in the context of the policy practiced by the Moroccan state in the territory of Western Sahara in order to block the appearance of a Sahrawi civil society which could contribute towards a final solution to the conflict between the Polisario Front and Morocco that guarantees the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.

And in this context, we recall what ASVDH endures since its foundation on May 7, 2005, which is that it is still deprived of its right to form an association and three of its members are still in prison, including its Secretary General, Mr. Brahim SABBAR.

ASVDH considers that the arbitrary action of the Moroccan authorities is an obvious violation of Moroccan law as well as of the standards and international charters, while the international community awaits signs of goodwill of the two parts to the conflict to ensure the success of their negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations, and also this arbitrary process is against the allegations of the Moroccan state which claims the consensus of the Sahrawi civil society around its project suggested as solution of the conflict, whereas it continues to prevent this civil society from emerging.

ASVDH, whereas it expresses its unconditional and principled solidarity with the preparatory committee for the Collective of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders, condemns the Moroccan authorities for their refusal to receive the notification of the constitutional conference.

The executive committee
Vice-president: Elghalia DJIMI