Morocco/Western Sahara: Urgently needed medical assistance arrives

An ICRC shipment of 1.5 tonnes of essential medical supplies and 1,000 blankets arrived last week in Oran, Algeria, and was delivered to the Polisario Front near Tindouf by the Algerian Red Crescent. The beneficiaries will be Moroccan prisoners and local medical facilities.

The decision to send in medical supplies was taken following the visit late last year of an ICRC team to Moroccan prisoners held by the Polisario Front, a number of whom suffer from chronic illnesses.

In 1998 ICRC delegates visited a total of 1,729 Moroccan prisoners and a further 84 former prisoners who were released in April 1997 and are still awaiting repatriation.

The ICRC is extremely concerned about the situation of these men, most of whom were captured between 1978 and 1982. The organization is stepping up representations to the parties involved in order to bring about a humanitarian solution as soon as possible and remains available to supervise the repatriation of all prisoners held in connection with the Western Sahara conflict.