To commemorate the 58th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Sahrawi Association of Victims of Grave Human Rights Violations Committed by the Moroccan State (ASVDH) organized a sit-in on December 10, 2006, in Dcheira Square, opposite the Hotel Negjir, in the city of El-Ayoune. The non-violent demonstrators were attacked by a large number of Moroccan security elements armed with sticks, when the Sahrawi activists approached the place of the sit-in. (15 DES 06)

Text by the Rafto Foundation, edited for publication here by HRH Oslo, Nina Luhr
Photo by Thomas Frantsvold

– The attack on peaceful demonstrators on December 10 falls under a repressive policy applied throughout the territory by the Moroccan authorities, according to Rafto laureate, Sidi Mohammed Daddach.

– We were surprised by the violent intervention by the Moroccan security forces, says Sidi Mohammed Daddach, in an e-mail received by the Rafto Foundation on December 14.

Several Sahrawi activists were injured in the intervention, among them were:

Hamad Hammad, a member of the Sahrawi Committee for self-determination in Western Sahara
Brahim Dahane, President of the ASVDH
Elghalia Djimi, Vice-President of the ASVDH
Mohamed Saleh Dailal, a member of the Sahrawi Committee for self-determination.
Sidi Mohammed Daddach was also beaten and insulted by the Moroccan security forces. The police detained Daddach inside a police car for several minutes before he was being released.

According to ASVDH, the organization had informed Moroccan authorities in advance about the sit-in in accordance with the Moroccan law. The security forces were awaiting the demonstrators at the selected square and attacking specifically leading members of the ASVDH.

The violent intervention by Moroccan forces on December 10 against the sit-in commemorating the International Human Rights Day, is not only a violation of the universal declaration of the human rights, but also a violation against Moroccan law.