Sandblast

Last weekend's activities

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:37:00 +0000

To all those who attended the Run the Sahara 2012 launch at the weekend, thank-you for your interest and we hope the afternoon's events tempted you further!..

If you missed out on Saturday, here's some avenues for you to explore: -

>> Further info can be found on our webpages: http://www.sandblast-arts.org/projects/run-the-sahara
...
>> You can also visit our blog, where we share past participant's stories plus more: http://sandblast-arts.blogspot.com/

>> Or how about twitter! We tweet motivational running quotes, provide news & info about the race, Western Sahara and share 'tips & tricks' to help you train! Follow @RuntheSahara_SB or find us through @SandblastArts

Best wishes,
Sandblast Team.

P.S. COMING SOON - launch party for STUDIO-LIVE project & "Sandtracks" digital release. Place and time tbc, however we anticipate a date and location in London for this November. More info to be posted soon.Watch this space!

EL PROBLEMA, TESTIMONIO DEL PUEBLO SAHARAUI Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:59:00 +0000

As part of our Run the Sahara launch event, the award-winning documentary 'El Problema' will be screening at Riverside Studios (Hammersmith, London) this Saturday 1st October at 3pm. Buy your tickets here: http://www.riversidestudios.co.uk/cgi-bin/page.pl?l=1314176631

Press release: Jon Snow lends support to charity-run launch for refugees from Western Sahara

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:54:00 +0000

Jon Snow lends support to charity-run launch for refugees from Western Sahara

When: Saturday October 1^st, 3pm –5:50pm. (3-4:40pm is the El Problema screening and talk)

Where: Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, London W6 9RL

Contact: sandblastarts@yahoo.co.uk or call 07838463310

In a recent statement made to London-based Sandblast charity, journalist Jon Snow highlights the serious lack of media attention given to the conflict in Western Sahara and supports and supports the efforts of its “Run the Sahara 2012” campaign to raise awareness about the plight of a largely forgotten refugee community in the Sahara.

Launching on October 1st at Riverside Studios, Run the Sahara 2012 aims to get people involved in running in long distance races in the Algerian Sahara near Tindouf. Close to 200,000 Saharawis have been displaced there from Western Sahara for over 35 years and live in four large refugee camps. Funds raised through sponsorship will help support Sandblast's Studio-Live project, a music empowerment initiative being set up in the refugee camps to give artists opportunities to develop professionally and reach international audiences through music to express their culture and struggle more widely.

Jon Snow, whose first international story involved reporting on Western Sahara back in 1976, believes the situation must be better known to get the support it deserves.

"The plight of the people of the Western Sahara, whose land was illegally occupied after the Spanish colonisers left in 1975, is one of the most under-reported of our time….the struggle for self-determination has gone largely without word in the Western media. This is an issue we need to know about and to understand, if anything is to be done to bring relief to the Saharawi people." Jon Snow, Channel 4

The launch will feature the screening of award-winning documentary El Problema followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Pablo Vidal and Rabab Amidane a young human rights activist from Western Sahara. The programme will also include selected readings of Saharawi writings by acclaimed playwright and poet Inua Ellams and a preview of the forthcoming documentary “The Runner”, a film that has received endorsements from Ken Loach and John Pilger. Participants who have joined Run the Sahara, in previous years, will share their stories and experiences and give audiences a chance to find out more about the event, taking place next February.

Information and details on how to register to join Run the Sahara 2012 are available on the website. For any enquiries please contact run-the-sahara@sandblast-arts.org

-ENDS-

NOTES

Sandblast

An arts and human rights charity working with the indigenous people from Western Sahara, the Saharawis, whose identity and culture is threatened by the impact of protracted exile and Morocco’s occupation. Sandblast’s mission is to empower the Saharawis to tell their own story. www.sandblast-arts.org

Run The Sahara

Run the Sahara aka the Saharamarathon (www.saharamarathon.org )-not to be confused with the Marathon des Sables in Morocco-is organized by the Saharawi refugees themselves with the help of volunteers from around the world. It has been growing from year to year and in its 10th edition in 2010, attracted more than 400 participants from over 22 countries with an almost equal number of Saharawi refugees running in it. Participants can sign up to run in 5km, 10km, half or full marathon races and are hosted by a refugee family during their week stay in the camps. The race takes place a few days after arrival and for the rest of the week runners get a chance to learn about the life, culture and experiences of the refugees through a special programme of activities organized by Sandblast to ensure a rich and educational experience. 2012 represents Sandblast’s fourth year of promoting UK participation in the camp- based races. Since 2009 more than 50 people from the UK have run on behalf of Sandblast and helped raise over £35,000 for its art projects.

About Studio-Live

The music empowerment project aims to equip the refugee musicians with the skills and means to record, produce and showcase their music over the next three years to promote the development of the abundant music talent and help draw attention to their little-known plight of the indigenous Saharawis of Western Sahara. Studio-Live also aims to help preserve their rich oral heritage threatened by more than 35 years of exile. The initiative has partnered with UK charity Fairtunes and the camp-based Ministry of Culture and is ongoing in its efforts to build a broad network of supporters and partners.

Background history

The majority of the Saharawis have been living as refugees since the 1975 Moroccan invasion of their homeland, Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony in NW Africa. Despite the extreme hardships of their exile, the Saharawi refugee community has managed to build a vibrant, democratically run nation-in-exile, where women play a prominent role in all sectors of life, defying many Western preconceptions about Arab-Muslim societies. Thousands of more Saharawis also continue to live under Morocco’s occupation in Western Sahara where peaceful uprisings have been on the rise since 2005. The Saharawis have become very frustrated by the failure of the UN to implement the long promised referendum for their self-determination, originally scheduled for early 1992.

El Problema

(53minutes, 2010) – A Spanish documentary, by Jordi Ferrer and Pablo Vidal, featuring testimonies and documents gathered over four and a half years in Western Sahara – clandestine images, given the Moroccan authorities’ prohibition of filming in the area. Using exceptional archival footage, the film brings to life the systematic human rights abuses perpetuated by Morocco's occupational regime in Western Sahara. Key Saharawi human rights activists take huge risks to participate in the film to highlight how all physical expressions of Saharawi identity are forbidden and even the use of the name Western Sahara or the word referendum is a “problem”, El Problema of the unheard Saharawis. El Problema is the winner of the Amnesty International Prize at the San Sebastian film festival in 2010, Human Rights Human Wrongs Film Festival in Oslo 2010, and the First Prize at FISAHARA 2010 International Sahara Film Festival. http://www.elproblema.net/ (trailer)

Rabab Amidane

A human rights peace activist born in 1985 in the occupied territories of Western Sahara. She studied English Language at university in Morocco as there are no universities in Western Sahara. In 2009 she received the Student's Peace Prize in Norway but after that was unable to return home in Western Sahara by the Moroccan authorities. While in Western Sahara she participated in many peaceful political demonstrations and acts of civil resistance and suffered discrimination, persecution and torture as a result of her activities. Her younger brother El Ouali Amidane is currently a political prisoner in Western Sahara. She will be in London between Sept 30th and October 14^th.

Inua Ellams

Born in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria ‘1984, Inua Ellams is a Word and Graphic Artist, a writer with a style as influenced by Classic literature as it is by hip hop, by Keats as it is by MosDef. Rooted in a love for rhythm and language, he crosses 18th century romanticism & traditional story telling with contemporary diction, loose rhythm and rhyme. Has worked with The BBC’s Politics show // ‘Goats Milk & Mathematics’ – Chris Ofili, // ‘Night Knuckles and Not Writing’ & ‘Waterfront’ – Louis Vuiton // ‘What Becomes of the Broken Hearted’ – Flipped Eye Ltd // ‘The 14th Tale’ – BAC, Apples & Snakes, London Word Festival // Untitled – Soho Theatre. // “The ScapeGallow’ – Tate Modern // Ife’ [Night] At The [British] Museum // ‘Untitled’ – Soho Theatre // ‘Knightwatch’ – Albany Theatre Deptford. //

The Runner

A film about endurance. It is the story of a champion long-distance runner from Western Sahara whose journey transformed him from an athlete into the symbol of a national liberation movement. Salah Ameidan is willing to risk his life, his career, his family and his nationality to run for a country that doesn't exist.

Historia Del Sáhara Occidental Y Los Derechos Humanos En Los Territorios...

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:38:00 +0000

Invitation

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:43:00 +0000

Our much anticipated Run the Sahara 2012 launch event is happening this Saturday:-

ONLY 5 DAYS LEFT!

Sandblast invites you to a multi-media event
celebrating the launch of

Run the Sahara 2012

in support of music empowerment initiative Studio-Live

Saturday October 1^st
3pm –5.50pm
Riverside Studios
Hammersmith, London W6 9RL

RSVP by: Sept 29, 2011 to team@sandblast-arts.org

Featuring: a screening of the award-winning documentary 'El Problema,' readings by acclaimed playwright and poet Inua Ellams; a sneak preview of The Runner, the upcoming documentary about world-class Saharawi athlete Salah Ameidan; former Run the Sahara participants share their personal experiences and of course there will be the opportunity to sign up on the day to register for Run the Sahara 2012!

The entire event will take place in the Cinema venue with a short break for refreshments. We will carry on with the registration for Run the Sahara in the bar downstairs until 6.30pm.

Spread the word! We look forward to seeing you,
Sandblast Team

My Marathon in the Sahara, by Nick Horsfall

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:28:00 +0000

Here's something to inspire you...

Starting out

I've always been a sporty type, football being my main interest, but I got into long-distance running a couple of years ago. I'd always wanted to run a marathon and had watched the London Marathon on TV ever since I was a kid, wondering if I could do it.

In Nov '09 I was lucky enough to get a place on the New York marathon. The day was amazing. I achieved a time of 3:36 hours which, for my first marathon, I was really happy with. Not long afterwards I was offered a place through my work to run the London Marathon the following April ’10. Having enjoyed the New York so much I jumped at the chance and managed to achieve a time around London of 3:24 which I was thrilled at. Suddenly I was hooked! The buzz from crossing the finish line is something that is difficult to put into words.

I found myself surfing the internet looking for what other marathons there were around the world. Before I knew it I'd set myself a personal challenge to run a marathon on every continent. Having ran on two continents already, I started to look at possible marathons for the remaining 5 (including Australasia)...

Western Sahara Map

After a short time on google I came across www.marathonguide.com which led me to www.SaharaMarathon.org. My first thoughts were, "running a marathon through the Sahara Desert?!?!? How amazing would that be!!!" -Quickly followed by, "will I be able to do this? Will it be too hot?? What if I get kidnapped??? What it I get lost!.."

The adventurer in me won over and I started to look into the race. Reading through the website and peoples comments about their experiences of the SaharaMarathon and that increased my confidence enough to enter. I found the UK facilitators to be the Sandblast Charity group and so it began.

Getting there...

I think when I'd read through the SaharaMarathon website, about the refugee camps where we’d be staying and how they'd all come about, it it didn’t really sink in exactly what had been going on for all those years or how what I would be doing could help make things right.

As the day to leave for the desert approached the nerves were jangling with the anticipation and excitement of it all. I guess my main concern wasn’t really about running the marathon in the middle of the desert but would I be safe in a refugee camp? What if Morocco suddenly decided to attack? What if the Saharawi people didn’t take kindly to people coming into there camps. In hindsight all crazy thoughts!

People from all over the world met in Madrid ready to fly down to Tindouf. There was a real buzz in the airport of old friends from previous years reuniting and newbies smiling with excitement and meeting new friends. After a bit of a delay at the airport we were soon on our way to the Sahara desert.

We arrived early Saturday morning. As soon as we got off the coach again there was a real buzz of excitement as people were reunited with families and friends from previous years. I instantly felt relaxed and so so welcome. We met our host family who guided us to their home where we met their two amazing little girls. We were shown to the room where we would be staying, my first thoughts were, "wow, this is really nice, much better than I was expecting." It consisted of huge rugs covering the floor and walls, and cushion type mattresses along the edges of the room on which we’d be sleeping. With everyone being half asleep due to the night travel we called it a night/morning.

Waking up we opened the door to clear blue sky, hot sun and two smiling little girls and we met everyone in the family properly. With Arabic being the first language, Spanish the second and me being able to speak neither it was a little tricky for me to communicate and I had to call on my charades skills on a few occasions. Luckily we had a Spanish speaker in our group Pia who was able to translate for us which made things a lot easier. Breakfast was brought in for us of baguette with jam and butter.

It wasn’t long after being up when we were treated to the first of many '3 teas' during our trip. Having a cup of tea is a very social thing, which involves drinking 3 cups and takes around an hour: the first being to the dead, the second to the living and the third to the love, each one getting sweeter.

The kids took us on a little tour of the camp, walking around all my previous concerns of "would we be welcome" were long gone. Everybody of all ages wanted to say hi, and calls of "caramelo caramelo" were never too far away - these were infact the children asking if we had any sweets. Everything was very relaxed and I knew my time in on the camp was going to be a very special one.

We met our local translator and close friend of the Sandblast charity, Hamdi. He took us to see a Saharawi music group, and we listened to traditional saharawi music, watched the dancing and the clothes.

Hamdi

The day of the race

It wasn’t long before it was the night before the marathon. We had a pasta party in the evening, where everyone met, chatted and loaded up on carbs. I was awake at 6:30 to meet the other marathon runners for breakfast and take a coach out to the start line.

The run its self was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but at the same time one of the best things I've ever done! Looking around 360 degrees and all you can see is sand and sky is quite an awesome experience. Arriving at the half way point I felt ‘ok’, with half way being the start of the half marathon run there were lots of people to cheer you on, kids running up for a hi5 which gave everyone a real lift ready for the second half.
After half way things as expected started to get tough. There was more soft sand and sand dunes than I expected which made it even more tricky and with temperatures reportedly peaking at 38degrees things did get challenging. however this is why I love to run marathons and I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to run a marathon in the Sahara Desert and finished thinking it was easy.

The last 5km seemed to go on forever, I'd kicked with 5km to go to try and get under 4 hours, however with around 2km to go and running on empty I started to slow up and just enjoy the final minutes of this amazing event. I crossed the line in a time of 4hours 5 mins with a position of 33 out of 125. Just like my previous marathons, the feeling at crossing the finishing line was just amazing -and makes the bruised toenails and blisters all worth while.

I received my medal and sat down just to soak in the atmosphere and congratulate everyone on such a great achievement.

After the race

From then on time on the camp seemed to fly by. The food served by our host family was delicious and varied from canned tuna and pasta to camel and cuscus, followed of course by 3 teas! The sky at night on the camp is something quite amazing, so clear and the stars so bright.

It was strange at times to grasp that although we are having such a great time and being looked after so well and being made so welcome that this is actually their lives out there in the desert, and the more time we spent talking and listening to the saharawi people the more the sense of how these people are waiting, and what is even more difficult to grasp is that they are waiting to go back to their home country.

The stories from the older people in the camps are really shocking of how the Moroccan army invaded killing men, women, pregnant women and children as they fled their homes. I'd heard on many occasions there that the Saharawi people, despite being attacked and kept from their homes by Moroccans, we not angry against the Moroccan people, they were fighting the Saharawis because it was their job to do so. Plus, if they didn’t it then not only would they not get paid, but they would more than likely get killed themselves. It was the dictatorship that exists in Morocco that needs to be challenged and fought. Unfortunately the voices of the Saharawis do not seem loud enough to challenge Morocco, through routes such as the UN. This is evident by the simple fact that, despite this conflict going on for so many years, everyone I have spoken to had never even heard about it.

By the end of my time on the Samara camp, I felt so pleased that I'd actually done it, not only for having completed the marathon but also because I'd been able to learn about what is going on here. Most of all it was letting the Saharawi people know that people in the world know that they actually exist and give them hope that hopefully, one day, the crazy conflict over the Western Sahara will be over and the Saharawi people can again live freely in their country.

Tempted? Come along to our Run theSahara 2012 launch this Saturday - October 1st @ Riverside Studios in London, 3- 5pm- to find out more and register your interest. Featuring: a screening of the award-winning documentary El Problema, readings by acclaimed playwright and poet Inua Ellams and preview of The Runner. See you there!

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 07:43:00 +0000

For the Fighters & Lovers

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 22:35:00 +0000

A poem by Inua Ellams - 'Fighters and Lovers' calls to mind the plight of the Saharawi, and urges that we must hope. That there will be a future which doesn't conform to the present situation in the Western Sahara. That this future is destiny.

When dawn breaks

like a stretched sonata silence brown handling

the fantastic blue, when dust litters this new quite

like the substance of prophecies before its period

of bloom, when life lulls the living back to its true paths

Our change will come.

It will come after a tumultus multitude of fighters

have expired for a reason not worth the breath

it is uttered with. It will come after the structures

of global lies fall, sparking the Exodus, movement

of the people with their minds in tow, it will come.

Then those born by the river will gather around

camp fires and finally stop running. The metronomic

yet melodious humming of tired mothers will reach

a crescendo and pause - sailors will let up their oars

and let the current take them there

the powers of imagination will be fully revealed

to men, they will exactly who they are

and who they can be.

This will set us free falling towards a second of sensory

sovereignty as our senses go insane. That moment

will taste, like a teaspoon full of forbidden fruit shake.

Mixed with Lotus water and lugubriously ladled onto

a parched tongue till the whole mouths is rendered

rhapsodic reeling with intent wonder and hope.

It will smell like fresh pharaohs of the new sun, ancient

and young, like old wisdom riding a BMX between

freight trains in a freezing rain stained

with child’s play and laughter.

After, it will sound like a cello made of rosewood

exhaling soft poetry over a brown village at night

in the quite after the tempest goes making

the atmosphere finally feel good.

and it will feel like a hug

from God.

Finished

with a squeeze

saying “your time has come”.

And then our time will come.

Our suffering will be the greatest stories ever told.

Symbols of our heartache will be treasured in sacred

places as constant reminders that Love never fails,

never folds. Our tears will be recognized as rain clouds

and they will be danced beneath, this will be a reflex,

uncharted, untold, and our silences will be reincarnated

as light, after years of just being golden.

This is not fantasy; this is reality

with a dream complex.

I have seen it written in old books, it is the subject

of Negro spirituals, it has been spoken of by those

who trespassed in paradise and returned whole.

This is our destiny, we are destined to reach that goal.

Though weeping may endure for the night, joy comes

in the morning and as we suffer, we gain

the passage right. So grasp your tempest,

never let go, hold on, stay strong,

hold tight.

Malainin Aomar, soldier of the Polisario Front watching the Moroccan wall near Auserd. Photo by Andrew Mcconnell.

Inua Ellams is a 'word and graphic artist'. Born in Nigeria in 1984, he has been creating word and visual art with his own distinct style, described as "influenced by Classic literature as it is by hip hop, by Keats as it is by MosDef." He began is creative path by working with a pencil, which inspired him and drew him into the visual world. His current work is in graphic design, visual art and word art, both online and in print. If you'd like to know more about Inua, his website can be found at http://phaze05.com/blog/.

Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 20:40:00 +0000

Making the decision to Run the Sahara may be one of the best decisions of your life. Since 2009, Sandblast has facilitated the UK's delegation to the Run the Sahara in Algeria. It is quite unlike any other physical challenge. The Saharan desert provides the backdrop to a run (5k, 10k, half marathon or full marathon) and a week of cultural activities designed to bring you into the experience of the Saharawi refugees, compounded further by the experience of living in the refugee camp itself. Sandblast organises everything from the food you eat with your host family to meeting local figures in the community. Read below for a collection of testimonials from past runners:

It was a privilege to have been involved, to have met like-minded people, to have experienced the hospitality of the Saharawis, to see the beauty of the dunes but also the desolation of the Hamada.

Peter Hamilton, UK participant 2009

This was a life changing experience for me and it will stay with me for a very long time.

Victoria Bavister, UK participant 2009

The views were spectacular especially on the run and in the dunes. The hospitality of the Saharawi was truly touching. It’s an event that anyone who likes a strong physical challenge. Whomever cares about the Saharawi people absolutely must attend.

Fred Cavill, UK participant 2009

Wonderful people, place and community. A week felt like a lifetime, packed with adventure and unforgettable experiences.

Fleur Hutchinson, UK participant 2010

Memorable, interesting and fun. Stimulating to have a break that makes you pause to think about important international goings-on that you don’t necessarily think about or encounter in everyday life, as well as the physical challenge of the run.

Julia Lutte, UK participant (and 3rd in Women’s Marathon!) 2010

It will change your life, your perspective, your priorities, and it might just help to change the lives of a people fighting for their fundamental rights to existence. Say no more!

Nina Murray, UK participant 2010

Was it what I expected? Would I go back? Would I recommend it? More. Yes. Unreservedly!

Mar Garvey, 2011 participant

Now to bring you even closer to the runners' experiences:

To join up or learn more:

www.sandblast-arts.org

runthesahara@sandblast-arts.org

http://www.facebook.com/sandblastarts

Svetlana Dimcovic's thoughts on 'El Problema'

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:52:00 +0000

Over the last couple of months, Sandblast has organised screenings of 'El Problema', a Spanish documentary which investigates the extent of the Moroccan occupational regime, and the human rights abuses which they enact on the Saharawi refugees. Svetlana Dimcovic, a director and writer, attended one of these screenings at the Freeword Centre on the 11th of July. What follows is her account of the screening:

El Problema

A long winding road.

Arabic signs passed quickly.

Someone speaking, his face not seen.

Instructions given to the backseat operator.

The guards will want this or that…better hide the camera.

But these are not journalists and this is not a news piece. The story unfolds. The car passes the controls. The driver is slowly revealed. He is guide, accomplice, teacher: he is taking the film makers to the Saharawi people and the footage is not sanctioned. No one has commissioned these artists. No one is expecting this film. So they go on. Into the backstreets witnessing protests. Into people’s homes hearing their stories. Into courtrooms where the innocent await their fate, where the authority of the judge terrifies the young men in the dock.

The guide is beaten. We see the bruises. We see the price of the documentary on his skin and on his face. He is the one who didn’t get away.

The film makers capture what they need. Their camera sees, from the back seat of a moving car, what they could not hope to find without this man leading them to it. They make the film about Western Sahara that is not yet made.

They leave.

He stays, nursing his bruises, waiting.

The above photos are screenshots of 'El Problema'. The middle photo is of the Saharawi human rights defender Aminetou Haider whose comments on the Saharawi situation is particularly enlightening and revealing, as she herself was disappeared, and subsequently arrested.

http://www.elproblema.net/

Svetlana Dimcovic is a Director and Writer. She has recently set up a new writing collective in the Caribbean and regularly contributes to international forums on new writing. Svetlana Dimcovic – Director

Trained at the University of Birmingham, the Royal National Theatre Studio London and the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon.

She has recently set up a new writing collective in the Caribbean and holds new writing workshops and programmes across the world.

She originated and led the Bush BEE Programme at the Bush Theatre, London (2009-2010), was Associate Director of the Gate Theatre, London (2003-2005), Associate Director of the Caird Company, London (2002-2005) and a Trainee Director at the Orange Tree Theatre (2001-2002).

Her new writing work includes workshops for young playwrights and numerous translations for the Royal Court Theatre, RSC, BBC, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Company of Angels and the Caird Company.

Directing: Belfast Girls ( Kings Head Theatre), The Potting Shed by Graham Greene ( two sold out runs at the Finborough Theatre, 2010 and 2011), Oasis ( Scene Nationale de la Guadeloupe), Nine Night, 45 Minutes from Here (Bush Theatre, Square Chapel Halifax, Theatre in the Mill, Bradford), The God of Hell (Belgrade, Serbia), The Outside (Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond), Lithuanian Festival (Southwark Playhouse), Zuva Crumbling (Lyric Hammersmith), The Professional (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow), Mushroom Pickers (Southwark Playhouse), Writer’s Generation (Arts Printing House, Vilnius, Lithuania) and The Broken Heel (Riverside Studios).

Sandblast's New Voices

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 13:32:00 +0000

On July 10th, Sandblast Team celebrated with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, the V&A Museum of Childhood and the Praxis Community project the New Voices Festival in Bethnal Green. From I Love Migrants and Amnesty International to community gardening projects and dance clubs - everyone was there.

When we didn't simply enjoy the great array of performances and entertainment on the main stage, we experienced a great interest from visitors and passer-bys in 2011 Running the Sahara, Tiris' album "Sandtracks", and project-in-planning, Studio-Live.

As an extra treat, rap duo Poetic Pilgrimage got our heads bopping and hips swivel. Two women wearing hijabs mesmerized the audience by performing a number of songs from their very progressive and uplifting hip hop mixtape. Charity director was intrigued and went to purchase their CD only to find out that Poetry Pilgrimage got together with Saharawi singer, Aziza Brahim, for one of the songs on the CD: Regresso.

Learn more about Poetic Pilgrimage by checking out their blog at http://poeticpilgrimagemusic.blogspot.com/.

Cabaret Fundraiser for Saharawi Youth Theatre Project

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 07:10:00 +0000

You are warmly invited to the Charity Cabaret Extravaganza of Olive Branch Theatre and Sandblast.
The evening present London's finest performers in music, theatre, comedy and the spoken word on the Thames to raise funds for a youth theatre project in the refugee camps.
Places are limited, so get your name on the guest list now by donating £20 on JustGiving.

Find out more >>>

Source: http://www.sandblast-arts.org/get-involved/go-to-events

Benefit Concert & Launch for Western Sahara

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 09:00:00 +0000

Sandblast warmly invites you to

this very special fundraiser

at London Aquarium.

This multimedia benefit will feature live music, screenings of short films, interactive seminars, art installations, photography exhibitions and a raffle.

Caravanserai Production and Acting Studio, Sandbast and YLSR (Youth Leadership and Social Responsibility) launch Sahara Arts Oasis and raise funds for the Saharawi Actor and Director Programme.

Sandblast will also promote its Studio-Live project and Running the Sahara 2011 campaign.

Find out more >>>

Source: http://www.sandblast-arts.org/get-involved/go-to-events

Sandblast at New Voices Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 20:13:00 +0000

Sandblast warmly invites you

to celebrate with us the cultural richness of East London's community

- a community with many roots.

On Saturday, July 10th, we will all come together to mark our differences as well as our sameness. Our origins may be in Poland, Turkey, Brazil or Ghana, but we have all come together in London to form a new community, to discover NEW VOICES.

With music, arts, theatre, and entertainment, Praxis Community Projects, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and the Museum of Childhood celebrate these new communities and what they bring to the table to make East London the melting pot of culture and identity that it is known for.

"SARAVAH SOUL explodes out of the cross-cultural melting-pot of London’s music scene with their own special blend of Afro-Brazilian funk. Female Hip Hop and poetic duo POETIC PILGRIMAGE fuse African roots with London beats.
Live Klezmer music fusing wild, soulful eastern European melodies, alongside intense Burundi drummers, street dancers, choirs, carnival troupes and music from Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe.
Children’s area with crafts and activities led by the Museum of Childhood. Theatre performances by arts group Kazzum and Chilean theatre group Los Comediantes."*

The Sandblast team will have a stall of information and Saharawi artefacts, like jewellery and tea pots, and we will be available for a chat about our newest project, Studio-Live, as well as the 2011 campaign of our annual fundraiser Running the Sahara.

Why don't you come and say hello?

We will have a stall at the Museum Gardens and Museum of Childhood on Cambridge Heath Road (London E2 9PA).

If you are not sure how to get there, but you don't want to miss us, give us a call at 0783 8463310.

*Extract from press release submitted to organisations exhibiting on the day.

PRESS RELEASE: Brits prepare for Running the Sahara 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:25:00 +0000

For immediate release: June 2009

Brits Prepare for Running the Sahara in 2011 in support of

Saharawi Refugees

Arts and human rights charity Sandblast launches its UK-wide Running the Sahara campaign for 2011 to raise funds and awareness for the plight of the indigenous Saharawi people of Western Sahara.

London, June 14, 2010 – “The sun rains down its unforgiving rays, everything tastes of sand and our feet are as sore as they’ve ever been”, says Weisi Guo, participant in the 2010 race, “but we have all left a piece of our heart in the Sahara dunes.”

Guo was one of the 32 people who joined charity director Danielle Smith on this adventure to the refugee camps on last February for the 10th Saharamarathon, the largest ever UK contingent to participate in the event.

As the official UK facilitator, the charity Sandblast’s annual fundraising project Running the Sahara connects the British people to the reality of close to 200,000 Saharawi refugees through the international sporting event known as the Saharamarathon.

Not to be confused with the Marathon des Sables in Morocco, the Saharamarathon takes place every year in the Algerian Sahara in the Saharawi refugee camps near Tindouf. Organized by the refugees themselves and volunteers from around the world, the solidarity sports competition has been growing from year to year. In its 10th edition in 2010, it attracted more than 400 participants from over 22 countries with an almost equal number of Saharawi refugees participating in it, including Saharawi triple gold medallist Salah Amaidan who won the 10km.

In 2010, the UK contingent raised more than £20,000 for Sandblast’s Saharawi Artist Fund, which finances activities in the camps to empower the refugees to tell their own story, promote their own culture and earn an income through the arts.

Sandblast’s founding director, Danielle Smith, explains, “protracted refugee situations like the Saharawi one suffer from oblivion, donor fatigue and trends that threaten their culture and identity. We focus on the arts because it is a medium with the greatest potential of harnessing global attention and recognition for the Saharawi plight and culture in a positive and inspiring way.”

In the next two years, Sandblast will aim to empower the Saharawis to present their culture and earn an income through their music in the form of the Studio-Live project. Danielle affirms, “there is huge talent in the camps. Saharawi music at this juncture most powerfully expresses their identity and struggle in a way that can reach global audiences and connect with musicians from all over the world.”

Information and details on the Running the Sahara campaign and how to sign up are available on the charity website at www.sandblast-arts.org/projects/running-the-sahara or get in touch with the Campaign Coordinator at runningthesahara@sandblast-arts.org.

-- ends --

To find out more please visit the Sandblast website at www.sandblast-arts.org.

Press contact:

Cathrin Lemoine

Digital Communications Manager

Sandblast

T: 0044 7825916191 E: cathrin@sandblast-arts.org

Notes to Editor:

On Sandblast: Sandblast is an arts and human rights charity working with the indigenous people from Western Sahara, the Saharawis. Their identity and culture is threatened by the impact of protracted exile and Morocco's integrationist policies. It is our mission to empower the Saharawis to tell their own story, promote their own culture and earn a living through the arts.
On Western Sahara: In a barren corner of the Algerian Sahara, close to 200,000 Saharawis have been living as refugees since the 1975 Moroccan invasion of their country, Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony in NW Africa. Despite the extreme hardships of their exile, the Saharawi refugee community has managed to build a vibrant, democratically run nation-in-exile, where women play a prominent role in all sectors of life, defying many Western preconceptions about Arab-Muslim societies. The Saharawis seek their independence in Western Sahara and have been waiting for the UN to implement the long promised referendum for their self-determination, originally scheduled for early 1992.
On the Saharamarathon: This international sporting event evolved as a way to show solidarity with the Saharawi people and raise money for projects to improve the lives of the refugees. Organized by representatives of the Saharawi government and volunteers from all over the world, the first Saharamarathon was held in 2001. The event is also child-friendly. There is a race for children which takes place in one of the camps and many Saharawi children, 10 years and older, join in. AIMS (Association for International Marathons and Distance Runs) has sponsored this race over the past few years. Many of you will think it insane to run in the Sahara and fear baking to death. Don’t worry February is a mild month and the event is very well organised. Participants will be transported to the start of each race. The courses are marked with flags and stones, the terrain is mostly packed sand and is largely flat. There will be all the usual forms of support like regularly spaced water stations, four-wheel drives to provide assistance and medical assistance is provided by the International Red Crescent. The event has been growing each year and broadening its base of International participation. In 2010, nearly 1000 people ran in the Saharamarathon races from all over the world. For more info check: www.saharamarathon.org
On Running the Sahara: Sandblast officially promotes the Saharamarathon in the UK with their campaign Running the Sahara. It facilitates participation in the event as well as raises awareness and funds for its arts ands cultural projects in the camps. 2011 Running the Sahara will be Sandblast’s third fundraising campaign in a row.
On Salah Amaidan: His remarkable career began under the Moroccan occupation in Western Sahara and his life story is currently being made into a documentary by UK production company Tourist with a Typewriter. He dreams of participating in the 2012 London Olympics.

New Website Tells the Saharawi Story through the Arts

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:01:00 +0000

“Arts and human rights charity Sandblast launches new website on its
5th anniversary to highlight mission with the Saharawi people.”

London, May 25th - To celebrate its 5th anniversary, arts and human rights charity Sandblast today announces the official launch of its new website www.sandblast-arts.org. The website was re-designed to complement the charity's vast multi-media resources on Saharawi life and culture and promote digital engagement with community members, artists, scholars and activists with the Saharawis.

Following several months of research on the uses of websites for small charities, the new design was developed with stakeholders, designers and creatives with the aim of creating a space that is easy to access and experience Saharawi art and culture, get information on the situation in Western Sahara and learn of Sandblast's work with the Saharawi refugees.

Cathrin Lemoine, Digital Communications Manager, Sandblast says:

"The new website is now optimized to make information on Saharawi culture and society easily and dynamically accessible to the public to raise awareness for the situation in Western Sahara. Sandblast facilitates art and capacity-building workshops in the refugee camps each year which just could not be showcased very well on the old website.”

"Now we can engage and connect with artists from all over the world. Members of the public who want updates on ongoing projects will not only encounter facts and figures in endless reports, but also images and stories from those running the workshops and the Saharawis benefiting from them," enthuses Sandblast Director, Danielle Smith.

Through this virtual space, the charity hopes to encourage collaborations to develop ideas and projects with or in aid of the Saharawi people."

New features on the website include:

access to a vast array of multimedia art by and about Saharawis;
updates and high-quality material on ongoing projects in the refugee camps;
archive of multi-media resources on the situation in Western Sahara.

The launch of the website represents a crucial phase in the charity's online presence as the primary UK hub of information on Saharawi culture and its mission to build an active community of collaborators working in different ways to promote the visibility and support of the Saharawi plight through the arts and other educational means.

You can view the new Sandblast website at http://www.sandblast-arts.org. To win a Tiris Sandtracks mp3, the sound of the Saharawis, send your feedback to info@sandblast-arts.org.

Sandblast at the Arts4HumanRights Festival "DisPLACEment"

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Tue, 18 May 2010 22:07:00 +0000

Charity director Danielle Smith spoke at the first Arts4HumanRights festival "DisPLACEment" in Southwark last week (May 13). Partnered with social worker Ioannis Athanasiou on the topic of Displaced Peoples and Creative Practices, Danielle spoke about the indigenous people of Western Sahara, the Saharawis, whose identity and culture has been threatened by the twin impact of protracted exile and Morocco's integrationist policies since their invasion in 1975

Addressing the audience at Art's Bar for the first time, Danielle read a Saharawi poem from the bilingual poetry book, 31 treinta y uno, a collaboration project between Sandblast and the editors Pablo San Martin and Ben Bollig at Leeds University (published in 2007).

Danielle's warm and sensual voice carries the poem line for line through the room, reaching not only the ears but the hearts of the audience. She has read them many times, to herself and to others. She knows the poem word for word, but more than that, she knows its meaning, its origin, the poet and his story behind the words. It touches the audience, draws them in and doesn't let them go.

When Danielle goes on to speak about the Saharawis and the major obstacles they face in fighting for their right for self-determination, her voice is not warm any more. Her voice is passionate instead. Unadulterated passion for the cause, for the promotion of the rich Saharawi culture, for making the Saharawi voices heard:

The indigenous people of Western Sahara were forcibly displaced when the Moroccan army invaded their homeland in 1975 claiming its sovereignty. When a 16-year long war enraged between Morocco and the POLISARIO Front, thousands of Saharawis escaped the war-ridden territory to seek refuge in Algeria. They have lived in temporary refugee camps since then. Having been denied their Heimat, the Saharawi refugees embraced creative practices, such as poetry, performance art and music as a way of expressing their culture. As a way of keeping their distinct identity alive, the refugees use the arts to actively defy the uprising bitterness of not being heard by the international community, of not being able to work and earn a living, of seeing a people's hope and aspirations drained by protracted exile.

When the talk comes to a close, the audience felt enlightened and thankful to being able to learn about the Saharawi refugees and Sandblast's work. A raging success in 2010, we are all looking forward to next year's Arts 4 Human Rights festival and hope for many more events to come in the next few months.

Franco prosecutor Garzón on trial?

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:23:00 +0000

The Observer reported last weekend that the Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzón it to be put on trial for abusing his power over the investigations he opened in 2008 into Francoist crimes against humanity that terrorised Spain during and after the civil war.

Garzón had made a name of himself by ordering the arrest of Chilean director Pinochet in London in 1998 and investigations into Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi as well as offering judicial advice on how to capture Osama Bin Laden. He is widely understood as the driving force behind a new understanding of human rights law. It is not surprising, thus, that some call for him to receive a Nobel Peace Prize and that others want him behind bars.

Allegations against Garzón cause great outrage amongst Spaniards who were affected by Franco's crimes as much as among advocates of international law and human rigths law. The Observer reports:

"Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called on the supreme court to throw out the case. "Garzón sought justice for victims of human rights abuses abroad and now he's being punished for trying to do the same at home. The decision leaves Spain and Europe open to the charge of double standards," said Lotte Leicht, EU advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "Instead of a criminal complaint against Judge Baltasar Garzón for investigating crimes under international law committed in the past, Spain should, irrespective of the date of their commission, bring perpetrators to justice," said Amnesty's senior director Widney Brown." (Source: G. Tremlett, "Charismatic judge who pursued Spain's fascist assassins finds himself on trial" on 25th April 2010)

Why does it matter to Sandblast?

Garzón started investigations into genocide allegations against Morocco with regard to their occupation of the Western Sahara territory:

"As Morocco’s government and military have been exploiting the Saharan resources, like fishery, phosphor and oil, and abusing basic human rights of the Saharawis to being “free and equal in dignity and rights” (Article 1), to a Heimat (Article 12) or “one’s native land” (Euripides 431 B.C.), as well as systematically persecuting those of Sahrawi origin and others of pro-Saharawi ideology with torture (Article 5) and “arbitrary arrests” (Article 9), investigations have been opened by the Spanish prosecutor and judge Baltasar Garzón Real into genocide allegations against the Moroccan government under King Mohammed VI (Marraco 2007, Anon 2007a, 2007b)." (Source: C. Lemoine)

The Argentinian court will rule next month on whether it accepts the case.

Without having too much insights into what form of abuse Garzón is accused of, it is a great injustice that he is punished for speaking up for the victims of viscious crimes and to take up the fight for their essential human rights with the world's leading criminals against humanity.

WOMEN: International Women's Day in Saharawi Refugee Camps

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:15:00 +0000

Today is International Women's Day.

There may be debate about whether the the International Women's Day is an anachronism and defies everything that the feminist movement has achieved to date; or if this day is a reminder of said achievement and should therefore be celebrated on a sunny spring day. Whatever side you are leaning to, the International Women's Day certainly gives me the opportunity to contextualise this blog post on the Saharawi women in an internationally relevant way.

The International Women's Day is associated in Western societies with the empowerment of women through the industrialisation of the workforce and the heightened visibility of women through the permeability of domesticity; with the achievements of women for women in terms of political engagement, inclusion, emancipation and "cracking the glass ceiling". However, pay gaps, absence of women in leading positions, gender inequality in schools, courts, media, and throughout society ought to be on our minds while marching the streets and celebrating womanhood.

This is different for Saharawi women.The Saharawi refugee camps are managed by the democratic and representative government-in-exile, Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) since 1975. Promoting education as a means to self-determination and gender equality as a foundational principle, Saharawi women have been known as the powerful pillars of Saharawi life in exile.

According to an old Saharawi saying, "a tent is raised on two poles: a man and a woman", understanding both partners in a relationship as equal leaders. However, during the violent war between the Moroccan occupiers and the liberation movement from 1975 to 1992, male and female Saharawi soldiers were absent, injured or killed. In a time of instability and chaos amongst the hundreds of thousands Saharawi refugees that escaped the war-ridden occupied Western Sahara, Saharawi women took the initiative to secure shelter, provide supplies and protection and physically as well as socially construct those refugee camps that in the 35 years of exile have become home for so many Saharawis.

As so often in societies so violently disrupted by war (think Germany, UK and France during and after World War I), women experienced a new scale of responsibility in their homes and more and more often outside of their homes. Unlike their fellow females from the post-war Europe (by no means diminishing their achievements), Saharawi women remained in charge for the administration of the camps, education and medical care for their people: over half of all medical staff is female (nurses, doctors, surgeons); one third of all parliamentarians are women; one third of the Saharawi representatives in the African parliament are female; local administration units, the Dairas, are predominatenly headed by women.

Today, we are celebrating the women of the world. The Global North and the Global South have made significant, though radically different, accomplishment in legal, political, cultural and personal terms to achieve equal rights and equal opportunities.

Multimedia:

Listen to Radio 4's Woman's Hour on Saharawi women (by Danielle Smith & Beatrice Newbery).

Resources:

Elena Fiddian, 2002. Promoting Sustainable Transformations in Gender Roles During Exile: A Critical Analysis With Reference to the Sahrawi Refugee Camps, Dissertation

UNIFEM United Nations Development Fund for Women. Gender Profile on the Conflict in Western Sahara.

For more information, also see:

National Union of Saharawi Women

Zeina - two Saharawi female bloggers

TWIZA: Solidarity with Saharawi women (Ana Arenas)

Hacking Sandblast-arts.org...how rude!

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:50:00 +0000

Two weeks ago, our website www.sandblast-arts.org was hacked and has since been down. While our Web Team has managed to delete all "bad code", the problem could not be resolved to this day. Be assured, that they are on it.

Online censorship has been an issue since the world wide web has become more easily available for the public. National governments, multilateral corporations, hate groups and others have been trying to take control and thereby censor what and to what extent content is available online. To a degree, they have been successful, if you consider the restrictions on Google in China, Yahoo in France as well as the political economy of search engines on how users access the Internet. New phenomena, such as cyberterrorism, cyberbullying and trolling, have manifested and need to be addressed in a serious and informed manner.
While there is no evidence who attacked the Sandblast website and for what reasons, they succeeded in leaving us offline for at least two weeks (and counting). Being a British organisation, the UK government has not imposed (yet) any restrictions on our Internet presence. Being a transnational medium of communication, however, information and communication technology, just like the world wide web and social media (e.g. facebook), are subject to abuse and censorship that we may disagree with and contest as much as we can, but are still vulnerable to.

Attacks against organisations such as Sandblast, social movements (in Iran and Egypt), journalists (in Morocco and Tunisia) and individuals with an opinion (in China) are manifold these days and we would like to draw your attention to organisations that highlight, monitor, and contest these problems:

• Global Voices Advocacy: Defending Free Speech Online

• Threatened Voices

And those providing a vast amount of information on why it is important for freedom of online speech to be protected:

    •    Net Freedom
    •    Save the Internet [American]
    •    Internet.Artizans

We will keep you posted about the development with the hacked website. Please get in touch with us with any queries and questions via email to cathrin@sandblast-arts.org, skype to sandblastarts, facebook, twitter...

SNEAK PREVIEW: the Saharamarathon T-shirts

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:47:00 +0000

For all of you going out into the camps on Friday and can't wait any longer. And for all of you who aren't and are eager to feel a pinch of envy.

These are the wonderful marathon t-shirts that the Saharamarathon runners are going to receive. To run in them, to sweat in them, to celebrate their Saharawi hosts in them.

Simple in the front, graphic design in the back. A big thank you to Emily Fraser, the web designer of the soon-to-be-launched website.

And as always, let us know what you think. We take it both: the good and the bad.

ACTION: February is all about action...

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:22:00 +0000

Independent human rights monitoring is a key tool in the fight against human rights abuses.

MINURSO, the UN mission in Western Sahara, is the only contemporary peacekeeping mission without a mandate to monitor human rights.

Human rights organisations, including Amnesty international and Human Rights Watch, and the POLISARIO have repeatedly called for human rights monitoring in the region. This has been blocked by the Moroccan authorities.

The renewal of MINURSO’s mandate in April provides a key opportunity to implement this.

Take Action!

1. Write to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon:

• Thanking him for his action in the case of Aminatou Haidar and welcoming his comments on the need for a settlement on the issue.

• Emphasising the human rights abuses against those who peacefully oppose the Moroccan occupation - in particular the case of the 7 prisoners of conscience currently awaiting trial, who may face the death penalty.

• Stating that MINURSO is the only contemporary peacekeeping Mission without a mandate to monitor human rights.

• Calling on him to establish an independent mechanism for human rights monitoring

• Insisting that a referendum which includes the option of independence is implemented without delay.

2. Make sure your country supports human rights monitoring.

Contact your MP, ask them to write to your Foreign Office Minister:

• Explaining the human rights abuses against those who peacefully oppose the Moroccan occupation.

• Stating that MINURSO is the only contemporary peacekeeping Mission without a mandate to monitor human rights and;

• If your country is a member of the UN Security Council: calling on your country to insist on human rights monitoring whether through the extension of MINURSO’s mandate or through another independent monitoring mechanism.

• If your country is not a member of the Security Council: asking that your country makes a public statement calling for human rights monitoring.

Finally...

If you are a UK citizen or resident please sign the Downing Street petition.

Details

The UN Security Council

Permanent members of the UN Security Council are: China, France, Russian Federation, UK and US.

Non-permanent members: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Gabon, Japan, Lebanon Mexico Nigeria, Turkey and Uganda.

Address for Ban Ki Moon

The Honourable Ban Ki-Moon

Secretary General

760 United Nations Plaza

United Nations

New York, NY 10017

If possible please send any copies of letters and responses to coordinator@wsahara.org.uk

Other Actions

Amnesty International currently has 2 urgent actions on Western Sahara:

PRESS RELEASE: Britain's Got a "Western Sahara Moment" [UPDATED]

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:33:00 +0000

For immediate release

Britain’s Got a “Western Sahara Moment”:
Charity Sandblast urges UK action on Moroccan human rights abuses

London, February 1, 2010 - The increase of reports of violence and human rights abuses against Saharawis in Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara has alarmed human rights organisations and activists all over the world. Gordon Brown’s “Western Sahara moment” during Prime Minister’s Questions session (January 13^th) highlighted the general lack of awareness in Britain about the grave human rights problems afflicting the former Spanish colony. In protest, the UK charity Sandblast has launched an e-petition to 10 Downing Street seeking to mobilize British voices to call on Gordon Brown and his government to put more pressure on Morocco to respect universal human rights principles and stop its abuses against the Saharawi people.

In August 2009, a group of six young Saharawis were prevented by Moroccan authorities from boarding the plane in Agadir to attend to Talk Together at Oxford University, a programme to generate dialogue between young members of communities in conflict. The "Oxford Six” subsequently experienced severe harassment, beatings and abductions. Then in October, seven well known Saharawi human rights activists were abducted and arrested at Casablanca airport, upon their return from visiting relatives in the Saharawi refugee camps in Algeria. They are on trial for treason in a military court and face possible life sentences or even execution. Amnesty International reports that the authorities have been using repressive legislation to force statements, are abusing prisoners and deny adequate legal representation. In November, leading human rights activist Aminatou Haidar was expelled to Lanzarote from her homeland for rejecting to identify herself as a Moroccan national. Only after serious international pressure was she eventually allowed to return home 32 days later and has reportedly been under virtual house arrest ever since.

The recently published 2009 Human Rights Watch (HRW) report states “Morocco’s backtracking on rights became apparent to all during 2009. Developments in 2010 will reveal whether authorities intend to reinforce this negative trend or put the country back on a path of progress on rights.”

Sandblast's e-petition calls on Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the UK government to take action and pressure Morocco to respect universal human rights principles and stop its abuses against the Saharawi people. As a leading EU member, the charity urges Britain to ensure that negotiations, due to take place this coming April on the "advanced status" for Morocco in the EU, are suspended until it meets vital human rights criteria. Founding director Danielle Smith believes Britain has a crucial role to play and that the voices of British civil society need to be heard loud and clear to ensure human rights and freedom for the Saharawis.

Sandblast hopes to collect thousands of signatures by February 27 on the occasion of the anniversary of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, which was proclaimed 34 years ago and is recognized by over 70 countries worldwide. Sign the petition at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/sahrawirights/.

About Sandblast:
Sandblast is an arts and human rights charity that aims to empower the displaced Saharawi refugees through the arts. Close to 200,000 Saharawis have been living as refugees since the 1975 Moroccan invasion of their country, Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony in NW Africa. Despite the extreme hardships of their exile, the Saharawi refugee community has managed to build a vibrant, democratically run nation-in-exile, where women play a prominent role in all sectors of life, defying many Western preconceptions about Arab-Muslim societies. The Saharawis seek their independence in Western Sahara and have been waiting for the UN to implement the long promised referendum for their self-determination, originally scheduled for early 1992.
To find out more please visit the Sandblast website: www.sandblast-arts.org.

Contact:
Danielle Smith
Director of Sandblast
61 Minster Road
London NW2 3SH
e: danielle@sandblast-arts.org
t: 0783 8463310

UPDATE:
Download press release from http://sandblast-arts.org/images/Press release_petition_Feb2010.pdf

URGENT ACTION: Victim of torture facing trial (Amnesty International)

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:51:00 +0000

Amnesty International released an Urgent Action appeal on Friday, January 15th, after having learned that Mr Haddi was due to face trial in Rabat.

Haddi was "disappeared" in late October of 2009 and is believed to be a victim of torture since then. He is now facing trial for a number of offences, including treason and drug-trafficking. Haddi has not have a lawyer or any legal representation and the trial is thought to be unjust, his treatment until then brutal and inhumane. Read more about his story and the charges held against him at http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE29/013/2009/en and/or take action now.

"PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Arabic, French or your own language:

Expressing concern that Ahmed Mahmoud Haddi was subjected to an enforced disappearance from 28 October to 15 November, during which time he is believed to have been tortured or otherwise ill-treated, and urging the Moroccan authorities to ensure that he is protected from further torture or other ill-treatment, is granted any medical care he may require, and has regular access to his family and legal representation;
Urging the Moroccan authorities to investigate immediately allegations that Ahmed Mahmoud Haddi was tortured or otherwise ill-treated by members of the security forces, and to bring those responsible to justice in compliance to Morocco’s obligations under international law;
Urging them to ensure he receives a fair trial and that statements made under duress are not used as a basis to convict him.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 26 FEBRUARY 2010 TO:
Minister of Justice
His Excellency Mohamed Naciri
Ministry of Justice
Place Mamounia, Rabat, Morocco
Fax: +212 537 72 37 10
+212 537 73 07 72
+212 537 73 47 25
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Interior
His Excellency Taib Cherkaoui
Ministry of Interior
Quartier Administratif, Rabat, Morocco
Fax: +212 537762056
Salutation: Your Excellency

And copies to:
President of the Advisory Board of Human Rights
Ahmed Herzenni, Place Ach-chouhada,
B.P. 1341, 10000 Rabat, Morocco
Fax: +212 537 726856
Email: ccdh@ccdh.org.ma
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date. This is the first update of UA 314/09.

Further information: www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE29/013/2009."

Amnesty International says "Morocco must adequately tackle legacy of human rights abuses"

noreply@blogger.com (Sandblast Team) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:21:00 +0000

"Moroccan authorities have failed to deliver on their promises to tackle the legacy of gross human rights violations committed in Morocco and Western Sahara between 1956 and 1999, Amnesty International said ahead of a report to be published on the issue.

The organization said Moroccan authorities have failed to provide justice to the many victims of the “years of lead”, decades in which hundreds of people were victims of enforced disappearances and thousands of others were arbitrarily detained or tortured.

An official commission established by King Mohammed VI six years ago to investigate human rights violations committed by the Moroccan security services between 1956 and 1999 has failed to fully deal with the legacy of the violations."

Sandblast

Last weekend's activities

P.S. *COMING SOON* - launch party for STUDIO-LIVE project & "Sandtracks" digital release. Place and time tbc, however we anticipate a date and location in London for this November. More info to be posted soon.Watch this space!

EL PROBLEMA, TESTIMONIO DEL PUEBLO SAHARAUI Trailer

Press release: Jon Snow lends support to charity-run launch for refugees from Western Sahara

NOTES

Run The Sahara

About Studio-Live

Background history

El Problema

Rabab Amidane

The Runner

Historia Del Sáhara Occidental Y Los Derechos Humanos En Los Territorios...

Invitation

My Marathon in the Sahara, by Nick Horsfall

For the Fighters & Lovers

Inspiration

Svetlana Dimcovic's thoughts on 'El Problema'

Sandblast's New Voices

Cabaret Fundraiser for Saharawi Youth Theatre Project

Benefit Concert & Launch for Western Sahara

Sandblast at New Voices Festival

PRESS RELEASE: Brits prepare for Running the Sahara 2011

New Website Tells the Saharawi Story through the Arts

Sandblast at the Arts4HumanRights Festival "DisPLACEment"

Franco prosecutor Garzón on trial?

WOMEN: International Women's Day in Saharawi Refugee Camps

Hacking Sandblast-arts.org...how rude!

SNEAK PREVIEW: the Saharamarathon T-shirts

ACTION: February is all about action...

PRESS RELEASE: Britain's Got a "Western Sahara Moment" [UPDATED]

URGENT ACTION: Victim of torture facing trial (Amnesty International)

Amnesty International says "Morocco must adequately tackle legacy of human rights abuses"

P.S. COMING SOON - launch party for STUDIO-LIVE project & "Sandtracks" digital release. Place and time tbc, however we anticipate a date and location in London for this November. More info to be posted soon.Watch this space!