The New Zealand does not wish to clarify its trade relations with occupied Western Sahara, nor to explain what it has done to seek the consent of the people of the territory.
The New Zealand farmers' co-operative Ravensdown has for several years imported phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara. The trade directly contributes to finance Morocco's illegal occupation of the territory.
The UN legal departement is clear that mineral exploitation of such kind will only be in line if it is in accordance with the wishes of the people of Western Sahara.
However, Ravensdown wishes, "due to commmercial sensitivity", not to clarify how or whether they have sought the consent of the owners of the phosphates.
Read Ravensdown's letter to Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) on 03 June 2014 here, as a reply to a letter from WSRW to the company on 04 May 2014.
These are the clients of Morocco’s phosphate plunder
For the eleventh year in a row, Western Sahara Resource Watch publishes a detailed, annual overview of the companies involved in the purchase of conflict phosphates from occupied Western Sahara.
Protesters set up roadblock to stop conflict minerals in New Zealand
The pressure is mounting on the New Zealand importers of phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara. Today protesters in Christchurch erected roadblocks to stop trucks from transporting the conflict minerals into the local Ravensdown fertiliser factory.
Kiwi importers ignore government advice on Western Sahara
While other companies internationally have managed to find alternative sources of phosphate - and in spite of a request of the New Zealand government that they do the same - the Kiwi fertilizer industry seems unwilling to drop its imports from occupied Western Sahara.
Flotilla targets phosphate plunder ship
A Japanese-Canadian vessel that transported conflict phosphate from occupied Western Sahara was yesterday received by a floating protest in New Zealand.