The World Federation of Democratic Youth, committed to the cause of anti-imperialist struggle, carried out an important international solidarity mission to Western Sahara on 2 to 11 of December. The organization of this mission was decided before the Assembly in the framework of the decisions taken then, to continue organizing international missions such as the mission to Egypt and Palestine. After the Assembly and its decisions, this mission had even greater importance as the final documentation of the Assembly, among other decisions, underlined and ratified the importance of this missions and of course the importance to support and express solidarity to the struggle of the people of Western Sahara against the Moroccan occupation.

The organization of the mission was carried out by the member organizations of WFDY, UJCE from Spain and the comrades of UJSARIO of Western Sahara. The mission had participation of 37 comrades from 3 countries and had the opportunity to meet with very important persons of the political life of Western Sahara, of Polisario and UJSARIO and of course with young Sahrawi’s that fight for freedom, against imperialism. The most important meeting was with the General Secretary and President of Sahrawi Arab Republic, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz. The mission also met with the President of the parliament, the coordinator of the Sahrawi with MINURSO (UN mission in W. Sahara), with the Governor of Esmara, representatives of local authorities and other organizations of the Sahrawi movement.

Another part of the mission consisted by a member of UJCE travelled directly to the occupied territories of Western Sahara and despite the continuous surveillance by the Moroccan occupying forces he met with members of the Sahrawi resistance and participated in their demonstrations and actions.

Given the opportunity the mission also visited schools, institutions and museums to better understand the historical development of the struggle of the Sahrawi people and also to witness the efforts that the Sahrawi people take to organize the life in the refugee camps in a just and democratic way overcoming the difficulties that are consequences of the occupation. It is worth mentioning also that during the mission the delegates had the opportunity to participate in a conference titled: “Imperialism, war and occupation in the world today. The response of the peoples”, which had a great success. Another important moment of the mission was the visit to the “Wall of Shame”, the wall that the occupation force of Morocco raised with the false belief that the Sahrawi’s would stop their struggle for freedom and self determination.

The people and youth of Western Sahara have been victims of the European and Moroccan colonialism for more than a century. They continue their struggle for the establishment of a free and independent State. Their struggle for a peaceful and just settlement finds obstacles put by the Moroccan government, which is supported by other imperialist forces, especially in Europe. For more than 20 years the Sahrawi try with peaceful means to take what is rightfully theirs but the Moroccan side refuses to collaborate.

On the contrary the Moroccan government represses the Sahrawi that live in the occupied territories, arrests those who resist and continue the exploitation of the natural resources of Western Sahara.

The World Federation of Democratic Youth condemns the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara. We demand the liberation of the political prisoners and we stand in solidarity with the 36 Sahrawi prisoners who are on hunger strike in prisons of Morocco and who were detained after the massacre of Gdeim Izik.

WFDY stands in solidarity with the people and the youth of Western Sahara. We support the right of the Sahrawi people for self determination, for freedom and independence. Their struggle against the Moroccan occupation is a struggle against imperialism. We know that the path of the struggle is difficult especially considering the support that Morocco has by its imperialist allies who have financial interest in the area, but we are sure the popular resistance of the Sahrawi people and the international solidarity of the anti-imperialist movement will prevail, bringing closer the day of victory, a victory not only for the Sahrawi but also for the anti-imperialist movement.

The World Federation of Democratic Youth, international organization founded in 1947, which gather the revolutionary and anti-imperialist youth of the world, have decided to include in their main guidelines of action, the organization of international solidarity missions to the countries who are under the oppression and menace of the imperialism.Thus, since early 2011, we have organized successful missions to Egypt in April 2011, to Palestine in September of that year and in December 2011 we are organizing a mission to Western Sahara.

This mission, which will be organized from Spain by the UJCE and received on the ground by UJSARIO, will take place from the 2nd to the 11th December (approximate dates) and will have an estimated price (ticket + Inscription) of 450-500 Euros if you travel from Spain (In this case, you must be in Madrid 1 day before and plan your departure from Madrid 1 day after, the 12th); however, we are trying to get low-priced tickets with the Algerian airlines, and we suggest also to check the prices to Alger.

In any case, if your plan is arrive by your own means, we will need to know about it with time, to make easy the inscription process and other logistical issues. If you travel by your own means the participation fee will be of 50 euro per person

The program will include various activities and a seminar, developed mainly in the Tindouf refugee camps, but is also expected to travel to the liberated territories and to see the wall of shame built by Morocco. The brigade is open to all kinds of people, young and not so young, if they have a vision of solidarity and for the freedom and independence of the Saharawi people

For more information and registration, please write to brigadas@juventudes.org with copy to wfdy@wfdy.org . The registration period is open until October 20th if you are interested in traveling from Spain, and until 12th of November if your plan is arrive by your own means.

With this mission WFDY underlines its full support to the cause of the Saharawi people and youth, fighting for more than three decades against the brutal occupation and oppression of Morocco, sponsored by the main imperialist powers.

Any question you can also ask the previous mail or check the news regarding price and program in the blog misionsahara2011.wordpress.com

Solidarity is the tenderness of the people!
Let’s support the struggle of the Saharawi people!

As it was expected to occur according to various Saharawi human rights activists and residents of the camp, Moroccan authorities had, early this morning, sent troops and police to forcible dismantle the Gdaim Izik camp, where more than 25,000 Sahrawi have set up tents to claim their human rights in the Western Sahara and the respect of their right to self-determination.The brutal intervention in the camp started at 06:00 AM local time this Monday, November 08th, 2010 and Moroccan military forces have been arriving in the area since yesterday to dismantle the camp. The military forces, gendarmerie and auxiliary forces are accompanied by helicopters flying over the area and launching flares that explode in the air to create panic among the residents as well as tear gas.

According to the latest reports, at least one Saharawi civilian has been killed and hundreds injured in the clashes as a result of the military and police brutal intervention. Several media sources have quoted witnesses as stating that Moroccan security forces targeted women, children and elderly people.

On October 30th, 2010 WFDY Comrade Tiago Vieira, President was Comrade Tiago was denied entry to assess the situation in the protest camp near El Aaiun in the occupied territories of Western Sahara. Equally several journalists, three Spanish regional MP’s and Izquierda Unida MEP Willy Meyers were all detained at the Morocco frontier over the weekend as they tried to visit the camp to witness first-hand the reality on the ground and were forcibly returned to Spain. Morocco has refused to allow international journalists or independent observers access to the camp in El Aaiun.

To prevent an escalation of this potentially tragic situation, WFDY calls upon the international community and all its member and friend organizations to exercise pressure on the Moroccan Kingdom to stop its military offensive against Saharawi civilians, lift the military blockade imposed on El Aaiun and the rest of the Saharawi cities and to allow full access to media, NGOs and international observers into the territory.

We also call upon the UN and the international organizations to urgently intervene to protect the defenceless civilians from the hatred and xenophobic acts committed against them by the Moroccan settlers and the security apparatus. Moroccan veto to the press and the international observers to avoid witnesses to its intervention illustrates the need to integrate Human Rights Monitoring to the MINURSO mandate.