Pham underlined in an interview with MAP that he personally heard stories about the dangers faced by the Sahrawis who escaped the torture prevailing in the camps in order to join their families in Morocco, adding that basic rights continue to be breached in the polisario-run camps.

    Those who managed to flee are representative of the silent majority of the population held against their will in the camps, who can not escape in fear of retaliation against their families by the polisario militia.

+The international community is called upon to defend the forcibly detained population in the camps+

    The US expert called on the international community to intervene with a view of protecting the rights of the population held against their will in the camps, stressing the need to conduct a census of this population, a procedure that Algeria continues to oppose.

    In this respect, he said, several US congressman and Think Thanks spoke out against the blatant human rights violations in the camps and urged an immediate intervention of the UNHCR to protect the rights of the forcibly detained population, including the right of free movement.
He deplored that the UNHCR’s role is reduced to providing food and supplies to the camps.

+Morocco’s autonomy plan, the sole solution to the Sahara issue+

    Morocco’s initiative to grant autonomy to its southern provinces is the only solution to the Sahara issue, Pham underscored, noting that this proposal will put an end to the current situation, which offers a favourable climate for the proliferation of the terrorist group of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

    Pham, who recalled the massive participation of the southern provinces population in local and national elections, made it clear that the great majority of Sahrawis endorse the autonomy plan within the framework of the Kingdom’s sovereignty.

    Voicing hope to see the suffering population in the camps join their families in Morocco, the US expert explained that independence is an option that goes against historical and geopolitical realities.

   Africa is already bearing the brunt of the dangers posed by terrorists lacking just and effective governance, he said, adding that the least thing the continent needs is another nonviable state.

   Pham denounced the totalitarian character of the ideology and system imposed by the polisario for over-three decades in the camps, where the denial of the freedom of expression and movement is considered a governance system.

Source: Map

 Events concerning Western Sahara issue