The dire circumstances in the occupied regions of Western Sahara were brought to light during the celebration of the 64th anniversary of the adoption of ? landmark UN Resolution 1514 (XV). It establishes the concept of self-determination as a pillar of international law. Experts in international law and diplomats stressed how urgently the international community must put in place efficient safeguards for the Saharawi people. The UN Security Council and other international organizations were specifically urged to take decisive action to guarantee the protection of human rights in the seized territories.
Sultana Jaya: A fearless voice against oppression in Western Sahara
The testimony of Sahrawi activist Sultana Jaya became especially pertinent in this light. Jaya recounted the horrors she and her family endured during her recent captivity in a story full of bravery and tenacity.
Numerous human rights violations, physical attacks, threats, and intimidation were among the abuses documented, highlighting the hardships endured by the Saharawi people while they were under Moroccan control. Internationally known as a symbol of the Saharawi resistance, Sultana Jaya recounted that she had experienced the violence of the occupation authorities when she was a young girl. She said during her speech that she had been jailed on multiple occasions and that Moroccan security agents had attacked her, causing her to lose one eye.
She reassured, however, that these actions have strengthened her resolve to keep fighting for the rights of her people until Western Sahara gains peace and independence under the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (RASD) flag. Jaya made a compelling case for immediate action, asking world leaders to draw attention to the dire circumstances of the Saharawi people and to put pressure on Morocco to stop its occupation and human rights abuses. She underlined that to guarantee justice and dignity for the Saharawi people, compliance with international commitments is crucial.
Sultana Jaya’s stand
The event was sponsored by a group of Western Sahara-friendly nations in the UN Human Rights Council and was framed under the resolution outlining the principles of self-determination and decolonization. It acted as a reminder that the fight for justice and freedom in Western Sahara is still ongoing.
The Western Sahara case continues to be one of the biggest obstacles to the international system and human rights sixty-four years after Resolution 1514 (XV) was adopted. The international community owes the Saharawi people a debt, which was highlighted by Sultana Jaya’s intervention and the forceful condemnations delivered throughout the occasion.
UN address highlights crisis
According to the Frente POLISARIO, the Sahrawi party firmly and unequivocally informed the personal envoy during his visit on October 3, 2024. It does not even accept to discuss any proposal or idea, partition or otherwise, that is outside the legal framework of the Western Sahara question. It is contrary to the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), which sets the parameters for the personal envoy’s mission.
This is in light of the briefing given by Mr. Staffan de Mistura, the UN Secretary-General’s envoy for Western Sahara, during the closed consultations of the UN Security Council. The Frente POLISARIO reminds us that Morocco, the occupying state, violated international law and the territorial integrity of Western Sahara as a territory awaiting decolonization. It divided the territory with Mauritania on April 14, 1976, after launching a military invasion of the region on October 31, 1975.
Human rights under occupation
The Frente POLISARIO firmly affirms the complete and categorical rejection by the Sahrawi party of any “proposals” or “initiatives,” regardless of their origin. It does not fully enshrine and ensure the inalienable, non-negotiable, and imprescriptible right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence. It does not respect the territorial integrity of Western Sahara. This is in remembrance of Western Sahara’s status as a territory awaiting decolonization, which is supported by the legal arsenal of the United Nations, the African Union, and other international organizations.
The most recent example of this is the ruling of the European Court of Justice earlier this month. In light of Morocco’s preconditions, which are completely at odds with any serious and sincere approach to conflict resolution and the UN Security Council’s request. The Frente POLISARIO reiterates the Sahrawi party’s willingness to work with the UN and the African Union to find a fair and peaceful solution to the conflict between the Sahrawi Republic (SADR) and the Kingdom of Morocco. It respects the UN Charter and its resolutions as well as the goals and tenets of the African Union’s Constitutive Act.
