Mr. Lahcen Mahraoui, researcher and Corcas member emphasized the credibility of the initiative and commitment of Morocco to find a lasting political solution to the conflict through a referendum of the people concerned on the self-determination principle and the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

For his part, the Indonesian senator of the autonomous region of Aceh, Fachrul Razi, a prominent human rights activist who contributed to the restoration of peace in the region, said the Sahara region has a great potential for development. After presenting the successful experience of autonomy in Aceh, Razi expressed his desire to see the parties to the Sahara conflict to compromise around the Moroccan initiative; adding that it will allow the involvement of all Sahrawis in the process of ongoing development in the Sahara region. He also stressed the efficiency of the Moroccan initiative as the best solution for the future.

This seminar was characterized by the intervention of two international NGOs, the International Agency for Peace and Development in the Great Lakes region (AIPD) and the International Committee for the Respect and Application of the African Charter (CIRAC). Both organizations have stressed the progressive development in the southern provinces of the kingdom, on the basis of an approach that respects rights reminding the international recognition of the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH) and its regional committees in Laayoune, Smara and Dakhla-Aouserd.

For his part, Katala Morris, president of the International Agency for Peace and Development in the Great Lakes region (AIPD) said that autonomy guarantees a better future for local people. It will end separatism and enable reconciliation of all Saharawis, adding that opponents of Morocco deceive international opinion by associating the universal concept of self-determination to independence. This confusion has caused enormous damage to the African continent, who lost and one of the founding members of the Organization of African Unity.

The Congolese activist revealed that his organization had recently submitted the issue of "criminal acts" of Polisario to the African Commission on Human Rights. The Commission was informed by the past on this subject by many countries with the Polisario accused of complicity with international terrorism and other criminal networks.

This meeting was marked by the presentation of the Italian experience in regional autonomy by Sarah Baresi, president of Protea Association for the protection of human rights. Participants focused on the compliance of the project of autonomy in the Moroccan Sahara to recognized international standards in this area and, after making comparisons with autonomy models in the world, all emphasized that the Moroccan initiative is based on the recommendations of the UN and constitutional requirements in the neighboring countries of Morocco, both geographically and culturally.

- News and events on Western Sahara /Corcas -