The documentary that gives new voice to Saharawi people: “Sons of the clouds” » Tindouf ExPRESS

On May 29th, in the Belgian headquarter of the European Parliament (EP), was shown the movie “Sons of the clouds” at the presence of the actor Javier Bardem and the director Alvaro Longoria. The movie tells the story of some 37 years of Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara, the systematic repression of the Saharawi people and the denial of their rights. The goal is one: to bring back attention to the often forgotten history of the Saharawi people and the Western Sahara issue.

The EP initiative, launched by the MEP Pino Arlacchi, member of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament and the parliamentary working group “Peace for the Saharawi people”, takes place just after the approval (on April 19th) by the Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg, of an amendment that supports the Saharawis right to self-determination. An act in which the MEPs require that in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, fundamental human rights and freedom of association and speech are respected, doom the Moroccan military occupation of the region and call up Morocco for the release of 82 Saharawi political prisoners, particularly of the 23 people detained without trial in the prison of Salé, after the dismantling of Gdeim Izik camp.

Javier Bardem has joined his voice to the protests of many prominent European lawyers who have for long time put pressure against the Spanish government to suspend its unconditional support to Morocco, which, over time, it is turning into a real appeasement of  human rights violations. Bardem also stated that:

“The EU can exert a significant role in the dynamics of negotiation, for example, pushing Spain to finally recognize her responsibilities (…) evidently whenever we choose to put more emphasis on strategic economic issues related to the geography of the region, to turn a blind eye on Sahrawi people that suffers violences, detentions, rapes, etc. All this makes us accomplices”.
(NTD Television)

Mr Bardem also states that “a simple first step in the right direction” could be done by the international community and United Nations, by sending to occupied Western Sahara international observers who can objectively observe reality. This, of course, in full support of the statements of the Special Envoy of UN Secretary General Christopher Ross who proposed in his report presented to the UN Security Council a few weeks ago, to give him the mandate to monitor personally and without any conditioning by the negotiating parties, the situation in the occupied territories and Saharawis refugee camps near Tindouf. The proposal, however, angers Morocco which unilaterally decided to withdraw its support to Mr Ross.

If the “new” Socialist France held by Mr Hollande, contrary to all expectations (considering the historical position of the French socialists about the Saharawi issue and their unconditional support to Saharawi right to self-determination), indulges in taking a clear position on the issue of Western Sahara, the Popular Spain held by Mr Rajoy worries Moroccan establishment. Its traditional position, in fact, reiterated during the last election campaign from the same Mr Rajoy, supports the resolution of the conflict through the “road of international law”. This, of course, threatens the possibility for Morocco to continue to present the “solution of autonomy” (dictated by mere realpolitik dynamics) as the only viable way to resolve the occupation that lasts since 1975.