European Liberals demand termination of fisheries agreement
The European Liberal Youth demands the termination of the controversial EU fisheries agreement with Morocco that lets European vessels fish in occupied Western Sahara. Read statement from the Liberal Youth's annual Lymec congress, Barcelona 1-4th May 2008.
Lymec involves about 210,000 members from 59 organisations in 37 countries. Read the statement from the Lymec congress here:
Stop exploitation of occupied Western Sahara
Whereas: • The territory of Western Sahara has been under occupation by Morocco since 1975. • The International Court of Justice in 1975 ruled against Morocco’s territorial claim on Western Sahara. • Western Sahara is on the UN list of Non-Self Governing Territories and is considered Africa’s last colony. • Under the terms of the UN’s settlement plan in 1991, Western Sahara should decide its own future status in a referendum.
Noting that: • Morocco has repeatedly blocked the execution of a referendum. • Human rights agencies and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have reported grave and systematic violations of human rights in the occupied territories. • The people living in the occupied territories are subject to severe restrictions on their freedom of speech, assembly and movement. • Human rights activists and pro-independence journalists and editors have been arrested.
Observing that: • None of the the income from the exploitation of Western Sahara’s rich fish and phosphate natural resources is diverted back to the people of Western Sahara. • The EU has signed an agreement with the government of Morocco that allows EU vessels to fish in occupied territorial waters off the coast of Western Sahara, in clear violation of international law. • The USA has specifically excluded from its free-trade agreement with Morocco all products that originate from the occupied territories of Western Sahara.
LYMEC – European Liberal Youth calls upon: • The EU to terminate its fishing agreement with Morocco.
Africa's last colonySince 1975, three quarters of the Western Sahara territory has been illegally occupied by Morocco. The original population lives divided between those suffering human rights abuses under the Moroccan occupation and those living in exile in Algerian refugee camps. For more than 40 years, the Saharawi await the fulfilment of their legitimate right to self-determination.
Since 1975, three quarters of the Western Sahara territory has been illegally occupied by Morocco. The original population lives divided between those suffering human rights abuses under the Moroccan occupation and those living in exile in Algerian refugee camps. For more than 40 years, the Saharawi await the fulfilment of their legitimate right to self-determination.
