* UN council unanimously renews W.Sahara peacekeeping force
* South Africa disappointed no rights mandate included
* Morocco: rights monitoring “nothing to do” with mission
By Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS, April 24 (Reuters) – The U.N. Security
Council renewed on Tuesday the mandate of a peacekeeping force
in the disputed territory of Western Sahara, but South Africa
expressed disappointment that the 15-nation body did not ask
U.N. troops to monitor alleged rights abuses.
After the council unanimously voted to approve the force –
known as MINURSO – for another year, South Africa’s U.N.
Ambassador Baso Sangqu accused the council, of which it is a
member, of ignoring the rights of the Western Sahara people.
“It is an anomaly that MINSURO is one of the few U.N.
mandates that does not have a human rights mandate,” Sangqu
said. “These double standards create an impression that the
council does not give priority to the human rights of …
Western Sahara.”
“We see no reason why the people of Western Sahara should be
treated any different. The selective approach to human rights by
this council calls into question the motivation of those who
have conveniently looked the other way while human rights abuses
are committed in the territory of Western Sahara,” he said.
The renewal of the mandate of the peacekeeping force marks
an annual battle in the council between Morocco, backed by
France, and African nations supporting Polisario Front
independence movement.
Continued…
