Rabat – The Moroccan Ambassador to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Omar Zniber, has denounced the state of human rights in Algeria, particularly in the Tindouf camps.
In a statement to the Chairperson of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Zniber denounced Algeria for pushing a false and misleading political agenda, before calling into attention the human rights conditions in the country.
The representative also denounced Algeria’s insistence on pushing its agenda in the meeting of the Standing Committee, as states were specifically urged to leave the politics aside to focus on humanitarian issues.
“Referring to an imaginary military confrontation in the region is a pure propaganda of the
Algerian regime … in order to divert attention of its complicity and responsibility under the international humanitarian law,” the statement reads.
Zniber informed the committee that the situation in the Sahara remains stable, something that was witnessed by several UN agencies in the field, including the UNHCR. The UN has not recently referred to any violent conflicts in the Sahara.
By contrast, the delegate notes, refugees in Algeria’s Tindouf region have been abandoned in inhumane conditions without being able to pursue basic life necessities.
“The Algerian regime continues to finance separatist movements on its territory and devolutes power to them while the Tindouf camps are under tight control of armed militias,” he adds.
Zniber demanded the Algerian delegation to provide an explanation for their expulsion of thousands of migrants, referring to the recent report by the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council.
The Algerian regime has also been accused of embezzling humanitarian aid intended for refugees and abusing their rights, including those of women and children, among other international human rights violations.
The Moroccan delegation also noted that these violations are of even greater importance today, considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as cases have been rapidly increasing among the Tindouf population.
Consequently, Morocco has called on the UNHCR to provide basic international protection for its refugee populations, as per the mandate of the commission, and condemned Algeria for allowing the conditions in the camps to deteriorate.
Additionally, the delegation’s statement highlights the efforts Morocco has taken to ensure adequate living conditions for its Sahrawi population, as well as its commitment to international aid for other populations during times of crisis.
Algeria has also been recently called out by Morocco in the United Nations for political maneuvers, as well as by the Arab Parliament for its continued criticism of Morocco.
