Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers (Article 19, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights). International laws are very clear about sanctifying an individual’s rights and personal freedoms, but some separatist movements and terrorist organizations commit criminal actions against civilians and those in opposition to their beliefs. It is obvious that the Polisario Front is one of those movements that acts inconsistently with international laws, even as they claim that they adhere to just and democratic principles as they are cited in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and that they are committed to international conventions according to their so-called Constitution of December 2011.

Morocco has condemned Polisario’s exorbitant egos and their repression of the opposition activists and populations in the refugee camps of Tindouf (Southwest Algeria). As a recent example of Polisario’s repressive actions, after Mahjouba Mohamed Hamdidaf was held captive and detained by the Polisario (who stripped her of her passport and refused to allow her to return to Europe), they cracked down violently on peaceful demonstrators in Tindouf. Thousands were injured and many were arrested and detained in the Dhibiya Prison where they all were denied contact with their relatives, and still are. Where is the international community when these repressive actions are being committed against innocent people? Why are the eyes of Human Rights Watch always on Morocco and not on the Tindouf camps in Algeria?

Sahrawi activist and former Polisario member, Mustapha Salma Ould Sidi Mouloud, has called for the international community to intervene and urgently end the Polisario repression of the demonstrators and population in the Tindouf camps. Mouloud was expelled from the camps two years ago for daring to have a different opinion and openly supporting Morocco’s autonomy proposal. This is further proof of the Polisario’s contradiction of international human rights laws and their blatant snub of the international community.

In the Polisario’s so-called Constitution, the existence or creation of any other party is expressly forbidden. This is exactly like the oppressive regimes of North Korea and the former Soviet Union—they took their beliefs from the same source as these extreme communist nations. Furthermore, their leader, Mohamed Abdelaziz, has been in charge since 1976. He, and the Polisario ally – Algeria, refuse to allow the international community or human rights movements’ representatives any access to the Tindouf camps to check on the conditions in which the occupants live, as well as refusing to allow a population census by the United Nations. Another extreme contradiction of international human rights law is how Polisario gets away with separating families and sending children to Cuba and Spain to be adopted, and Mahjouba is a clear example of this. The silence of the international community is not understood, especially when compared to the events of the Haiti after the big earthquake and so many orphaned children were not allowed to be adopted internationally when they clearly needed help.

The disregard of the Polisario Front and their ally Algeria for human rights laws is a very distinct contradiction of the United Nations and the human rights movements. They turn a blind eye to these violations and, at the same time, Morocco works with them and opens their country to them. The United Nations must remain neutral, and simultaneously, Morocco is a sovereign country that is based on the rule of laws. Morocco’s plan of autonomy was proposed to end this dispute, and that is the limit of what Morocco can do. King Mohammed VI emphasized that “the Sahara would remain under Moroccan sovereignty until the end of time” during his speech commemorating the 39th anniversary of the Green March.

Redouan Jebroun