“The right of peoples to self-determination is a fundamental right. I do not believe this right can be ignored under any circumstances in democratic societies because it means respecting the will of the people” argues Hamoudi.
Embarka Hamoudi. Member of the National Union of Sahrawi Women and PhD in Peace studies spoke at A Changing World: European Workshop on Geopolitics a 3 days event in Santiago de Compostela.
Embarka Hamoudi. Member of the National Union of Sahrawi Women and PhD in Peace studies spoke at A Changing World: European Workshop on Geopolitics a 3 days event in Santiago de Compostela.
I believe that respect for the will of the Sahrawi people is decisive because it is backed by international law.
The right of peoples to self-determination is a fundamental right. I do not believe this right can be ignored under any circumstances in democratic societies because it means respecting the will of the people.
When I reefer to peoples, I am going directly to my own people, the Sahrawi people.
The Sahrawi people have suffered for many decades, first from colonisation, then from the Madrid tripartite agreements between Spain, Morocco and Mauritania, which led to a conflict, from which we are currently suffering the consequences.
After the conflict we agreed a United Nations peace plan that has not been implemented. One of the keys to this peace plan is respect for the right of self-determination of the Sahrawi people, that the Sahrawi people should choose for themselves the future they want, whether they want the independence of the Sahara as another state in North Africa, or whether they want annexation to Morocco.
As Saharawi, what we want is to be given that opportunity, that choice, to be able to vote aware of the opportunities and challenges the outcome of such vote could have and that our will shall be respected.
So let us understand that it is extremely important that we do not give in our rights and the international agreements.
Any attempts to go towards an oposite direction are detrimental to respect for the will of the people and the international community.
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