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The Congress of South African Trade Unions notes the intensified persecution of the Saharawi people by the occupying force, Morocco, and the continued arrests and detention of political activists, particularly from the Polisario Front, the genuine representative of the Western Saharawi people.

We also take this opportunity to express our full support for the awarding of the prestigious Swedish Per Anger Human Rights award to the Saharawi human rights defender, Brahim Dahane, for "having fought in the conflict over Western Sahara between Morocco and Polisario with endurance, peaceful means and personal courage and with risk for his own life in the fight for human rights." He, is currently imprisoned in Morocco and will not be able to pick up the prize.

We note that this award has reportedly led to the expulsion of the Swedish diplomat in Rabat, Anna Block-Mazoyer, on accusations of delivering Moroccan state documents to "separatists" from Western Sahara.

The diplomat's expulsion comes as public opinion and political parties in Sweden are becoming increasingly sceptical towards the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara. Sweden's Social Democratic Party has decided it would recognise Western Sahara as an independent state if it wins the 2010 elections.

COSATU calls for all countries to emulate the example of South Africa in recognising the genuine representative of the Saharawi people, the Polisario Front, and granting country-status to the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic.