Morocco is attempting to paralyze the round of negotiations with the Polisario Front until it forms part of the UN Security Council.

From W. Sahara, Morocco Said to Block UN Torture Rapporteur Mendez

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 26 -- A briefing on Western Sahara had been promised in the UN Security Council on October, but got pushed back to the 26th to be after Morocco's October 21 election to a Council seat in 2012-13. As envoy Christopher Ross gave his briefing, behind closed doors, a Council diplomat left, telling Inner City Press that, "as usual, nothing surprising."

Afterward South African Permanent Representative Baso Sangqu told the Press that the compromise human rights mechanism agreed to, that UN Special Rapporteurs could visit, was not being implemented. Only one rapporteurs has been there, and returned critical of the denial of cultural rights in Western Sahara.

Later Inner City Press learned that another rapporteur, Juan Mendez who covers torture, has tried to visit but has received "push back" from Morocco. Mendez wanted to focus on Western Sahara, while Rabat wants him to come to Morocco. Mendez is reportedly conferring with Ross on how to move forward.

As Sangqu spoke with reporters, French Ambassador Gerard Araud walked by and laughed. Apparently his side, which opposes inclusion of a human rights mandate for the UN peacekeeping mission MINURSO, is winning: there is no need to talk.

(c) UN Photo
Ban Ki-moon & Ross: access for torture rapporteur Mendez not shown

Germany through its Deputy Permanent Representative Berger expressed a wish that Morocco would hold talks prior to January. But, others say, Morocco has said that its "diplomatic calendar" is too full until January, when they take up their Council seat.

Moroccan representatives were present around the Council and at the stakeout afterward but did not speak to the assembled media. Morocco's position on Special Rapporteur on Torture Juan Mendez would have been good to obtain; if received it will be published.

On October 21, Inner City Press asked Morocco's foreign minister not only about Western Sahara -- in his response he called it "Moroccan Sahara" -- but also about Palestine, a question he did not answer. When he goes, we will report it. And so it goes at the UN.

Fuente Inner City

The Polisario Front denounces Moroccan increased military presence in Dakhla (Western Sahara). Morocco could violate ceasefire in the UN.

The Polisario Front reporting increased military presence in the city of Dakhla and a 'resurgence of violence "towards the Saharawi days leading street protests by' beating death 'of a young man.

This was explained by the spokesman of this movement, Mohamed Salem, speaking, who says that 'two days ago has reinforced military presence', with the arrival of vehicles, tanks and helicopters.

It is an unusual presence, because they also suspect, says Salem, who to mark the upcoming anniversary of last year's incident at Camp Hope, which falls on November 8, these will be repeated.

The Polisario Front spokesman Moroccan does not clarify whether they are right with your suspicions, but reiterated that the military presence 'increases' at times.

Mohamed Salem also alleged that the violence used these days against the inhabitants of Moroccan settlers also participate Dakhla

Soar to seven dead in Dakhla (Western Sahara) clashes between Sahrawi and Moroccan settlers. Seven dead in Dakhla during clashes between Moroccan and

Seven people have died in the riots unleashed in Dakhla, South of the Sahara, from the afternoon of last Sunday, said today the 'States' (civil government) of the area. According to this information, two are police officers.

In a statement to the official MAP Agency, 'wilaya' specifies that two of the victims are police officers, and noted that there have been numerous fires of vehicles and shops, although they say that the situation is 'under control' at this time.

On the other hand, the prosaharaui organization Sahara Thawra denounced a young Sahrawi, Maichan Mohamed Lamin Lahbib, was 'killed' by a group of Moroccan settlers that him beaten.

According to Thawra, Maichan Mohamed Lamin Lahbib, born in 1982, died yesterday at noon because of 'the multiple beatings by Moroccan settlers in the streets of the city'. As a result of his death, continued the Organization through a press release, there have been clashes between the Saharans and the Moroccan police in Laayoune and the own Dakhla, as a result of which a young Sahrawi in the capital of the former Spanish colony have been arrested.

Also, continued, the Moroccan settlers, together with the police, they tried to enter in some neighborhoods of Dakhla, but found with 'resistance of Sahrawi youth'.

The settlers, according to the Organization, have also burned houses of Saharans in the city 'with the consent and supervision of the police'. The Minister of the Interior Morocco, Taieb Cherkaoui, 'already has landed in the city of Dakhla to take command of the situation and control the next steps to follow', added Thawra.

'The situation in the city of Dakhla is quite alarming, explosions are heard from several points of the city, panic and assault sweep the streets, and columns of smoke can be seen from all parts of the city', he added.

The dead on Sunday

The State Agency of news, MAP, reported Monday that at least two people were killed and several had been injured in the past because of a brawl between Sahrawi and Moroccan settlers after a match of the League of amateur football in Dakhla.

Morocco Army has besieged Dakhla in Western Sahara. Moroccan settlers burn a House of a Sahrawi family.

The clashes in the city of Dakhla began at 12 noon today, nothing more know the news of the death of the young Sahrawi, Maishan Mohamed Lamin, wounded at the hospital in the city, since that last night, he was brutally attacked by several Moroccan settlers.

Multitude of Sahrawi people took to the streets and were juntandose in the neighborhoods of Sahrawi majority called Um Tunsi, Errahma, Esalam, and the neighborhood of 64, found in the South of the city's airport.

The Saharawi population of neighborhoods with Moroccan dominance, on the other side of the city, have been fleeing progressively their homes and moving to other districts, to see how their Moroccan neighbors, settlers, looted throughout the later houses of Saharan families, all destrozandolo, burning cars and shops.

Throughout the afternoon and still continues, the Moroccan settlers are patrolling the streets of the city along with the police, both are protected by the Moroccan Army.

To the rededor of 18: 00 h, several Moroccan settlers along with the police, have fired firearms against groups of Saharans who were resisting in the streets. At that time, seems that it has been hurt a police Moroccan, after being shot by mistake by a colleague.

What is in the city of Dakhla breathes, much remembers what happened in the city of Laayoune during the aftermath of the brutal dismantling of Gdeim Izik.

At the moment, except these 4 neighbourhoods (Um Tunsi, Errahma, Esalam and 64), the city is taken by the Moroccan Army, leaving no moving through the streets to anyone, and leave their homes, except for the groups of Moroccan settlers who patrol with police.

There are dozens of wounded and detainees but unknown numbers and the names of the persons concerned.

Less than 10 minutes ago, Moroccan settlers have lit fire to Sahrawi House family Hanoun, near the neighborhood of 64. Under the supervision of the Moroccan security forces.

The city of Dakhla is totally besieged by the Moroccan Army and the only access to the city, the road that goes from Boujdour, is cut to civilian vehicles.

Algeria to have private TV channels in 2012: minister

Algeria will get its first private television channels in 2012, Communication Minister Nacer Mehal was quoted as saying Monday by the El Khabar newspaper.

"I think we'll be seeing the first private channels in 2012," he told the Arabic-language daily.

He said he would seek the advice of Rachid Arab -- an Algerian-born member of the CSA, France's media regulator -- to help open up the sector to private broadcasters.

The Algerian government earlier this month adopted a bill ending the state's monopoly on broadcasting, a long-standing demand of the country's opposition.

Several private newspapers, including El Khabar, and businessmen announced their intention to launch radio and television channels following the government's move.

Algeria's has five television stations, all publicly-owned.

Mathaba News Agency: NATO commits massacre at Sirte razing the city to the ground

From: Mathaba

3 days of non-stop bombing away from the public eye -- urgent appeal to humanitarians to force NATO to stop massacre

For the third day in a row, NATO aircraft are conducting massive missile and bomb strikes on the city of Sirte, home town of Muammar Gaddafi, not allowing anyone to escape. The city perimeter is surrounded by rebel check points, behind which there are special forces units from Britain, France, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.

The exit from the city is completely blocked. Neither women, nor children are allowed to leave. Men, captured attempting to leave the town together with their families, are shot. Their families are sent back into the city under bombing. There is practically no way to bury the corpses, stated in a letter that was received at Argumenty.ru this morning. The writer is a former officer in the Soviet and later Russian special forces, who is now in Sirte.

The former officer of the Soviet, then Russian special forces, a retired lieutenant colonel Ilya Korenev, whom [Argumenti.ru] have earlier called a "source", and who is close to Colonel Gaddafi, decided to mention his name in the letter.

In the city until now no troops, rebels or special forces have dared to enter. In the night there were many small provocations in order to try to establish the locations of the government troops. Several small squads of rebels tried a probing action in the night to reconnaissance, but were destroyed. At the same time in the air at that time was a remote-controlled reconnaissance spying aircraft (UAV) "drone", which exposed the city's defense. After an hour air attacks took place on these plotted points. However, defenders of the city have already left their positions to other locations, writes the lieutenant colonel.

According to him, "the situation resembles the terrible winter of '95 in Grozny, Chechnia, when there was bombing everything that moved, without proper guiding systems or accurate coordinates. The only difference was that then the Russian airforce did not have much fuel, so the flights were not as intensive as they are now. At the moment, the NATO airforce is in the air almost around the clock".

From Argumenti.ru #

Southern Sudan recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Today the SADR and the Southern Sudan Republic diplomatic relations established

The newborn Republic of South Sudan joins more than 80 States that recognize the Sadr. An important recognition, given that southern Sudan may be an example to be followed to conclude the decolonization process in Western Sahara and a guarantee for the exercise of self-determination of the Saharan people.

Establishment of diplomatic relations between the Southern Sudan Republic and the Sahrawi Republic
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Sadr) and the Southern Sudan Republic on Saturday signed a joint statement announcing the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries at the level of embassies. In a joint communiqué signed by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the two countries, Mr. Mohamed Salem Ould Salek and the excmo. Mr. Deng Alor Kuol, the two countries decided to establish diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level to 'strengthen their bilateral relations in accordance with the principles and objectives enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the African Union and the Charter of the United Nations.' He also recalled the long history of friendship, solidarity and common struggle for freedom, self-determination and independence shared by the two brothers of African peoples, the Sahrawi people and the people of southern Sudan. It should be recalled that the Sahrawi Republic, announced on Saturday its official recognition of the Southern Sudan Republic as a sovereign and independent State, coinciding with the official declaration of independence, which took place on Saturday in the presence of the Saharan delegation headed by the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz. Juba (southern Sudan) 10 July 2011