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Hunger striking against EU fisheries in Western Sahara

UPDATE - The hunger strike was ended on Saturday 18 June 2011.
Since 12 April, six Saharawi citizens in Guelmim in Southern Morocco have been on hunger strike to condemn the EU’s fisheries in occupied Western Sahara and the involvement of US phosphate importer PCS and Irish oil company San Leon in the plunder of the territory.
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‘EU, respect our rights’, reads a placard resting on the bodies of the hunger striking protesters.

Desperate living conditions and zero prospects have driven 6 young Saharawi citizens to risk their lives. While resource-rich Western Sahara is being exploited by Morocco and complicit business partners, Saharawi are increasingly relegated to the fringes of society.

The hunger strikers are supported by all layers of the Saharawi community. Inspired by the outcry for justice throughout North Africa, people are no longer afraid to speak out against those they see as directly responsible for their inhumane circumstances.

‘PCS is plundering our land’, their placards read. ‘PCS: Please Cease the Stealing’. The US-Canadian fertiliser producer PotashCorp (PCS) is the biggest importer from Western Sahara in the world. With its continuous imports, the company has provided the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara with considerable financial injections.

Saharawi protesters also call upon the Irish company San Leon, leading the way in the onshore exploration of oil and gas in occupied Western Sahara, to leave the area. They also denounce the EU-Moroccan fisheries agreement - perceived by many as an implicit sign of political support to Morocco’s untenable claim over Western Sahara - as well as the main supporter of the EU fisheries, Spain.

The protesters are all from Guelmim in Southern Morocco. The town has a large Saharawi population, regularly expressing support to the cause of self-determination of the Saharawi from Western Sahara further south.

According to a UN Legal Opinion of 2002, economic activities in Africa’s last colony can only take place if the Saharawi agree to it and stand to benefit. Neither of these conditions has ever been fulfilled by Morocco or foreign businesses active in the territory. The recent wave of protests denouncing the plunder, both in Western Sahara and in Southern Morocco, proves that.

Morocco invaded Western Sahara in 1975. Its self-proclaimed sovereignty over the territory was rebutted by the International Court of Justice, and more than 100 UN Resolutions acknowledge the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination. While the international community is turning a blind eye to the ongoing brutal occupation, international businesses are reeling in revenues through illegal trade deals with Morocco.




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News:

15.10 - 2019 / 15.10 - 2019THIS PAGE IS NO LONGER UPDATED
23.10 - 2015 / 23.10 - 2015Morocco continues to discard by-catches in occupied Western Sahara
29.06 - 2015 / 29.06 - 2015Moroccan government accused of fraud with EU anti-driftnet money
02.12 - 2014 / 02.12 - 2014Maria Damanaki opposed continued EU fishing in Western Sahara
18.09 - 2014 / 18.09 - 2014EU-Morocco fish deal: who's shown an interest so far?
18.09 - 2014 / 18.09 - 2014Dutch first to fish under unethical EU-Morocco fish deal
09.08 - 2014 / 09.08 - 2014UN former legal chief slams EU legal view as "preposterous"
21.07 - 2014 / 21.07 - 2014Illegal EU fish agreement with Morocco now ratified by King
14.03 - 2014 / 14.03 - 20149 detained, threats of jail if demonstrating against EU fisheries
11.02 - 2014 / 11.02 - 2014Here are the EU states that will benefit from the dirty fisheries
11.02 - 2014 / 11.02 - 2014Morocco adopts contentious EU-Morocco fish deal
10.12 - 2013 / 10.12 - 2013Occupied Sahara: EU undermining Human Rights on Human Rights Day
08.12 - 2013 / 08.12 - 2013More vids of demonstration and victims of EU/Moroccan plans in Sahara
08.12 - 2013 / 08.12 - 2013Western Sahara president asks UN intervention to stop EU and Morocco
08.12 - 2013 / 08.12 - 2013Many injured in protest against EU/Spain fish plans in Western Sahara
05.12 - 2013 / 05.12 - 2013EU fish plans illegal, 21 jurists and lawyers state
05.12 - 2013 / 05.12 - 2013267 organisations ask European Parliament to reject fish accord
04.12 - 2013 / 04.12 - 2013President of African Parliament calls on EU to respect Sahara rights
02.12 - 2013 / 02.12 - 2013Greenpeace: EU parliament must vote no to Western Sahara fisheries
18.11 - 2013 / 18.11 - 2013European Liberal Youth calls for no EU fishing in occupied Sahara






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The EU considers to pay Morocco to fish in occupied Western Sahara. An EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement from 2013 would be both politically controversial and in violation of international law. The international Fish Elsewhere! campaign demands the EU to avoid such unethical operations, and go fishing somewhere else. No fishing in Western Sahara should take place until the conflict is solved.
عريضة لوقف النهب

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يحضر الاتحاد الاوربي لإبرام اتفاق غير اخلاقي جديد للصيد البحري مع المغرب في سنة 2013.

مرة اخرى، يعتزم الاتحاد الاوربي الصيد في المياه الاقليمية للصحراء الغربية المحتلة في خرق سافر للقانون الدولي. وقع هذه العريضة للتنديد بذلك.

"EU fisheries in Western Sahara must be stopped"




Western Sahara human rights activist Aminatou Haidar hopes for increased attention to the EU plundering of occupied Western Sahara.

READ ALSO

10.04 - 2012
Guardian: EU taking its over-fishing habits to west African waters?
15.12 - 2011
EU Observer: Morocco expels EU fishing boats
15.12 - 2011
BBC News: Morocco's fish fight: High stakes over Western Sahara
15.12 - 2011
European Voice: MEPs reject EU-Morocco fisheries pact
15.12 - 2011
Reuters: EU lawmakers reject Morocco fisheries pact






Human rights activist Malak Amidane denounces EU fisheries