Geneva NGO urges African states to withdraw their recognition of SADR

The African NGO AIPD based in Geneva, has strongly denounced Friday the “massive diversions” of humanitarian aid to populations in Tindouf camps, urging African states to withdraw their recognition of pseudo-SADR.

“Given the extreme gravity of the revelations made by the report of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the NGO and its partners of the Pan African civil society urgently appeal to African states have recognized the SADR remove recognition, “said the organization International Action for Peace and development in the Great Lakes region (AIPD).

“We also call on African civil society to resolutely up and join the ranks of all those who fight against the fragmentation of the African continent through the creation of micro-states which are easy prey for the cannibal world order” adds the organization.

In a statement, the AIPD and partners of the Pan African platform of civil society say they have learned with astonishment the publication of a report by OLAF reports of diversion of humanitarian aid operations intended to Tindouf camp populations.

“The investigation of the Office on the use of EU funds helped uncover massive diversions made by the leaders of the Polisario and Algeria by various parties to the purchase of villas in the South of Europe, “they lament.

The report states that these diversions would be the joint work of the leadership of the Polisario and some Algerian media close to the government, says the same source, adding that the findings “also challenge the growing Algerian Red as the primary beneficiary of these diversions, right from the port of Oran. ”

The NGO said that “it is Algeria which is legally responsible for the administration and distribution” of this aid, since the legal point of view, the EU does not recognize the Polisario and the pseudo-SADR.

It further notes that the practices complained of in the report affect the achievement of any credible census of the Sahrawi populations of Tindouf, often called for by the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and pose a serious threat to peace, security and stability of one of the key parts of the Sahel.

“The instrumentalization of humanitarian aid creates a breeding ground for terrorism in the region and weakens the continental mobilization in favor of autonomy plan proposed by Morocco to end one of the oldest crises in Africa “said the president of the AIPD the rd-Congolese Maurice Katala.

In the opinion of Mr Katala, at a time when Africa is facing the brunt of the challenge of terrorism, “the misuse of humanitarian aid by Algeria and all similar practices can only contribute to a dangerous collusion between the Polisario and the terrorist branch of Al Qaeda in the Maghreb AQIM as well as the sinking of the Sahara conflict. ”

Very active internationally, International Action organization for Peace and Development in the Great Lakes region (AIPD) has consultative status with the United Nations, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and observer status with the African Commission on Human and peoples’ Right.