The SMP warns against unilateral decisions that could derail the peace process in Western Sahara
The Sahrawi Movement for Peace (SMP) has warned against unilateral decisions that could collapse the peace process in Western Sahara after the positive momentum generated by the United States' intervention in favour of Morocco's Autonomy Plan for the Sahrawi territory.
In a letter addressed to the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan De Mistura, the first secretary of the Movement Saharawi for Peace, Hach Ahmed Bericalla, expressed his concern about ‘possible unilateral decisions that could hinder or collapse’ the momentum generated by the United States' intervention in the debates surrounding the upcoming Security Council resolution on Western Sahara.
The SMP considers it ‘imperative to capitalise on the unprecedented momentum generated by the interest of influential countries in favour of a just and lasting solution under international guarantees’ and points out that there is a conviction that ‘the inclusion of the Sahrawi Movement for Peace in the next stage is an indispensable element’ for the political process of dialogue in favour of resolving the Sahrawi dispute.
The following is a reproduction of the letter from Hach Ahmed Bericalla to Staffan de Mistura:
The Sahrawi Movement of Peace (SMP) is following with particular interest the efforts within the UN Security Council regarding the draft resolution on Western Sahara presented by the United States Mission. Through this letter, we wish to convey our perspective on this crucial moment.
We consider it imperative to capitalise on the unprecedented momentum generated by the interest of influential countries in favour of a just and lasting solution under international guarantees. However, we are deeply concerned that last-minute unilateral positions or decisions could hinder, or even collapse, a peace operation that, after more than three decades, has yet to achieve its fundamental objectives.
As spokespersons for a significant and growing part of Sahrawi society, we reiterate our firm rejection of any attempt to withdraw or disengage from the process at such a decisive moment. Such an attitude would not only mean wasting a historic opportunity, backed by key powers, but also renouncing the responsibilities assumed before the international community. The cost of a new blockade would fall directly on a refugee population that has been waiting for a solution for fifty years.
For all these reasons, we are convinced that the inclusion of the Sahrawi Movement for Peace in the next stage is an indispensable element. Our participation would provide a complementary and representative voice for the Sahrawis who prioritise a political and negotiated solution. This would not only broaden and diversify the Sahrawi component of the political process, but is also essential to ensure its continuity and success. We reiterate our full willingness to participate actively, constructively and responsibly.
We wish you every success in your efforts and renew our willingness to contribute to the positive conclusion of a process in which you have invested enormous efforts and in which we, the Sahrawis, have placed our most legitimate hopes.
