He said that the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco, which will be submitted to the United Nations in October, "will open a new phase in relations between Morocco and the Canary Islands," pointing out that the archipelago will be the first beneficiary of this solution.

The paper added that Mr. Ould Errashid, who criticized "obscurity in the Tindouf camps", expressed his support "to send humanitarian assistance to these camps, provided not to be used for other purposes."

La Provincia: when are you going to submit autonomy project for the Sahara?
KOE: we have just started working on this subject. It is a new political issue. We want take example from the Islands autonomy in order to set up a regime which corresponds to Morocco’s specificities and, at the same time, the ones that have been successful. We will follow the international criteria recognized as genuine autonomies. We will use adequate means that help successfully handle the region’s affairs.

La Provincia: currently, there is disagreement between Sahrawi people. Do you intend to gather all historically divergent positions under autonomy solution?
KOE: We want autonomy as final solution. Currently there is divergence. We have to convince people living in Tindouf camps with Polisario to support this idea. It is the unique solution to resolve this problem since independence is not possible.

La Provincia: why do you firmly disqualify the option of self-determination referendum?
KOE: it impossible to carry out a referendum. The UN said that the Sahrawi people have to express their final decision through a self-determination referendum. The problem resides in the fact that these people do not live only in Morocco but in south-eastern Algeria, northern Mali, and north-western Mauritania. In order to organize a real, transparent, free, democratic and fair referendum, borders should be changed. This why the UN could not complete the referendum. We cannot know what all Sahrawis want. We have two choices, status quo which means the continuation of inhuman situation in Tindouf camps and the suffering of families or autonomy as second choice. Autonomy includes everybody and meets all historical political, economic, social and cultural Sahrawi demands. It allows the management of local affairs in the Sahara. This is what Sahrawis were asking for and this is what autonomy provides. In addition, we want autonomy within reconciliation to let aside past problems.

La Provincia: meanwhile, we heard some news about Human rights breaches by Moroccan security forces?
KOE: there have been greatly exaggerated.  Polisario wants to profit from some events that took place in Laayoune. Obviously, there have been some incidences between police and some young people. But that was mainly due to the use of violence by those young. There is no systematic violation of the internationally recognized human rights. People who want to show support to Polisario can do it within freedom and democracy. But if there is violence, in this case every country tries to preserve society’s private and public property. There have not been any breaches but when security forces intervene, some people might get injured. But those were just small incidents. Since we are talking about human rights, are they respected in Tindouf camps? Is Polisario a democratic movement?

La Provincia: you are always about democracy, but not anyone agrees that Morocco’s regime is a democratic one?
KOE: every country has its own specificities, its progress level and its history. Morocco is carrying out a very developed democratization process in the Arab World. Changing mentalities, democratizing institutions, adopting Islam as the state’s religion, democracy and autonomy are likely to make Morocco progress in this way.

La Provincia:  what do you think about immigration which reaches the Islands now that boats start from other coastal points.
KOE: Illegal immigration will increase. I am scared that if the deadlock continues in the Sahara, thousands of people coming from Sub-Saharan countries might take control of Polisario weapons.

Portrait
Busy Agenda

Ould Errachid masters the Spanish languages and speaks it very eloquently and fluently. These competencies make his agenda busy including a meeting with the representative of the Canary Islands and another one with Jose Manuel Soria. Yesterday he met with José Segora, Carolina Darias and Alfredo Bilda.

News and the events concerning Western Sahara issue / Corcas