Fórum Canario Saharaui condemns the threats made by the Polisario Front against Mauritania

The Fórum Canario Saharaui condemns the recent threats made by the Polisario Front against Mauritania and urges the international community to redouble its efforts to guarantee peace and stability.

Below is the communiqué from the Fórum Canario Saharaui:

The Fórum Canario Saharaui expresses its strongest condemnation and rejection of the recent threats issued by the Polisario Front, through its leader Bachir Mustapha Sayed, against Mauritania following the opening of a new border post in southern Morocco. This act not only constitutes an unacceptable act of intimidation towards a sovereign country such as Mauritania, but also forms part of the dangerous escalation of tension promoted by the Polisario since breaking the ceasefire in 2020. That unilateral action triggered the current situation of armed conflict, seriously damaging stability in the region, just a few kilometres from our shores. 

These irresponsible actions only serve to destabilise the Maghreb, generating uncertainty in an already fragile region. The international community, and in particular the UN, must redouble its efforts to guarantee peace and stability, taking clear measures against those who promote violence and disorder. 

The international political landscape is undergoing significant changes that could have a direct impact on the situation in Western Sahara. The return of the Trump administration to the White House represents renewed support for Morocco's position, reaffirming the recognition of its sovereignty over the disputed territory. Thus, we must seriously consider that one of the first short- to medium-term measures by the US State Department will be to include the Polisario Front on its list of Foreign Terrorist Organisations, in view of its belligerent attitude and its stubborn and fundamentalist stance. 

In this sense it is crucial to remember, for the umpteenth time, the extensive terrorist record of the Polisario Front. In the past, this group perpetrated attacks that left a tragic toll of numerous victims, including Canarian fishermen and workers from Fos Bucraa. These actions, widely condemned by ACAVITE and intentionally forgotten by some sectors, together with their current level of belligerence, demonstrate that the Polisario is not only a threat to regional stability and security, but also to international security. It is imperative that society and the institutions finally recognise and honour the memory of these victims, many of whom were Canarians simply doing their jobs in the region. Therefore, from this Forum we hope for the prompt and deserved inclusion of the Polisario Front on the aforementioned list of terrorist organisations. 

On the other hand, the situation in the Tindouf camps, controlled by the Polisario Front in southern Algeria, continues to be critically alarming, both internally and externally: 

Internally, the Tindouf camps, supposedly created as a temporary refuge for the Sahrawi population, have become a lawless territory where repression, arbitrariness and the flagrant violation of the most basic human rights reign. The Polisario Front, with the tacit backing of Algeria, has established a regime of terror that silences any dissident voice. 

Externally, the recent kidnapping of a Spanish citizen in southern Algeria, although it occurred some distance from Tindouf, highlights the growing threat of terrorist groups operating in the region. We must not forget that these camps have already been the scene of kidnappings and attacks in the past, with increasingly precarious control by the Polisario. This inaction by the Polisario increases the risk of extremist activities. 

From the Fórum Canario Saharaui we want to show our rejection of these conflict scenarios off our coasts and of the attitude of those who provoke them, once again the Polisario Front. We therefore call on national and international authorities to strengthen their commitment to peace and regional stability, prioritising actions that guarantee them immediately, essential conditions for building a prosperous future for all the peoples of the region, including the Canary Islands. 

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 

27 January 2025