Denmark accepts Western Sahara fisheries negotiations

The Danish government accepts the European Commission line of negotiations of a new fisheries agreement with Morocco, which includes Western Sahara, even though it disregards two EU Court of Justice verdicts.

In a briefing note, published on Thursday, the Danish Government accepted the European Commission’s line of negotiations concerning a new fisheries agreement with Morocco. In the note, the Danish Government specifically mentions that Moroccan waters include Western Sahara.

EU sugar-coats absolute monarchy’s bitter pill

EU-support for Swaziland’s monarchy-controlled sugar industry undermines the fight for democracy, even though it nominally benefits smallholders, says new report from Danish solidarity organization.

A new report from Afrika Kontakt commends the EU for supporting Swaziland’s sugar industry, which benefits thousands of smallholder growers of sugar cane. The problem is, however, that the smallholder growers are also left vulnerable by sugar price fluctuations and transport costs, as well as by the corruption and undermining of the fight for democracy,

Danish minister questioned over Western Sahara trade

The Danish Minister for Development Cooperation was criticized by two Danish MP’s in regard to Denmark’s and the EU’s intent to ignore the European Court of Justice ruling on trade with Moroccan colony Western Sahara.

Last Thursday in the Danish European Affairs Committee, the Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs was questioned on a Danish government document that referred to EU-negotiations in regard to trade with Western Sahara.

Danish company stops salt imports from Western Sahara

Danish salt importer Dansk Vejsalt will not be importing de-icing salt from Africa’s last colony Western Sahara in the future, the company told Danish solidarity organisation Afrika Kontakt at a meeting on January 31.

“This is an important victory for the population of Western Sahara. It means that the occupation of the colony becomes a little less profitable. But it is also a victory for Afrika Kontakt, as we have continuously pressurized Dansk Vejsalt and their customers in Denmark,” says Jens Bruun Madsen from Afrikas Kontakt’s Western Sahara group.

Brexit handler om protest, eliter, frygt og meget andet

”Should I stay or should I go? If I go there will be trouble, and if I stay it will be double”. Sådan sang The Clash i 1981, året hvor sorte englændere i Brixton gjorde oprør imod diskrimination og arbejdsløshed. Og måske er denne sang det mest passende soundtrack til Storbritannien lige nu, hvor den Britiske union samlet set stemte sig ud af EU med noget nær mindst mulige margen.

For Briterne var rygende uenige. Land med by. Rig med fattig. Skotland og Nordirland med England og Wales. En højrefløj, der ville ud af EU for at ”få deres land tilbage”, og for at stoppe hvad de ser som en uacceptabel høj tilstrømning af østeuropæere og flygtninge.

Absolute monarch in talks with banned political parties

Swaziland has been an absolute monarchy for decades, but absolute monarch King Mswati III is being pressed by both the country’s democratic movement, the Commonwealth and the EU to discuss democratic reforms.

“At the moment the king regards us as people who want to destroy the country, but once we have talked with him he will know what the people want”, says president of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Mario Masuku.

Denmark adopts new policy on Western Sahara

”The report sends a clear signal to Morocco that we will not turn a blind eye to their repeated human rights violations in Western Sahara,” Christian Juhl from the Danish party the Red-Green Alliance said in a press statement Saturday, commenting on the Danish Foreign Affairs Committee’s newly adopted report on Western Sahara.

The report, which was approved by a clear majority of Danish Parliamentary parties, amongst other things stated that Danmark will continue to support the endeavors of the United Nations

EU’s frieri til Marokko forlænger brutal kolonisering af Vestsahara

Der sker meget i forhold til det af Marokko-besatte Vestsahara i øjeblikket i EU – ting der alle risikerer yderligere at legitimere og forlænge Marokkos brutale kolonisering af Vestsahara.

Det er bare ikke meget af dette, der bliver omtalt i mainstreammedierne eller i den bredere danske offentlighed, selvom menneskerettighedssituationen for Vestsaharas oprindelige befolkning, Saharawierne, er stærkt kritisabel, og selvom de over 150,000 Saharawier som bor i flygtningelejre uden for Vestsahara i stigende grad sulter og lider af fejlernæring.

Danmark bør stemme imod ulovlig fiskeriaftale med Marokko

Har Danmark tænkt sig at stemme imod EU’s nye fiskeriaftale med Marokko? Aftalen strider nemlig imod international lov, fordi den ikke tydeligt udelader farvandene ud for det af Marokko-besatte Vestsahara, og fordi tidligere aftaler ikke er kommet Vestsaharas oprindelige befolkning, Saharawierne, til gode.

Saharawiske fiskere kalder aftalen for ”tyveri og en alvorlig trussel imod miljøet”, netop fordi Marokko ulovligt og på miljømæssigt uholdbar vis stjæler deres fisk.

Når man hører svarene om dette spørgsmål, som Minister for Fødevarer, Landbrug og Fiskeri Karen Hækkerup har givet Enhedslisten i Folketingets Fødevareudvalg, burde Danmark i hvert fald stemme imod aftalen, ligesom man gjorde med en lignende aftale i 2011. Det har i forhandlingerne om fiskeriaftalen ”været vanskeligt at komme igennem med meget håndfaste garantier, særligt i forhold til problematikken om Vestsahara”, sagde Karen Hækkerup.

EU vil igen fiske ulovligt i Vestsahara

Perlerækken af fiskeriaftaler mellem EU og Marokko har været en kampplads mellem Marokko og landets støtter på den ene side, og befolkningen i det af Marokko-besatte Vestsahara og deres støtter på den anden, i mange år.

Fra den første aftale i 1988, til aftalen i 2011, der overraskende blev stemt ned i Europaparlamentet, har fiskere fra især Spanien kunne fiske løs i havet ud for det besatte Vestsahara. Og i slutningen af juli aftalte den Europæiske Kommission så en ny fireårig protokol til fiskeriaftalen med Marokko – en protokol der dog skal til afstemning i Europarlamentet for at være gyldig.