WESTERN SAHARA : AFRICA'S LAST CALUMNY
By : TERRY BATCHER
A number of disputes and conflicts are threatening directly or indirectly peace, and stability around the world. In fact some of these conflicts deserve the international community full attention in order to solve them, whereas others are simply unfounded, but unfortunately continue to exist for some reasons or others, draining out financial resources, as well as putting tremendous pressure on the international community. As to the Western Sahara conflict, it is a result of regional politics in the North African area during the seventies and particularly between the two most powerful countries in the region i.e.: Morocco and Algeria. Vital economic and strategic interests where undoubtedly behind the three decade crisis over Western Sahara. Reading some articles and reports about western Sahara being the last African colony is in fact a pure misunderstanding in some cases, and a total ignorance in others of the history of the region, that is why iam inviting my fellow European and other researchers, writers, observers, and journalists to read and understand the history of the region and the relationship of different Moroccan Sultans with the inhabitants of the Sahara region.
From at least the Arab conquest of North Africa in the 7th century, the various nomadic tribes inhabiting what is today designated “western Sahara” owed allegiance to the rulers of Morocco. Since moulay al –Rachid, founder of the current Alaouite dynasty united Morocco under his rule in the mid-17th century, the Sultans of Morocco have issued royal prescripts known as dahirs accepting the fealty and tribute of the Saharan chieftains and appointing them as qaids or civil governors, over their respective peoples, from whom they also collected taxes in the name of the sovereign. The Maghreb was carved up by European colonial powers after the 1884-1885 Berlin conference opened the way for the “scramble for Africa”. Spain claimed for itself the Sahara region of Saqiet al- Hamra “ Red creek” and Rio de Oro “ river of gold” unilaterally proclaiming a protectorate in December 1884, although the presence inside the Sahara , and also the resistance of Moroccan monarchs made the Spanish claim an ineffectual one until 1912, when France succeeded in imposing a protectorate on Sultan Moulay Abdelhafid . Nine months later, Paris signed an agreement with Madrid which included acknowledgement of the hitherto ineffectual Spanish claim to “Spanish Sahara” as well as other Moroccan coastal installations and more than two decades before they overcome stiff resistance from Moroccan tribesmen and managed to penetrate to the interior of the Western Sahara to occupy Smara, the Territory’s only city and stronghold of the Sufi holy man and anti- colonial leader Sheikh Ma al’ aynayn (1830- 1910).
The internal manifestations of Moroccan authority over Western Sahara are reflected by the sultans powers exercised by means of dahirs not only for executive but also for legislative matters. This was how they appointed and dismissed the caids to whom they gave responsibilities of government in a region, on a coast or over a group of tribes. The caids were the military commanders who also had administrative functions. The choice of a Sultan could fall on a person because of his local influence or family or tribal connections. In this respect six historians one French: Vernet and five Spanish: domenech, Lafluente, Secode Lucena, Huici and Romeu , relate events which in the case of Vernet , date back to the seventh century, on page 36 of his work ,: “islamisation” , Vernet recounts how after the Arab conquest of Morocco by Okba Ibn naafi in 681, Moussa Ibn Nossair sent his son Merouana to the furthest Souss, meaning the Sahara region . Vernet also added the following facts:
• In 740 the Moroccan governor (or caid) called Ismail Ben Obeidetallah was appointed to Seguia Al hamra .
• In 745 Okba’s great nephew went almost to the end of Western Sahara and dug the first wells.
•
From this time on continues vernet, the dynasty of the Idrissids (the Idrissids was the first dynasty in Morocco) did not cease to govern the Sahara until the following dynasty, that of the Almoravids.
As to the military expeditions, the authority of the Sultan over Western Sahara was recognized by the international community. The expeditions undertaken by the Sultans took two forms: some had the purpose of controlling western Sahara, and more particularly Seguiat al hamra , and others crossed western Sahara as far as the river of Niger . The autoresse of “ Avec les rois Alaouites” dette de Puigaudeau notes that :
« The cherifian interventions lost their character of conquest and only retained that of tours
of inspection and prestige » (Odette de Puigaudeau: avec les Rois alaouites / Paris/ PU/ 1970)
This was at the end of Sultan Moulay Hassan’s reign , which is considered to be the first period of colonization by Spain . Documents show that reports written by diplomats admitted the legal ties between Morocco and Western Sahara. For example, in his report to the French minister in Tangiers the French Council in Western Sahara wrote: “ The expedition of Sultan Moulay Hassan to the Souss can be regarded as fully completed
It was a triumphal progress all the way. All the tribes made their submissions and swore Allegiance to him. Even the very nomads of the Sahara were bent on bringing him fast camels and offering him their help in he holy war “ ( report of June 1886 to the French minister in Tangiers “documents diplomatiques francais 1871-1914 ( first series volume VIII) . As to the religious ties it is considered one of the constituent elements of the legal ties .to prove the existence of this kind of tie between sahraoui and Moroccan , one must quote in particular Paul cambon , then French ambassador in Madrid , who reported the following observation to his minister of foreign affairs : “ It has always been recognized that the territorial sovereignty of the Sultan extends as far as his religious suzerainty , and as it is beyond doubt that the peoples of cape Juby are subject to him from the religious point of view , we could consider his sovereignty as indisputable” ( documents diplomatiques francais 1871-1914 / first serie/ volume xiii)
Spain had in fact begun its penetration of Southern Morocco , including what is called now western Sahara over four hundred years ago, temporarily establishing themselves facing the island of Lanzarote in the Canary islands in 1476 at a place known as Santa Cruz de Mar Pequena ( The town of Ifni south west of Agadir ) . Spain acquired Ifni in 1860 as a result of the treaty of Ifni, for various reasons the Spanish did not take possession until 1934; negotiations for the return of Ifni to Morocco began in 1996, with Spain under pressure from the UN trusteeship commission, and the retrocession was completed by a treaty signed on 4 January 1969. The Hispanic – Moroccan peace and commercial treaty signed in Marrakech on 18 may 1767 (a copy of the treaty is available at the Moroccan Royal library in Rabat), clearly showed the power of the Moroccan Sultan to make decisions concerning Western Sahara. Article 18 of this treaty declared the following:
“His imperial majesty warns the inhabitants of the canary islands against any attempt to fish on the coasts of the Wadi Noun and beyond. His majesty denies all responsibility for what could happen if they are taken by the Arabs of that region against whom it is difficult to apply sanctions since they have no fixed place of residence , move about as they wish, erecting their tents wherever they see fit .”
This text affirms that the sovereign has the power of decision- making concerning this region, but the way of life of the inhabitants makes it virtually impossible to apply such measures. During the rule of Sultan Moulay Hassan (1873- 1894) an agitation was provoked by Madrid’s demands in respect of western Sahara coast led Moulay Hassan to undertake an expedition into the South of Morocco to Western Sahara in 1882 to calm the anxiety of the local tribe chiefs, with an army of some seventy thousand men, in his arrival to Goulmine the doorway of Western Sahara, sahraoui notables to affirm their loyalty to him and to promise to oppose European movements. In 1884 Spain once again insisted on its settlement project and the Campania Mercantil hispano- Africana established in Barcelona erected a building in March 1884 in Villa Cis Neros (dakhla), thus ensuring permanent sea contact with the peninsula. An attack on this building by the Ouled delim tribe necessitated the calling up of a Spanish detachment the following June. These attacks were renewed in 1887, 1892 and 1894 and the Spanish were compelled to retrench to the small strip of land corresponding to Villa Cisneros . Spain had tried unsuccessfully to have its pretensions ratified by the Sultan of Morocco; the Spanish ambassador had requested a high –ranking Moroccan official to interrogate Sultan Moulay Hassan about the southern frontiers of the kingdom as long as “ Spain owns a country called Rio de Oro and desires to prevent foreigners from coming to settle between the two nations”( source : Spanish national library in Madrid / department of state) Sultan Moulay Hassan replied on 4 Ramadan 1303 hegira (1886) in a letter as follows :
“Our southern frontier is bounded by Egypt, by the Sudan (the country of the blacks) and thirdly by Maghnia in Algeria. As for Rio de Oro an investigation made among the people living in the region revealed it to be inhabited by the Ouled Delim and the tribe of Aroussiyine, our faithful servants who established themselves around Marrakech and Fez and called this region dakhla”( source : Moroccan newspaper: Sahara El Maghreb / Rabat / 6march 1958) . As to Rio de Oro the Spanish name for Wadi Dahab was attacked and invaded by the Spanish army When Sultan Moulay Hassan was in power, the latter did not remain inactive in affirming his authority over the Sahara region being disputed by foreigners and particularly the Spanish, he opted for a military campaign in 1886 to strengthen his rights over the Sahara, on march forty thousand men left Marrakech for Mogador ( Essaouira) and arrived in Tiznit in April 1886, the Sultan set up permanent military posts in Tiznit, Kasbah Ba Amrane, assaka and Goulimine,( these four towns in southern Morocco forming a continuation of Western sahara), Unfortunately the efforts made by Sultan Moulay Hassan to ensure his control over the kingdom failed when he died in 1894, France and Spain quietly divided up the territory . France settled in the region of Adrar (now called Mauritania) in 1900, the Spanish penetration of the Sahara was completed in 1904, and in 1912 Morocco was divided into two parts to be colonized by France and Spain.
The efforts of the colonizing invaders did not , however, go unchallenged , indeed , if one considers the colonial history of Western Sahara over the years , it is to be noted that the various campaigns undertaken by European troops never managed entirely to subdue the Sahara tribes , especially the Reguibat tribes . Towards the end of the nineteen century a great war leader called Sheikh Maa EL Ainin, who galvanized the inhabitants of western Sahara into a holy war against the Spanish invaders, when he was a young man, Maa El Ainin’s dream was to build a town in western Sahara which would be a stopping place used for trade between Morocco and Mauritania, the Sultan Of Morocco promised to send labour and materials to start the project. Architects and masons were sent to draw up plans for the Kasbah. Thousands of mules and camels loaded with slabs of granite and marble began a five – day journey from Tafraout to the site chosen for the new town, which was called Smara. Smara in the heart of Western Sahara slowly took shape and the mosque was built in the northeast of the town; Maa El Ainin wanted this to be the largest construction of Western Sahara, but he never managed to complete it. In this respect it is worth mentioning that the Sultan made Maa El Ainin his representative in the Sahara region, and it was partly the Makhzen’s (central government) policy which led Maa El Ainin to become the leader of resistance. Maa El Ainin had always been on excellent terms with the Cherifian government (the government of the Sultan), serving it directly between 1890 and 1900 by combating the Spanish political mission to Rio de Oro ( Wadi dahab), and the English commercial enterprises in Cap Juby ( Tarfaya) .
In 1890 Sultan Moulay Hassan received Maa El Ainin in Marrakech , and six years later he was again received there by the young Sultan Abdul-Aziz , in 1904 the Sultan and his representative Maa El Ainin criticized strongly by rejecting the European activities which were beginning to take place in the Sahara region . Maa El Ainin returned to Smara invested with full powers of defence covering the entire Sahara, in this respect a letter was sent by the Sultan to the Saharan tribes clarifying Maa Ainin’s position and powers. Towards the end of 1905, Maa El Ainin declared war on the invaders of the Sahara region .He received arms from he Sultan which were immediately despatched to the forces waiting in Shanguit ( Mauritania) . The sultan sent messengers to incite the Sahraouis to rise against the French, who were already occupying many areas. Battles between the French and Moroccan Sahraouis went throughout 1906. Maa El Ainin’s son led a group of warriors who destroyed the French military convoys they discovered in central and Western Sahara. Any tribes found collaborating with the enemy were severely punished . In a few months, Maa El Ainin’s troops had liberated almost the whole of the south-western Sahara which would later become known as Mauritania. As a result the Saharan tribes regarded Smara as the capital of victory, and the Sultan as their only sovereign. The situation was worsening in the North of Morocco, Sultan Abdul-Aziz was made to abdicate and his place on the throne was taken by Moulay Hafid, from the beginning of his reign Moulay Hafid made pacts with the colonial powers. Moroccans were incensed as they saw Maa El Ainin’s greatest efforts and victories undermined. In October 1909 Ma El Ainin understood that Moulay hafid had lost the south and the north of the Kingdom, and he decided to organize a march on Fes against the sultan and the French army. He left in May 1910, followed by chiefs from all the Saharan tribes. On June 3rd general Moinier and his French forces defeated a combined force of six thousand men. The Saharan opposition was finally crushed and Maa El Ainin badly wounded returned to Tiznit, and died there on 23 October 1910 .( see the legal and historical relationship between Morocco and western Sahara/ University of Salford/ Department of politics and contemporary history / 1984 at British Library) . In the Sahara, Maa El Ainin’s role was taken by his son EL Heiba, although a courageous man, he was not a thinker like his father. In 1912, after the signing of the treaty establishing the Protectorate in Morocco, the south grouped itself around El Haiba in Tiznit, proclaiming him the Sultan; his power extended over Western Sahara. In august he made triumphal entry into Marrakech leading fifteen thousand men, but lost his battle against French troops on 6 September 1912. The French occupied Agadir in 1913, and did not cease their penetration into the South of Morocco. El Heiba also moved to the south , when the nomads returned from their defence of southern Morocco, they found that four hundred French soldiers and local collaborators had blown up the main building in Smara, damaged the library and burned the city, an event which became a symbol of resistance.
The historical ties between Western Sahara and Morocco were evidenced by the readiness of its inhabitants to fight colonising armies on behalf of the Sultan. Moroccan sovereignty was accepted in Kenadsa, Saoura , Taout a Tidikelt and all parts of the western Sahara , currency , taxes, and governors nominated by the central government and prayers were said for the reigning monarchs .The legal ties between Western Sahara and the kingdom of Morocco were actually recognized in various treaties. These treaties are the basis to assess the ties that always existed between Western Sahara and the Kingdom of Morocco. To start with there is the Anglo-Moroccan agreement of 13 march 1895, clause I of which reads as follows:
“If this government buys the building etc…in the place above – named From the above-named company, no-one will have any claim to the Lands that are between Wadi Draa and cape boujdour, and which are called Tarfaya above-named, and all the lands behind it, because all this belongs to the Territory of Morocco” Great Britain thus recognized that Moroccan territory extended to cape boujdour, including Seguia al Hamra. Moreover, the letters annexed to the treaty of 4 November 1911 signed between France and Germany state:
“Germany will not intervene in any special agreements which France and Spain may think fit to conclude with each other on the subject of Morocco comprises all the part of northern Africa which is situated between Algeria, French west Africa and the Spanish colony of Rio de Oro (wadi dahab)”
The Alaouite dynasty has ruled Morocco since the mid-seventeenth century. In pre-colonial times, three of the Alaouite Sultans: Moulay Rachid, Moulay Ismail, and Moulay Hassan, were already pursuing active Saharan policies. In 1905-1906, Sultan Moulay Abdul Aziz sent military support to Sheikh Maa el Ainin to support him in his fight against the French. Morocco continued the struggle against its division and occupation at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Moroccan resistance of the central government as well as of the popular level, prevented the entire occupation of Western Sahara and the rest of Moroccan territory until the beginning of the last century, when this became unavoidable. However, the fight continued in different forms and finally led to the recognition of Morocco’s incomplete independence in 1956. The same level of determination and enthusiasm to ensure national territorial integrity was shown in November 1959, when late King Mohammed v made a speech confirming his desire and determination to obtain the liberation of all colonized areas of his kingdom. He said:
“it is natural that one of our main concerns should be the liberation of occupied territories , and the return to our sovereignty of those subjects who have against their will been separated from their homeland without the consent of the legitimate authority” (See The leading Moroccan Arabic newspaper Al Alam newspaper / front page / 20 November 1959). This speech was made three years after Morocco had obtained incomplete independence which is why the late king stressed the need for liberation of the occupied territories. In other words he wanted to see the region of Western Sahara, as well as Ceuta and Melilla restored to the homeland.
Morocco recovered its political independence on from France on march2, 1956, under Sultan Mohammed V, who proclaimed himself king the following year. The latter began the process of recovering the territorial integrity of the lands which had acknowledged the sovereignty of his forefathers. A month after the end of the French protectorate, Morocco recovered the Spanish protectorate of Tetouan in the northern part of the country. In august 1956, Morocco succeeded in having the international control council for the international zone around Tangiers repeal its status and reintegrated the city into the kingdom. It took two more years until April 1958, for Spain to return the zone of Tarfaya, which was governed under the colonial regime as the “Spanish Sahara” immediately to its south. And it was only under late king Hassan II, Mohammed V’s son and successor that Spain ceded back Ifni, on the Atlantic coast of Morocco opposite the Canary Islands, headquarters since 1934 of the governor-general of Spanish Morocco. . It was the proclamation of Morocco’s independence in 1956 which inspired many Moroccans from the north and South to take up arms against the Spanish regime in Western Sahara. The Moroccan Army of liberation was formed by the guerrillas who had faced French and Spanish colonialists before 1956 launching a war in 1957 against the Spanish army in Western Sahara. They forced the Spanish Army to withdraw all its garrisons from the interior including Smara in order to defend a few strategic enclaves on the coast until the arrival of reinforcements. The launching of a massive Franco- Spanish attack called “Operation Ouragan” (Joint Franco – Spanish counter- attack against the army of liberation took place in February 1958) almost crushed the guerrilla movement. In 1957 the army of liberation turned its attention to the enclave of Ifni up south of Morocco, hundreds of guerrillas attacked the enclave , attacking seven Spanish frontier posts during the night, on 11december the same year Spanish radio announced that sixty-two Spanish troops including Five officers had been killed and one hundred and fifteen wounded . Consequently some eight thousand Spanish troops dug into fortified defence positions to deter the army of liberation from trying to make an assault of Ifni, for the following eleven and a half years, the Spanish did not try to move out of the small fortified zone around Ifni and reoccupy the rest of the enclave, which was finally ceded in its entirety to Morocco in 1969. While these events were unfolding in the town of Ifni , the army of liberation was active on another front namely the Sahara region. From mid – 1956 onwards many sahraouis began to enlist in the army of liberation, which had its main, bases in Goulimine and Bou Izarkan both areas seen as the doorway to the Sahara region. In june 1957 Madrid appointed a new governor- general of “Africa occidental Espanola” General Mariano Gomez Zamalloa, who was willing to cooperate with the French to stop the Moroccan guerrilla threat, shortage of men and equipment explained the Spanish failure to end reinforcements to Western Sahara, General Gomez decided to withdraw from the interior of the Sahara to the coast, even Smara was abandoned to the Moroccan army of liberation. Towards the end of 1957, clashes between the army of liberation and Spanish forces became more frequent, the most serious incident of all occurred on 13 January 1958b when fifty – one Spanish troops were killed or wounded in a day-long battle at Edchera, twenty kilometres southeast of Al Ayoun.
These events and the recapture of Ifni by the army of liberation in November 1957 strengthened Madrid’s resolve. In September 1958, the outline of a joint Franco- Spanish counter-attack on the Saharan territories was drawn up. On 30 December in Paris the new government headed by Felix Gaillard gave its assent and in the first week of January 1958 the Spanish government also gave its approval. The code name of his operation was “ OURAGAN” ( hurricane) . This operation began on 10 February and involved some five thousand French and nine thousand Spanish troops, as well as seventy French and sixty Spanish aircrafts. The French manoeuvres were code-named “Ecouvillon”. In the first stage of this campaign Guerrilla positions in Seguia al Hamra came under attack, the second stage on 20-24 February was to attack wadi dahab . The guerrilla forces were unable to defeat these two well-equipped armies , and the Spanish re-established garrisons in the interior of Western Sahara , the destruction of the army of liberation in Western Sahara led in march 1958 to 13 000 Sahraoui refugees fled the Sahara region . The Moroccan government offered permanent employment to the members of the army of liberation in the regular Moroccan army, among hem the father of the current leader of the Polisario, other drifted back to Western Sahara , and on 25 February 1958 late king Mohammed V formally demanded the return of Western Sahara to the motherland Morocco. He said in a famous speech in the little oasis town of M’hamed on the edge of the Sahara:
“We will continue to do everything in our power to recover our Sahara and all that which, by historical evidence and by the will of its inhabitants, belongs as of right to our kingdom”
On November 6, 1975 , 350 000 unarmed Moroccans crossed from tarfaya into the Sahara region called “ Spanish Sahara”, brandishing Moroccan flags, portraits of King Hassan II, and copies of the Koran . The green march demanded the return of Moroccan Sahara .Late King Hassan II’s initiative in organizing this peaceful march to the Sahara led to the Madrid agreement of 14 November 1975; it was in practical terms, the first step towards the process of decolonization of the Saharan region. The green march (Al Massira al khadra in Arabic), could be described as the master stroke which resolved the dispute between Morocco and Spain. Plans for the march, which was named after the holy colour of Islam, were first announced by King Hassan II on 16 October 1975.recruting offices were set up throughout morocco, and by 20 of October as many as 524,000 volunteers were said to have registered. The march caught the imagination of the Moroccan people. It was portrayed as a holy march (jihad), and its participants were told that they would be armed only with the Koran and they should consider themselves as Mujahidin, or holy warriors, in a campaign to reclaim Islamic territory from the Spanish invaders. The marchers numbered 350,000 volunteers and gradually assembled in a vast tent city near Tarfaya .It became evident to the Spanish government as much as to western observers of this remarkable mobilization, that King Hassan II would be unable to call off the march or fail in his pledge to send the marchers across the border even if he had wished to do so , he said : “ I can not turn 350, 000 Moroccans who have responded to my call with enthusiasm into 350,000 frustrated Moroccans». As soon as Spain accepted the reopening of negotiations, on 9 November 1975, late king Hassan II ordered the marchers to return to their homes. On 14 November 1975, an accord was signed in Madrid to crown the negotiations with Spain by Morocco and Mauritania, in accordance with article 33 of the United Nations charter, and resolution 380.The difference of opinion over Western Sahara which, until 1975, divided Morocco and Spain does not therefore date from the time when the United Nations organization took an interest in the issue. It dates back to the period in Morocco’s history when during the nineteenth century; the country was faced with the ambitious appetites of the colonial powers and their desire to divide Morocco in order to subjugate it.
Supported by Algeria’s strongman late president Houari Boumediane , the Polisario front who was established in the year 1973 by a number of Sahraoui students at the border with Mauritania basically with the aim to liberating the Sahara from Spain, rejected the Madrid accord and demanded full independence for the territory , launched a guerrilla campaign against the Moroccan and Mauritanian forces , Although the Polisario front enjoyed a heavy military support from the Algerians ,and other countries the Moroccan army managed to control more of 85 percent of the Sahara region and constructed the “sand berm” a defensive shield consisting of a series of barriers of sand and stone completed in 1987 . Since then the Polisario front has been largely confined to its camps around Tindouf in Western Algeria, lost its guerrilla war against Morocco , and also the diplomatic and military support of most of the world countries .
King Mohammed VI, immediately after his enthronement in 1999, set forth a development strategy built on social and economic development. Initially, the new young king is seen as a reformer, keen to liberalize the economy, root out corruption and establish the rule of law and democracy. When he was crown prince he was beside his father late king Hassan II in most the national and international activities, and in particular when it comes to the Western Sahara issue. In this respect during summer of 1996 a delegation of the Polisario front led by Bachir Mustapha Said met the crown prince then Sidi Mohammed, that was in practical terms his first direct and secret meeting with the Polisario delegation in Morocco, the aim of the meeting was about the application of Autonomy principle in western Sahara, in fact the Polisario delegation was in favour of such settlement and also of continuing direct negotiations with the late king Hassan II.
Even if the idea of autonomy is not new, Morocco has recently proposed a project for a substantial autonomy of Western Sahara. The project consists of giving Western Sahara a large autonomy within Moroccan sovereignty. Sahraouis are expected to be offered a Parliament with power over local policies in terms of management and decisions concerning southern provinces; cabinet ministries, and their own judiciary, but the Moroccan flag would fly over the territory, the currency and stamps would be Moroccan, and the Moroccan king would remain the highest religious authority in the land. It is in the same context that the royal advisory council for Saharan affairs, commonly known by its French acronym CORCAS, was created by King Mohammed VI in march 2006, by enhancing its official status and defining its role to “foster the culture of dialogue, and thus pave the way for our citizens to help in this process and make practical proposals on matters pertaining to our country’s territorial integrity” (speech of 25th of march delivered by the monarch of Morocco). This culture of dialogue is the king’s innovative initiative to seek solutions to significant issues facing Morocco. In 2004, Morocco’s truth and reconciliation commission was created to investigate past human rights violations and propose political and judicial reforms which were approved by the king. CORCAS was another example of the king innovative approach to make use of dialogue to find solutions to complex social and economic issues. It is worth mentioning that CORCAS is composed of 140 members (among them 14 women) they represent an ethnic, political, and tribal section of Moroccan society most of CORCAS’s members are representatives from all Sahraoui tribes, including the father of the Polisario leader Mohammed Abdelaziz.
The plan of a substantial autonomy transfers competences and creates local institutions (legislative and executive) within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty .It is worth mentioning that autonomy is seen by experts in international law as a very advanced form of self determination. This plan has been subject to large consultations with the sahraoui populations and Moroccan political parties, before being approved by the young king. On Wednesday, April 11, 2007 the Moroccan government submitted its proposal for a substantial autonomy for the Western Sahara region to the secretary general of the United Nations organization, taking the first step, which the international community has called for repeatedly, toward a political direct dialogue with the parties concerned.
In its 1754 resolution, on Monday, April 30, 2007 the UN Security Council “calls upon the parties to enter into negotiations without preconditions in good faith. The security council in its resolution concerning western Sahara has taken note of the Moroccan proposal presented to the UN secretary general “...and welcoming serious and credible Moroccan efforts to move the process forward towards resolution” it is an explicit recognition to the efforts made by Morocco, after long and various consultations with the international community ..The 1754 resolution is a fruit of Moroccan endless efforts to overcome the present deadlock.
Morocco’s proposal was in no doubt supported by a large number of countries all over the world, among others the USA ,France, and Spain which openly congratulated Morocco for proposing and submitting a courageous and revolutionary project entitled "Moroccan initiative for Negotiating an Autonomy Statute for the Sahara region" whereas the Polisario proposal as the UN's secretary general former personal envoy for Sahara, Peter Van Walsum described it «it is consistent With Polisario well known positions" he added that self- determination does not have to mean independence. There are many examples in the world where concerned populations chose, following referendum consultations or other, autonomy or total integration».
The young King’s proposal was prepared upon the request of the international community, and it has been a subject to large consultations with sahraouis, it is wise that all parties concerned including Algeria consider the King’s proposal as a basis for any future settlement . Morocco remains open to this solution that preserves its sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and that allows populations to manage directly, and democratically their local affairs. Morocco is ready to engage in a constructive negotiation to contribute concretely in the process of achieving a last and fair settlement to the Western Sahara issue.
The majority of Sahraouis back the process of autonomy under the Moroccan sovereignty. They are proud to belong to the Moroccan nation. Through out the history not even one sahraoui opted for separatism, not even the parents and families of the present Polisario leadership. Having said that the present deadlock is a result to the Algerian non commitment to its explicit statement, which says that it does not consider itself as part of the dispute, facts on the ground shows unfortunately that Algeria encourages the non elected and non democratic Polisario leadership to radicalism, on one hand, and to refuse any peaceful settlement within the framework of a large autonomy. Despite of the Algerian continued sabotage, Sahraouis fully and unconditionally support the autonomy project, whether they are in LAAYOUN, SEMARA, BOUJDOUR, DAKHLA, AWSSARD, and even in the Tindouf camps.
Morocco has submitted a courageous and revolutionary project entitled “Moroccan Initiative for Negotiating an Autonomy Statute for the Sahara region” whereas the Polisario proposal, as the UN’s secretary general personal envoy for Sahara, Peter Van Walsum described it “ it is consistent with Polisario well known positions” he added that self-determination does not have to mean independence. There are many examples in the world where concerned populations chose, following referendum consultations or other, autonomy or total integration”. The Moroccan proposal is an answer to the UN Security Council resolutions and to the constant international community appeals for a political solution to the Western Sahara issue, as it is a fruit of national and international consultations. Although both Algeria and Polisario refused the Moroccan proposal, before it was submitted to the UN, and even before finding out about the content of it .the secretary general former personal envoy for Sahara Van Walsum stated that the Moroccan proposal to grant substantial autonomy to the western Sahara “was the result of an extended political process of national and international consultations». As far as the role of Algeria in the conflict Mr Walsum recognized the pre-eminent role of Algeria, “Algeria has in this whole dossier (Sahara issue) played an absolutely pre-eminent ,dominant role ever since1975” this is the first time that a senior UN official dealing directly with the western Sahara issue that recognized explicitly in a diplomatic Worthing the extent of Algerians direct involvement in the western Sahara dispute ,and even in the decision making on behalf of the separatist movement called Polisario while Algiers keeps insisting that “it is not a part in the conflict”.
The majority of Sahraouis support the substantial autonomy project under Moroccan sovereignty, since it was elaborated by the CORCAS , whose members represent undoubtedly two thirds of the Sahraoui population, even those who are living in Tindouf camps (in most cases against their will) have expressed loudly their approval to the Moroccan proposal . The Moroccan Substantial autonomy Plan should be seen by parties concerned as an initiative that achieves the principal of self-determination, through a free, modern and democratic expression regarding the autonomy statute .It is in no doubt in conformity with international legality as well as with international norms, and standards applicable in area of autonomy. Therefore it is wise for all parties concerned, and particularly the Polisario to consider the substantial autonomy proposal as a basis for any future settlement because it aims to come up with a peaceful solution where there is neither a winner nor a loser, and in respect of dignity of all parties. The UN charter, the ultimate international jurisprudence stipulates that self-determination must take into account the territory integrity and unity, so autonomy remains one of the best solutions for self –determination, this type of substantial autonomy exists in the most highly developed countries across the world. The Moroccan’s language was purposefully broad to allow for open debate, Morocco remains open to this solution that preserves its sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and that allows populations to manage directly, and democratically their local affairs . To this aim, Morocco is already engaged in direct negotiations with the Polisario to contribute concretely to its success. In the pursuit of this objective the kingdom of Morocco hopes to rely on the good will of all those who are committed to create favourable conditions for a political solution that enables the populations in the refugee camps inside Algeria to finally join their families and that allow Maghreb states to find unity and solidarity. The United Nations charter, the ultimate international jurisprudence, stipulates that self-determination must take into account the territorial integrity and unity, that is exactly why autonomy remains one of the best solutions for self-determination, this type of autonomy exists in the most highly developed countries across the world, this conflict created a centre of tension in the northwest of Africa encouraged by the proliferation of human traffic, in particular in the form of clandestine immigration, weapons trafficking, drugs, the deviation of goods in Tindouf refugee camps, as well as the appearance of terrorism
The Moroccan proposal not only was well received around the world as a significant step forward, but is in line with the international standards, and respects the regional specifities and the expectations of local populations; it is an open and constructive response to the expectations of the UN Security Council. Most of the world countries welcomed with interest the autonomy proposal, as to the United Nations the message was crystal clear, through its resolutions 1754,1783, and 1813 “welcoming serious and credible Moroccan efforts to move the process forward towards resolution”.
The international community would like to see “entente” takes shape between all the parties; it does advocate political dialogue because it is the shortest path so that peace and harmony prevail in the North African country.
