In response to France's announcement that it has recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the occupied territory of Western Sahara, DAWN issued the following statement:
"France's recognition of Morocco's illegal annexation of the Western Sahara is a significant blow not just to international law's strict prohibition on acquiring territory by force, but to the very human beings in Western Sahara the law is intended to protect," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Executive Director at DAWN. "This recognition will only encourage the impunity of regimes like Russia and Israel, who see that eventually, their own might, in Ukraine and Palestine, will make right."
"For decades, the Sahrawi people, indigenous to the Western Sahara, have insisted on their autonomy and independence amid Morocco's unlawful annexation of the territory, and the international community has demanded a referendum to allow the people of the territory to choose their governance," said Raed Jarrar, DAWN's advocacy director. "France's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty violates a very clear UN Security Council Resolution mandating a referendum for Western Sahara and reaffirming the international community's commitment to self-determination for the Sahrawi people."
