by Barbara Becker

When I was in college, I had a small book of questions meant to serve as conversation starters for social gatherings. There was one question in particular that I had no idea how to answer, and not having a response seemed to indicate some form of personal shortcoming in my young and idealistic mind: "Is there a cause for which you'd be willing to sacrifice your life?"

It wasn't until years later when I began working in international human rights that I encountered others who could answer that question affirmatively. This past year, I had the privilege of getting to know such a person when I spent time with Aminatou Haidar, the Western Saharan human rights defender who was in the U.S. last fall to accept the 2009 Civil Courage Prize for her peaceful advocacy on behalf of the Sahrawi people.

Two Australian filmmakers, Violeta Ayala and Daniel Fallshaw intended to make a film about the reunion of a black Saharawi family that had become separated by the war for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco. But while shooting the original storyline, the filmmakers came upon disquieting evidence of modern day slavery in the Polisario run refugee camps. Their film they made is a damming exposé of slavery in modern Saharawi society and features interviews with black Saharawis about life condemned to servitude.

IN the first case of a paper in Morocco being closed since the 1960s, a court in Casablanca has upheld earlier jail terms and hefty fines issued against the cartoonist Khalid Gueddar and editor Taoufiq Bouachrine. Each journalist was ordered to pay a fine of 4,400 euros, in addition to damages of 260,000 euros and given suspended jail sentences of four years. But Prince Moulay Ismail then dropped his case against the journalists, rescinding their fines and, apparently, the jail terms. The prince said that they had apologised. Well that's all right then? Not quite. the paper is still closed. The basis of the case against the two journalists was a cartoon that was printed in the 26 September issue of "Akhbar Al Youm" newspaper. In the cartoon, Prince Ismail was shown in what was seen by some as a Nazi salute and the Moroccan state star in the background was seen as a parody of the Star of David. The authorities closed down the newspaper, sending all staff home indefinitely. Source Cartoonists Rights Network International Box 7272 Fairfax Station, VA 22039 USA director (@) cartoonistrights.com Phone: +1 703 543 8727 Fax: +1 571 431 8043