The grave human rights abuses suffered by the population in the Tindouf camps, at the hands of the armed separatist militia “Polisario,” were sharply criticized during the Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Numerous speakers condemned the atrocities, particularly those affecting children, in these camps located in southwestern Algeria.
Pedro Macarrón, president of the Spanish foundation “Avina,” denounced the violations before the Committee, focusing on the plight of thousands of children. He emphasized that these young people are subjected to unacceptable practices by the armed “Polisario” gang, which violates their most basic rights. “These children are recruited and trained to become soldiers, robbing them of their childhood and exposing them to extreme violence and danger,” he said. Macarrón added that such actions only perpetuate a cycle of violence and suffering affecting entire generations.
Rather than receiving a quality education, these children suffer from “irreparable psychological and physical trauma” as they are forced to take up arms and participate in conflicts, Macarrón lamented.
Voices of dissent against the Polisario
Former “Polisario” member Hamada Bouihi echoed these concerns, condemning the “criminal policies” of the terrorist group, which subjects those sequestered in the Tindouf camps to the “worst forms of human rights violations.” He noted that extremist organizations operating in the Sahel region have recruited several members from the ranks of the “Polisario,” who were shaped by the culture of violence and terrorism instilled in Tindouf.
M’Rabih Ahmed Mahmoud Adda, co-founder of the Assomoud association, which advocates for freedom of expression and movement, shared his harrowing experiences of torture in the Tindouf camps. He pointed out the “systematic violations” perpetrated by the criminal leadership of the “Polisario,” whose sole aim is to maintain their power with the support of the host country. Adda further revealed that the separatists have turned the Tindouf camps into a “haven” for criminal networks involved in drug and arms trafficking, transforming the camps into a “rear base” for armed militias.
Calls for international action
Several other petitioners, including American Nancy Huff, president of Teach the Children International, and Jordanian Amal Jbour, urged the international community to take action against these violations and the large-scale embezzlement of humanitarian aid intended for the camp populations. Huff highlighted reports from the World Food Program (WFP) and the European Union’s anti-fraud office (OLAF), showing that humanitarian aid destined for Tindouf never reaches those most in need. “I could no longer, in good conscience, send humanitarian aid to Tindouf knowing that it would never reach the people who need it most,” Huff stated.
She recalled that the WFP’s 2023 report identified significant mismanagement of aid in the Tindouf camps, including the sale of UN-supplied goods on neighboring countries’ markets.
Similarly, Lemaadla Zrug, president of the Sahrawi Association Against Impunity in the Tindouf Camps (ASIMCAT), condemned the lawlessness that prevails in the camps, where “Polisario” militias continue to violate human rights with the support of Algeria, the host country. “The host country’s responsibility is undeniable,” Zrug asserted, citing reports from various UN human rights mechanisms and organizations such as France Libertés.
