Laayoune, Western Sahara occupied territories 23/04/2012
Sources: Saharawi human rights activists
Twenty-five young Saharawi occupied an Icelandic fishing vessel, commanded by a Swedish captain, which has been tied to dock for a week in the port city of Dakhla Western Sahara, formerly Villa Cisneros.
The ship according to sources from human rights activists in the city is registered as 8616142 MAYA MOBILEZ.FLG SOUED, and is involved in illicit trade with Moroccan General Abdelaziz Benani, the senior Moroccan army official involved in the illegal plundering of Sahrawi marine resources by European fishing boats.
The twenty-five young Sahrawis chained themselves on board protesting marginalization of labor and the plundering of natural resources of the area.
According to the Saharawi human rights activists, Moroccan military may attack Saharawi workers because of these new protests against the plundering of natural resources and marginalization, at a time when the Moroccan military is apparently preparing for a visit by King Mohamed VI to the military zone of Dakhla. The activists are appealing to the MINURSO peacekeepers for protection.
Note that at the time this was published the military were negotiating over the PA with the Sahrawi citizens occupying the ship’s deck.
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- Waiting for the Arab Spring in Western Sahara (africaunchained.blogspot.com)
