South America : Human rights group expresses concerns about Polisario actions

During a meeting in Santiago, Chile on April 20, the Human Rights Without Borders collective, composed of NGOs from several countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), adopted a motion regarding Western Sahara.

The motion, presented by the Saharawi Association for the Defense of Human Rights, expressed concerns about actions taken by the Polisario Front. A statement sent to Yabiladi reads: «The Polisario Front, an armed organization, continues to act in ways that restrict the movement of the Saharawi population living in the camps near Tindouf, Algeria. These conditions raise human rights concerns».

«The collective also considers the Polisario Front to be a factor of instability in the North African region», the statement added.

On the other hand, the meeting participants welcomed the Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara, acknowledging that it «grants the Saharawis a degree of political, economic, administrative, and judicial autonomy over their territory». The collective noted that this plan «has received support from a number of countries around the world».