Minister of Justice: Morocco strongly condemns child recruitment and calls on the international community to protect sequestrated at Tindouf camps

Minister of Justice, Mr. Abdellatif Ouahbi has reiterated, regarding the fictitious artificial conflict about our legitimate historical rights for the Moroccan Sahara, the Moroccan Kingdom adherence to the political process under the UN exclusive sponsorship, to reach a realistic, pragmatic and sustainable political solution based on concordance, and according to the Security Council resolutions, especially resolution 2602 adopted on October 29, 2021.

In this context, Minister of Justice confirmed in a statement presented in the Moroccan Kingdom’s name, during the UNHRC 49th working sessions held in Geneva last Monday, February 28, 2022, that the Moroccan Kingdom has continued to support the UN Secretary General’s efforts and his personal envoy Mr. Stephan Di Mistura aimed at re-launching roundtables which were held in December 2018 and March 2019, with the participation of all parties, including the party responsible for that regional artificial conflict and its continuation, knowing that the political solution as confirmed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI on many occasions and speeches that “could not be reached only in the framework of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

That’s why said the Justice Minister , the Moroccan Kingdom has presented an autonomy proposal which was welcomed by many friends and observers as well, it was even considered by the UN Security Council as a serious and credible initiative in its last 18 resolutions, and as the unique scope for the UN political process”.

In the same context, added the Minister “what consolidates the Moroccan Kingdom true and sincere proposal is that local populations of the Sahara have participated at length and largely in the latest elections as Moroccan Sahara provinces have ranked on top of the list of participation rate in those elections, exceeding by far the national average recorded in 50.35 percent, while the one in those Sahara provinces has reached 66.94 percent in Laayoune, Saqia Al Hamra area; and 58.30 percent in the area of Dakhla Oued Eddahab, in transparent and honest elections; the fact which has allowed the Moroccan Sahara populations to manage their communal territories and locally elected institutions and thus representing the Sahara population in the national constitutional institutions such as the House of Representatives and the House of Counselors”.

In return, the Minister continued in his intervention by saying “the area populations observe that their sequestrated brothers at Tindouf camps in Algeria, are still suffering from violations and deprivation from fundamental rights; while the other side, up till now, is still rejecting the organization of a census of the Tindouf camp populations since 2011 until the issuing of the UN Security Council resolution which has decided the separation between humanitarian and political factors in handling humanitarian conditions of the populations in those camps; and it appears clearly how that country is responsible for the inhuman conditions suffered by those populations, especially under the shadow of corruption and systematic gambling of humanitarian assistance devoted to the sequestrated in those camps”.

In this context, the Minister has strongly condemned the recruitment of children at the camps, in flagrant violation of international criteria, which classify such a recruitment of children in combatting forces as an international crime punished by the international law and as a war crimes perpetrated against humanity, considered as the worst aspect of child labor.

The Minister has highlighted that Morocco, with the permanent presence inside world’s human rights institutions, and by its serious and responsible steps, reiterates its call to the international community to intervene in favor of protecting our children and all our citizens sequestrated at Tindouf area, while the other side is fully liable for human rights violations and abuse of fundamental freedoms and social and economic rights for those sequestrated persons.

The Minister has informed the audience that the Moroccan Kingdom reaffirms its commitment to pursue its efforts aimed at achieving international peace and security and fight new threats, on top of them terrorism, violent extremism and incitement for xenophobia and hatred; and at the same time continuing its cooperation with friendly countries in the field of rehabilitation the religious realm and revive the values of brotherhood, moderation and tolerance.

The Minister has stressed that the Kingdom, out of its rooted African identity, will do its best to defend African causes, especially those in relation with fight against poverty, immigration problems and in this specific context, the Moroccan Kingdom renews its invitation to embrace a new approach to immigration problems not only as a challenge but also as a tremendous source of opportunities.

Minister Ouahbi has concluded that the Moroccan Kingdom will definitely pursue with all determination and responsibility constructive and sustainable cooperation with the Human Rights Council and the rest of UN mechanisms and all other concerned international and regional sides to respect and reinforce human rights in response to human integrity and serving world peace and security and world coexistence and solidarity.