| Aminatou Haidar أميناتو حيدر |
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|---|---|
| Born | 24 July 1966 Akka, Morocco |
| Residence | El Aaiún, Western Sahara |
| Ethnicity | Sahrawi |
| Known for | Human rights defender, Political activist |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Children | two |
| Parents | Ali Haidar (father), Darya Mohamed Fadel Lorosi Busaula (mother) |
| Awards | Juan María Bandrés Human Rights Award, Silver Rose Award, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, Civil Courage Prize, Jovellanos 'Resistance & Freedom' International Award, University of Coimbra Medal, Jesús Andrés López Gallardo Award, René Cassin Award. |
Aminatou Ali Ahmed Haidar (Arabic: أحمد علي حيدر أميناتو; born 24 July 1966), sometimes known as Aminetou, Aminatu or Aminetu, is a Sahrawi human rights defender and political activist. She is a leading activist for the independence of Western Sahara. She is sometimes called the "Sahrawi Gandhi" for her nonviolent protests, including hunger strikes, in the support of the independence of Western Sahara.[1][2] She is the president of the Collective of Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders (CODESA).
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Aminatou was born in 1966 in Akka, Morocco[3] her grandmother's town. She spent her childhood in her parents town, Tan-Tan. She lives in El Aaiún in Western Sahara, with her two children (Muhammad and Hayat), is divorced, and holds a baccalaureate in modern literature. She is not member of the Polisario Front, although she considers the movement as the only representative of the Sahrawi people.[4]
On 21 November 1987, she became one of the hundreds of Sahrawis who 'disappeared' in Moroccan prisons. After years of torture and interrogation (she spent her entire imprisonment blindfolded, because of which she suffers photophobia, as well as other health problems), she was finally released on 19 June 1991.
She had been held in prison for nearly four years without any charges or trial, in secret detention centres. The Moroccan authorities have never provided a formal reason for her arrest and "disappearance", but it is believed that she was targeted for peacefully demanding the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination.[5]
She had been held in prison for nearly four years without any charges or trial, in secret detention centres. The Moroccan authorities have never provided a formal reason for her arrest and "disappearance", but it is believed that she was targeted for peacefully demanding the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination.[5]
She was incarcerated for the second time in the Black Prison of El Aaiún on 17 June 2005, after having been arrested in a hospital where she was receiving treatment for injuries inflicted by Moroccan police,[6] during a peaceful demonstration in the Western Sahara Independence Intifada. Reportedly, she was tortured during interrogations. Amnesty International has expressed great concern about the situation of Sahrawi prisoners in Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara, and specifically taken an interest in the case of Aminatou Haidar, expressing fear that her right to a fair trial might not be respected, and stating that she may be a prisoner of conscience.[5]
On 14 December 2005, Aminatou Haidar was sentenced to seven months in prison by a Moroccan court in El Aaiún. Amnesty, which had sent an observer to cover the trial, declared that "the trial...may have been unfair. The organization is consequently strengthened in its belief that the seven human rights defenders may be prisoners of conscience".[7]
There was an international campaign for Aminatou Haidar's release[8] supported by 178 members of the European Parliament.[9] The EU parliament also called for her immediate release with the rest of Sahrawi political prisoners in a 27 October 2005 resolution.[10]
On 17 January 2006, Aminatou Haidar was released at the end of her sentence.[11] A demonstration received her in Lemleihess (35 km. east of El-Aaiun), because Moroccan authorities didn't allowed her family to receive her in their own house. She reportedly commented that
| “ | "...the joy is incomplete without the release of all Saharawi political prisoners, and without the liberation of all the territories of the homeland still under the occupation of the oppressor" | ” |
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—Aminetu Haidar. Lemleihess (Western Sahara). 17-01-2006.[12] |
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After this discharge, Aminatou Haidar was granted compensation of 45,000 euros from the Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER) established by the Moroccan government to compensate the victims of arbitrary arrest.
On 13 November 2009, Aminatou Haidar was arrested on her return to El-Aaiún for allegedly refusing to enter "Morocco" in the "Country" box on her entry card, instead leaving the citizenship line blank on her customs form, and writing "Western Sahara" — the disputed territory where she lives — in the address line. She had done the same many times previously without problems.
She later declared that she was not visiting Morocco but Western Sahara. She refuses to accept that Western Sahara is a part of Morocco. "They want to compel me to recognize that Western Sahara belongs to Morocco," she declared to journalists on 14 November.[13]
Haidar arrived at El-Aaiún airport from Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. She was with two Spanish journalists, Pedro Barbadillo and Pedro Guillén, who accompanied her with the intention of making a documentary about human rights abuses in Western Sahara. The two journalists were detained for trespassing and filming in the airport without prior authorisation. The Moroccan authorities claim that Haidar declared she was renouncing her Moroccan citizenship and that she voluntarily signed the renunciation documents, and surrendered her passport and national ID card. Following this alleged renunciation, she was deported, along with the two journalists that accompanied her, to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Barbadillo, who was with her when she completed the entry documents to travel to Western Sahara, claims that the Moroccan government's version of events is false and declared he saw her completing the form himself.[14] Documents that were retrieved and published in the Spanish newspaper "El Pais" show that the Moroccan government had made three different flight reservations for Haidar, indicating that they had planned to expel her from the country days in advance of her actual arrival. Because they did not know with certainty when she would be arriving, they booked seats in her name on three different flights, so they could deport her whenever she arrived.[15]
According to El Pais, Haidar informed the pilot on her flight back to Spanish territory that she did not have documents to travel and was being held against her will. The pilot was doubtful, but finally took off after receiving a call from Spanish authorities.[15] The party finally arrived at Lanzarote about noon on Saturday evening, and Haidar sought the urgent intervention of the United Nations Secretary General to "ensure personal protection" and declined to leave the departure terminal at Lanzarote airport, claiming that the Spanish authorities had kidnapped her by declining to allow her to board another international flight (to El-Aaiún) because she was unable to produce her passport. She was apparently entitled to travel within Spanish territory. Mohamed Salem, delegate of the POLISARIO in the Canary Islands, claimed that she intended to remain at the terminal of Lanzarote airport, and engage in a hunger strike in protest against her kidnap by the Spanish authorities.[16]
On 17 November, while on hunger strike, she was told by the Spanish authorities to appear in court on public order charges.[17] A fine of 180 euros was imposed by the Spanish court for public order disturbance.[18]
Spanish newspaper El País reported that a Moroccan delegation led by the President of the Moroccan Senate, Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah, visited Spain in early December 2009. He insisted that the Sahrawi people are fully integrated into Moroccan society and occupy some of the highest offices in Moroccan institutions. He insisted that no country would accept the return of a person who had "thrown away their passport" and "has renounced their nationality".
Biadillah later met with Jorge Moragas, coordinator of the main opposition People's Party, which intends to bring an action against the (socialist led) Spanish Government, alleging it violated two articles of the law on foreigners by implicitly assisting Morocco to force Haidar to cross the Spanish border on 14 November in Lanzarote.
Ever since Haidar was deported, numerous actors, writers, musicians, politicians, human rights activists and personalities have shown support for her cause and have asked both the Moroccan and Spanish governments to resolve the situation. In November, Portuguese Nobel Prize-winning writer José Saramago who has a home in Lanzarote, sent her a letter of support,[19] saying that "If I were in Lanzarote, I would be with you" (he was away from the island) and stating "We would all be poorer without Haidar". About Morocco he declared "Whoever is confident about its past doesn't need to expropiate its neighbour to express a greatness that no one will never recognize".[20] Later, on 1 December, Saramago finally met Haidar at Lanzarote's airport to show her his "respect and admiration". He also declared that "It's time for the international community to pressure Morocco to comply with the accords about the Sahara".[21]
Eduardo Galeano and Javier Bardem are among the personalities that have asked both governments to put an end to this situation whish they describe as an injustice. Bardem published an open letter in the Spanish newspaper El Mundo in which he expressed his "support and respect for the human rights campaigner and representative of the Sahrawi people." His letter criticizes the Spanish government as "blind"[22] Galeano has also shown his solidarity with Haidar. He has thanked her for her "bravery". He also said in his letter: "People like you help us confirm that a fight for another world is not and will never be a useless passion. Thank you very much. Lots of people love you, and I am one of them.".[22] Writer Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa also give Haidar his support.[23]
Argentinian Nobel Peace laureate Adolfo Pérez Esquivel asked for a "humanitarian and political exit" for Haidar, and called the Spanish and Moroccan governments to undertake dialogue to see "in what ways could the European Union, Council of Europe or even the United Nations intervene to avoid a tragic outcome and try to save her life, but not at any cost.".[24]
British film-makers Ken Loach and Paul Laverty sent two letters to newspapers, one to El País and another to The Guardian. In the first one they draw a parallel between the figure of Haidar and the figure of Rosa Parks, and stated "What tragedy would be for the non-violent resistance, and for the possibility of a pacific solution, that we let her die.". They asked the Spanish government to guarantee her safe return home.[25] In the other one, they began by referring to a collective letter sent to Juan Carlos I, asking for his mediation with the Moroccan Sultan, and their belief that begging won't bring a solution. Then they blamed Mohamed IV for "Mohammed VI's foreign policy is crude and stinks to high heaven. The subtext to any challenge is to threaten Spain with unleashing untold numbers of desperate, impoverished Moroccans across the straits into Europe. Or worse, to stop co-operating on questions of "terrorism". In other words, turning a blind eye to Islamic fundamentalists." They finally highlighted the non-violent resistance of Haidar, and demand justice as human beings.[26]
On 10 December 2009, a letter was sent to the King of Spain, asking him to intercede for Haidar with Morocco. The letter was signed by three Nobel laureates - (Günter Grass, Dario Fo and José Saramago) - as well as other international personalities including Pedro Almodóvar, Mario Vargas Llosa, Penélope Cruz, Antonio Gala, Almudena Grandes, Carlos Fuentes and Ignacio Ramonet among others from India, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Colombia, Brazil and Angola.[27]
On 29 December, a free concert showing solidarity with Aminetou Haidar was held in Rivas Vaciamadrid, on the outskirts of the Spanish capital, with performances by Bebe, Kiko Veneno, Macaco, Amaral, Pedro Guerra, Mariem Hassan, Conchita, Miguel Ríos and Ismael Serrano among others.[28]
Ban Ki-moon and European Union leaders were seeking a means of applying some effective pressure on Morocco. The solution, according to some diplomatic sources, might be a US intervention that went beyond the statement it released on 26 November, in which the State Department expressed "concern" about the health of Haidar and called for respect of her rights. According to El País, the US finally entered the crisis, triggered by the expulsion of Aminatou Haidar, by contributing more international pressure on the king of Morocco to allow the return of Sahrawi activist to the city where she lived with her family.
US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has contacted the Moroccan Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi-Fihri, according to diplomatic sources in Brussels. Spanish diplomats welcomed the move, but say it has not been made at their behest.
On 11 December 2009 Haidar entered her 25th day of hunger strike in the airport of Lanzarote and Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos announced he was to make an ad-hoc trip to Washington three days later for talks with his counterpart. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke with Moroccan Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri asking him to allow Aminatou to return to her home in El Aaiun.[29]
On 18 December 2009, following 32 days on hunger strike and a brief admission to the intensive care unit of Lanzarote hospital, the BBC reported Haidar returned home following interventions by the US and France. Upon her return, Haidar was placed under house arrest by Moroccan police.[30]
On 19 January 2010 Haidar returned to Spain, to have medical exams in La Paz hospital in Madrid. Haidar has an Spanish residence card since her release from prison in 2006, for humanitarian reasons. Haidar was in poor health, as she suffered anaemia and stomach ulcer, consequence of her imprisonment and the 2009 hunger strike.[31] Amnesty International released a communiqué denouncing that Haidar and her family were under constant surveillance of Moroccan security forces, stating that
| “ | "Since returning home she has not been able to resume her normal life and work in defence of human rights, as the Moroccan authorities have kept her under constant, overt surveillance, and have stopped everyone who tries to visit her. Police and other security agents have been stationed close to her house round the clock. They have followed Aminatou Haidar whenever she goes out. They have turned back the foreign journalists and supporters who have tried to visit her. Her family members, friends and supporters from Western Sahara and elsewhere in Morocco have been harassed, intimidated and reportedly some were assaulted when they have tried to visit her. Several have been detained and questioned by security agents, including agents from Directorate for the Surveillance of the Territory, Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire (DST). Others have been stopped and ordered to report to a police station, where they have been detained for some hours, interrogated and then ordered to go away." | ” |
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—Document - Morocco/Western Sahara: Sahrawi human rights defender returns home: Aminatou Haidar. Amnesty International. 15-01-2010.[32] |
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On March 7, Haidar broke the silence she had kept since her return to Western Sahara. It was during the "International Conference of Support to the Sahrawi People", parallel to the European Union-Morocco summit in Granada (Spain), that, according to Haidar, "denied the suffering of the Sahrawis".[33] At a conference in the University of Granada, Haidar accused the EU of bowing to the "totalitarian regime" of Morocco, and the Spanish government of maintaing a "resounding silence" and a "blind following" in their relations with the Kingdom of Morocco. She stated that the UE and Spain put before the economic interest instead human rights respect and defence of the Sahrawi people.[34]
On March 24, Haidar declared during a visit to Washington D.C. that "before reaching a final settlement, a political solution, we must put pressure on Morocco to respect human rights". During an interview she stated that she's ready to die for a "just cause" and that "It's not fair that after 35 years, a people who are illegally occupied by Morocco are divided by a wall and its population suffers daily repression for defending their right to freedom". She emphasizes "We need the help of the United States, like any other country in the world", during reunions with US Department of State officials and US representatives.[35]
On October 15, Haidar appeared in a Casablanca court with dozens of Sahrawi activist leaders and twenty foreign observers, during the trial of seven Sahrawi activists (known as "The Casablanca 7") detained months ago after travelling to the Sahrawi refugee camps, and accused by the Moroccan government of "threaten the safety of the state".[36] One of them was Ali Salem Tamek, vice president of Haidar's human rights association CODESA.[37] The presence of Haidar caused a stir in the vicinity of the court, while Haidar declared:
| “ | "I have no problem with the people of Morocco and with Morocco as a country, I have a problem with that is occupying the Western Sahara illegally, and trampling the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination." | ” |
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—Aminatou Haidar. Casablanca, Morocco. 15-10-2010.[38] |
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Haidar said that Moroccan government accusations had no foundation, denouncing the violation of the freedom of expression and circulation of the detained. She also made hard critics on the Spanish government, which she accused of being guilty of the Sahrawi people situation. "The Spanish government violate international law by denying the Saharawi people their legitimate right to self-determination" she stated.[39]
On 29 October 2011 the son of Haidar was threatened with a beating that would cause him permanent disability and sexual violation by a couple of Moroccan policemen in El Aaiun, according to CODESA.[40][41]
In 2005 she was nominated for the Sakharov Prize, and in 2006 she was nominated by the US branch of Amnesty International to the Ginetta Sagan Fund Award.[42]
In May 2006 Haidar was awarded the V Juan Maria Bandres award for Human Rights (Spain), and in October 2007 she received the European Parliament Silver Rose Award (Austria)[43]
In February 2008, the American Friends Service Committee[44] announced it had proposed Haidar as a Nobel Peace Prize nominee. In May 2008, she was awarded the Special Prize City of Castelldefels (Spain),[45] given by the city council. Haidar won the 2008 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award (US). In addition to the prize (which includes a financial component), the RFK Memorial Center offers to partner with recipients in their work.[46]
Haidar was awarded the 2009 Civil Courage Prize (US) on 20 October 2009 at an award ceremony in New York City.[47]
In January 2010, the Italian municipality of Sesto Fiorentino appointed Haidar as "Honorary Citizen" of the village, for her "non-violent struggle for Liberty and Human Rights for her people".[48][49] Days later, another Italian municipality, Campi Bisenzio, decided by a majority to grant her "Honorary Citizenship".[50] On 30 July 2010, another ten towns from the Italian province of Lucca decided to give the "Honorary Citizenship" to Haidar (one of them, Stazzema, gave her also the "Gold Medal of Resistance"). A further 20 Italian towns have appointed Aminatou Haidar as "Honorary Citizen".[51]
Haidar has been also awarded in 2010 with the I Jovellanos 'Resistance & Freedom' International Award (Spain),[52] the "Liberty, Peace & Solidarity" prize on the XXXIV "The Best of 2009" awards, given by the Spanish weekly magazine Cambio 16[53][54] & the VI Dolores Ibárruri Prize (Spain). She has been nominated again by more than 40 European parliamentarians to the Sakharov Prize, in its 2010 edition,[55] and also to the "African Personality 2010" prix, given by the Nigerian newspaper Daily Trust.[56] Few days after, europarlamentarian Willy Meyer Pleite denounced a campaign of letters by Morocco to avoid the concession of the prize to Haidar.[57] In November, Haidar was awarded with the "University of Coimbra Medal", given by the Portuguese educational institution for her attitude and civic actuations in defense of human rights in Western Sahara.[58] That month, she also received the "International Prize Trojan Horse of Guacales" (Mexico) at the UNAM, during the "Revolutionary Women's Day".[59]
In March 1, 2011, she was awarded with the "Jesús Andrés López Gallardo" cooperation prize, given by the San Fernando de Henares city council, recognizing her reinvindication of Sahrawi human rights and her implication in the attempt of building a democratic republic in Western Sahara.[60][61] In July 27, Haidar was appointed as "Honorary Citizen" of the Italian comune of Montespertoli, being the first person granted with that award, as a "concrete gesture of condemnation of the violence being perpetrated by the Moroccan authorities", and with the hope of bringing the Sahrawi people issue to the attention of the entire public.[62] In November 10, she was awarded with the René Cassin Human Rights Prize, given by the Justice department of the Basque Country government.[63] The jury highlighted that the defense of the rights of the Sahrawi people "is more complicated and risky for the Sahrawi women that, from their fundamental role in the development of traditional life, had been and are subject of serious abuses to their human rights", and the figure of Haidar as a representative of the collective of "Human Rights activists in the Occupied Territories of Western Sahara". The prize consist on a honorific distinction, a public ceremony and an economic dotation of 16,550 euros.[64]
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