Western Sahara
Life of a West Sahara Citizen
Human Rights
Women
The ongoing conflict between Morroco and the Sahrawi people has been a reason for womans organizing and a souce of suffering for the women of Western Sahara. Sahrawi have been subjected to physical and psychological torture and rape. An incident involving Keltoum Ahmed Laabid, a 24 year old Sahrawi woman was arreste in October 1992 in Smara for participating in demonstrations demanding the liberation Sahrawi prisoners. She was harshly sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in 1993. In prison she would fall victim to physical and psychological torture and rape in the prison cells and in the secret detention centers.
News
The rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly continue to be disallowed. In Western Sahara restriction on freedom of demonstration and assembly are immense. Political and social demonstrations are prohibited and will be stopped abruptly. Through violent crackdowns by police, who operate with total freedom. In addition, torture is another common practice, used by the police as a fear tactic and means of punishment for those who speak out. Furthermore, individual and public freedoms are taken away and controlled through a mitiralistic police force.
Freedom of Expression/Assembly
. A major part of Western Sahara has been occupied by Morocco since 1975. However, Morocco is illegally and brutally occuping the neighbouring Western Sahara. The Moroccan ocupation is in violation of more than 100 UN resolutions which specify the self-determination for the people of Western Sahara to be occupied by another country. In addition, the occupation took place in a very violent manner. As Moroccan air forces bombed local Western Sahara settlements with napalm bombs, a majority of the indigenous Sahrawi's were force to leave their homes, and fled to the Algerian desert. The Sahrawi flag is banned in Western Sahara, and speaking out for an independent state is illegal. Merely calling for human rights is enough to be punished severely
Occupation of
Western Sahara
"End Human Rights Violations Against the People of Western Sahara"
A public service announcement from Kerry Kennedy, President of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights. She sheds light on the suffering of the Sahwari people, and the need to support them during an oppressive time in their history.
11/09/2007 - wsrw.org
"The occupation of Western Sahara"
This article chronicles the history and issues regarding the occupation of Western Sahara. It also details key issues faced by the Sahrawi people.
Inherit the Wind
The oppressive society that Sahwari's contend with everyday can be likened to the treatment Cates recieved during his trial. Similar to the Sahwari, Cates is forced by the society around him to live and think the way the society has decided. This is proven by the way the negative way the town reacts to Cates teaching evololution in his class. Both the Sahwari's and Cates are punished for speaking out and thinking differently.