The Peruvian press denounces “the scandal of the systematic diversion” of humanitarian aid intended for the populations of the Tindouf camps

2023-04-23 20:33:00

The Peruvian press has pinned the scandal of the “systematic diversion of humanitarian aid intended for the populations of the Tindouf camps”, which Morocco has been denouncing for years to the international community.

Thus, the daily Guik, Peru’s first digital newspaper, which takes up the conclusions of the report evaluating the work of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in Algeria between 2019 and 2022, writes that “these misappropriations have been denounced by other inspection reports from UNHCR (High Commissioner for Refugees), as well as other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations”.

The publication notes that “WFP has documented the diversion and sale of food from humanitarian aid in markets in the town of Tindouf, outside the camps, and in neighboring countries, while the camp population lives in despicable conditions, marked by chronic malnutrition, especially among women and children”.

“Even more seriously, adds Guik, the WFP reiterated its concern about the lack of a census of the population of the Tindouf camps and the risk of diversion that this unique situation makes possible”, stressing that it is a question of “an exceptional situation in the world from the point of view of international humanitarian law, insofar as for nearly 50 years, these populations have never been identified, nor registered as refugees, nor counted”.

The Peruvian publication denounces the fact that Algeria is ceding control of the camps to the Polisario militias, which is an “armed separatist group closely linked to terrorist groups operating in the Sahel”.

For its part, the daily Prensa21 points out that the lucrative diversion of humanitarian aid for the benefit of the leaders of the Polisario, has enabled them to “maintain a luxurious lifestyle, at the expense of the European taxpayer and at the expense of the women and children of the Tindouf camps, who suffer from chronic anaemia”.

The newspaper recalls that the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) had pointed out, in a report published in 2015, a “methodical diversion, over more than four decades, of the humanitarian aid granted to the Sahrawis, held hostage in the Tindouf camps, on Algerian territory”.

The OLAF report highlighted “the responsibility of Algeria, an active accomplice in the diversion of this aid, which generally begins as soon as the cargoes arrive at the Algerian port of Oran”.

Similarly, the European Parliament had noted that “Algeria levied a 5% tax on this aid and refused the requests for a census” of this population presented by the UNHCR.

In 2021, recalls the same source, the report of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, had drawn attention to the embezzlement of funds and food aid intended for the population taken hostage by the Polisario.

Moreover, all Security Council resolutions since 2011 have asked Algeria to authorize the census of the population of the Tindouf camps, in accordance with international humanitarian law.

The same request has been made to UN agencies to follow UN “best practices” in delivering humanitarian aid to camp populations.

Prensa21 deplores that “Algeria has constantly defied the firm and irrevocable demands of the Security Council, hiding behind unfounded fallacious pretexts”, adding that this country has “the moral and legal responsibility to stop exploiting the situation of the populations sequestered on its territory and to use it as currency, while spending colossal sums to maintain the luxurious lifestyle of a handful of Polisario leaders and providing them with state-of-the-art military equipment”.