Since October 31, 1975, the Sahrawi people living on the Moroccan controlled territory of
Western Sahara have been deprived from exerting their legitimate rights, as they are
contemplated by all international conventions relative to Human Rights. This derives from
the non-application of their inalienable right to self-determination, and impacts on the rest
of social, cultural and economic rights. This report will address some of these deprivations.
Although the legal instruments available are clear about the rights of non-autonomous
peoples, particularly the declaration relative to non-autonomous territories in the UN
Charter (articles 73 and 74)1,and the Geneva convention on the protection of civilians at
times of War2, the Reign of Morocco has been working ever since it has acquired control
over the area, in order to spoil its natural resources, particularly phosphates, fish resources,
sand, etc. without complying with the relevant international legal obligations, which require
profit derived from the exploitation of a non-autonomous territory’s resources to be
invested for its autochthonous people’s development; housing, education, employment,
healthcare....
Since October 31, 1975, the Sahrawi people living on the Moroccan controlled territory of
Western Sahara have been deprived from exerting their legitimate rights, as they are
contemplated by…