TECBER AHMED SALEH TOUR OF AOTEAROA

Prominent Saharawi activist Tecber Ahmed Saleh will visit Aotearoa in October to talk about her homeland: Western Sahara. Tecber's people, the Saharawi are struggling for Tino rangatiratanga (self determination) and the right to govern their homeland via a referendum for independence from Morocco. Western Sahara Solidarity Aotearoa support the Saharawis' right to self-determination and oppose the purchasing of phosphate rock from the occupied area by two New Zealand Fertilizer firms: Ravensdown LTD and Ballance agri-nutrients LTD.

The purpose of the tour is to raise awareness of the Saharawi struggle for independence and the complicity of Ravensdown and Ballance. We want to reach as many people as possible in order to make best use of Tecber's time in Aotearoa.

We need to raise $1000 to cover costs for Tecber, and for the events we will host around the country. Any further money raised will be used to bring Kamal Fadel (Representative of Western Sahara to Australia and NZ) to Wellington to support Tecber while meeting with politicians.

Dates so far are as follows:

Auckland: Saturday 5 Oct, Ellen Melville Centre

Hamilton: Monday 7 Oct, 6:30pm, Meteor Theatre

Christchurch: Wednesday 9 Oct, 7pm, Canterbury Workers Education Association

Dunedin: Thursday 10 Oct, 5:30pm Castle 1 Lecture Theatre, University of Otago

Lower Hutt, Tuesday 15 Oct, 7.30pm Waiwhetu Uniting Church

Wellington: Wednesday 16th Oct, 7pm Thistle Hall

Background:

Tecber was born in the Saharawi refugee camps in Algeria, she currently works in the Ministry of Health, based in the camps. She will speak about the conditions of life in the camps and the larger political issues facing Western Sahara) including the role of two New Zealand fertilizer cooperatives in enabling the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara.

In 1975 Morocco invaded Western Sahara. Saharawis fled the occupation and now 173,600 people remain in refugee camps. The Saharawi continue their non-violent struggle, waiting for the United Nations referendum of self- determination agreed in 1991.

In 2018 Ravensdown LTD and Ballance agri-nutrients LTD purchased $90 million of phosphate from Moroccan Royal Family controlled company OCP group. Representatives of Polisario (the recognised independence movement for Western Sahara), state that the trade in conflict phosphates "funds the occupation", "stalls the peace process" and indicates "de-facto recognition" of the occupation.

About Tecber:

As an advocate for the Saharawi cause, Tecber has written and contributed to articles to raise awareness about the plight of her people.

Tecber studied Biology in the USA and holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Science from Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona. She has attended medical research conferences and co-authored research in the professional journal Toxics.