Letter to President Bush Urging Active Pursuit of Western Sahara Settlement

February 15, 2002

The Honorable George W. Bush
The President
The White House
Washington, D.C., 20504

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing today out of increasing concern over the continued delay in holding a referendum over Western Sahara. A resolution to the 26-year-old conflict continues to be stalled due to apparent lack of political will on the part of the United Nations to follow through on implementing the United Nations Settlement Plan and the Houston Accords. We are deeply concerned that the authority of the UN to uphold international human rights norms and implement agreements will be undermined to an even greater extent by further delay. We urge you and other Administration officials to lead the way in ensuring that the right to self-determination for the people of Western Sahara is no longer violated.

As you may know, the International Court of Justice ruled in 1975 in support of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination and against claims of the Kingdom of Morocco over the territory. The United Nations Settlement Plan between the parties of Morocco and Western Sahara calls for a free, fair, and transparent referendum in which the people of the territory of Western Sahara will choose between independence or integration into the Kingdom of Morocco. Unfortunately, the fact that the United Nations has not implemented the Settlement Plan and the Houston Accords, and that Morocco has changed its position and created various obstacles to the referendum means that the people of Western Sahara continue to suffer in refugee camps or in areas under Moroccan control in which they are oppressed by the Moroccan police and security officials.

In addition, we are very disturbed by reports of the Moroccan Government signing contracts with foreign companies for exploration of resources in the Territory of Western Sahara. It is important to note that the UN legal opinion on these economic actions in Western Sahara, an opinion sent by the UN Legal Department to the UN Security Council, states that Morocco does not have sovereignty over Western Sahara nor rights of legal administration. Further, the Opinion underlines that any exploitation of the resources of the Western Sahara without the consent of the people of Western Sahara is in violation of international law.

Mr. President, as Americans, we are proud of our forefathers’ historic struggle for freedom and self-determination. It is vital that our government uphold and support this standard for all people, not just for the people of the United States. Otherwise, our very foundation as a nation will be undermined.

We urge you, Mr. President, to press the UN Security Council to ensure that the UN Settlement Plan for the Western Sahara and the Houston Accords, signed under the auspices of Secretary James Baker, be respected and implemented without delay and the right of the indigenous people of Western Sahara to self-determination no longer be violated.

Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. We look forward to hearing from you and to continuing to work with you as we fight to protect freedom and fundamental human rights around the world.

Sincerely,

Joseph R. Pitts
Member of Congress

Donald M. Payne
Member of Congress

[Signed by 21 other Members of Congress]

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