Victims of Repressions at the Tindouf Camps are represented at the Fifty-fifth
Session of the Sub-Commission of Human Rights

For the fourth consecutive year the "Association of Parents of Sahraoui Victims of Repressions within the Camps of (PASVERTI)" is represented in the Sub-Commission, and C.O.N.G.O. had the opportunity to speak to its president, Mr. El Houcine Baida. He explained that the reason for presence of the association at the Sub-Commission is to denounce the human rights violation by the Polisario's Direction in the Sahara.

The Polisario was formed in 1973, as a reaction towards several broken promises on Saharan independence from the Spanish colonialist regime. The name "Polisario" was a short form of Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia El-Hamra y Rio de Oro. And since 1975, it has been stationed in Tindouf, the most western town in Algeria.

CONGO : Why are you here? What are you denouncing?

MR.BAIDA: Our main objective is to inform what is happening inside the Polisario. The Sahraoui people are being victim of a potential dictator and the world must know that many people are being tortured, kidnap and imprisoned. Women, children and men are all being victims of the Polisario's injustice. To inform is our main objective and it is important for us, since we know that many of the governments, if not all, that are supporting the Polisario, give their support without knowing the truth.

The Sahraoui people also want a "free and transparent Referendum," since they believe the Polisario only represents a minority. "Most of us we are in the Sahara and not in Algeria," stated Mr. Baida. The Sahraoui people are ready to have dialogs with the Directives of the Polisario, but the Directives are apparently not ready to discuss these matters as of yet.

Mr. Baida is here with other representatives of the Association who have also been imprisoned and tortured. Not to say anything about the prison conditions, where they were without any type of communication and under terrifying conditions for more than 6 years in many cases.

After some years of fighting for their rights and against the injustices, they have attained some goals, as the call of Amnesty International. They are here to speak and denounce with the hope of reaching more justice.

By: Paula Bula

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