Moroccan intelligence use Saharans to discredit Algeria

BBC Monitoring Middle East/ El-Khabar, Algeria.
25 Oct. 2003

Excerpt from article by Dah Ould Mouloud:

"Mercenaries Mobilized and presented as representatives of
fictitious non-governmental organizations. Moroccan intelligence
conducts campaign against Algeria in Europe"

Published by Algerian newspaper El-Khabar web site on 25 October

Moroccan intelligence, backed by diplomatic channels and with direct
financing from the special funds of the [Moroccan] royal palace, is
waging a savage campaign targeting European human [rights]
organizations to tarnish Algeria and Polisario's image and demanding
a halt to humanitarian aid to Saharan refugees in Tindouf. This
campaign extends to several European capitals, benefits from direct
French political backing and exploits the fact that Algeria is busy
with the upcoming presidential elections.

According to information El Khabar has obtained, the campaign which
is orchestrated by Moroccan intelligence, in cooperation with
Moroccan embassies in the European capitals, is using a group of
Saharans, who were former middle-ranking officials in the Polisario
front after Moroccan intelligence services had bought their support
in exchange for huge sums of money. They are then presented to
humanitarian aid organizations as representatives of
non-governmental organizations under the name of "human rights
organizations group in the Sahara". This group talks about what it
calls atrocities Algeria and Polisario are committing against
Moroccan POWs and refugees. It claims that humanitarian aid destined
for Saharan refugees does not get to these refugees. It also calls
for pressure to be exerted on Algeria to engage in direct
negotiations with Morocco on the future of Western Sahara on the
basis that the conflict is a Moroccan-Algerian one, as it claims.
This is an attempt to divert attention from the impasse that Rabat
has found itself in, following the UN secretary-general's warning
about the need for it to agree to [James] Baker's proposal by the
end of this year. [Passage omitted: These representatives have been
received by European NGOs officials and parliamentarians.]

This issue would not have received any attention were it not for the
agreement of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees [UNHCR] and the European Community Humanitarian Office
[ECHO] to meet the group.

[Passage omitted: Background on refugees presence in southwestern
Algeria and the Saharan group's meetings with other NGOs. On
Morocco's exploitation of the group's activities for propaganda
purposes.]

Source: El-Khabar web site, Algiers, in Arabic 25 Oct 03

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