“The indoctrination and recruitment of children by the armed militias of the Polisario constitute a crime against humanity, and a denial of the fundamental rights of the children recruited, as well as a flagrant violation of the resolutions adopted by the Security Council on the matter,” Ms. Pace told the 4th Committee of the UN General Assembly.
The speaker emphasized that the armed separatist group is “stubbornly carrying out a premeditated process of indoctrination of children,” forcibly removing them from their families and communities, and depriving them of their childhood, education, healthcare, and the opportunity to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment.
She further noted that the Tindouf camps in southwestern Algeria are the “epicenter” of child soldiering, constituting one of the largest concentrations of military recruitment of children in Africa. She expressed concern that the host country and the Polisario are guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, citing a recent European Parliament report indicating that children aged 12 to 13 are subjected to military training in the Tindouf camps.
“Sahrawi children in the Tindouf camps are not receiving a good education that fosters critical thinking, but rather are forced into allegiance to the doctrine of the Polisario against their best interests,” the petitioner further indicated. She stressed that the host country, Algeria, is doubly responsible for the atrocities committed on its territory.
Algeria accepted the presence of the armed militias of the Polisario on its territory while providing them with financial and military support to continue illegally managing militarized camps. The speaker criticized the host country for its complicit silence regarding the decades-long indoctrination of children in violation of its international obligations.
the speaker called on the international community to establish mechanisms and instruments to protect Sahrawi children from all forms of abuse, exploitation, violence, and organized crime in the Tindouf camps. She emphasized that the host country, which seeks to deny its responsibility by delegating powers to the Polisario, must assume the fullness of its international responsibilities, particularly in terms of security and the protection of children living on its territory.