The Final Call

Editor's Notebook from Western Sahara and Algeria

By Richard B. Muhammad | Last updated: Dec 22, 2014 - 12:34:03 PM

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Final Call Editor Richard B. Muhammad is in Algiers providing exclusive reports and photos from the 5th International Conference in Algiers: "Peoples' Right to Resistance: The Case of the Saharawi."

December 22
‪#‎ferguson‬ Hands up! Don't shoot! Western Sahara solidarity with the Black struggle from North Africa.  — with Akbar Muhammad.

December 20
Editor´s Notebook: From the streets to the suites to the Sahara. We deliver the truth. ‪#‎freewesternsahara‬ Standing on the liberated side of Western Sahara, more soon in The FinalCall Newspaper Thanks to Milton Allimadi and all the Black Press Crew that made the trip.

December 20
Editor´s Notebook: Islam brings you friends in all walks of life and across the oceans!

December 15
Editor's Notebook Algeria and Western Sahara: Shops in the Casbah showed creative and productive as these people did some things fro themselves--craftsman made shoes, furniture, metal work in jewelry, and baked bread. Major market lots of trade and commerce. Dec. 15, 2014

December 14

Editor's Notebook Algeria: Women are among the great fighters in the struggle of the Saharawi people for independence from Morocco, which controls about 80 percent of their land, the Western Sahara, activists say. In an interview with a delegation of Black journalists, a group of Saharawi women, appealed to their Black sisters in America for help. Rape, torture, beatings, disrespect and humiliation are part of their daily lives, said the Saharawis. But, they declared, we will never surrender and we will never submit to those who destroy our people and jail and kill our fathers, husbands, sons, mothers and daughters, they vowed. Western Sahara, located in North Africa, is called Africa's only remaining colony. Freedom fighter Laila Ellaili spoke at the conference. She was dragged by her hair by Moroccan authorities, jailed and tortured. Akhyarhum Aleya, another Saharawi leader, also spoke at the conference, which was held in the city of Algiers in the country of Algeria. France is a major supporter and partner with Morocco and uses its power on the UN Security Council to thwart the fight for self determination for the Western Sahara, despite UN resolutions and negotiations with Morocco to resolve this issue. Morocco refuses to allow the people of the Western Sahara to conduct a referendum and vote to decide what their status should be. The Western Sahara is already recognized by over 100 nations as an independent country, said advocates and diplomats for the Western Sahara. Saharawis are engaged in peaceful struggle and suffer from Moroccan violence, they said. All we want is for international law to be followed that we might decide our own affairs, said Saharahwi leaders. Some have been killed and others are jailed because of this struggle and are political prisoners, they added.

December 12

Editor's Notebook in Algeria: Powerful stories of struggle, torture, prison, deprivation and determination. Majoub is a leader in the Western Sahara struggle for self determination. At age 15, he was rounded up by Moroccan authorities after anti-government slogans and pamphlets appeared in his hometown. He was not politically active but jailed for two and a half years, blindfolded and forced to lay on the floor daily. He suffers from eye ailments and has been beaten and jailed many times over the past 30 years. He wants Western Sahara to have self determination and the ability to vote on its future and political reality. Morocco invaded the area and assumed control under an agreement with French, who had colonized the area.

December 12

In Algiers with ambassador from Western Sahara see with your own eyes, write the truth, if we deserve condemnation condemn us, he said. But Western Sahara, which is under control of Morocco, should have the right to vote and the right to self determination, said the ambassador. The Western Sahara is called Africa's last remaining colony and the United Nations has said Western Sahara should be free to choose its destiny, just as the African Union and other international bodies have also said. I am attending the 5th International Conference of Algiers: "Peoples' Right to Resistance: The Case of the Sahrawi" 2014.

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