this week i spoke to the , british-based algerian activist hamza hamouchene who serves as the seniorrogram officer for north africa and west asia at the british organization war on want. >> i am here for the cop to organize events around the cop22 , but i am not participating officially for the cop22. so we organized different events in solidarity with communities that are being affected by environmental injustices, by the neoliberal policies of the moroccan monarchy. i have attempted to travel to the occupied territories of western sahara two days ago and have been denied entry. the wherehappened yet did you go and where were you stopped? >> i started my journey from a southern town in morocco. there.a bus ride from just before tindouf, just on the border between morocco and the occupied zone, i have been ordered off of the bus. i've been informed there are specific structures coming from high all -- high up to not let me perceive. amy: what happened you then? >> basically, i waited for an hour and a heart attack seat for about sixok me back or seven hours away. they kept a close ey

amy: that was the british-based algerian activist hamza hamouchene, who serves as the senior programfficer for north africa and west asia at the british organization war on want. he recently attempted to enter the occupied western sahara, but was stopped by moroccan authorities on his way. on wednesday, i spoke to constancio pinto, the minister of commerce, industry, and environment of timor-leste or east timor. east timor was compared to western sahara for decades. both countries were occupied in 1975. timor by indonesia, western sahara by morocco. both populations supported u.n. security council resolutions calling for referenda for self determination. which timor got in 1999 and voted overwhelmingly to become independent. the people of western sahara are still calling for that referendum to take place. east timorese minister constancio pinto just came from east timor where on november 12, he was involved in the 25th anniversary observance of the santa cruz massacre where indonesian military attacked using u.s. weapons gunned down , over 270 timorese. he was a lead organizer of the