Mr. Lahcen Mehraoui, member of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs said that the Moroccan autonomy proposal "is at the same time, historical and revolutionary and an unprecedented experience in the Arab Islamic world and in Africa."
He stressed that autonomy "guarantees the political, economic, social and cultural rights for Sahrawis", pointing attention to the fact that self-government of the southern provinces, comes within the framework of a comprehensive and strategic effort designed to revive the large Arab Maghreb.
He added that autonomy takes into account the geostrategic aspects and real risks in the region given the fact that the seeds of split have begun to emerge within the Polisario not based on ethnic motives only, but also fundamentalist.
He highlighted that the application of self-government would help not only to put an end once and for all to this artificial conflict, but also, end realize the dream of tens of millions of North Africans who look forward to achieve a rapprochement between the countries of the region to ensure peace, solidarity and economic, social and cultural development in this part of the world.
Lahcen Mehraoui stressed that autonomy of the regions of the South had strong support from the international community, mentioning particularly statements of former Algerian President Ahmed Ben Bella, who said he supported a political solution to Sahara issue within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty, as well as the remarks by the former President of the Spanish Government, Felipe Gonzalez, who said that autonomy is the ideal solution for all parties to the conflict.
For his part, Mr. Khalil Haddaoui, former Moroccan Ambassador in United Kingdom said that the Algerian leaders adopt a simplistic attitude on Sahara issue.
He considered that the "recognition of the Republic," comes as a result of self-determination.
Having confirmed that Algeria is behind this long-standing dispute, Mr. Haddaoui said that Algerians had taken one month after the Madrid Agreement, which put an end to the Spanish colonization of the southern provinces of the Kingdom, through the mandatory procedures for the deportation of more than 40 thousand Moroccans by force, and that the " phantom Republic " was created one day after the Moroccan flag was flying in the sky of laayoune.
For his part, and after giving a historical overview on the Sahara issue, the Thematic Committee Chairman at Justice and Development Party, Mr. Abdellah Maoulainain said that the Moroccan project to grant enlarged autonomy to the southern regions came at the right time to put an end to the suffering and inhumane conditions suffered by the population in the Tindouf camps in southwest Algeria.
He highlighted, on the other hand, the massive repatriation of persons deprived of their homeland in the Tindouf Morocco to the motherland, the withdrawal of a number of countries of their recognition of the phantom Republic, the daily uprisings in the camps, as well as the emergence of an opposite current "khat Al Chahid."
Ms. Maoulainain Sadani, a member of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs, militant in the field of human rights, provided a testimony on her suffering with her family in the Tindouf camps, and her deportation to Cuba.
She stressed that the atrocities, abasement, humiliation and forms of persecution are daily suffered by people deprived of returning to their homeland.
This particular symposium was attended by Mr. Ramadan Masoud, Izza Liklili, Hajbouha Zoubeir, members of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs.
Source: MAP