Categories
Topical

Polisario and the struggle for freedom of Western Sahara 50 years

Today, 10th May, 50 years have passed since the founding of the Western Sahara’s Liberation Front Polisario. Communist Youth of Finland congratulates Polisario and shows its support to the Sahrawi people of Western Sahara in their struggle for independence, peace and justice, which is supported by international solidarity.

nn

Polisario was founded in 1973 – at a time when Western Sahara was still a Spanish colony. After the end of Spanish rule in the region, Morocco considered it as its own and began to illegally occupy Western Sahara. The Polisario declared the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic established and independent on 27th February 1976. So far, 46 UN member states have recognized the independence. Finland is not in this group. In 2012, the Swedish parliament voted in favor of recognizing independence, but the recognition has still not been officially done.

nn

In its decision in 1976, the International Court of Justice in The Hague testified that Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara is not based on historical ties between the region and the Kingdom of Morocco.

n

We demand Finland to recognize the independence of Western Sahara and stronger efforts from the UN to overcome the colonialist and groundless opposition of Morocco and to implement the independence referendum of Western Sahara.

n

The UN has agreed to hold an independence referendum in Western Sahara as early as 1992, but Morocco is putting the brakes on the plans. We demand Finland to recognize the independence of Western Sahara and stronger efforts from the UN to overcome the colonialist and groundless opposition of Morocco and to implement the independence referendum of Western Sahara.

nn

With the joint efforts of various organizations and civil society, it is possible to bring the situation in Western Sahara into the political mainstream and the human rights debate. It is also interesting to talk about Polisario’s views and to keep clear the demands for the recognition of Western Sahara by Finland and, for example, influence to re-sign the EU trade agreements that discriminate against Sahrawis.

nn

On the basis of the trade agreements between the EU and Morocco, ships from the EU countries have been able to fish in the territorial waters of the Western Sahara, and for example Pirkka tomatoes are sold in Finland, whose country of origin is marked as Morocco, even though the tomatoes are produced in the Western Sahara. According to international law, the natural resources of the occupied territory can only be used after the approval of the local population. The Sahrawis’ position has not been asked, so the trade agreements between the EU and Morocco grossly violate international law. Most recently, in 2021, the EU court found three agricultural and fisheries agreements between the Union and Morocco to be illegal, as the territorial waters of the Western Sahara cannot be considered to belong to Morocco.

nn

Long live Western Sahara sovereignty and Polisario! The Sahrawi people will win!