VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHRB #2218 3001647
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY ADX53AF3C MSI6036 540A)
P 271647Z OCT 05
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1923
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 3526
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2634
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 2838
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 3847
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 8458
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 0813
UNCLAS RABAT 002218
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDED CAPTION)
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PBTS PHUM PINR MO
SUBJECT: WESTERN SAHARA: LETTER TO SECRETARY RICE FROM
SAHRAWI DISSIDENT
REF: RABAT 2098 AND PREVIOUS
1. (U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified, protect
accordingly.
2. (SBU) The evening of October 25, emboffs met with 10
Sahrawi dissidents in Laayoune, Western Sahara, as part of
our regular reporting and fact-finding visits to the
territory (details of the discussion to follow septel).
During the meeting, former political prisoner Mohamed Dadach
gave to Poloff the following letter addressed to Secretary
Rice, written in Arabic.
3. (SBU) Begin informal embassy translation:
Dear Madame Secretary,
Due to the effective role that you have always played to
provide just treatment for the victims and to stand with
oppressed nations, I am pleased to write you this letter
requesting your immediate intervention to save 37 Sahrawi
political detainees whose health conditions are deteriorating
and who have been subject to inhuman treatment by the prison
headmasters and the civil servants. On October 20, the 37
Sahrawi political detainees decided to resume their
open-ended hunger strike to denounce the continuous
harassment that both the detainees and their families are
subjected to. It is worth noting that on September 29, 2005
Sahrawi political detainees suspended a 52-day hunger strike.
The Sahrawi political prisoners in the Black Prison (Embassy
note: The popular name for Laayoune Prison is a holdover
from the days of Spanish rule in the Western Sahara, when the
prison was known as "Casa Negre." End Note.) started their
unlimited hunger strike protesting the barbarous treatment
they are subjected to by the prison administration. They are
put in cells where the simplest conditions of treatment are
not provided; they are subjected to inhuman treatment by the
prison headmasters and the civil servants; they are deprived
of visits (from) their families and friends; they are
deprived of their right to medical treatment and (are placed)
in one cell; and those subjected to torture are left alone in
cells.
We call for the immediate release of the detainees,
especially since most of them have not been accused (of a
crime).
Signed, Sidi Mohamed Dadach
4. (SBU) Biographical Note: Mohamed Dadach was imprisoned
for his support of the independence of the Western Sahara for
approximately 20 years. He was pardoned by King Mohammed VI
in 2000. He received the Rafto Award from Norway in 2002.
He is a well-known Sahrawi human rights activist. End
Biographical Note.
RILEY