The fight of the Sahrawi women for the independence of Western Sahara

The European parliamentary Angela Vallina and Paloma López have closed this Thursday in the European Parliament the women's Conference on the right to resistance and self-determination of the Western Sahara, with a clear call on the EU and its Member States so that they respect the resolutions of the United Nations and the Kingdom of Morocco to push for , after 40 years of occupation, the Saharawi people could hold the referendum that will lead to independence.

The event, co-organized by both, has counted with the presence of more than one dozen of representatives from different international agencies, MEPs from various groups and activists. However, the obstacles of Rabat and the negative of Belgium to issue them visas corresponding prevented that Fatima Dambar, sister of the activist Said Dambar, murdered in November of 2010 by the police Moroccan, and others family of prisoners political and missing could participate in person.

"We wanted to bring to Brussels this women's Conference because we believe that it is vital to make visible the fight of the Sahrawi people and its women," explained Vallina at a press conference, pointing out that the idea arose after having participated in the Edition held last year in Namibia, where marked to "strengthen the international network of women's support to Western Sahara".

"The example of resistance peaceful and empowerment of them women Sahrawi, victims of the occupation during forty years, that see how is violate to daily their rights, that are condemned to the exile, must be recognized", added.

Lopez, meanwhile, has highlighted the work that has been developed throughout the legislature the Intergroup solidarity with Western Sahara, of which she is Vice-President, to make visible the fight of the Sahrawi people. "Our commitment is more than confirmed and we will continue to maintain it and this Conference was very focused on the work of women in the Western Sahara, is another example of that commitment".

The MEP has praised "the role so that play the women for resistance by way of peace", which gives to the legitimate claims of the Sahrawi "a different perspective". The role of women in the conflict is the result of the "great work that is done in the camps. A formative work of empowerment, of feminism, seen in the presence of women in parliaments and political activity"which involves a 'way of doing things from the perspective of the woman, who always brings that plus the resolution of the conflicts'.

At his side, Suelma Beiruk, Vice President of the Parliament of the African Union, has accused the Kingdom of Morocco of being "afraid of the reality", a reality that is clearly marked by the fact that the Sahrawi people "has nothing to do with Morocco" and they do see all "international resolutions" on the subject. "Is you said in 1975 in it has, the UN and the Union African recognize the right of the people Sahrawi to it self-determination and the last test of this is the analysis of the lawyer of the Court of Justice of the EU", that has disengaged the Sahara western of them agreements commercial between Brussels and Rabat.

Beiruk noted that "the Sahrawi women have shown that despite the continuous violation of human rights, arbitrary arrests, de ver see how they kill their loved ones, as they hurt them or violate them, have never responded with violence, because we have another way of being".

Vice President finished his speech calling States members of EU and the European Parliament to "isolate the Kingdom of Morocco" as it has already done the African Union "for not respecting the international legality".

Jadiyetu El Mohtar, responsible for international of the National Union of Sahrawi women (UNMS), explained the Sahrawi women carrying "many years" education in human rights and international legality and that their struggle "is parallel to the political and diplomatic struggle. We educate in the peaceful".

It reported how efforts to become main participant in the struggle for self-determination, the woman is being "threatened", especially in the occupied territories, "for the intransigence of Morocco and the brutal repression exerted against women and young Sahrawi people".

"Our young people are murdered every day, women brutally raped and abused, home raids every day, it is a situation of continuous violence that causes psychological damage to the Saharawi families and makes, for example, children do not dare to go to school for fear", has denounced.

The Mohtar also focused their criticism on the passivity of the international community against the constant attacks of the Kingdom of Morocco and urged Member States that press canceling "trade agreements which do not conform to the Charter of fundamental rights of the EU". These treaties, explained, behind Morocco to harden its repression "trying to hide everything that happens". Something "serious, because its blockade prevents that observers, the media and activists can give note of what is happening".

The Executive Secretary of the Pan African women's organisation, Mildred Jantjies, explained that the aim of the international network of women "is acting". "The rights of the Sahrawi people are inalienable and we, as women, we are not here only to go to conferences or making resolutions, we are here to tell the EU that take us seriously because the African Union plays an essential role," it warned.

Jantjies has also warned that when continuous attacks on Morocco, the Sahrawi people answered always peacefully, but that "would not the African Nations see a confrontation". "What we are saying to Brussels African women and Sahrawi sisters is very simple: Morocco should be left to the children of Western Sahara be free¨.

Also intervened Irantzu Mendía, Professor at the University of the Basque country, who presented the study on occupied land: memory and strength of women in the Western Sahara, a job he is co-author and intends to "make known that women in the occupied territories face 40 years are facing a whole range of crimes under international law and recognized in any other conflict in the world".

Among human rights violations documented in this investigation, "highlights the economic, social and cultural rights, discrimination and violence in schools and a strong denial of cultural identity", he explained.

The impact of these attacks affect "all levels of the life of women" with consequences "physical, psychological, educational, life partner, precariousness" and a situation "unfinished grieving for relatives of disappeared and people whose relatives have been killed". Sahrawi women "are supporting a chronic duel for decades", he has argued.

Finally, the teacher has highlighted the role played by the UNMS in the World March of women and the importance of a "creation of women spaces for reflection and mutual strengthening".