Referendum In Western Sahara

EDM number 977 in 1993-94, proposed by Mike Watson on 29/03/1994.

That this House notes the efforts of the UN and the Organisation of African Unity to decolonise the Territory of Western Sahara, occupied in violation of international law since 1975 by Morocco; notes that the two parties involved in the Western Sahara conflict, Morocco and Polisario agreed in 1988 that a free and fair referendum should take place to enable the people of the Territory to choose between independence and integration with the occupying power and that the electoral body which would participate in the referendum would be "all Saharans of eighteen years of age and above counted in the 1974 census conducted by the Spanish authorities before their withdrawal from the Territory"; regrets that to date, some two years after the planned date for the referendum, the UN has been unable to proceed; believes that this delay is due to a systematic campaign by Morocco, which has transferred tens of thousands of new settlers into the Territory, repeatedly violated the cease-fire and failed to reduce its military presence in the Territory; further welcomes the resolution of the European Parliament of 10th February 1994 which calls upon Morocco to cease arbitrary arrests, 'disappearances' and torture used in Morocco and Western Sahara and upon EU member states to "do everything they can in their political economic and trade practices with Morocco to end the system of 'disappearance' and implement the UN peace plan"' believes that the implementation of the UN plan as outlined in Resolutions 658 and 690 remains the only option to end the conflict; and calls upon the UN to use its good offices to this effect and the two parties to enter into direct negotiations to overcome outstanding differences.

This motion has been signed by a total of 55 MPs.