The document discusses actions the author would demand of the UN Secretary General regarding Western Sahara. Specifically, the author would demand that the Secretary General:
1) Raise awareness of the neglected situation in Western Sahara and make an end to Morocco's illegal occupation, allowing the Sahrawi people self-determination.
2) Remind EU member states that international law prohibits recognizing or assisting situations created by serious breaches, such as Morocco's occupation.
3) Pressure the EU to stop plans for a new fisheries agreement with Morocco regarding Western Sahara's waters, as this would disregard the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination. Diplomatic ties between the EU and
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Expressyourself a
1. IE Master in Management
Application
By Julian Oschmann
2. DemandtheSelf-Determinationof
WesternSahara
If you had the opportunity, what
actions would you demand of the
United Nations Secretary and why?
I E M A D R I D A P P L I C A T I O N | J U L I A N O S C H M A N N6 / 2 7 / 1 3 3
A.
3. THESIS: DEMAND THE UN SECRETARY
GENERAL
* To Raise awareness of the severely neglected situation in
Western Sahara (WS), making an end to an illegal
occupation, allowing the Sahrawis1 self-determination
* To remind the MEMBER STATES OF THE EU of Article41(UN
Articles on State responsibility) that nostateshall recognize
as lawfulsituationcreatedbyseriousbreach, nor render
aid or assistance in maintaining that situation
1 People of Western Sahara
4. I E M A D R I D A P P L I C A T I O N | J U L I A N O S C H M A N N 5
MY MOTIVATION
PersonalInvolvement MyValues
During my time as an intern at the international
law firm Cleary Gottlieb, I was involved in
managing a pro-bono case about the EU acquiring
illegal fishing rights from Morocco regarding the
coast of Western Sahara. We came to the
conclusion that:
a) Morocco is illegally occupying Western
Sahara
b) Under international law, the Sahrawis have a
right to self-determination
The implications of living in a non-democratic
country, are constantly visible to me through the
daily struggles my Iranian relatives face.
However while countries such as Iran receive
considerable public attention, the Western Sahara
remains a silent issue. I believe that above
majority and minority rights stand individual
rights. Every Sahrawi has the right to make their
own voice count
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5. INTRODUCTION
I E M A D R I D A P P L I C A T I O N | J U L I A N O S C H M A N N 6
WesternSahara
After Spain relinquished control of Western Sahara
in 1975 to Morocco and Mauritania, the country has
been in a constant state of unrest.
Today, its majority is occupied by Morocco, while a
small part is under the control of POLISARIO, a West
Saharan political and military organisation. Human
rights abuses take place in both territories.
Population:500,000Sahrawis
GDP/capita(2012):$2500(PPP)
6 / 2 7 / 1 3
6. A Brief History
SpanishRule1884-1975
After the Berlin
Conferenceof 1884,
Spain seized control of
Western Sahara
NonSelf-Governing
Territory1963
In 1963 the UN listed
Western Sahara as a non
self-governing
territory which under
international law grants
the nation self-
determination
MadridAgreement1975
In 1975 Spain signed a
triparteagreement
giving Morocco and
Mauretania control over
WS. Subsequent war
results in partial
Moroccan control
PresentDay
The EU continues to
disregard international
law by planning to enter
into a new unethical
fisheriesagreement
with Morocco in 2013
6 / 2 7 / 1 3 I E M A D R I D A P P L I C A T I O N | J U L I A N O S C H M A N N 7
http://www.brandsoftheworld.com/
logo/sahara-espanol-0?original=1
http://www.ncnk.org/resources/dprk-
news/site-images/Un-flag-
square.png
https://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/commons/3/34/RASD_-
_Commemoration_of_the_30th_inde
pendence_day_in_the_Liberated_Ter
ritories_%282005%29.jpg
http://www.bilaterals.org/spip.php?
article19666
7. Most recently, UN Security Council Resolution 1979 of 2011 reaffirmed Moroccos and
POLISARIOS duty to find a solution to the conflict and allow the Sahrawis for self-
determination
I E M A D R I D A P P L I C A T I O N | J U L I A N O S C H M A N N 8
WHY IS MOROCCO S OCCUPATION OF W.S. ILLEGAL?
SecurityCouncilsHypocrisyLegalAnalysis
≒ WS does not form part of Morocco. Morocco
has no claim or legal title to WS.
≒ Morocco has illegally annexed WS and is
therefore an occupying power.
≒ Under International law, Morocco has the duty
to grant Sahrawis self-determination, i.e.
through the creation of a sovereign state.
≒ Resolution 1979 for the first time
acknowledged the necessity to improve human
rights in WS.
≒ However the Security Council failed to answer
South Africa and Nigerias calls to create HR
monitoring, leaving it the only current UN
mission without a human rights mandate.
7 / 2 / 1 3
8. CASE STUDY: THE FISHERIES PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
Illegality
UN Resolution 1514 (XV) states that in accordance
with their freely expressed will and desire (the
citizens of non-independent territories) enjoy
complete independence and freedom.
Moroccan authorities have stated that the FPA
benefits the people of Western Sahara, but the
questioned individuals were mostly illegal
Moroccan Settlers
Additionally POLISARIO say that they have have
been no efforts to consult the Sahrawi people2.
Morocco is clearly selling off West Saharan fishing
rights to the EU for its own profit.
The fisheries partnership agreement (FPA) was adopted by the EU in 2006, allowing EU
member fishers to operate on the coast of Morocco, including Western Sahara
I E M A D R I D A P P L I C A T I O N | J U L I A N O S C H M A N N 96 / 3 0 / 1 3
2 Presentation by Assiciate Professor Pal Wrange, Stockholm University, Seminar
The EU and WesternSahara: trading fish, ignoring rights?, European Parliemant, 7
December 2011
9. 1.
2.
3.
HOW DO WE ACHIEVE CHANGE?
I E M A D R I D A P P L I C A T I O N | J U L I A N O S C H M A N N 1 0
Civil movements need a catalyst to spark
civil engagement, be it a park in Istanbul or a
rise in bus fares in Brazil.
1. Demand the UN Secretary General to
pressurise the EU to stop the plans of
entering into a new fisheries agreement
2. Diplomatic ties between the EU and
Morocco will worsen
3. Public attention will shift to the people
suffering under the agreement (i.e. the
Sahrawis) thus giving them a chance of
self-determination
Stepbystep
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