The international star, Manu Chao, expressed unconditional support to the Saharawi struggle for freedom and independence, on Friday night during the opening concert of the “Fête de l’Humanité” Festival, organised every year by the French Communist Party since 1930s.
Manu Chao was applauded by some 80.000 spectators in the main stage of the festival held in the Courneuve (North Paris) the 11, 12 and 13 September. The crowd asked him to play again some of his songs, so he called two young Saharawis and a French supporter of the Saharawi cause to the stage, took the Saharawi flag, and said he will sing for the Saharawi people’s right to freedom.
The artist also asked one of the young Saharawis to give a brief improvised presentation about the Saharawi struggle to the crowd, before he sand his special song for Western Sahara.
Manu Chao has already visited the Saharawi refugee camps in 2008, with his usual modesty and activism he promised the Saharawis to keep their struggle in his heart and to support them whenever he has a chance to.
The Festival of la “Fête de l’Humanité” has grown into one of France’s biggest music and cultural festivals, attracting a not-so-political crowd for a weekend of plays, films, debates and, of course, concerts, in addition to political activities.
The Saharawi community in France participates to these activities every year since 1976, and this year young Saharawis from the second and third generation are organising a stand about Western Sahara to raise awareness about the plight of their people.
On Sunday morning the Saharawi Representative to France, Mr. Mansour Omar, will animate a debate, along with some French supporters of the Saharawi cause, to talk about the possible solution to the conflict and the POLISARIO Front’s proposition
