Rabat — The Polisario-run Tindouf Camps have received more criticism for harboring inhuman practices which go against international laws.
Speaking before the UN General Assembly’s Fourth Committee this week, multiple speakers denounced systematic human rights violations going on in the camps – including the military recruitment of children and youth by the armed separatist group.
Representing the international NGO Rescue and Relief International, Amanda Ditschiani indicated that the international community has raised concerns for years regarding child recruitment and militarization in the Tindouf camps in southwestern Algeria.
She argued that these violations rest on documented evidence, not mere allegations.
“The matter involves facts with substance, confirmed here in this General Assembly,” Ditschiani said.
She noted that the UN Human Rights Council condemned these fundamental violations of children’s rights during its recent session in Geneva.
Ditschiani deplored the absence of security measures and transparency in the camps, explaining that this environment has enabled widespread corruption.
Members of the separatist movement have engaged in drug trafficking and maintain links to organized crime networks, according to her testimony.
“These conditions are documented and reflect a dark reality that cannot be ignored,” Ditschiani stated.
She called for urgent international engagement to support Morocco’s autonomy plan as the most humane, realistic, and peaceful solution to the artificial conflict.
Raghib Harmallah, president of the municipal council of Dakhla, appealed to the international community to act on its responsibilities.
He reminded Polisario leaders that international law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child apply to all signatory nations, including Algeria, which hosts the separatist group.
Layla Al-Atfani, speaking for the NGO Rifai, condemned systematic violations in the camps where Polisario militias recruit children in direct breach of international child protection agreements.
“These children face removal from schools and forced enrollment in military camps, violating the Treaty on the Rights of the Child,” Al-Atfani said. She stressed that these abuses threaten regional peace and security.
Al-Atfani pointed to Morocco’s 2007 autonomy plan as the only political framework for resolving the regional dispute while preserving the dignity of camp residents and protecting future generations from exploitation.
Grace Ngabao, former Interior Minister of Zambia, called for dismantling the camps to end grave violations of human dignity. She pointed to child recruitment, forced exposure to violent extremism, and radicalization occurring in Tindouf.
Wilson Lalinski, representing the Indonesian Citizens Journalists Association, documented extrajudicial executions taking place in the camps, constituting violations of international law’s most sacred principles.
“These incidents are not isolated,” Lalinski said. “They represent systematic violence inflicted on civilians stripped of their freedom and silenced by the Polisario militia.”
Nancy Huff, president of the International NGO for Children’s Education, described Tindouf as a breeding ground for radicalism, extremism, and all forms of trafficking.
She warned that these conditions worsen instability and frustration among the detained population.
Huff stressed that Morocco’s autonomy plan – which has full and clear support from the US and other global powers – represents “the most credible and pragmatic” solution capable of driving shared prosperity and development in the region.
Donna Sams, speaking for the Antiochian Orthodox Church, condemned the separatist movement’s absolute control of the camps.
She documented widespread abuse, corruption, and systematic theft of humanitarian aid by Polisario leaders and their families due to the absence of oversight.
Additional speakers included Ramadan Boufos from the Tarfaya municipal council, Khadija Illa from the Laayoune regional council, Sidati Benmasoud from the Dchira commune, Amal Jbour from the Jordanian Philosophical Society, Moufia Widad from the Laayoune-Sakiya el Hamra Chamber of Commerce, Hamada El Bouhayhi from the Sahara Association for Democracy and Human Rights, and Fadel Brika from the Saharan Association Against Impunity. They all collectively condemned the deplorable conditions in Tindouf.
They characterized the camps as an open prison where armed Polisario militias – with Algeria’s blessing – continue to systematically violate human dignity and fundamental rights of residents.
