Aminatou Haidar, a prominent Sahrawi human rights activist, has called on the European Union to assume its responsibilities towards the Sahrawi people, who have been facing repression, pillage of natural resources, and denial of their right to self-determination. Speaking at the European Parliament in Brussels, Haidar denounced the systematic human rights abuses committed by Moroccan authorities in the occupied territories. She emphasized that the Western Sahara issue is a test for the international system's justice and respect for people's right to self-determination.
Haidar's intervention was part of a documentary screening, "Aminatou," which tells the story of her 2009 hunger strike in Lanzarote, Spain, after being forcibly expelled from the territory with the complicity of Spanish and Moroccan authorities. The documentary highlights not only her personal struggle but also the collective suffering of the Sahrawi people under Moroccan occupation. Haidar expressed her gratitude to MEP Estrella Galán and her team for organizing the event, emphasizing that her fight has always been driven by the desire to make the Sahrawi people's voice heard.
Haidar revealed that she has faced pressure, corruption attempts, and bargaining aimed at preventing her from returning to her homeland during her 2009 hunger strike. She reaffirmed that her dignity and that of her people are not for sale. The Sahrawi activist praised the contribution of the documentary's director, Lucía Muñoz, and the cultural and media community in the fight against the media blackout imposed on the Sahrawi issue by the Moroccan occupier.
Haidar presented a grim picture of the situation on the ground, highlighting grave human rights abuses committed by Moroccan authorities in the occupied territories over the past five decades. She denounced the criminalization of peaceful expression, torture, arbitrary arrests, and systematic intimidation of journalists and human rights defenders. Haidar also mentioned her own experience with digital espionage using the Pegasus software.
The Sahrawi activist expressed concerns about the expiration of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) mandate on October 30, 2026, without renewal, following the failure of the Security Council to reach a consensus. She criticized the Russian veto on the US draft resolution, which aimed to eliminate the reference to the referendum and legitimize the colonial fait accompli.
Haidar outlined eight points illustrating the gravity of the situation in the occupied territories, including their hermetic closure, the ban on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' access since 2015, and the expulsion of international observers. She also highlighted the continued arbitrary detentions, torture, and enforced disappearances, including 445 documented cases since 1975.
Haidar warned about the acceleration of demographic colonization, with Sahrawi autochthons now representing only 25% of the population, a situation she described as a flagrant violation of the fourth Geneva Convention. She also denounced the ongoing pillage of Western Sahara's natural resources, including phosphates, fisheries, and renewable energy, with the complicity of the European Commission.
Key points
- Aminatou Haidar calls on the EU to take action against Moroccan occupation and human rights abuses in Western Sahara.
- The Sahrawi activist denounces the systematic human rights abuses committed by Moroccan authorities in the occupied territories.
- Haidar emphasizes that the Western Sahara issue is a test for the international system's justice and respect for people's right to self-determination.
