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September
15, 2004 South
Africa recognizes Western Sahara’s government-in-exile Congressman says decision should increase pressure on Morocco Washington-Congressman
Joe Pitts (R, PA-16) today issued the following statement regarding the
decision made by South Africa today to recognize the Saharawi Arab
Democratic Republic (SADR). The SADR rules Western Sahara in exile because
the country is currently occupied by the Kingdom of Morocco. “I
commend the decision by South Africa to recognize the legitimate government
of the people of Western Sahara. As
a leader on the continent, its decision should increase pressure on Morocco
to give the Saharawis have a say in their own future,” said Congressman
Pitts. The
Joint Communiqué, released today by the Foreign Ministers of South Africa
and the SADR, said, “The
two countries reaffirm their commitment towards the implementation of the
UN/AU Peace Plan for Western Sahara and consider that speedy holding of a
just, transparent and democratic referendum of self-determination
constitutes the only viable way which both parties to the conflict agreed to
and which received the supports of the entire international community.” From
1884 until 1975, Western Sahara was a Spanish colony.
In 1965, Spain agreed with the United Nations that the people of
Western Sahara should have a vote to determine their own future.
Upon Spain's withdrawal however, Morocco invaded.
The International Court of Justice ruled Morocco's claim to Western
Sahara was illegitimate. Morocco ignored the ruling.
In 1991, Morocco accepted the U.N.-brokered cease-fire promising the
Sahrawis a referendum for national self-determination.
Morocco stalled. In
1997, the United Nations asked former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker to
help implement the referendum. Morocco
resisted his solution. Secretary
Baker told PBS last month that Morocco continues to actively oppose the
referendum. “These
are peaceful, democratic people. We
owe them no less than the support we have given others in their fight for
independence – the right to have a say in their own future,” said Pitts,
who has visited the Saharawi refugee camps several times. For
more information visit Congressman Pitts’ Western Sahara page at: http://www.house.gov/pitts/initiatives/humanrights/countries/westernsahara.htm # # # |
