Discovery of a collective grave near the Carcel Negra in El Aaiun
30/11/2007

A collective grave in which the skulls and bones of five persons were found was discovered last week near the notorious Carcel Negra (Black Jail) in the occupied city of El Aaiun, according to a press release of the Association of Saharawi Disappeareds, based in the occupied capital of Western Sahara.

The gruesome discovery was made during earthworks near the notorious Moroccan prison, where the Moroccan authorities were building a place, according to the association, which demanded "that the identity of these dead bodies be revealed", knowing that this notorious prison was a "secret detention camp" from 1976 to 1978 before it became a normal prison.

According to the Association of Saharawi disappeareds, which has reliable information from ex-victims of forced disappearance in this prison and who were released in 1977, "many persons, incarcerated with them, known under the name of the group of Smara, has never been found after their detention".

The Moroccan authorities of occupation moved the bones immediately, pretending that they are bodies of dead Saharawis from a very ancient period.

To the Association, Saharawis traditionally "never bury their deads in the banks of rivers or far from the cemeteries of the cities", estimating the place where these human bones were found "is not a place where Saharawis would normally bury their decedents".

The press release of the Association, of which SPS received a copy, warns against "any attempt to hide the truth" and demands to be associated to "an independent legal investigation" in order the scientifically identify the identity of these dead bodies.

On its side, the Saharawi Association of the Families of the Saharawi Prisoners and Disappeareds (AFAPREDESA), based in the Saharawi refugee camps, always demands the truth about the fate of more than 500 Saharawi disappeareds and more than 150 prisoners of war still under Moroccan custody, it should be recalled.