AFAPREDESA
The Association for the Families of Saharawi Prisoners and the Disappeared
AFAPREDESA strongly denounces Belgium´s sale of 40 Howitzers to the Moroccan government
The Sahrawi population is a direct victim of the misuse of Morocco´s weaponry and force, therefore we strongly denounce Belgiums irresponsible sale to a country that does not comply to International Law.
On
21 December 2006, the Defence Ministry received a "letter of intent"
and the final negotiations were rounded off at the end of January. The contracting
parties are now waiting for the export license to be supplied by the federal
government. This is what Defence Minister Andre Flahaut (PS [French-speaking
Socialist Party]) said in answer to a written question by Walter Muls (SPIRIT
[Social, Progressive, International, Regional, Integrally democratic, and
Future - Oriented]). As a matter of fact, the howitzers (self-propelled)
are military fossils which fitted within strategic thinking during the Cold
War. In 2003, the Defence Ministry allocated 5.56 million euros to have
them modernized and, first and foremost, to help survive the ailing Walloon
EMI company. Since that date, our country has been peddling these weapons
everywhere. "I do not think it is a good idea to sell these weapons
to Morocco now, because this country is still involved in one of the oldest
conflicts of Africa. The peace process with POLISARIO is stalemated;
I would deem it more appropriate for us to wait for a positive development,"
Muls said. Earlier on, in reaction to a proposal by Flahaut in 2006, SPIRIT
also opposed the possible sale of such guns to Lebanon.
AFAPREDESA is concerned about the breaking of the Moroccan "Stalemate" with the POLISARIO which, in this case unbalances the status-quo in a territory of conclict where the occupying force is illegally occupying a territory where its sobereignty is in international dispute and therefore jeopardises the United Nations (MINURSO´s) mission for the referendum in Western Sahara. Moreover, we are also greatly concerned for the well-being of our people, and we have extensely experienced Morocco´s attitude to the people who in Western Sahara´s desire independence through a referendum. We are afraid that Belgium could be part of the future killing of innocent civilians.