Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain - Hunger-striking Western Sahara activist Aminatou Haidar vowed Thursday to return to the Moroccan-controlled territory "dead or alive," while expressing hope that Morocco would give in to international pressure to allow her to go back. The award-winning activist gave a press conference at the airport of the Spanish island of Lanzarote, where she has been on hunger strike for 25 days, sparking diplomatic tension between Spain and Morocco.
Pressure has increased on the two countries to resolve the situation of the activist as her health deteriorated.
Haidar, who campaigns for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco, launched a hunger strike after Morocco barred her from entering the Western Saharan capital Laayoun. The Moroccan authorities seized her passport and deported her to Lanzarote.
The activist, who has rejected Spain's offers to grant her Spanish nationality to allow her to travel, said she would return to Laayoun "with or without a passport."
Haidar also made public a letter accusing Morocco of expelling her illegally, Spain of keeping her illegally at the airport, and launching an "urgent appeal for the protection of the rights of the Saharan people."
Morocco, meanwhile, refused to make concessions. Moroccan Justice Minister Abdelouahed Radi said Haidar had created her own problem. The solution was "in her hands," Radi told a press conference in Madrid.
Others who had rebelled against Morocco had recognized their error and asked King Mohammed VI to forgive them, Radi said. Morocco refuses to give Haidar a new passport unless she admits to being a Moroccan rather than Saharan national.
Radi stressed Morocco's interest in maintaining "excellent" relations with Spain.
The Western Saharan independence movement Polisario Front has sought the independence of the desert territory since Morocco annexed it after 1975.
Pressure has increased on the two countries to resolve the situation of the activist as her health deteriorated.
Haidar, who campaigns for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco, launched a hunger strike after Morocco barred her from entering the Western Saharan capital Laayoun. The Moroccan authorities seized her passport and deported her to Lanzarote.
The activist, who has rejected Spain's offers to grant her Spanish nationality to allow her to travel, said she would return to Laayoun "with or without a passport."
Haidar also made public a letter accusing Morocco of expelling her illegally, Spain of keeping her illegally at the airport, and launching an "urgent appeal for the protection of the rights of the Saharan people."
Morocco, meanwhile, refused to make concessions. Moroccan Justice Minister Abdelouahed Radi said Haidar had created her own problem. The solution was "in her hands," Radi told a press conference in Madrid.
Others who had rebelled against Morocco had recognized their error and asked King Mohammed VI to forgive them, Radi said. Morocco refuses to give Haidar a new passport unless she admits to being a Moroccan rather than Saharan national.
Radi stressed Morocco's interest in maintaining "excellent" relations with Spain.
The Western Saharan independence movement Polisario Front has sought the independence of the desert territory since Morocco annexed it after 1975.
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