Western Sahara: Venezuela's President Chavez calls for liberation of the Sahrawi people

By the Bolivarian News Agency

September 21, 2009 -- The president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez Frias, expressed his solidarity to the people of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic to reach their independence from Morocco.

The statement was issued by President Chavez during his talk with Mohamed Saui, who studies in Cuba and is now visiting Venezuela together with a delegation of young African students who are to take part on the Third Cultural Festival of the People of Africa, from September 20 to 25, on the way to the Summit of Presidents Africa-South America.

“As Fidel [Castro] told you, I tell you on behalf of Venezuela: We support and we will always support the cause of your people, the cause of the freedom of the Sahrawi people”, Chavez expressed.

Moreover, he reaffirmed his commitment of eventually visiting the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and he categorically affirmed that “it is necessary that we have more awareness and solidarity with the Sahrawi people”.

The Venezuelan president expressed as well that the Bolivarian government has travelled up to the country located in the western Sahara. “Minister Ramirez was there; there are some students from here; and we have been modestly cooperating.”

The president stressed that Sahrawi people “live persecuted in the desert; they were caste out from their land, outraged. The United Nations has taken a decision; Morocco refuses. We have to inform more about the Sahrawi cause.”

Furthermore, he took the opportunity to report that there is a documentary titled The Last African Colony, from the Venezuelan filmmaker Carlos Azpurua. He requested that the documentary be broadcast by state-run television VTV and the regional TV channel, Telesur.

“We have to claim to the world solidarity and respect for the Sahrawi independence. We have to help that people so that they can live every day better and that they reach their complete independence'', President Chavez said.

The Sahrawi people are native inhabitants from Western Sahara. Most of them inhabit in the area occupied by Morocco.