Western Sahara

On W. Sahara, Council Word Games Trigger 15-0 Vote

Matthew Russell Lee, Inner City Press

UNITED NATIONS, April 30 -- After hours of wrangling over Western Sahara, the UN Security Council past five o'clock on Friday passed a resolution for the annual extension of the mandate of the MINURSO mission there, without the contentious phrase "human rights" being included.

As Inner City Press reported throughout the day, in the Council's consultations room France and its former colony Gabon drew a line in the sand on Western Sahara . Hovering outside the consultations was Morocco 's ambassador, as well as a representative of the Polisario Front. After twists and turns, posturing and the calling of bluffs, a compromise was reached and voted on.

There were only three changes to the draft resolution issued by the so-called Group of Friends, made up of France, the US, Russia, UK and Spain. The euphemism "human dimension" wasn't changed, but a reference to the roles of the UN system was added, which some argued meant human rights.

The word "reaffirms" was added to the first paragraph -- very tough -- and the word "existing" was added near the end. That was it, but it was enough for Uganda and Nigeria , and also Mexico , to remove their threats to abstain.

Inside the consultations, Inner City Press is told, Austria 's Ambassador wondered out loud how France , so important in forming the concept of human rights, could be so vehemently opposing the inclusion of the term in the Western Sahara resolution. French Ambassador Araud responded angrily that no one can teach human rights lessons to France . Whereupon the Chinese representative slyly said he was glad that Chinese was no longer alone in its position on -- and against - human rights being considered in the Council.

European Commission out of Step

"Since Morocco does not exercise internationally recognised sovereignty over Western Sahara, Western Sahara is not seen as a part of Morocco �s territory in relation to this agreement. The Free Trade Agreement is thus not applicable to goods from Western Sahara ", stated Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jonas Gahr Store, 11 May 2010.

"It is Norwegian policy that one when interpreting the territory application of Free Trade Agreements, take the relevant states� internationally recognised borders as a point of departure. The Free Trade Agreement between EFTA and Israel is thus not applicable to produce with origin in the Israeli settlements on the West Bank . Similarly, the Free Trade Agreement between EFTA and Morocco is not applicable for Western Sahara ."

The clarification from the Minister follows an import scandal that has been unrolled in Norwegian media over the last weeks, involving the president of the Norwegian business association, millions of euros in tax evasions, ministers and refugees. As a result of the affair, it has become clear that the practice of EFTA is in stark contrast to the policy fronted by the European Commission on trade with goods from occupied Western Sahara .

http://www.vest-sahara.no/index.php?parse_news=single&cat=49&art=1506

Do you reckon he'd go ballistic if we wished him a Merry Christmas?

Anyway, here is the UN take on the situation  Sounds like it's about to boil over.  Exactly who is proposing an "autonomy plan" and how far does it go?

The Waiwhetu-Lower Hutt Peace Group is having a public meeting on the issue of self-determination for the last colony in Africa, Western Sahara. Highlighting the links of this relatively obscure issue to New Zealand. Tuesday the 10th of March at 7.30pm. At the Waiwhetu Uniting Church, 6 Trafalgar Street, Waiwhetu (corner of Trafalgar St. and Grenville St.)

Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) invites you to the international launch of a new report on global purchases of phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara.

The report places New Zealand as the third largest recipient last year in a highly controversial trade. The imports from Western Sahara contributes to the financing of the occupation of Western Sahara. The territory is under Moroccan occupation, and is defined by the UN as the last colony on the African continent.

Half the people have fled the territory following the Moroccan invasion. The amount these refugees receive in international humanitarian aid equals the value of the phosphates plundered from the territory and sold by the Moroccan government to companies in New Zealand, the report reveals.

Erik Hagen from Norway, Chair of Western Sahara Resource Watch, will present the findings of the report.

WSRW is a Brussels based association, working from over 40 countries in solidarity with the people of Western Sahara. http://www.wsrw.org/

The meeting will be in the Common Room at Saint Andrews on the Terrace at 10.00am Monday March the 16th. We look forward to seeing you there.

Finally we got the issue on television...  on a night when the Cricket World Cup Final was on.

Human rights violation: NZ companies under fire for fertiliser imports

http://www.westernsahara-referendum.org/?section=2&lang=en

Will sign when I get home.

"Oil companies such as Total which have explored for off and on-shore oil fields are facing growing local and international criticism, as are companies that import Western Sahara’s minerals, including its massive phosphate deposits. United States, Canadian and Australian miners have all been blacklisted by Scandinavian pension firms"  Source:

Yet here in NZ we get no response at all. We invited all sorts of media to an event in Wellington last year. Not a single one turned up.
Though this did happen, after being rescheduled, but got shown the night that the Cricket World Cup final was on... no contest!

MFAT, Ballance, Ravensdown and Fertliser NZ just ignore us. We have met face to face with them all. They all claim to have a legal opinion that justifies that supports their position on NZ imports of phosphate. In MFAT's case even the OIA hasn't helped.

At the UN, where NZ has a UNSC seat, NZ would not support the inclusion of a HUMAN RIGHTS monitoring mandate in the UN's mission in Western Sahara. 

As long as NZ can keep its pastures green....