Today is the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action and in honour of that I would like to introduce you to the EXTRAORDINARY Aziz Haidar.
Aziz Haidar was a young man when he became a victim of landmines, which are scattered across Western Sahara by illegal occupying power Morocco. He lost both his legs & right arm. He founded Association for Victims of Landmines in the Saharawi Refugee Camps to help other landmine survivors and their families. The importance of Aziz’s work is impossible to overstate as there are still 5-10 MILLION ACTIVE LANDMINES scattered across the Sahara. Today and every day I salute Aziz Haidar for all that he is and all that he does every day.
“After Spain relinquished its colonial control of the territory [Western Sahara] to Morocco and Mauritania in 1975, the latter soon withdrew its claims to the territory while Morocco gained de facto control of the area (and with it, control over its rich mineral resources). The battle for Western Sahara ensued for 16 years before a ceasefire agreement was reached along with calls for a referendum on its national status that would ostensibly never come.” – Catherine Constantinides
When I heard about the Western Sahara and the fact that half the Saharawis (the people of Western Sahara) still live in the refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria (where they fled to during the war) surviving on nothing but foreign aid in inhospitable climatic conditions while the other half of the Saharawis live in occupied-Western Sahara subjected to violence at the hands of the Moroccan authorities I knew I had to do something particularly after I heard that the Saharawis in the refugee camp and the Saharawis in the occupied territory are separated by a 2720 kilometre wall, called The Berm, built by Morocco to maintain control of the Western Sahara and separate Saharawi families . The Berm is extraordinarily dangerous to attempt to jump over because on either side of it Morocco placed 7-10 MILLION ACTIVE LANDMINES additionally, The Berm is manned by 120 000 Morocco soldiers daily.
In 2017 I paraglided off Signal Hill to raise awareness about Western Sahara and the plight of the Saharawi People because I believe none of us can be truly free if some of us are oppressed.
Yesterday I dedicated my 29th birthday to the Saharawi People of Western Sahara. For Little Mohammed, Ahmed and every child in that camp who doesn’t know a life outside of itThis illegal occupation began before i was born but IT WILL END BEFORE I DIE.
Playing with her friend Carmella, Catherine Constantinides (image captured by Heinrich Knoetze Photography) 3-year-old Wadadi making a scrapyard in the refugee camp his playgym (image captured by Heinrich Knoetze Photography)Saharawi Refugee Camps (image captured by Heinrich Knoetze Photography)
“Use
filmmaking for a greater purpose, than to just entertain some drowsy minds.
Wake the whole world up with your movies. It has been sleeping for long. Its
eternal sleep has become its darkest nemesis. Now is the time to wake it up.”―
Abhijit Naskar
Yesterday I watched 3 Stolen Cameras – a documentary, made by Equipe Media in conjunction with RåFILM, about breaking an absolute censorship with unique footage from Western Sahara, a country that has been illegally occupied by Morocco since 1975. This documentary is painful to watch because of the scenes of violence but I urge everybody to watch till the end because if we don’t know what’s happening we can’t do anything to change it
“Stand
for something or you’ll fall for everything.” – Unknown
Today I would like to share a powerful statement by Catherine Constantinides about Morocco’s plunder of Western Sahara’s natural resources – Western Sahara has been illegally occupied by Morocco since 1975 due to the fact that Western Sahara is rich in natural resources.
I won’t be silenced You can’t keep me quiet Won’t tremble when you try it All I know is I won’t go speechless, speechless Let the storm in I cannot be broken No, I won’t live unspoken ‘Cause I know that I won’t go speechless
– Speechless
from Aladdin
It’s 5: 30 PM on day 3195 since I started blogging and I managed to pray, read Bible, spend time outside and work on my 28 For 28 Campaign benefiting charity:water – we’ve now raised $3 188 of $28 000 with 102 days to go
Today, on World Refugee Day, I would like to reiterate my support for the Western Sahara – a country that has been illegally occupied by Morocco for the past 44 years – and my Saharawi People. I stand with you today and EVERY DAY. La libertad será tuya.
“There can be no post-colonial Africa until there is a post-colonial Western Sahara.” – Lindiwe Sisulu
It’s 8: 17 PM on day 3170 since I started blogging and I managed to pray, read a bible verse and spend time with my nearest and dearest
Today is Africa Day and while
I’m proud to be African and we have much to celebrate I would like to call
attention once again to the illegal occupation of the Western Sahara by
Morocco (can you imagine fleeing from war to what you thought would be a
temporary refugee camp only to still be there 43 YEARS LATER?) the United
Nations recognizes the Western Sahara as a country separate from Morocco but
the referendum the UN promised in 1991 is yet to take place and why because
Morocco has powerful allies at the UN. To the UN: I know for a fact that it
does not take 28 YEARS to organize a referendum please I once again BEG of you put your selfish interests
aside and think of the Saharawi children who are growing up in the blistering
heat on the borders of Algeria with less than the basics.
Refugees are humans – that’s what I would like the world to remember.
It’s 2 : 09 PM on day 2837 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray while sitting outside and do some work.
Today is World Refugee Day – a day when the world pauses to remember that 23,300 people a day are forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. . Today and every day I stand by my statement that Morocco’s 42-year illegal occupation of the Western Sahara is WRONG and CRIMINAL! #FreeWesternSahara . #StandInTheSand with Catherine Constantinides and I as we stand in solidarity with the people of Western Sahara now & always. May we never forget that NOBODY IS A REFUGEE BY CHOICE. Show some compassion. Show your heart.
[All pictures above from Catherine Constantinides]
The truth remains true even if only a few people admit it – that’s my message to the world
It’s 12 : 52 PM on day 2813 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, spend time outside, have breakfast, read a Bible verse,and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – raised $14 469 only $4 281 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to reach my new goal of helping 75 kids with Clubfoot by June 17, 2018.
Recently online I’ve been on the receiving end of hate because I stand by the truth that Western Sahara is a country separate from Morocco I don’t care how many tell me I’m lying I know I’m on the side of the truth so the Moroccans who believe otherwise can go ahead and hate on me I’m speaking for 5-year-old Mohammed and his friends who live in the Saharawi Refugee Camps on the borders of Algeria surviving on only 7 ingredients. The truth remains true even if only a few people admit it.
“I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.” – Nelson Mandela
It’s 1 : 02 PM on day 2808 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse, take a picture for have breakfast and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – raised $14 469 only $4 281 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to reach my new goal of helping 75 kids with Clubfoot by June 17, 2018.
Today is Africa Day and as my ongoing demonstration of solidarity I #StandInTheSand with the Saharawi People as they continue to fight for freedom from Morocco’s 42-year illegal occupation of the Western Sahara (#StandInTheSand is an international solidarity campaign launched by Saharawi organizations in the refugee camps as well in the occupied territory). To join the #StandInTheSand movement stand in sand, take a picture and share it on social media using #StandInTheSand. Let us stand for Western Sahara like other African countries stood for us,
