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A collection of Sahrawi human rights groups has criticized Italy’s “Puan” University for incorporating politically sensitive content regarding Morocco’s southern territories and the sand wall in a master’s degree program.

The alliance stated that the university was veering towards political favoritism and called on it to adjust its direction.

In a letter examined by , the coalition stated that the master’s degree in Planning and Managing Educational Intervention in Social Disorders should not be associated with subjects such as “sand walls” or the Sahara matter.

The letter stated that the program aimed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of Mediterranean history, a region recognized for its cultural diversity and extensive past, rather than focusing on political disputes.

The signatories, which include the African Organization for Human Rights Monitoring, the International Network for Human Rights and Development, and Defenders for Human Rights, stated that the program’s stated objectives clearly conflict with the inclusion of content related to the Moroccan Sahara.

The correspondence also questioned details published on the university’s official website, claiming that it inaccurately portrays the situation by referring to a so-called “Sahrawi people.”

The groups stated that such language misrepresents history and geography, and conveys false information regarding the actual conditions in the Sahara.

Non-governmental organizations called on the university to examine important UN Security Council resolutions, including 1920 and 2218, that emphasize the need to tally the population in the Tindouf refugee camps.

In their view, conducting such a census would aid in distinguishing genuine refugees from those who are detained against their will, and clarify whether individuals originate from the Sahara or moved there later from Algeria or Mauritania.

The coalition also condemned the Italian university for failing to invite Moroccan academics from its affiliated universities to events or seminars concerning the Sahara, while simultaneously sustaining prominent collaborations with Algerian institutions and groups associated with the Polisario Front.

The groups reminded the university that the sand wall was constructed to safeguard Sahrawi communities in cities such as Smara, Laayoune, Boujdour, Dakhla, and Assa-Zag from assaults launched by Polisario fighters based in Tindouf with backing from Algeria.

Non-governmental organizations stated that Morocco’s building of the defensive barrier was a reaction to continuous dangers, such as incursions by armed factions, human trafficking, and drug trafficking operations taking place in the area.

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