100 Moroccan prisoners repatriated

One hundred Moroccan prisoners, who were released earlier this month by the armed Polisario Front, were repatriated on Wednesday to Morocco under the auspices of the International Community of the Red Cross (ICRC). The prisoners, all men, had been held as a result of a long-standing territorial dispute between Morocco and Polisario. The ex-prisoners were flown from the refugee camp in Tindouf, Algeria, to a military base in the Moroccan town of Agadir, ICRC sources in Geneva told IRIN on Thursday. They were allowed to leave of their own free will, and although they had been released, ICRC delegates conducted a final interview to make sure that they were being repatriated of their own free will. In welcoming the release, ICRC used the opportunity to press for the release of the 1,160 remaining Moroccan prisoners held by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia-el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario Front). UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, welcomed the repatriation on Wednesday and called up for the speedy release of all remaining captives, some of who have been held since the beginning of the conflict in 1975. The last group of prisoners were released in July 2002 and repatriatedsubsequently. However Morocco, whom Polisario accused of instigating theconflict, says that it has no Sarhawi prisoners. Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, is occupied by Morocco whichinvaded it in 1975 when Spain pulled out. The invasion led the Polisario Front to take up arms to fight for the independence of the territory. In 1991, Polisario and Morocco signed a ceasefire agreement, paving the way for UN intervention but a planned referendum to determine the future of the territory has still not been held.