Human Rights Activists: No Legitimacy for Western Sahara Solutions Outside UN Framework
Human rights activists have asserted that any solution to the Western Sahara issue outside the decolonization framework, and without respecting the Sahrawi people’s will, lacks legal legitimacy and violates the principle of self-determination enshrined in international law and UN resolutions.
Mohamed Fadel El-Hayt, a member of the Sahrawi Journalists and Writers Association in Europe, warned that attempts to reframe the issue as a “regional political dispute” are designed to diminish the Sahrawi people’s legitimate demands and transform inalienable rights into a subject of negotiation dictated by power dynamics. He emphasized that the right to self-determination is non-negotiable, adding that Sahrawi elites and media must remain vigilant in defending the legal framework and exposing attempts to bypass these rights.
Sahrawi lawyer and international law specialist Mohamed Hali stated that any resolution lacking the explicit support of the Sahrawi people is fundamentally illegitimate. He detailed the brutal repression by Moroccan occupation forces against activists and political prisoners, highlighting dire conditions, including solitary confinement and deteriorating health, which reflect the gravity of the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Hali noted that growing international recognition of the Sahrawi cause is strengthening the global community’s ability to hold occupying forces accountable.
The convergence of legal analysis and field experience demonstrates that any genuine resolution must be grounded in full respect for international law and the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination. These principles remain the essential foundation for a just and lasting solution to the conflict.
