Moroccan Associations in Italy Denounce the Political Exploitation of Children from the Tindouf Camps

Several Moroccan associations based in Italy have expressed their strong outrage at what they term the political exploitation of unaccompanied minors from the Tindouf camps, in the context of the summer initiative known as “Vacations for Peace.” These organizations are urging Italian authorities to protect these vulnerable minors and to put an end to a program that they believe contravenes fundamental children’s rights.

The Network of Moroccan Associations in Italy (RACMI) and the Moroccan-Italian Solidarity Space (SMIS), along with over thirty other signatories, denounce in a joint statement the arrival in Italy of approximately sixty children presented as “Saharawis,” but who, according to their claims, are actually of Algerian nationality. These minors, who entered Italy with Algerian travel documents, are alleged to have been used for political propaganda orchestrated by the Polisario, with the backing of certain political figures in Italian regions such as Tuscany, Lazio, and Emilia-Romagna.

The associations argue that Algeria is instrumentalizing these children under the guise of humanitarian aid, aiming to manipulate public opinion and secure financial or political support. They also highlight the dire situation in the Tindouf camps, described as unsafe zones in violation of international law, where the basic rights of refugees—such as freedom of movement, access to healthcare, and the right to work or education—are extensively disregarded.

The signatories also condemn the recruitment of child soldiers, extremist religious indoctrination, and the exploitation of humanitarian aid. They remind that such practices have been reported multiple times to the United Nations Human Rights Council and the European Parliament.

Furthermore, the statement criticizes the stance of certain Italian elected officials who support these actions, deeming their position out of sync with United Nations Security Council resolutions, particularly regarding the backing of a sustainable political solution to the Sahara conflict, as proposed by the Moroccan autonomy initiative.

The associations have also reached out to several Italian ministries (Interior, Foreign Affairs, Labor, Justice), inquiring whether they plan to take action to safeguard the rights of unaccompanied foreign children and prevent any political exploitation on Italian soil. They are calling for sanctions against documented violations in order to protect the image and values of the Italian Republic.

Finally, these accusations align with those made by various Moroccan and international NGOs, which have been alerting over the past several years about the abuses of the “Vacations for Peace” program, including reports of sexual abuse involving children from the camps, some of which have reached judicial proceedings in Spain.

These organizations are calling for urgent intervention by UN mechanisms to halt what they describe as political maneuvering at the expense of children and human rights.