Tenerife (Canary Islands) – The streets of La Laguna, Tenerife, witnessed a major solidarity march on Saturday, bringing together Sahrawi community members, Canary Island activists, and supporters of the Sahrawi cause in a strong demonstration of support for the Sahrawi people’s struggle for freedom, justice, and self-determination.
The march was organized by the Canary Association of Friendship with the Sahrawi People, in coordination with the representation of the Polisario Front in the Canary Islands and Sahrawi community organizations. Participants carried Sahrawi flags and banners calling for respect for human rights, international law, and the legitimate aspirations of the Sahrawi people.
The event coincided with the arrival of a group of Sahrawi children from refugee camps as part of the “Holidays in Peace” program, a humanitarian initiative organized by Spanish solidarity movements in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
La Laguna Becomes a Platform for Solidarity with Western Sahara
As the march crossed the streets of La Laguna, participants sent messages of solidarity with the Sahrawi people and renewed their call for a just solution to the Western Sahara conflict based on international law and the right of peoples to self-determination.
The demonstrators raised slogans demanding respect for human rights in Western Sahara and calling for an end to what they described as the illegal exploitation of the territory’s natural resources without the consent of the Sahrawi people.
The banners displayed during the march reflected political and humanitarian messages, highlighting the need to end decades of uncertainty and to allow the Sahrawi people to freely determine their future.
A Message of Support for Sahrawi Prisoners
The situation of Sahrawis in the occupied territories was also a central theme of the demonstration. Participants expressed solidarity with Sahrawi political prisoners held in Moroccan prisons and called for the protection of their fundamental rights.
Particular attention was given to the case of Sahrawi civil prisoner Naama Asfari, who is currently on an open-ended hunger strike, as well as his fellow detainees from the Gdeim Izik group. Participants demanded their immediate release and called for respect for their legal and humanitarian rights.
Calls Directed at Spain and the International Community
During the event, participants also expressed criticism of the Spanish government’s position regarding Western Sahara and called on Spain, the European Union, and the international community to assume a greater role in supporting a solution that respects international legitimacy.
They urged the implementation of United Nations resolutions and called for a process that guarantees the Sahrawi people the opportunity to freely exercise their right to self-determination through a fair and transparent mechanism.
Canary Islands: A Historic Space of Solidarity with the Sahrawi People
The march once again highlighted the strong human and historical ties between the Canary Islands and Western Sahara, with civil society organizations continuing to organize solidarity activities supporting Sahrawi families and communities.
The arrival of Sahrawi children through the “Holidays in Peace” program represents another dimension of this solidarity, allowing children from refugee camps to spend the summer with welcoming families in Spain while strengthening cultural and humanitarian connections between communities.
The Western Sahara issue remains one of the long-standing questions before the United Nations, with continued international calls for a solution that guarantees the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination in accordance with international law.
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