• Western Sahara is an issue of decolonization on the agenda of decolonisation committee of the United Nations since the early sixties of the last century.
• Since 1975, its decolonization and independence were interrupted by Morocco’s military aggression.
Image: EMBASSY
Within the framework of the right to reply, the Star last week published an article by the Moroccan ambassador to Kenya, Dr Mukhtar Ghambou, under the title "Cessationalist Movements, the threat of separatism in Africa".
In my capacity as the Sahrawi ambassador in Kenya, I am submitting to you this response.
It’s sad to waste the talent of Yale professor by transforming himself into a bard singing and praising the injustice, falsifying history and the principles of international law.
Western Sahara is an issue of decolonization on the agenda of the decolonisation committee of the United Nations since the early sixties of the last century.
Since 1975, its decolonization and independence were interrupted by Morocco’s military aggression.
No wonder that the United Nation and the African Union are sending a peacekeeping mission to safeguard the principle of self-determination and the sacrosanct principle of the borders inherited from the colonial era.
Military onslaught and aggression should never be a legitimate occupation.
For the international community and particularly for Africa, West Sahara is the last colony in the continent and the UNGA identified Morocco as an occupying force in its resolutions 34/37 of 1979, and 35/19 of 1980.
Since 1991 the UN and the AU are immersed on behalf of the international community to end the conflict and safeguard the right of self-determination of the Sahrawi people.
It’s comprehensible that the UN and the AU are spending time and resources to dismember the legitimate territory of the peace-loving kingdom of Morocco? Could the illustrious professor of Yale clarify this riddle to the readers of his incongruent arguments?
Dares the Yale professor to speak to his audience about the “historical claims of Great Morocco”? readers of the prestigious the Star have the right to know that, in addition to Western Sahara, Morocco claims a chimeric empire that encompasses parts of Algeria, half of Mali and the whole Mauritania.
Does the professor consider all those countries separatist?
The public deserves more serious treatment, they deserve information and data that be verified, not just allegation. Morocco’s territorial claims over Western Sahara were examined by the International Court of Justice in 1975 and the verdict of the Court was“…..the materials and information presented to it [the court] do not establish any tie of territorial sovereignty between the territory of Western Sahara and the Kingdom of Morocco or the Mauritanian entity. Thus, the court has not found legal ties of such a nature as might affect the application of General Assembly resolution 1514(xv) in the decolonization of Western Sahara and, in particular, of the principle of self -determination through the free and genuine expression of the will of the peoples of the territory”
The dictates of International Legality must be respected
The truth is that Western Sahara has never been part of Morocco, therefore the Sahrawi Liberation Movement FRENTE POLISARIO, in no way can be “separatist”.
Prior to their military invasion of our country in 1975, no proof, whatsoever, of Moroccan presence can be found in Western Sahara. No document, no building, no graveyard, absolutely nothing.
The founding Fathers of our continent organization were wise and farsighted when they enshrined in its charter the respect of the frontiers inherited from colonization.
Morocco must abide by the International Legitimacy and the African Union charter and the UN-OAU Settlement Plan of 1991 that has clear and specific a clear goal, i.e., the holding of a referendum that would enable the Sahrawi people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and independence.
H.E.Bah El Mad is the current Sahrawi Republic Ambassador to the Republic of Kenya