Deported

Sent Tuesday, May 24, 2002

Dear Friends and Fam,

Sadly, I must report that our team did not make it to the Khaya home in Boujdour, Western Sahara. Much like Israel, the Occupying Country of Morocco does not want international travelers witnessing the gross human rights abuses in their occupied territories.

The Moroccan agents, who refused to tell us their names and would not identify their positions beyond a vague reference to "local security authorities", said that we were not "welcome" in Laayoune, and they forcibly put on a plane back to Casablanca. We told them that if they were going to force us to leave, they needed to tell us why. They would not, beyond "you are political." In truth we are non-partisan Unarmed Civilian Protectors whose mission was to be Human Rights Defenders.  

We resisted our deportation at each step. We sat on the tarmac and read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the scores of Moroccan "security" agents. On the plane we loudly proclaimed to the crowded flight that we were being forcibly boarded against our will, that we just wanted to visit our friends who have suffered beatings, rape, poisoning, isolation, and hunger at the hands of the Moroccan Occupation Forces in Western Sahara. Just for nonviolently raising the flag of the last non-self governing territory in Africa. 

I've copied below the email that one of our partners sent out that gives additional information.

love,

Wynd

 

FROM NONVIOLENCE INTERNATIONAL 

Today, our US women's delegation visited Western Sahara and were forcibly returned on a plane to Casablanca, Morocco.  Lacksana Peters, Wynd Kaufmyn, and Adrienne Kinne, were seeking to visit the Khaya Sisters in Boujdour and to get to know the country and culture.

Unfortunately they were mistreated by unknown Moroccan forces and told that they could not come to Western Sahara. No legal grounds were provided. Our team members refused to sit down on the plane to prevent the plane from departing. They were eventually forcibly seated.

See our update page for more information.

Unfortunately, the Khaya Sisters are still at great risk. Their house is under renewed siege despite the continued presence of our US visitors Tim Pluta and Ruth McDonough.

The Moroccans have repeatedly threatened the Khaya Sisters with attacks when the American guests leave. Last week the Moroccans smashed a large truck into the house in an attempt to harm the residents and destroy the house.

We need renewed pressure on the Moroccan government to stop the siege on the Khaya home and their local community. Notify your relevant ministries to protest this continued repression of the Khaya Sisters and women human rights activists in the Western Sahara.

Sincerely,

Michael Beer
Director
http://www.nonviolenceinternational.net/

P.S. We are calling this project justvisitwesternsahara.org.  We would like many of you to join us and go to the Western Sahara in the coming year to witness for peace and justice and learn about this amazing country. If you can't go, please become a monthly donor to NVI, the Project, or both.