My recent interview with Frente Polisario Representative, Ahmed Bouhkari is noteworthy for his criticism of the Security Council for failing to respond definitively to the action taken by Morocco to dismantle a Saharawi protest camp near the
towns of Al-Aiun last October. Representative Bouhkari characterized the failure of the Council to send a UN mission to investigate what he called a massacre committed by Morocco as a "terrible mistake."

He went on to say that there was great pressure on his leadership to show some substantive action by the Council to reward the Polisario for their cooperation in seeking a political and diplomatic solution with Morocco. He was very critical of the Council for its failure to advance the prospects of a referndum and the provisions of the ceasefire agreement of 1991. He reitterated claims that human rights abuses were continuing to take place in the region, as well as theft of natural resources with no response from the international community.

Most striking however was Representative Bouhkari's suggestion that a diplomatic solution may not be possible if the UN fails to act. When asked if he was speaking of a military response he said he could not be sure that there would not be a call for revenge which could lead to violence. If so, he added the ceasefire resolution of '91 and the issue of the referendum would be politically dead.

Tom Osborne

See "Diplomatically Incorrect's" interview at www.unsecuritycounciltv.com or link at: diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/frente-polisario-interviewwestern-sahara-at-un/23175

Part 2: diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/frente-polisario-interview-part-iiwestern-sahara-at-un/23176