Dozens of people marched through the streets of La Laguna to advocate for the independence of the Sahrawi people, coinciding with the stay of 105 children from the Vacaciones en Paz programme in the Canary Islands.
Plaza del Cristo, in the heart of the historic centre of La Laguna, became this weekend the epicentre of Canary solidarity with Western Sahara. Organised by the Canary Association of Friendship with the Sahrawi People (ACAPS), the demonstration brought together host families, members of the Sahrawi community residing in the islands, and more than fifty boys and girls participating in the Vacaciones en Paz Programme. All of them demanded the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination and the holding of a referendum.
105 Sahrawi Children in the Canary Islands This Summer
The march coincided with the presence in the islands of 105 Sahrawi minors from the Tindouf camps (Algeria). Of these, 64 are in Tenerife and 41 in Gran Canaria, hosted by Canary families for approximately two months. According to ACAPS, these young "ambassadors" receive medical attention, participate in educational activities, and enjoy a milder climate than that of the camps, where summer temperatures are extreme. The programme, which has been running for four decades, has the support of local authorities and coordination with the Delegation of the Polisario Front in the Canary Islands.
Demands and Criticism of the Spanish Government
During the march through the streets of La Laguna, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, the demonstrators carried Sahrawi flags and banners with slogans such as "Free Sahara" and "Independence Now". The chants demanded respect for human rights and an end to the plundering of Western Sahara's natural resources, as well as the release of Sahrawi political prisoners in Moroccan jails. Special mention was made of the situation of Naâma Asfari, a member of the Gdeim Izik Group sentenced to 30 years, who has been on hunger strike for over 40 days. Several demonstrators criticised the stance of the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, for his support of the Moroccan autonomy proposal, which marks a shift from the traditional Spanish position in favour of self-determination.
Call to the International Community
The protest also called on the European Union and the UN to expedite the implementation of resolutions pending since 1991, which urge the holding of a self-determination referendum in Western Sahara. At the end of the march, a joint manifesto from ACAPS and the Tenerife solidarity movement was read, renewing the commitment to the struggle of the Sahrawi people "until achieving the full exercise of their right to independence and freedom, and the return to their national territory". The text holds the Moroccan monarchy responsible for the failure to comply with international law and condemns the plundering of natural resources by Spanish and French companies.
"We demand that the Spanish Government, the European Union, and the international community comply with UN resolutions and allow the Sahrawi people to decide their future," stated Alisalem Sidi Zein, delegate of the Polisario Front in the Canary Islands, present at the gathering.
The demonstration proceeded peacefully and saw massive participation from host families, who showed their support for the Sahrawi children during their stay on the island. The next act of solidarity will take place in the coming weeks, coinciding with the return of the minors to the camps.
You may also like
