Timorese Parliament votes on motion renewing support to Saharawi cause

Dili, May 26, 2013 (SPS) - The Parliament of Timor-Leste has unanimously voted on a motion on Western Sahara, in which it reiterated East Timor’s support to the Saharawi cause.

The motion, a copy of it reached Sunday SPS, called on the government of Timor-Leste to translate its positive position vis-à-vis the Saharawi cause at international podiums, since East Timor is a member of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The Parliament paid tribute to the POLISARIO Front as it celebrates the 40th anniversary of its creation and the outbreak of armed struggle.

It regretted for Security Council’s failure to make human rights mechanism a priority in MINURSO mission, a demand, added the motion, which had been requested before by this Parliament in its recommendation No. 2/2011, issued on March 2, 2011.

It, therefore, regretted for the fact that some members of the Security Council have subjected fundamental values, such as human rights, to the “logic of interests”.

The motion appealed to the United States of America to carry Moroccan Government and Security Council members to put an end to the suffering of Saharawi people, as to establish human rights monitoring mechanism within MINURSO mandates.

The Parliament expressed full gratitude for the support the Saharawi people provided to Timorese people during their liberation struggle, reaffirming Democratic Republic of East Timor’s solidarity with the just cause and inalienable right of the Saharawi people to self-determination.

It asked the Kingdom of Morocco, which has no links of sovereign nature with Western Sahara according to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on 16 October 1975, to respect the pertinent UN and AU resolutions, and to engage in serious negotiations with the Polisario Front to organize a referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara under the supervision of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

It also urged the Kingdom of Morocco to halt all forms of human rights violations, put an end to the persecution of Sahrawi citizens and release all the political prisoners who are still incarcerated in Moroccan prisons.

The Motion emphasized the need to draw the attention of international community to this issue, encourage conflicts resolution by peaceful means in compliance with international law and assess the possibility to contribute in the support to MINURSO mission financially.

The motion announced the establishment of a committee to follow up the struggle of Saharawi people for freedom and independence.

The committee composed of all the political parties represented at Timorese parliament, mainly from the Foreign Affairs Committee. (SPS)

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