The non-governmental organization, Promotion of Economic and Social Development (PDES), based in Geneva, Switzerland, has raised concerns about the chaotic legal situation in the Tindouf camps in southwestern Algeria, where thousands of Sahrawis endure harsh living conditions and rely heavily on international aid. The concern was addressed during at the 55th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), ongoing from February 26 to April 5.
PDES called out Algeria’s consistent refusal to recognize the Tindouf camp residents as refugees, and its failure to uphold the rights mentioned in the Convention and Protocol on the Status of Refugees.
Tindouf’s population is classified as “refugees without a refugee card and census,” and “residing in camps with a military connotation,” contrary to the mandate of the Geneva Refugee Convention, which calls for the “maintenance of a civilian environment,” according to PDES.
According to the NGO, the “Polisario” controls the camps instead of the host country, Algeria, in violation of international law and in contravention of international scrutiny.
PDES claimed that monitoring efforts are intermittent and insufficient, failing to uncover an extensive trend of severe human rights violations against camp residents.
Human rights activist Aicha Douihi, representing PDES, criticized the United Nations Special Procedures for not visiting the Tindouf camps, despite recommendations made during the group’s visit to Algeria. Douihi appealed to the High Commissioner for Human Rights to send technical commissions to document the camp’s violations and security issues.