UN Alerted to Human Rights Violations by the Polisario in Tindouf Camps
During the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, international organizations and witnesses shed light on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Tindouf camps in Algeria. Former Sahrawi detainees and NGOs exposed grave human rights violations committed by the Polisario, with the active complicity of the Algerian authorities.
Crimes Go Unpunished Under Algeria’s Watchful Eye
Testimonies revealed a grim reality inside the camps, including extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, torture, modern slavery, child recruitment into military camps, and the brutal suppression of fundamental freedoms. In response, speakers urged the international community to take immediate action to end the Polisario’s impunity and protect the Sahrawi people.
A Devastating Testimony
Lemaadla Mohamed Salem Zrug, a Sahrawi refugee and representative of the African Network for Development, Governance, and Human Rights (RADHEG), gave a harrowing account of the atrocities committed in Tindouf. She denounced abductions, torture, extrajudicial killings, and the forced recruitment of children into military training. She also exposed the complete impunity enjoyed by the Polisario’s leaders under Algeria’s protection.
The Fate of Sahrawi Children: Exploitation Disguised as Humanitarian Aid
Judit Segara Casasepare, a representative of CIRAC, warned about the forced recruitment of children in the Tindouf camps. Exposed to an ideology of hatred and violence, these children are often separated from their families under the guise of the “Holidays in Peace” program. According to CIRAC, this so-called humanitarian initiative actually facilitates child trafficking, sending them abroad with no guarantee of return. The NGO called on the UN to launch an investigation and hold Algeria accountable for these violations occurring on its soil.
Raising Voices Against Indoctrination and Repression
Abdelwahab Gain, president of Africa Culture International, condemned the systematic indoctrination of Sahrawi children and their exploitation for political purposes. He stressed that under the pretext of humanitarian trips, these children are often trafficked and deprived of their fundamental right to a protected childhood.
Similarly, El Fadel Braika, a representative of Il Cenacollo and a former Sahrawi prisoner in Polisario’s secret prisons, exposed the inhumane conditions imposed on Tindouf camp residents. He described a climate of terror marked by enforced disappearances, acts of torture, and the violent repression of any escape attempt. He also revealed Algeria’s direct role in these violations, particularly through the systematic arrest of young people trying to flee the camps.
An Urgent Call to the International Community
Faced with these ongoing violations and the Polisario’s continued impunity under Algeria’s protection, witnesses issued a strong appeal to the UN and international organizations. They demanded that Algeria immediately open the Tindouf camps to independent observers and allow impartial investigations into the reported abuses.
The world can no longer turn a blind eye to this crisis. The international community now bears a moral and legal responsibility to act and end decades of human rights violations against the Sahrawi people, held hostage by a manipulative Algerian regime and its ally, the Polisario.
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