On the day of the 50th anniversary of the Moroccan invasion of Western Sahara, the Security Council betrayed the Saharawi and their founding ethos. They broke with their historic commitment to a referendum on self determination and the aim of decolonisation of Western Sahara. The Security Council adopted a resolution to renew MINURSO's mandate (UN operation on Western Sahara), which creates a paradox. MINURSO was renewed again for a year, keeping lines on a mutually accepted solution that provides self determination and not recognising Moroccan sovereignty. However the amendment then calls for the Moroccan autonomy plan to be considered and used as a framework. This does not provide self determination and will not be mutually accepted. This amendment was unsurprisingly submitted by the United States, as Donald Trump seeks to curtail to Moroccan influence to “solve another conflict”, all to further his ego and not even considering the brutal occupation, the international illegality and the lives and wishes of the Saharawi people. To read further on this please see this article published by the Norwegian Support Committee on Western Sahara.

 

You can also help, we need to apply pressure the foreign office and the Labour Party to explain what this autonomy plan means and how they can accept the brutal occupation and repression of the Saharawi. This betrayal by the United Kingdom which supported the amendment is even more insulting considering the links the Labour Party had. The Polisario Front, the democratically elected government in exile of the Saharawi, are a sister party of the Labour Party, both belonging to the same Socialist International. How have Labour done this?

 

Please help us and take action here. If you haven't done so already please also sign and share our petition.