Geneva - Morocco called Monday on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR) to resettle, in line with its mandate, the population sequestered in the Camps of Tindouf (South Western Algeria) in third countries.
Due to the current human blockade, Morocco would like to ask the HCR to take the necessary measures to implement this solution and inform the populations of the Tindouf Camps about their right to leave these camps and freely choose to resettle in a third country, said Morocco's Ambassador and Permanent Representative at the UN Office in Geneva, Omar Hilale.
The Moroccan Ambassador, who was addressing the 60th HCR Executive Committee, said Morocco's decision is made for several reasons, pertaining mainly to the fact that the Kingdom strongly rejects Algeria's political motives opposing the free consensual return of the Moroccan population to their Mother country, as it will never accept to deprive them of their legitimate rights to resettling.
He said the 35-year blockade of the HCR mandate is morally intolerable, politically unacceptable, and illegal.
Humanitarian aid is not a lasting solution to the refugees' long-term problem, said the Moroccan diplomat, voicing Morocco's concern over the traumatic impact and the negative consequences of the prolonged exile on these populations, particularly the most vulnerable: women and children.
Hilale called on the HCR to ensure that the population in the Camps of Tindouf is fully aware of their legitimate rights to choose to resettle freely in a third country, requesting a survey on the countries likely to offer resettlement places for the people who choose to leave the camps.
© Agence Maghreb Arabe Presse 2009
