On the 25th of November, 202, Western Sahara Campaign-NZ (WSC-NZ) asked the NZ Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to look into the imports of phosphate rock from Western Sahara.

The New Zealand importers do not have the consent of the people of Western Sahara and have rebuffed contact with the Polisario Front. The Polisario Front is recognised internationally as the representative of the people of Western Sahara.

In 2002 Hans Corell the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and the Legal Counsel of the United Nations put out a legal opinion. He said that trade in Western Sahara's resources must be with the permission of the people of Western Sahara and for their benefit. The people of Western Sahara have not consented and nor do they benefit from the exploitation of their phosphate rock resource.
 

Given that, it is WSC-NZ's contention that the imports are illegal and this is something that the NZ Police should examine.

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