The Rafto Prize to Western Sahara freedom fighter

Sidi Mohammed Daddach from the Western Sahara has been awarded this year's Rafto Prize, for his fight for human rights in his homeland, a state which has been occupied by Morocco since 1975.. Sidi Mohammed Daddach from the Western Sahara has been awarded this year's Rafto Prize, for his fight for human rights in his homeland, a state which has been occupied by Morocco since 1975.Daddach (45) has been jailed for altogether 24 years because of his engagement for human rights, but was set free last year, and is now working for freedom and a referendum in Western Sahara. Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until 1975, but was occupied by neighbouring Morocco, just before Spain was about to withdraw. Both the International Court in the Hague the UN Security Council have ruled that Western Sahara has the right to sovereignty, but this has never been accepted by Morocco. The annual Rafto Prize is awarded every year, in memory of the Norwegian professor Thorolf Rafto, who for many years worked to eliminate poverty and supression in the world. He died in 1986. (NRK) Rolleiv Solholm