Western Sahara Envoy calls for more international support
Mr Oubt Bachir, Western Sahara Ambassador to Ghana and Nigeria, has appealed to the international community to put pressure on the Kingdom of Morocco to desist from hindering the organisation of a United nations backed referendum in Western Sahara.
The referendum if allowed to take place in conformity with the UN and AU resolutions, would enable the Saharawis to decide whether to be ruled by Morocco or opt for self determination and independence.
The Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until the 1960s when it handed over the administration of the colony to Morocco after its decision to move out the ‘country’.
Since then, the Saharawis had been fighting for self-determination and independence with little result. It remains Africa’s last colony.
Mr Bachir who was speaking on Thursday during the inauguration of the Interim Steering committee of the Ghana Chapter of the Western Sahara Solidarity Movement, also expressed concern about the human rights abuses and atrocities committed by the Moroccan forces occupying Western Sahara.
“We will appeal to the United nations Mission in Western Sahara to extend its mandate to the protection of the human rights situation of the people”, he added.
He blamed Spain for the establishment of a de facto administration in the country thereby slowing down the process of self determination.
“We would also wish to voice our concern about the support that France, a member of the UN Security Council has been giving to Morocco thereby making our process to self determination difficult,” he explained.
He expressed his appreciation to Ghanaians for their support towards the Saharawi cause and helping to bring into reality Kwame Nkrumah’s dream of one liberated African continent.
Mr Akoto Ampaw, a lawyer and Chairman of the nine member executive committee, was full of appreciation for the support the Saharawis were enjoying among African countries and called for self-determination for Africa’s last colony.
He said the interim committee would work to ensure that issues pertaining to Western Sahara’s fight for freedom were discussed as well as appeal to government to intensify its support for the Saharawi cause.
“We will generally be in charge of all other issues pertaining to the fight for self-determination and freedom by the Saharawi people”, he added.
The committee is made up of representatives from the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS).
Source: GNA