The U.S. publication of great circulation notes that more than 1,500 people have fled the camps of Tindouf this year to join the southern provinces, "where Morocco has invested heavily to stabilize the economy of this region and provide employment and education for its inhabitants. "
The article's author points out that many Sahrawis have been kidnapped by Polisario militias which forced them to settle in makeshift camps, citing the testimony of hundreds of those who managed to escape from these camps where hostages are denied their most basic rights.
"People living in camps in southwest Algeria have no right to citizenship work permit, or refugee status," laments the author of the article, adding those who managed to flee report "abuse, lack of basic services and infiltration ( in the camps) by the traffickers."
Although people who joined benefit from housing programs in Morocco, where they exercise their full citizenship, "the fact remains that they worry about those who have not had a chance to escape the Tindouf camps, "says the same source.
Citing the testimony of the father of Mustapha Salma Ould Sidi Mouloud, the article’s author says that the latter has been abducted and imprisoned by the Polisario for daring to express his support for the Moroccan autonomy plan and sharing publicly his admiration for the development and prosperity in the southern provinces.
The U.S. publication mentioned in this regard the tranquility and prosperity in which the people in the southern provinces live, particularly in the city of Dakhla, described as "a haven of peace and tranquility."
The Washington Post also notes that the escape from the Tindouf camps to Morocco is not an easy undertaking, especially for women, whose testimonies describe the danger and risks they have endured in order to return to the Kingdom.
"Our trip was terrific, and we got there by God’s grace," says a woman who fled the, quoted by the newspaper, which emphasizes that the journey of Sahrawis through the Mauritanian territory has become more dangerous because of Polisario’s traffickers and Al Qaeda’s militants present in the desert.
Source: MAP
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