DLP position on Western Sahara reflects abandonment of support for national liberation struggles

CommentaryFor most of its 59-year history, the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) has identified with the struggles of oppressed peoples.

In 1971, while still an Associated State of Britain, under the leadership of Edward Oliver Leblanc, Parliament approved ECD$10,000 as a contribution towards the liberation struggle in South Africa.

In 1979, the Oliver Seraphine-led interim government formally recognized the Polisario Front.

Today the Roosevelt Skerrit administration has departed from the position taken on Western Sahara by Oliver Seraphine, Eugenia Charles, Edison James, Rosie Douglas and Pierre Charles.

Rosie Douglas fought for self-determination and political independence for African and Caribbean peoples. He was unwavering in his support for the African National Congress and was instrumental in the campaign to end apartheid in South Africa. Rosie identified with liberation struggles in Canada, the United States, Northern Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and throughout Latin America. Pierre Charles, in opposition and in government, also identified with many of those struggles.

Despite the Labour party’s rich history of solidarity with oppressed peoples around the world, the Skerrit regime has withdrawn Dominica’s long-standing support for the Polisario Front. The Polisario has been engaged in a 40-year conflict with Morocco for self-determination in Western Sahara.

An article which appeared in the ruling party’s new propaganda mouthpiece, ‘The Chronicle’ some weeks ago, penned by ‘Vigilante’ captioned “Beware UWP and Polosario Dollar Diplomacy” contained a plethora of inaccuracies on the Western Saharan issue. Senior Counsel (SC) Anthony Astaphan and Attorney Lennox Lawrence also used DBS news and Kairi FM to spread their misinformation to an even wider audience.

Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, is a vast desert territory in north-west Africa. In 1975, a deal partitioned the region between Morocco and Mauritania. In February, 1976, the Polisario Front, declared the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and announced its first government in March of the same year. Western Sahara is now divided between Morocco in the West and the Polisario Front in the east. Over 100,000 Sahrawi refugees currently live in UN-run camps in Western Algeria.
Vigilante claims that Western Sahara is part of Morocco. The writer suggests that the United Nations supports Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara.

This is historically inaccurate. In 1975, the International Court of Justice rejected territorial claims by Morocco and Mauritania. The court recognized the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination.

After a guerilla war which lasted nearly 20 years, both sides agreed to a ceasefire under the aegis of the United Nations Security Council in 1991. There have been numerous efforts aimed at finding a lasting solution to the conflict led for a time by a former US Secretary of State, James Baker, and now by the present UN Secretary General’s envoy to Western Sahara, Christopher Ross.

Vigilante also says that ninety-six per cent of the countries of the world recognize the Sahara region as “a department of Morocco”. This is totally false. Morocco has no legal or historic claim to Western Sahara. The Polisario Front has observer status at the UN. The UN does not recognize Morocco’s claims as Western Sahara remains on its list of non- self-governing territories. The United Nations has repeatedly demanded that the residents of Western Sahara be allowed to vote on their own future. Much to the displeasure of Morocco, the United States has called for an expansion of the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to include human rights.

SADR is a full member of the African Union and Morocco is not. Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia, as the leading members of ALBA and the majority of Community of Latin American and Caribbean nations (CELAC) support the Polisario Front. With the exception of the six OECS countries, Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad support the Polisario/SADR. The Polisario Front is an observer member of Socialist International and opened its embassy in Guyana last November.

The silence of the Roosevelt Skerrit regime on the treatment of the Sahrawis by Morocco is an abject betrayal of the work of Rosie Douglas- a man who devoted much of his life fighting the causes of oppressed peoples particularly in Africa. Human Rights Watch (HRW), in its World report 2014, laments the continuous violation of human rights by Morocco in Western Sahara. The report states that Moroccan courts sent Sahrawis to jail after “unfair trails” and added that the Moroccan police used “excessive force” to break up peaceful demonstrations and the authorities “repressed supporters of self-determination”.

Recently a Spanish forensic team examined the remains of six adults and two children found in mass graves in the Moroccan occupied section of Western Sahara. It is being suggested that in seizing the area in the 1970s, the Moroccans may have captured and killed hundreds of Sahrawi civilians.

Contrary to the view being perpetrated by Anthony Astaphan, the Polisario categorically rejects terrorism as a legitimate means of achieving its goals. The ceasefire of 1991 has largely been observed. In its literature, the Polisario describes its struggle as a “clean war of liberation”.

The Skerrit government’s position on Western Sahara is an abandonment of the Dominica Labour Party’s long-standing support for liberation struggles across the world. The Skerrit government has abandoned principle and high ideals for short-term benefits from Morocco. This policy change is a major retrogression which Rosie Douglas and Pierre Charles would never have embraced.

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66 Comments

  1. December 16, 2015

    You’re so interesting! I don’t suppose I’ve read through anything like this
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  2. Lusius
    March 19, 2014

    Hello to you good people of Dominica, I have no interest in the political wranglings within the Dominica Labour Party, but merely wish to shed light on some of the historical inaccuracies and fallacies within this article regarding the Sahara conflict.

    In this regard, it’s important to first appreciate that the Kingdom of Morocco’s struggle to retrieve it’s sahara (desert in Arabic) began the moment it lost it in the late 19th century. Furthermore, the legality of the initial partition of the sahara from Morocco by the colonial powers was itself highly dubious and in violation of international laws and treaties signed with Morocco by the said powers. Indeed, the area known as Saquiet el Hamra (which constitutes the largest part of the territory generically known as the “Western Sahara”) was recognized by the United Kingdom and France, among others, as being Moroccan territory in the late 19th and early 20th century. It was only after the secret Anglo-French entente of 1904 and the Franco-Spanish of 1904 that the colonial powers began to conspire deeply against the extent of Morocco’s boundaries. Indeed, these oft secret colonial treaties were meaningless in themselves and only legal validity for the de jure lines imposed on Morocco by France and Spain – in violation of Morocco’s de facto boundaries – comes from the acceptance by Morocco of these boundary delimitation’s whilst Morocco was under the complete yoke of colonialism as a French Protectorate, 1912-1956.

    Post independence, 1956, the Kingdom of Morocco continued its rightful struggle to retrieve the parts of its sahara illegally annexed by the colonial powers. Indeed, Morocco recovered both the Cape Juby and Sidi Ifni from Spain in 1958 and 1969 respectively. In fact, the territory generically referred to as the “Western Sahara” (comprised of the historically Moroccan regions of Saquiet el-Hamra and Oued ed-Dahab) was placed on the UN list of non-self-governing territories in 1963, along with “Spanish Ifni”, at the sole behest of the Kingdom of Morocco. Indeed, it was only due to the exhaustive efforts made by the Kingdom of Morocco that the Sahara issue was brought before the U.N. and without, the so-called “Spanish Sahara” would have remained precisely that, under Spanish dominion.

    In 1975, however, due to the decades of struggle by the Kingdom of Morocco and its people, Spain abandoned its pretensions over the territory with the signing of the Madrid Accords (in accordance with article 33 of the U.N. Charter and Res. 380 of the Security Council which invited negotiations between the concerned parties), leaving the territory to the Kingdom of Morocco and French-established Mauritanian Republic (so called after Morocco’s name in antiquity, ancient Mauretania). Indeed, the tripartite agreement was itself consecrated by the General Assembly, Res. 3458 (XXXX)b, on December 1975.

    Indeed, whilst the territory generically known as the “Western Sahara” remains on the list of non-self governing territories (to reiterate, having found itself on that very list since 1963 thanks to the efforts of Morocco, the sole-claimants at the time of the territory, whilst Spain was the occupying force), the Kingdom of Morocco is nonetheless recognized by all impartial states as the de facto administers of the so-said disputed territory. The other claimants today, the POLISARIO Front, created as late as 1973 and established by Algeria since, have declared the territory as the “Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic”; this is today still shamefully recognized by a couple of dozen misinformed states/former soviet bloc states/bullied states. Indeed, it is because of this late claim to the territory by Algeria’s POLISARIO Front (1976), that the “Western Sahara” remains listed as non-self-governing territory with the U.N. today attempting to broker a “just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution” to the conflict. It is a shame then, that a country such as Dominica should still uphold an impartial and, in light of the history, unjust stand by recognizing the so-called “Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic”.

    Finally, Morocco has a very strong legal case for its claim over the sahara territory, which historically is indisputably Moroccan. Indeed, Morocco’s territorial integrity is inviolable and supported by a body of historical and legal evidence; indeed, the non-binding Advisory Opinion issued by the ICJ in 1975 regarding the “Western Sahara” coupled with the the ICJ Judgment of 27 August 1952 regarding the “Rights of Nationals of the United States of America in Morocco” form the basis of Morocco’s solid legal claims – and this in spite of the inherent Eurocentricity of International Law; indeed, Morocco existed as a state prior to European colonization and there can be no complete decolonization of Africa without the restoration of Morocco’s national and territorial integrity which was so cynically shattered and violated by the colonial powers.

    Morocco’s legal case, as articulated by the former vice-president of the ICJ, Judge Ammoun:
    http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/61/6205.pdf

    • Lusius
      March 19, 2014

      Additionally, Morocco’s role in the decolonization process of Africa is well documented, it’s a shame however, that our peers on the left (the so-called revolutionaries) seek to black it out from the pages of history: which nevertheless makes good note of the resistance Morocco and Moroccans put up against European colonialism. Indeed, Moroccans inspired the entire continent of Africa to rise up and fight against the yoke of European imperialism and the late King of Morocco, Mohammed V is regarded as one of the great heroes in the emancipation of Africa; as the late Nelson Mandela himself testified to, “Rabat [Morocco] was the crossroads of virtually every liberation movement on the continent”. Indeed, the Algerian FLN were armed, trained and based in Morocco, and groups from Angola to Mozambique were benefited from Morocco’s solidarity; the ANC received both diplomatic support, weaponry, funding and training by Morocco and yet the rightful return of Morocco’s sahara is contested by some of these groups today because Morocco, as a Monarchy, was opposed by the left.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAeOUMaL_tg

      It is, however, a shame, if not a moral crime that the Kingdom of Morocco and its people have been stabbed in the back by many left-wing radicals because a band of Algerian mercenaries, known as the POLISARIO Front halfheartedly wore Che t-shirts and sheepishly called out “comrade”. Morocco, however, does not ask for your blind support, merely your objectivity and impartiality when assessing the merits of our rightful struggle.
      http://archive.is/CAzPi

    • JoJo
      March 19, 2014

      Lusius, so many words to tell us that only Roosevelt Skerrit right and all our leaders before him wrong? That the African Union was wrong, the U.N. wrong? Boy, that Roosevelt must be a real genius. And even if all your arguments were to hold water, if… it still does not address the unalienable right of people to self determination, just like we wanted for ourselves. No Sir, our leader sold our integrity for thirty pieces of silver. To me it’s that simple.

      • Lusius
        March 20, 2014

        Jojo, in order the fully appreciate the geo-political dimensions of this conflict vis-a-vis Morocco’s neighboring states, you must take into a account the decades of struggle Morocco undertook prior to 1975 in order to recover its illegal annexed lands. As far as Algeria is concerned for example, what drove their ruling junta into establishing the POLISARIO Front with their lush petrodollar funds, was the prospect of gaining access to the Atlantic and the unwillingness to return the Moroccan lands that France illegally incorporated into the French-Algerian state during the colonial period.

        For references:

        “Lyautey clearly had no precise nor ultimate territorial objective in penetrating into Morocco. During his first months on the frontier, he aimed to occupy Tafilalt and extend the railroad there as quickly as possible. At the time, many French expansionists were talking less of building a railway across the central Sahara and more of pushing it westward to the Atlantic coast as a way of cutting off Morocco from the south. By the fall of 1904, however, Lyautey decided that the population of Tafilalt was too large and too hostile to be brought to terms by any means other than a massive, costly, logistically hazardous campaign. He determined instead to consolidate French control along the entire length of the frontier from the Mediterranean to the Wad Saoura and to advance gradually, clearing the way for the construction of both northern and southern rail lines which would one day facilitate the conquest of all Morocco. Therefore, the army continued to press forward because Lyautey wanted to occupy as much Moroccan territory as possible before France declared a protectorate and because each modest territorial advance automatically required a succeeding one in order to safeguard the first. Lyautey’s basic strategy along the southern frontier was to create an advance line of posts and ‘circles of action’ to protect the railroad and the installations in the Mountains of Ksour and the Zousfana-Saoura valley. In October 1903 he occupied Bechar, calling it Colomb (later, Colomb-Bechar) to circumvent the provision of the 1902 Accords which made Bechar a Moroccan Village.”
        –Resistance in the Desert: Moroccan Responses to French Imperialism, 1881-1912

        “The problem of the Algerian-Moroccan boundary in the Sahara remains as sensitive an issue in Algeria and Moroccan relations as it was for France and Morocco in the period between Moroccan independence in 1956 and the end of the French colonial rule in Algeria in 1962. In fact, Algeria today has stood by the claims made by France during the years 1956-1962; and, fully in accordance with the policy statement relating to colonial boundaries that was put forth by the Organization of African Unity, has stated simply that Algeria’s rightful boundaries are those that were inherited from the colonial regime. Insofar as the portion of the common frontier region that is begin examined here is concerned — the Guir-Zousfana river basin area — this Algerian criterion for legitimacy is not well founded. It can be proven that during the period 1956-62 the French presented a case for their claim that was distorted by their failure to make known some of the most relevant documentation bearing on the issue. While it can be shown that the issues involved in this dispute were pronounced upon by the French government at an earlier date and were in accordance with binding international treaties which delimited the boundary in the Guir-Zousfana basin area, it is fundamental to understand the issue to recognize that the French administration in Algeria throughout the period from 1901 to 1956 was never pleased with the boundary delimitations that had been arrived at through these various Franco-Moroccan agreements. The position of the French administration in Algeria was that what was beneficial to Algeria was equally beneficial to France. Algeria was a part of France; Morocco, even as a protectorate, never lost the trappings of the independent state that had existed prior to 1912.”
        –African Historical Studies

        “The present work proposes to show that the Western Sahara, like Mauritania and the frontier regions of Algeria has never ceased to be under the political, economic and cultural influence of Morocco and that it would be absurd to create a new pseudo state when a state of indisputably ancient origin and modern structure is ready to welcome a regions that has, in reality, never ceased being integrated in it”
        –“The Western Sahara and the Frontiers of Morocco”

        –http://i22.servimg.com/u/f22/15/52/95/18/2010-147.jpg

        –http://i22.servimg.com/u/f22/15/52/95/18/2010-148.jpg

        –http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DthQaXH-LKo

        –http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGLJlZcY9zo

      • Lusius
        March 20, 2014

        Jojo, the inalienable right of “peoples” to self-determination is tied to those “peoples” under alien subjugation, domination and exploitation and the self to which the right of self-determination refers, has so far been tied to the principle of nationalities. As far as the Sahara is concerned, the peoples in question belong to the Moroccan peoples and their nationality is Moroccan. Indeed, the inorganic boundaries drawn in the desert sand by the colonial powers (specifically, France and Spain) divide members of the very same tribe, much less nation; and never mind the fact that at the time of their drawing, those Franco-Spanish imposed delimitations violated Morocco’s de facto boundaries and furthermore, that the nomadic inhabitants of the region knew no settled home, but roamed over large areas that crossed over these imaginary boundaries). Tan-tan, Guelmim, Tarfaya, Asa, Zag, Ifni etc are all desert territories in Morocco which exist outside of the disputed territory and the inhabitants of these regions are just as “Sahrawi” as those from Laayoune (city in the disputed territory) as far as subnational identities go (cultural, tribal); for the record, there exists numerous subnational identities in Morocco. Furthermore the number of so-called “Sahrawi” people originating from outside the disputed territory in the regions of Tarfaya, Tan-Tan, Guelmim, etc has always exceeded the number of inhabitants from within the historically sparsely populated disputed area generically known as the “Western Sahara” due to its inhospitable landscape.

        Nevertheless, beyond the cultural and blood affiliations (that Moroccans from the furthest north to the furthest south are bound by), from a legal perspective (if you excuse the brevity), the ICJ recognized the legal (political) ties between tribes within the Western Sahara territory and the Sovereign of Morocco, the nationality of these tribes (bearing in mind that the ICJ also recognized that the Western Sahara territory did not belong to nobody (terra nullius)), could therefore only be Moroccan in the context of common and international law as the allegiance recognized by the ICJ in its Advisory Opinion has an effective and concrete juridical character. In other words, the ICJ recognized the links of nationality of which is an attribute of sovereignty.

        Additionally, the principle of self-determination is limited by the notion of territorial integrity, a fact enshrined in the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples where it states that “Any attempt aimed at the partial or total disruption of the national unity and the territorial integrity of a country is incompatible with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations”. Therefore, a state, such as Morocco, which existed and was recognized by the international community prior to its alien subjugation, domination and exploitation, resulting in its amputation by the colonial powers, must in fact be decolonized through its integral restitution. Indeed, there’s no contradiction between the noble principle of self-determination and the concept of territorial integrity and for what it’s worth, the Moroccan people expressed their will to reunify their illegally amputated lands on the battlefield foremost and finally through the Green March (which was represented by Moroccans from every corner of the Kingdom); the Madrid Accords was also approved by the Sahrawi Jemaa (council of tribal elders).

        Finally, in spite of Morocco’s legitimate and concrete claims, the Kingdom has offered, as a final compromise solution after decades of stagnation, autonomy to the disputed territory under Moroccan sovereignty; and this, above all, satisfies the principle of self-determination whilst preserving Morocco’s territorial integrity.

      • Lusius
        March 20, 2014

        Finally, regarding the farce of these inorganic boundaries and this artificial conflict, the POLISARIO Front is sham in this respect also: the majority of its members are “Sahrawi” who hail from outside of the disputed territory in other regions of the sahara which today form parts of Algeria, Mauritania and Mali. There are those within this separatist mercenary organisation who even originate from sahara regions within Morocco’s recognized sovereign territories. The leader (read: president-for-life) of the POLISARIO Front for example, Mohammed Abdelaziz was himself born in Marrakech and his tribe originate from a part of the sahara today under Algerian occupation; as such, he wouldn’t be eligible to vote in any referendum as he wouldn’t be considered “Sahrawi” under the referendum framework championed by the POLISARIO Front itself. Which brings me onto another falsehood present in the article, the claim that “over 100,000 Sahrawi refugees currently live in UN-run camps in Western Algeria”.

        -Foremost, these indoctrination detention camps are not run by the U.N. (who has been excluded from performing their duties within the camps) but are presented as being under the control of the POLISARIO Front, with Algeria absolving itself of any responsibility especially vis-a-vis human rights abuses (a responsibility it cannot escape as the host nation however).

        -Secondly, the round figure branded by Mr Douglas speaks volumes about his apparent bias and sources of reference. Indeed, Algeria and the POLISARIO Front have boasted triple figures for decades, in the range of 200,000 since the 1980s (in 1984 for example, the POLISARIO brazenly claimed to have 184,000 “refugees” in its camps; source: World Refugee Report, 1985), yet neither the POLISARIO Front nor Algeria have been willing to put their money where their mouth is by allowing the UNHCR (despite its repeated demands) to carry out a census/registration of the population detained in the camps. Indeed, throughout this artificial conflict, the Kingdom of Morocco has always maintained that the POLISARIO and Algeria grossly inflate the figures (supported by the testimonies of numerous POLISARIO defectors) and these claims by Morocco have often always been brushed off as “Moroccan propaganda” in spite of the fact that the UNHCR itself expressed “concerns” about the Algerian/POLISARIO estimates as well as the methods its own organisation used in drawing its previous figures. Indeed, from 2000, UNHCR/WFP humanitarian aid to the camps was implemented on the basis of roughly 160,000 “refugees”, but reduced to 90,000 from 1 September 2005 after a satellite imagery report issued by the EU. Mr Douglas should know better. Unfortunately, the POLISARIO Front and Algeria still refuse a census/registration as they not only profit from the black-market sale (embezzlement) of humanitarian aid (which is provided to the POLISARIO on the basis of grossly inflated numbers of “refugees”), but any registration process would go a long way to identifying the origins of those within the camp (of which only a fraction originate from the disputed territory), thus bringing the curtain down on the Algerian petrodollar driven propaganda surrounding this artificial conflict.

        -Thirdly, the legality of these POLISARIO-run camps is highly contentious and their status as refugees is marred by the denial of their rights as refugees as enshrined in Humanitarian law and the UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Indeed, these are detention camps, not refugee camps.

    • Emile Zapatos
      March 19, 2014

      As I remembered it Dominica made a contribution of EC$1000.00 to the African Liberation Movement annually. The Caribbean arm of this movement was initiated by Forbs Burnham of Guyana who were friends of both Edward LeBlanc and Patrick John. This was an anti apartheid movement aimed at South Africa. Dominica had no interest in the south Sahara conflicts. Sean Douglas need to do some better research.
      Rosie Douglas was more interested in the plight of black people in North America and the protection of Cuba’ sovereignty .
      If you need to play hate tunes do not make DLP people the victims of your anger, the real colprits are those who called Rosie ” a militant and a communist. Rosie was one of the first people to support Patrick John in his struggle for Dominica’s independence support was put in writing. It is your right to obtain name recognition for your agenda, but usuing unjustified degration of the DLP is not it. If R B D was alive today he would explain to you that UWP people see themselves as Urbanites and will use you and treat you with contempt as the Urbanites in his time.

  3. Anonymous
    March 19, 2014

    I think that readers should do a little research on the Polisario Front and form their own opinion. Why did the US support Morocco against them? Why did Russia and china did not support them during the cold war? Why are they only supported by a few nations in their region? This seems like more of an internal conflict to me.

  4. Not again
    March 19, 2014

    If this article is correct it’s very sad and i lost all trust in the PM. You can turn your back on what we stand for to gain overnight wealth.

  5. Glanvillia
    March 18, 2014

    Exactly why these Labor operatives dare not engage in a debate cause they cannot stand to face the truth and reality of their ineptness and criminal behavior.
    What is most disgraceful is the fact that Tony Astaphan is blatantly lying about the Polisario front because he knows that people like Marlene, Sineone Albert, Fast N Furious, Korkom, Mamies and the very many ignorant Laborites will and may not be able to read for themselves the truth. In a country predominantly populated by people of African descent Tony Astaphan should not be allowed to propagate such malicious lie against our suffering brothers and sisters in Western Sahara – DNO I am not sure how to say this without walking that fine line but I will try. In the land of Tony Astaphan’s ancestors if someone makes such a slanderous statement that person would have to go in exile and Tony is hear in Dominica making such blatant lies about our brothers and sisters who are severely oppresses by the a corrupt Moroccan monarchy.
    I wonder where are voices of the black power movement in Dominica. many of them are not too old to be collecting water from the trough of Roosevelt Skerrit regime. The Cuban student fraternity, Alick Lawrence, Arthley Aaron. Where is Para Rivière .
    On an issue like this the church must speak so I ask where is the voice of the bishop , the pastors. This issue is not about politics but about the axiom of Christianity – whatsoever you do to my brother that you do unto me. So the media must now force the church to declare it’s position on the issue. It is not unreasonable to conclude that our government believes that the people of Western Sahara deserve to be treated as such cause Tony Astaphan who is the proclaimed mouth piece of the government says so.
    To the people in the diaspora particularly those in Europe and North America how can you be silent on this issue or even support our government regime as they totally show disregard for the plight of the people of Western Sahara. After all our people in the diaspora are everyday mindful of the woes of being a black person in Europe and North America. You ignore the plight of the people in the Western Sahara you perpetuate your woes in Europe and North America. what pride there is in Martin Luther King , Mandella, Marcus Garvey, Malcom X and others when at the same time you Put political party before the dignity and freedom of our people.
    To The young people – stop allowing people like Tony Astaphan to keep you in ignorance. Tony is more than happy to know that you will listen to him as oppose to educating yourselves. The same prime minister stated that our people must read more. i do agree with him on that so I implore you to read about the Polisario front, read about the people of Western Sahara. you will find out for example that the fertilizer that the Moroccans give to Dominica is stollen goods, filled with the blood of the people of Western Sahara. I call it blood fertilizer.

  6. Anonymous
    March 18, 2014

    Don’t agree with the contents of this piece but I am happy to see Sean put his brains to some modicum of usage. A mind is still a terrible thing to waste!

    • Mamizoo
      March 18, 2014

      Why don’t you state the issues that you are not in agreement with. Typical coward from the Labor Party camp. What it is you short of words or is that your only way forward is mepwis , lies and propaganda.
      Everything that is stated in the article by Sean is gospel truth. Anybody can go online to read the articles. We can even go to the UN site and read about the Polisario Front. The extent that you guys will go to deceive people is upsetting. To state that 90% of the UN supports the Morrocan government position is a blatant and willfully lie. How do you guys look yourselves in the mirror or even ask your children to be good and honest people. How can you talk to your children about their rights to self determination when for a few bags of fertilizer you are supporting a regime that oppresses black people.
      One day you people will have to answer to your consciences and very likely the law.

      • Emile Zapatos
        March 19, 2014

        Some things I do not Know about ,but everything he is saying is not 100% true. I am an eyewitness to the things I have written above and will stake my life on it.
        He has done some research but it seems that he just wants to put the DLP in a bad light for political reasons.

    • JoJo
      March 19, 2014

      What as kak handed compliment. With friends like that you don’t need enemies.

  7. Lougaoo Mem
    March 18, 2014

    According to Sean Douglas’ recent piece on DNO, he said, “the Skerrit government’s position on Western Sahara is an abandonment of the Dominica Labour Party’s long-standing support for liberation struggles across the world. The Skerrit government has abandoned principle and high ideals for short-term benefits from Morocco. This policy change is a major retrogression which Rosie Douglas and Pierre Charles would never have embraced.”
    Roosevelt Skerrit’s government cares less about the struggles of our people here in Dominica, do you really believe that he cares about the struggles of the peoples in Africa?
    Time and time again, we see this government as a self serving regime that is prepared to sell the country if we allow them for their own gains.
    Give them five more years and the country will be 95% businesses owned by foreigners, similar to what has happened to Belize in Central America. People, take heed! The current DLP is not the party of Rosie Douglas and Pierre Charles as we knew it. This is a regime bent on getting rich at the expense of our beloved island, whether is through the abandonment of their principles that made them popular, or by just disrespecting the laws of the land to achieve their goals. We need to stop them now before it’s too late. That’s why come the next election, “CHANGE IS A MUST”

  8. Oh No
    March 18, 2014

    Thanks for sharing this info. It just shows the myopic style of this government.

  9. Anonymous
    March 18, 2014

    UWP has a fine arsenal of young men and women to lead and bring prosperity to the country.
    If Dominicans let this chance pass them by,then we will become like Haiti.
    Good people bad country.
    Forrreealll!

    I love my country,
    Skerrit is doing what he has to do but
    As an adult I cannot vote for him.

    • Razor
      March 19, 2014

      Funny! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

      • JoJo
        March 19, 2014

        It hurts when you laugh, don’t it razor?… time for a new blade perhaps??

  10. Asterix
    March 18, 2014

    Brilliant piece Sean exposing the the continued deception and propaganda of the likes of tony astaphan and lennox lawrence, which they try to perpetually unleash on the ignorant minds of the populace.

  11. Morihei Ueshiba
    March 18, 2014

    Good article Sean u making Rosie & Mike proud. Call de election skerro call it, to end the suffering call de election, what u waiting for? Call ittttttttttt

  12. %
    March 18, 2014

    @ ANGELO AND ARUNDEL When will you all discuss this issue?
    You all are doing a dam good job at educating Dominicans. I enjoy you all show so darn much.
    BRILLINAT

  13. Anonymous
    March 18, 2014

    It’s high time to understand that Skerrit is neither Roosie nor Pierre Charles. Skerrit have to leave his legacy not another man’s legacy.

  14. UDOHREADYET
    March 18, 2014

    times change!

  15. UDOHREADYET
    March 18, 2014

    Western Sahara cannot possibly be its own country. there’s nothing there but sand and Nomads. If Moroco steps back and allow that huge pile of sand to run its own affairs… it will become a haven for terrorists and sorts of illegal activity because there will be no law!!

    • Lougaoo Mem
      March 18, 2014

      Go learn African history, educate yourself and stop making comments you know nothing about.

    • Itassi too
      March 18, 2014

      @UDOHREADYET, Since you seem to know your geography very well maybe you need to tell us if “BIRD ISLAND” is just like Western Saharah.

    • JoJo
      March 18, 2014

      You ignorant nincompoop. Where you think the chemical for our fertilizers coming from? Go back into your box.

    • Jay
      March 19, 2014

      It would behove you to educate yourself before making uninformed statements like these. Phosphates, the base for fertilizer manufacture, mined in the W.Sahara account for a quarter of Morocco’s export earnings today, thanks in large part due to a contract the Govt. of King Mohammed negotiated with Canadian firm Agrium. This is in addition to the huge fishery resources off the Atlantic coast of W. Sahara, Furthermore, in breach of international law, the Morocco govt. also explores the territory for amongst other oil,diamonds, gold and deposits of other valuable- and rare metals.
      If it was just sand that constitutes the territory of W. Sahara it is unlikely that Morocco would spend scarce resources to exploit and control it.
      “YUDOHREADYET” indeed!

    • March 19, 2014

      What foolishness. And how many people would say that about an island of 70,000 souls?

  16. hmmm
    March 18, 2014

    This is the worse politically party Dominica has ever endured they are so great and selfish all in it for themselves and doing things just so they can stay in power….. Skirret started out humble but money power and his selfish gung members has turned him into a monster

  17. shaka Zulu
    March 18, 2014

    Sean real great piece. what i get from this is our PM will isolate values and principle to satisfy his own adgenda. However the days of freedom fighting and Rosie Douglas are gone never to return. The best way to gain freedom and independence is by being self sufficient as a country. Why are we trying to be freedom fighters around the globe when what happens in morocco has nothing to do with giving civil servants in doninica a raise, parents being able to send there kids to school, affordable land in dominica so we can get out of povert y.

    More than 80% of dominicans who own land own less that 5 acres. Those who have the oppirtunity and resources to develop agri industry are doing absolutly nothing. Though i an no fan of skerrit’s policy i do not think Rosie Douglas had any clue as to Dominicas development. He was great going around creating an impression. Tell me one freedom fighter who has webt on to lead his country to prosperity. I do not know of any.

    We are in 2014 this is a changed world from 1979 focus on the things you can change( hampstead estate) and plot a path for its development.

  18. FORKIT
    March 18, 2014

    sean am not a fan of yours because you had the opportunity to speak of all the issues while you were drawing a salary but the statement you have penned is totally correct.
    this government is not the Labour party I voted in 2000…
    I don’t even know what to call dem fellars, I GUESS MAGICIANS WILL DO.
    skerrit is not aware of the history associated with morocco all he is aware of is that the king has money and he want some.. but time is at hand.

    • Anonymous
      March 19, 2014

      You are quite right. This is a better Labour Party. We are shattering all kinds of records in Caribbean affairs. We lead and others follow. Please keep up to date with Caribbean and world affaires

  19. Lougaoo Mem
    March 18, 2014

    “The Skerrit government’s position on Western Sahara is an abandonment of the Dominica Labour Party’s long-standing support for liberation struggles across the world. The Skerrit government has abandoned principle and high ideals for short-term benefits from Morocco. This policy change is a major retrogression which Rosie Douglas and Pierre Charles would never have embraced.”

    Roosevelt Skerrit’s government cares less about the struggles of our people here in Dominica, do you really believe that he cares about the struggles of the peoples in Africa?

    Time and time again, we see this government as a self serving regime that is prepared to sell the country if we allow them for their own gains.

    Give them five more years and the country will be 95% businesses owned by foreigners, similar to what has happened to Belize in Central America. People, take heed! The current DLP is not the party of Rosie Douglas and Pierre Charles as we knew it. This is a regime bent on getting rich at the expense of our beloved island, whether is through the abandonment of their principles that made them popular, or by just disrespecting the laws of the land to achieve their goals. We need to stop them now before it’s too late. That’s why come the next election, “CHANGE IS A MUST”

  20. liberation?
    March 18, 2014

    Truely Sean, Do we really have a Labour Government that would even be inspired to struggle for liberty, freedom and self actualization. The Skerrit administration will p…..stitute our country for a few dollars, for a Morocian concrete monstrocity at swamp, inconsistent with the nature isle. This adminstration has not only lost their way, it will be impossible to find their way back to anything resembling Rosie or Pierro Labour ideology.

    • %
      March 18, 2014

      @liberation This is for sure. IT IS SHAMEFUL AND SICKENING.
      I tell you this Labour Party has brought us as low as we have ever been during our existence on this little rock called Dominica.

      • Gary
        March 19, 2014

        Do think writing such foolishness about your Country simply based on your political partisan is true. I wonder if you really think at all.To make such statement quote “this Labour Party has brought us as low as we have ever been during our existence on this little rock called Dominica.” really, keep living in your tunnel vision mentality, sad in did.

  21. grell
    March 18, 2014

    Skerro is all about the money,he is selling the souls of all you poor people,so shameful to hear this lady cry for her supper all the time,lony love it.

  22. IFF I WUZ
    March 18, 2014

    Parry, I would ask Skeritt what makes him different from the other Prime Ministers of Dominica. Skerittt talks about the love of Senior Citizens and under privilege, Maybe the Polissario Front does not have money.

  23. warma
    March 18, 2014

    Sean, brilliant piece. You have hit the proverbial nail on its head. This government continues to embarrass Dominicans in all corners of this world. We are becoming a joke; if this trend is not reversed, it will just be a matter of time before we are deemed a pariah state. We deserve much better.

  24. Crushed Laborite
    March 18, 2014

    Very, very, very well said Sean Douglas. At the end of the article I noticed DNO rightly put out their disclaimer but as a solid supporter of the original Labor party, it is safe to say that what you said here are the expressed views & opinions and of the Original Labour Party (not the skerrit refurbished version) and that of all patriotic Dominicans.

  25. Bogoroy
    March 18, 2014

    To Mr. Douglas, NOT supporting the Polisario Front is as politically irrelevant an issue as is support for Taiwan’s bid for a UN seat. No one takes note. It is however, a significant issue if you do support the Front. Immediately, you become suspect as a supporter of illegal arms sales, terrorism, drug trafficking, an dmoney laundering. Contrary to what you wish to make readers here believe, the Front has employed brutal tactics against women and children and other innocent civilians in its quest from independence.

    Addiitonally, how does the DLP’s break in support for the Front, ONE of many nationalist liberation organisations across the globe, allow you to conclude that: “The Skerrit government’s position on Western Sahara is an abandonment of the Dominica Labour Party’s long-standing support for liberation struggles across the world.” Clearly, you would agree that your conclusion is illogical, and i am being kind here.

    Moreover, your commentary falls apart because of its assumption that because the DLp has seemingly broken ranks with the tradition of previous administrations, it has somehow done something wrong. Such an assumption is also illogical. Frankly, in today’s world, distancing oneself from the Front is politically clever leadership.

    Do not let your neverending chagrin at your ignominous fall from grace cloud your judgement.

    • JoJo
      March 18, 2014

      The real Bogoray would never have said that. COWARD!!

      • Roy Williams
        March 18, 2014

        Thank you very much, JoJo. :mrgreen:

    • >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
      March 18, 2014

      @Fake Bogoroy You must be a political lapdog of Skerrit, or one of the GREEDY ONES WHO ARE GRABBING FROM THE POOR. Truth of the matter is Skerrit does not bother about struggling people anywhere. This Labour Party consists of cheap men who can sell themselves anywhere for 2 pieces of silver.
      I fully agree with Sean. Skerrit cares less who struggles and where you struggle from. The struggles of the poor man at home in Dominica is the furthest thing from his mind. That’s why he can send acolytes and grovellers like you, this fake Bogoroy to spew garbage on here. WHY NOT TAKE YOUR FILTEH TO THE ANIMAL SHOW? THAT’S WHERE YOUR POLLUTION will be listened to.
      it’s time for change.

    • Frenz
      March 18, 2014

      What do you care about the plight of black people. Your sole purpose is to keep your claws embedded in the heart of corrupt politicians such as Roosevelt Skerrit, the Birds etc. You demented SOB

    • mujahardin
      March 18, 2014

      You are an embarassment

  26. The Baptiste
    March 18, 2014

    My dear people, stop feigning surprise at the actions of this enterprise led by Skerritt calling itself Dominica Labour Party. This is not the traditional labour party, These people have no concept of political ideology, and/or political philosophy, this mutation of labour and some lazy failed freedomites, know and understand recognize greed, corruption, nepotism, lies, mephis, and propaganda, as their political philosophy. Their motto is SOME SHALL EAT ALL.
    The leader, I mean maximum leader, (pardon me sir for not ascribing your rightful title) does not give a rats arse about Dominican people, is people in Western Sahara he will be concerned about? How many, if any in that little country inhabited mostly by black people can buy diplomatic mission, or give him campaign money?
    There is a very well read gentleman, who claims a monopoly on black people’s history, strange I have not heard his voice on this matter, but I hear him all the time on the Bonnie & Clyde show, the animal Program, and the Krazy Tee/Ghost puppet show, in support of this administration’s policies, it would be instructive to hear his position on this departure by Skerritt on a long standing progressive approach by successive governments and Prime ministers of Dominica, since Oliver Seraphin right up to his predecessor Pierre Charles, along with every Caribbean government including Cuba and Venezuela.
    This is no metaphor; the ship of state is adrift without a captain and/or a rudder, in the vast ocean of foreign policy as in everything else.

  27. Country Man
    March 18, 2014

    The DLP has lost its way under this PM

    • Anonymous
      March 19, 2014

      Have you listened to the news lately? Have you listened to reports from the IMF and world Bank lately.Despite much talk Dominica is slowly making a name for itself on the world stage.

  28. papanoel
    March 18, 2014

    Seems the calypso “I must Speak ” is touching the hearts and mind of patriotic Dominicans. I like the principled position articulated upon in this piece.
    thank you for finally shining light on the opportunistic ways of Roosevelt skerrit and exposing to the public his superficial attributes as it relates to core principles and ideologies.
    I personally look forward to other articles from you.
    yoy have a responsibility to the nation as one coming from the “BOYO” of thetrue labour party.

    • Razor
      March 18, 2014

      Is he a “patriot” because he i ssinging a tune that YOU like? Was he a patriot while he toiled long hours in the shadows in the name of the Commonwealth of Dominica?

    • Ambrose B, NY City
      March 18, 2014

      Sean is one of the transplants of the Garden patat

  29. Ambrose B, NY City
    March 18, 2014

    What is striking about this is that you have so called Progressives like Dr Dublin, Dr. John Toussaint, and the list of Cuban Graduates who are supportive of this action by the Government. Their views and ststement from the Guild of Cuban Graduates on this matter would be interesting.

    • Jay
      March 18, 2014

      Ambrose, I don’t know what you are trying to insinuate but if it is to suggest that your Alma Mater, Cuba is in support of Skerrit’s actions you are mistaken. Lennox Linton & Ron Green, spent a week in Cuba before last christmas at the invitation of that country..Cuba knows, which way the wind is blowing and is looking forward to working with a new regime in Dominica that can be trusted. They have no time for the double-dealings of Skerrit as was glaringly demonstrated at the recent CELAC meeting in Cuba, the members of which all support self determination for the people of the W. Sahara, with the exception of Dominica. As a consequence Skerrit was sent home with a flea in his ear after a presence of barely 24 hrs. Roosevelt Skerrit is a fake socialist I’m afraid but a pathological opportunist, who preaches charitable equallity provided he is the undisputed primus-inter- pares (first amongst equals).

      • smell a rat ta tat
        March 18, 2014

        Lets be honest, in his entire life Lennox Linton has never said or supported anything progressive along the lines of Black struggle, liberation struggle, socialism etc. Ask him what is his position on the US embargo on Cuba, this very issue Sean is talking about or any thing progressive. Doh lie

      • Gary
        March 19, 2014

        It is very easy to write nonsensical speculative political rhetoric to suit your partisan political beliefs.There is something called facts and sovereignty which you need to understand before making such speculative nonsense.

      • JoJo
        March 19, 2014

        Gary, you think you are the only one that can use fancy words to say nothing and make people feel inferior because they don’t have your limited vocabulary to reply?
        Well, I went to the thesaurus for you and found that “your propensity for using highfalutin words to expostulate opinions that are at variance with your own is no more than a futile exercise in vacuous grandstanding” . To put it simple “you are talking B…S!
        Gary, I was born in the country side and right or wrong I’m used to calling a spade a spade. You may call it a “digging implementt” but I prefer that ordinary folk understand me without guessing. Come off that high horse brother, it hurts less when you fall.

      • Gary
        March 20, 2014

        To JoJo

        Wow,why are you making an assumption about me by fulfilling your need grandstanding regarding the use of words and language.Here is what I would say to people like you loosen up, indulge yourself in quite moments of relaxation and question your assumptions.

        Oh, and stop the nonsense about you were born in the country side and your preferred choice of communication, it is your choice and I respect your choice but you making an assumption about me as you did is somewhat silly, believing that I’m out to make people inferior and accusing me of
        talking B…S! if anyone of us is talking B…S! it is you.

    • FORKIT
      March 18, 2014

      them guys not in it for support of black people or being patriotic only money they seeing

      • Anonymous
        March 19, 2014

        If you are speaking about the Polisarios, these people do not really consider themselves as “black”. Maybe you can make a case for them being black but nobody from the middle eastern countries consider themselves black, not even some Egyptians.

    • Asterix
      March 18, 2014

      @Jay I believe Ambrose B was referring to the graduates and not the country Cuba. These guys in question could care less because to them it’s all about maintaining the status quo and their own selfish interest/s.

  30. JoJo
    March 18, 2014

    Sean, you are my man!! Spot on and accurate.. Roosevelt sold our integrity for which there is no price, note even a hotel or containers of fertilizer. Now he is hobnobbing with the ruler of Morocco and visiting that country for the feast of the throne every July to pay homage to Mohammed, is so he admires royalty and the divine right of kings while the African people of the Western Sahara suck salt.

  31. jjk
    March 18, 2014

    Whats wrong with Mr ?

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