Al-Tard Details Tindouf Camp Transparency at UN
Algeria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Idris Al-Tard, publicly refuted allegations made by Morocco regarding Sahrawi refugees. Speaking before the relevant committee, Ambassador Al-Tard asserted that the international community is fully aware of the facts and the underlying causes of the situation in the occupied Western Sahara. He criticized attempts to claim moral authority after a history of denial, describing such actions as "opportunism at its worst."
The Algerian diplomat emphasized that the inalienable right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination remains at the core of the refugees' plight, given their displacement from the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara. He underscored that any approach to their situation must address the root causes of their displacement. Ambassador Al-Tard also cautioned that renewed attention to the suffering of Sahrawi refugees, while important, should not divert focus from the political process aimed at resolving the fundamental situation. He affirmed that humanitarian assistance and international protection are basic rights for refugees, not charitable acts, especially as the reasons for their displacement have not yet been resolved.
Ambassador Al-Tard also specifically addressed and refuted claims intended to cast doubt on the conditions within the Sahrawi refugee camps located in Tindouf. He confirmed that these camps operate with transparency and are open, regularly hosting more than five United Nations entities and over twenty international non-governmental organizations. Furthermore, the camps receive consistent visits from donors, international observers, and UN mechanisms. The Algerian Ambassador stressed the importance of ensuring that humanitarian aid is not leveraged for political purposes or used as a tool for pressure and bargaining, highlighting the necessity of adhering to the foundational principles of humanitarian action and cautioning against exploiting the suffering of refugees for narrow political gains.
