Visiting AFAPREDESA at the Human Rights Centre

Today we visited the human rights centre in Rabouni, run by AFAPREDESA.
AFAPREDESA is the first NGO in Western Sahara and it was formed in 1989.
During our stay in the camps, we will do some voluntary work at the centre.
We met Mohamed Ahwed Labeeid, one of the seven persons who work at the centre, and he told us about the organization.
The organization gathers information, investigate and document violations of the human rights in occupied area. They cooperate with organizations and human rights defenders in occupied area, and give information and reports to international human rights organizations and the UN.

The NGO also participates in international meetings and congresses all over the world. Last year they went to Sweden, and next month they will go to Brazil.
In addition to the traditional North/South solidarity, they focus on south/south relations. They work with organizations from East- Timor (the country was formerly in a situation very similar to Western-Sahara) and countries in Latin America where they have a lot of experience in working with human rights. The organizations meet and discuss their situations and exchange experiences.


At the centre there is an exhibition with photos of victims from violence and torture performed by Moroccan authorities. The photos show women and men who are heavily bruised and some of them have big wounds and other damages.
Personally, I have met a lot of young saharawis who have been beaten and tortured by Moroccan police and sent in jail with no reason.
There are also photos and information for saharawis who have disappeared, probably kidnapped by Moroccan authorities. Today, 526 saharouis are missing. The UN has confronted the Moroccan government with reports with detailed information of missing persons, but the Moroccan government claims that these people never existed.

www.afapredesa.org