Tindouf Camps: Where Childhood Becomes Fuel for Polisario Mercenaries
Express TV: Mustafa Filali
The fifty-ninth session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, held in Geneva, witnessed an international rights consensus from Moroccan and Egyptian organizations condemning the serious violations faced by children in conflict areas in Africa, foremost among them the phenomenon of forced recruitment of children within the Tindouf camps by the Polisario militia.
This came during a parallel event organized by the Elizka Relief Foundation entitled "Human Rights in Africa," attended by human rights activists, academics, and students from the University of Geneva, as part of a field program aimed at training youth in documentation and advocacy mechanisms within the United Nations system.
The meeting served as an international platform to denounce the exploitation of children in conflict zones, focusing on the tragic situation in the Tindouf camps, where children are recruited under duress and in complete absence of legal protection, constituting a flagrant violation of international conventions on children’s rights.
In his opening remarks, Professor Ayman Aqeel, President of the MAAT Organization for Peace, Development, and Human Rights, emphasized the importance of linking human rights issues to sustainable development, warning about the dangers of forced recruitment. He clarified that this year’s theme in the African Union centers on "reparations for colonial injustices," but that ongoing injustices today, especially in conflict areas, should not be overlooked.
Aqeel also stressed the need to address the structural causes of conflicts through public policies that ensure social justice, health, education, and gender equality, urging African governments to assume their responsibilities to their people and under international law.
For his part, Professor Abdelkader Filali, head of the Center for the Prevention of Child Soldier Recruitment in Dakhla, presented evidence showing how the Polisario Front exploits children for military purposes in the Tindouf camps, asserting that these practices fall within the realm of international crimes and must be held accountable.
Filali considered exposing these violations as part of a battle for awareness waged by civil society organizations, calling for the activation of international cooperation and the expansion of documentation and field work to protect African children from the ravages of wars and narrow political interests.
The event was characterized by a strong presence and significant interaction from students of the University of Geneva from various nationalities, giving discussions an international and academic dimension and contributing to the transfer of African human rights experiences to global platforms.
The meeting concluded with participants affirming that cooperation between civil actors from Morocco and Egypt represents a promising model for parallel diplomacy, which not only condemns violations but also seeks to build realistic alternatives that respect human dignity and state stability, establishing a balanced developmental trajectory on the African continent.
