The Western Sahara Campaign-NZ notes that yet another cargo of Western Saharan phosphate will arrive in New Zealand
without returning any benefits to the people who own the resource.
On, or about, the 24th of December a ship, the Sophiania, carrying a full load of phosphate will arrive at the port of
Tauranga. This cargo will supposedly be from Morocco. It is not from Morocco but from Western Sahara. In 1975 Morocco
invaded and, to this day, continues to occupy Western Sahara. Moroccan companies exploit the phosphate resource and New
Zealand entities, like Ballance and Ravensdown, import that resource. The people of Western Sahara see no return, nor
benefit, from the plunder of their natural resources. Most of the population of Western Sahara has spent the last forty
years in refugee camps. This whilst Moroccan companies and New Zealand farmers see a return from that resource. As New
Zealand's festive season draws closer it might be timely to tell New Zealanders that some of their festivity is derived
from the suffering of the people of Western Sahara.