Global Resources, Human Rights and the Environment: The Western Sahara Conflict

Friday 3rd April 2009, 9.00 am– 5.00 pm
Gresham Metropole Hotel Cork, Ireland
The 2009 Ethical Development Action (EDA) Conference

"Despite the duration of conflict in Western Sahara, the massive displacement of people who for decades have been forced to live in refugee camps, the cost in human and economic terms and the threat to regional stability, Western Sahara has become a 'frozen conflict' and a humanitarian crisis for those caught up in it. This conference can play a valuable role in increasing awareness of the plight of the people of Western Sahara, whose right to decide their own future has been strongly supported by Ireland for many years." Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin TD

In this time of global turmoil, fuelled by climate change, food insecurity, political and religious tensions and potentially the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the UN are predicting that incidents of global conflict could increase to unprecedented levels.

This year, EDA’s annual conference will be opened by Minister for foreign Affairs Micheál Martin, TD, and will draw our attention to the decades-old conflict between the indigenous people of Western Sahara (the Saharawi), the last remaining colony in Africa, and the occupier of two-thirds of their country, Morocco.

All too often the global community has failed to prevent and resolve conflict situations, leaving millions of people in the grip of famine, homelessness and dependency. The price of the ongoing conflict between Western Sahara, and Morocco, like all conflicts, is paid through the high human, environmental and economic costs to the local and global communities.

The Saharawi have spent the last thirty-three years living in refugee camps in Algerian Sahara, a physical and political environment incapable of sustaining human dignity. They are continually confronted with the ongoing issues that surround this conflict: the denial of basic human rights, access to adequate water, to food and shelter; to rewarding employment, and at the core, to the right to self determination, a right determined for them thirty years ago by the International Court of Justice.

EDA’s conference will investigate and challenge aspects of this conflict. Speakers will include Saharawi from the refugee camps, representatives of POLISARIO, the government of Western Sahara, and key international speakers, who together will focus on issues such as food security, gender, the environment, human rights, international law and conflict resolution.

These speakers will include: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin TD; two representatives from Western Sahara; a member of POLISARIO; Simon Coveney TD; Michael D. Higgins TD (TBC); Tom Kitt TD; Dr Tara Shine, Environmental Scientist and TV Presenter; Professor Willem Van Cotthem, UNICEF Dryland Agricultural Advisor; Dr. Nadia Bernaz (Law Department, Middlesex University); Adam Komorowski (Mines Advisory Group, UK); Mark Mc Loughlin (Journalist/Documentary Film Maker); Jim Loughran (Frontline Defenders); Alice Wilson (Cambridge University)