How Canadians Aid the Oppression of the Saharawi People

Western Sahara's Untold Story

by Barnard-Boecker Centre Foundation, Mining Justice Action Committee; Social Justice Studies, UVIC, Victoria Peace Coalition. Central America Support Committee

Canadians know little about Western Sahara but it has many links to Canada and of concern to CASC members. Long after most of Latin America ended direct rule by Spain, Franco continued to rule Western Sahara, a territory rich in minerals with an abundant Atlantic fishery. As Franco weakened, Spain pulled out of Western Sahara and Morocco walked in and took over.

Nationalists attempted to fight back but Morocco's well-armed military drove them out and thousands fled attacks of napalm and aerial bombing; they reached Tindouf, Algeria.

38 years later hundreds of thousands and a government in exile are still in the Algerian refugee camps. The UN has not acted on its resolutions for a referendum for Western Sahara's independence.

Canada is negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with Morocco. Canadian companies are involved in the purchase of phosphates from Western Sahara, mined by a company wholly-owned by the government of Morocco; the Canada Pension Plan invests in one of these companies.

Come & hear for yourself........................

Friday March 22, at 7:30 pm Bob Wright Bldg.

Room A104 University of Victoria

 Tuesday, March 26, at 12:30, Young Bldg. Room 217,

Lansdowne Campus, Camosun College

Sponsors: Barnard-Boecker Centre Foundation, Mining Justice Action Committee; Social Justice Studies, UVIC, Victoria Peace Coalition. Central America Support Committee

UPCOMING PUBLIC EVENTS in Victoria

WESTERN SAHARA: AFRICA'S LAST COLONY with Ray Mesoud Burhi, Representative of Western Sahara in Canada, was born in Western Sahara, grew up in a refugee camp in Algeria, and was educated in Cuba & Spain. He has served on many delegations and was coordinator in Spain of Humanitarian Aid for the Saharawi.

Jeffrey Smith, adjunct professor of Law, University of Ottawa & advocate for Western Sahara at United Nations & other international institutions .is an expert in international maritime law & author of many papers and articles on Western Sahara. There will also be information provided for suggested actions about Canadian involvement in Western Sahara.