Saharawis have a clear message for the US Oil company Kosmos Energy, that has announced its plans to drill for oil in occupied Western Sahara in October this year.
Just last week, Kosmos Energy set up base in Boujdour, occupied Western Sahara. The company will commence its last series of exploration in April to determine where it will start to drill. A drillship - currently being built in South Korea - has been chartered from Atwood Oceanics, and is expected to arrive in occupied Western Sahara September/October this year.

But not everyone agrees to Kosmos' plans.

The people of Western Sahara, the Saharawis, are increasingly speaking out against the company's intentions. The Saharawis' right to self-determination - the right to determine the future status of their territory and its resources - is internationally acknowleged and backed up by hundreds of UN Resolutions.

A UN Legal Opinion on exploration and exploitation of Western Sahara's natural resources states that unless the Saharawis' wishes and interests are respected, any further exploration would be in violation of international law.

The Saharawis are clear: they don't want Kosmos in their occupied homeland.

Aker Solutions, the Norwegian contractor that was to supply the drilling riser system for the drillship chartered by Kosmos, has now refused to provide any further service on the vessel, precisely because it will be used in occupied Western Sahara.