In a press conference in Nouakchott, victims and relatives have reported the disappearance of hundreds of Mauritanians detained in the Tindouf camps.

It is time to shed light and break the silence on crimes, torture, kidnapping and arbitrary detention suffered by Mauritanian citizens in the prisons of the Polisario, underline the survivors of these jails and relatives of missing persons.

Attending this press conference, heads of Mauritanian political parties, representatives of non-governmental organization, the Belgian lawyer John Abboud, Ms. Delphine Bourgeois, president of the organization Euromed Cape Town and a mayor of a commune in Brussels.

Several survivors of the Polisario jails showed the aftermath of the horrific abuse they suffered during their detention in camps of Tindouf. When speaking about the death of their relatives, announced by a former prisoner, some of them could not hold their tears.

Mr. Abboud pointed out that the acts committed by Polisario in its prisons are "war crimes and barbaric crimes against humanity" and " an  International Criminal Court (ICC) should be set up to prosecute criminals" responsible for these atrocities.

The Belgian lawyer has indicated his intention to send a memorandum to the United Nations Secretary-General to demand the opening of the issue of "Mauritanians in Polisario prisons." 

He also asked the public and the Mauritanian authorities to "adopt" this matter and support international organizations of Human Rights.

At his request, the audience observed a minute silence in memory of all those have spent most of their lives in Polisario jails, hands and feet bound and delivered to the torturers.

The issue of victims and missing as a result of violation of human rights being "more humanitarian than political," it belongs to the Mauritanian authorities to deal with and work with international organizations to render justice to victims, he added.

Ms. Bourgeois, for her part, stressed that "the practices of the Polisario in its barbaric camps and everything that Mauritanians suffered in Polisario jails are crimes against humanity." 

Therefore, she added, an international investigation is needed to "bring those responsible to justice."

Following the conference, it was decided to extend an "open letter" to high Mauritanian authorities asking them to "adopt" the case of victims in Polisario jails and to submit it to international organizations.
Source: MAP
-- News on Western Sahara / Corcas -