Policemen protest against the poor working conditions in the Tindouf camps

In the Tindouf camps, police are angry at the way the Polisario Front is managing their department. Policemen protest against «problems hindering their actions as a public force responsible for ensuring security in the camps (Tindouf) after the withdrawal of the Gendarmerie», said Futuro Sahara, an online newspaper close to Mohamed Lamine Ould El Bouhali, the biggest opponent of the Front’s leader Brahim Ghali.

Speaking to some officers, the Arabic-language newspaper refers to the issues that anger the body. According to the same source, officers need uniforms in order to be identified by «citizens». The last time they have received uniforms dates back to 2015.

Following the steps of the Gendarmerie

While most of the officers don’t have uniforms, some of them are forced to use army clothing when on duty, adds the same source.

Police officers in the camps are also unhappy about the decreasing budget granted to their department to support the troops. The «Ministry of Interior» dedicated 14, 000 Algerian dinars per month (about 102 euros) to each regional unit, which is often composed of 60 individuals.

This amount of money barely covers the cost of tea, says Futuro Sahara, adding that it is much lower that what is granted by the «Ministry of Defense» to a Gendarmerie unit, which accounts for more than 900 euros.

The body complains also about the lack of fuel, which automatically limits its activities in the camps. On top of that, vehicles given to policemen function only three weeks a month when they are fixed. But once they broke down, it takes long weeks to repair them.

Policemen are not the only ones to criticize working conditions in the camps, earlier on September, thirty members of the Polisario’s Gendarmerie participated to a sit-in held, Thursday 6th of September, in front of the Front’s «Defense Ministry» in Rabouni.

They protested against the condition of an army school where they had to spend an internship period.

The facility has no electricity, water or food. «It’s an insult», they told the online newspaper Futuro Sahara. So, they decided to protest against the poor working conditions.