63 personalidades portuguesas enviam Carta Aberta ao Secretario Geral da ONU | Porunsaharalibre | @x1saharalibre
His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres
Secretary-General of the United Nations
Excellency,
17th March 2020
The third International Decade for Eradication of Colonialism proclaimed by the United Nations will end in 2020. For forty- ve years, the people of Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa, await to see their inalienable right to self-determination recognized in practice.
The human as well as the political, economic, social, cultural and environmental costs of more than four decades-old deadlock are beyond description: prolonged family separation, forced exile, an unaccountable number of persons a ected by anti-personnel landmines, living in a provisional, precarious and inhospitable situation in the Tindouf Region, systematic vio- lations of human rights in the occupied territories (including extra-judicial executions, forced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, torture, unfair trials, harsh prison sentences for political prisoners, intimidation and harassment, discrimination with respect to education, healthcare and employment, isolation from the outside world), generations living without hope, environ- mental destruction and looting of the territory’s natural resources, political instability in the region, among other costs.
In the context of today’s global turmoil, the issue of Western Sahara may seem as just one more among many other problems. However, the people of Western Sahara retain their demand to decide on their own future in relation to which International Law is unequivocal and has been reiterated in several circumstances, including recently and repeatedly by the Court of Justice of the European Union. Further, there is no ambiguity as to the responsibility of the United Nations in relation to this issue. The precedents of the last decades, from Eritrea to South Sudan and, with greater similarity, East Timor, only rea rm the fundamental principle that giving people a voice is an essential building block towards attaining sustainable regional and worldwide peace.
We are aware of the fundamental role Your Excellency played in resolving the situation of East Timor, and we recognize the role of the United Nations in that process. With this past experience, the United Nations can once again make a di erence in the lives of many people, by engaging decisively in negotiations to get parties to agree on a free and fair referendum for the Sarahawi people, in accordance with the census already carried out. Should such action be taken, a ray of hope would shine across the many threats our humanity is currently facing, reasserting trust in the worth and value of International Law.
Two urgent measures are of high priority to unblock the situation of Western Sahara: the appointment of a new Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General; and the inclusion of a mandate to monitor and report on the human rights situation as part of MINURSO.
On our part, citizens of Portugal and the World, you can count on all the support and mobiliza- tion of those whose belief is guided by the principle that in challenging times, e ort, creativity and perseverance are key.
Yours sincerely,
Adelino Gomes Journalist
Alfredo Caldeira Legal expert
Alice Vieira Writer
Ana Gomes Diplomate
Ana Nave Actress
André Freire University professor
António Costa Santos Journalist
António Delgado Fonseca Armed Forces Movement (MFA) o cial
António Garcia Pereira Lawyer
António Mota Redol Engineer
António de Sousa Dias Composer Arménio Carlos Union leader
Bebiana Cunha Psychologist and member of Parliament
Boaventura Sousa Santos University professor
Carlos Mendes Singer-songwriter
Diana Andringa Journalist
Eduardo Paz Ferreira University professor
Emílio Rui Vilar Manager
Eduardo Souto Moura Architect
Fernando Nobre Physician
Francisco Fanhais Singer
Francisco Louçã University professor
Francisco Teixeira da Mota Lawyer
Helena Roseta Architect
Joana Manuel Actress
João Ferrão University professor
João Ferreira Member of the European Parliament
Jorge Silva Melo Stage director
José Boavida Physician
José Gusmão Economist and member of the European Parliament
José Manuel Pureza University professor and member of Parliament
José Reis University professor
José Vítor Malheiros Consultant and university professor
Lídia Jorge Writer
Lúcia Gomes Lawyer
Luís Cardoso de Noronha Writer
Luís Manuel Farinha Director of the Museum Aljube Resistance and Freedom
Luís Moita University professor
Luís Varatojo Musicien
Luísa Ortigoso Actress and stage director
Mamadou Ba Leader of NGO S.O.S. Racismo
Manuel Carvalho da Silva Sociologist, coordinating researcher
Manuel Martins Guerreiro Armed Forces Movement (MFA) o cial
Maria Antónia Mendes Musician and author
Maria do Céu Guerra Actress and stage director
Maria João Luís Actress and stage director
Nuno Lopes Actor
Nuno Ramos de Almeida Journalist
Rita Blanco Actress
Rita Rato Fonseca Political scientist
Samuel Singer-songwriter
Sandra Monteiro Director of Le Monde Diplomatique Portuguese edition
Sandra Pereira Member of the European Parliament
São José Lapa Actress and stage director
Sebastião Antunes Singer-songwriter
Sérgio Godinho Musicien
Teresa Salgueiro Singer
Tiago Carrasco Journalist and writer
Tiago Mota Saraiva Architecte
Vasco Lourenço Armed Forces Movement (MFA) o cial
Vasco Pimentel Sound director
Víctor Nogueira Economist
Vítor Louro Forestry engineer
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