Hundreds of thousands of
Moroccans are demonstrating to protest the UN chief's remarks about the
contested Western Sahara territory. Morocco considers the vast
mineral-rich region as its "southern provinces" and took offence when UN
chief Ban Ki-moon used the word "occupation" after a visit this month
to refugee camps for the region's native Sahraouis in southern Algeria.
 |
| Protesters hold a banner and the Moroccan flag as they chant slogans during a rally in Rabat. |
Protesters
on Sunday filled the streets of Rabat after leading Moroccan political
parties, unions and non-governmental groups called for a national
demonstration. Authorities claimed there were up to 3 million.
The
UN has been trying for years to hold a referendum on independence for
the territory, which was annexed by Morocco when Spain withdrew in 1975.
Morocco proposes increased autonomy instead.
Ban also called for renewed peace efforts during his trip.
No comments:
Post a Comment