"This participation rate reflects the attachment of Sahrawis to their Moroccan identity and confirms the legitimacy of the elected representatives of the southern provinces," said the Sahara native on Thursday before the 4th Committee of the UN General Assembly.
He also stresses the fact that Polisario separatists represent only themselves and have no right to speak on behalf of Saharawis, he pointed out before dozens of lawyers, human rights defenders, and associative actors.
Lakhrif, who had served as deputy chairman of the city council of Laayoune, pointed to the alleged representatives of the Sahrawis in Tindouf, despite the absence of any form of election since the outbreak of the artificial conflict around the Sahara more than 40 years ago.
"You can see that the list of petitioners does not contain any Saharawi living in Tindouf camps," he noted, adding, "Is there nobody in these camps who can intervene before your Committee ? "
Mr Lakhrif said, "as a legitimate representative of the inhabitants of the southern provinces, this region lives in security and stability, and its inhabitants live in peace and lead a dignified and descent life".
As Saharawi, the speaker also insisted that Polisario does not have any right to represent the Saharawi people, stressing that the only representatives of the Sahara are those who have been elected to the various representative bodies of the region from Morocco.
-News on Western Sahara issue/ Corcas-