LETTER from the Sahrawi human rights activists and prisoners of conscience to the international solidarity movement for Western Sahara

May 16, 2006

El Aaiun, Western Sahara

Dear friends,

We, the Sahrawi human rights activists and prisoners of conscience who were just released on March 25th, 2006 and April 22nd, 2006 from the Black Prison in El Aaiun, the capital of Western Sahara, and other prisons in Morocco, would like to express our sincere thanks to all of you for the great effort you have done and you are still doing to lessen the Sahrawi people‚s suffering and help them seize their right to self-determination via a free and fair referendum under the auspices of the UN.

Special thanks should go to the international solidarity movement for Western Sahara, for the wonderful work they are doing, and especially the Christian communities in Oklahoma and to the US people, for their constant support and incessant help to make the Sahrawis‚ voice heard in the USA and all over the world.

As members of this small population under the Moroccan occupation, we and the whole Sahrawi people,

* are opposing foreign companies plundering the Western Sahara on behalf of Morocco.
* Sincerely thank the oil company Kerr-McGee for taking the right decision of the withdrawal from exploring in the Western Sahara offshores.
* Appeal to Kerr-McGee to hand over the geological data from its activities to the people of the Western Sahara or to the United Nations.
* Pray that Kerr-McGee's withdrawal will have an effect on Morocco-European Union fisheries agreement that is soon to be ratified by the European Union. Just as the UN is clear that it would be illegal for American oil companies to steal our oil, the UN is clear that such fishing agreements is illegal.

Please, friends of the Sahrawi people, tell the EU that they first help solve the Western Sahara conflict, then they can exploit our fish. The way they do it now will only make problems for us and for the UN peace process.

We, the Sahrawi human rights activists and ex-political prisoners of conscience as well as Sahrawis enduring the Moroccan repression and occupation, renew our deep thanks to the friends of the Sahrawi people wherever they are.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

The Sahrawi ex-political prisoners of conscience and the human rights activists signing underneath:

1. Mohamed Elmoutaoikil, an ex-political prisoner and human rights activist.
2. Larbi Massaoud, an ex-political prisoner and HR activist.
3. Ali Salem Tamek, an ex-political prisoner and HR activist.
4. Brahim Noumria, an ex-political prisoner and HR activist.
5. Elhoucine Lidri, an ex-political prisoner and HR activist.
6. Lamine Sahel, an ex-political prisoner and HR activist.
7. Sidi Sayelli, an ex-political prisoner and HR activist.
8. Fatma Aayache, an ex-political prisoner and HR activist.
9. Mohamed Fadel Gaoudi, an ex-political prisoner and HR activist.
10. Mohamed Abdedaim, an ex-political prisoner and HR activist.
11. Iguilid Hammoud, a Trade Union and HR activist.
12. Lhamed Mahmoud, a Trade Union and HR activist.
13. Elouali Amidan, an ex-political prisoner.
14. Mohamed Salem Lakhal, a Trade Union and HR activist.
15. Latif Allal, a HR activist.
16. Baj Elhoucine, a HR activist.
17. Tarouzi Yahdih, a HR activist.
18. Mohamed Jaiim, a Trade Union activist.