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Polisario loosing patience
By Tom C. Varghese
Issue 7 February-March 2008
For the twelfth time since its establishment in 1973, Western Sahara's independence movement, Polisario, assembled to evaluate its current standing and to settle on a future strategy. The congress was held in Tifariti, a former bastion of Polisario during the war with Morocco; an appropriate setting given the overshadowing question of whether to put force behind existing threats to return to an armed struggle. The conflict between Polisario and Morocco has reached its most critical point since the ceasefire in 1991. Rising tensions in Western Sahara, a deteriorating humanitarian situation and a diplomatic deadlock are nurturing a steadily growing fraction within Polisario, pressuring the current leadership to return to arms.
Africa's oldest territorial conflict
As Spain initiated its decolonization of Western Sahara in the early 1970s, both Morocco and Mauritania put forth claims to the territory, based on historical ties to the region through former empires. The land of Western Sahara was desired for its abundance of phosphates, fish, and potential oil and gas reserves.
Upon Moroccan initiative, the territorial dispute was brought forth to the International Court of Justice in the Hague. The verdict was found in favour of the people of Western Sahara (the Sahrawies) and their right to self-determination. Despite this, both Morocco and Mauritania invaded the country on November 6, 1965.
In response, the Sahrawi people rallied around the liberation movement, Polisario, who launched a guerrilla war against the invading forces. During this time, nearly half the population of Western Sahara fled across the border to Algeria, establishing refugee camps outside the city of Tindouf. As Polisario succeeded in negotiating a peace treaty with Mauritania, Morocco intensified the war, building a wall through Western Sahara in the 1980s. Today the wall divides the country in two; the Moroccan-administered west and a minor area in the east which is controlled by Polisario.
Ceasefire without a solution
The war came to an end in 1991 as the United Nations initiated a ceasefire based on a settlement plan, and the establishment of a UN force to the area. The main feature of the settlement plan was a referendum giving the people of Western Sahara the right to vote over their future, be it with Morocco or as an independent state.
However, since then the situation has remained in a deadlock. The referendum was never upheld, as Polisario and Morocco disagreed on who constituted eligible voters. Nor did UN special envoy James Baker succeed in persuading the two parties to agree on an alternative solution to the referendum.
Today, Western Sahara is considered a non self-governed territory by the UN, yet it is recognized by over 75 countries and is a full member of the African Union. While no governments officially endorse Morocco's occupation of Western Sahara, the issue fails to receive adequate attention from the international community. Thus, the Sahrawies' struggle for independence has turned into a classic example of a forgotten conflict.
The rhetoric of war
In the weeks prior to the Polisario congress in December 2007, several prominent representatives of the movement were quoted saying that the congress would determine whether they would return to war against Morocco. This is certainly not the first time such statements have been made, however, this time the threats of war more alarming.
First and foremost, the lack of progress in Polisario's negotiations with Morocco and within the UN has become the root of much frustration. When the settlement plan was proposed in 1991, the expectation was that the referendum would be carried out quickly, allowing for refugees to return from Algeria. These expectations, however, have not been met. Sixteen years later, most Sahrawies feel deceived. More disheartening, Morocco has reneged on its commitment. Since King Mohammed 6th came to power in 1999, a referendum on the question of independence is not considered a feasible alternative by Morocco. The kingdom is only willing to offer limited autonomy within Moroccan sovereignty. On the contrary, Polisario considers this to be a clear violation of the settlement plan and the basis of the ceasefire. They continue to demand a referendum on the future of Western Sahara.
Morocco and Polisario have been in a series of direct negotiations throughout 2007, alongside their neighbours Mauritania and Algeria. However, these negotiations proved fruitless and failed to bring the parties closer to an agreement. Many young Sahrawies are loosing faith, and expressed their discontent at the congress. They pointed out that during the war Polisario captured international attention, but today they feel politically marginalized.
Desperation amongst the Sahrawies
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in the refugee camps in Algeria is deteriorating. More than 165,000 Sahrawies have been forced to live in a part of the Sahara desert not previously inhabited. In summer, temperatures may reach 50 °C, and in winter below freezing. These extreme conditions have made the refugees entirely dependent upon humanitarian aid. Unfortunately, international aid has decreased notably the past couple years, leading to severe problems such as malnutrition.
According to NGOs operating in the area, dissatisfaction has been growing in the camps. A large fraction of the refugees are below the age of thirty and have spent the majority of their lives in the camps. After so many years, they especially, are growing increasingly frustrated over the hopeless future awaiting them. Individuals from within this group have joined with the army to take a leading role in pushing for a change in strategy towards Morocco.
The situation in the Moroccan administered part of Western Sahara is also grim. Amnesty International describes the human rights situation as very concerning, reporting incidents of: forced disappearances, the use of torture during interrogations, detention of political activists, deportations, censorship, and a lack of fair trials. Recent years have also seen a growing number of mass demonstrations in Western Sahara. As the Moroccan authorities have tightened their hold on the Sahrawi population, tensions between the two groups are rising.
Hope of a lasting solution to the conflict has slowly been fading, while the status quo has been growing increasingly acceptable to the international community. To quote a young Sahrawi woman at the congress, "our patience has been turned against us, and we are now left with only one option: war."
A last chance for diplomacy
Polisario's general secretary, Mohamed Abdelaziz, stated at the congress that he does not want a military solution. However, he warned that if Polisario were to be forced to resume the armed struggle, it would bring with it a fierce war of incalculable consequences for the stability of the entire region. As international delegates and the media left the congress after two days, intense discussions among the Polisario representatives prolonged the congress an additional 48 hours. According to Polisario spokesperson Mhamed Khadad, the result was a decision to meet again in six months, when a final decision on taking arms will be determined. Postponing the decision increases the pressure on both Polisario and Morocco prior to the final direct negotiations set for January 7, 2008.
Jacob Mundy, scholar on Western Sahara at the University of Exeter, doubts that a new war is on the rise, and that the threats are merely the venting of frustrations. If armed struggle were to break out, Polisario undoubtedly would be the weaker part militarily. A new strategy from Polisario would also be highly unlikely without the support of Algeria.
Regional power struggle
Morocco and Algeria have for decades attempted to expand their regional influence; these interests have clashed over the case of Western Sahara. Algeria has given full support to Polisario from the independence movement's beginning. The country has willingly accepted the refugees and promoted the Sahrawies' cause in the African Union and in international forums. However, Algeria has itself been locked in internal turmoil for several years, peaking with the terrorist attacks in Algiers on the eleventh of December this year. Even though representatives from Algeria's largest political parties expressed their unanimous and unwavering support of Polisario, a war in its own backyard would be ill received at this point.
Back in the refugee camps, people await news from the congress. A group of young Sahrawies gather for the night to enjoy some tea, the only item they possess in large stocks. Upon request, one of them tells how as a child he watched his family pack their belongings in preparation for the move back to their home in Western Sahara after the ceasefire. Today, he has children of his own and promises that they will not have to spend their lives at the mercy of the Saharan desert.
Tom C. Varghese
MA in Law, University of Bergen, Norway.
______________________________________________________________________
Africa's oldest territorial conflict
As Spain initiated its decolonization of Western Sahara in the early 1970s, both Morocco and Mauritania put forth claims to the territory, based on historical ties to the region through former empires. The land of Western Sahara was desired for its abundance of phosphates, fish, and potential oil and gas reserves.
Upon Moroccan initiative, the territorial dispute was brought forth to the International Court of Justice in the Hague. The verdict was found in favour of the people of Western Sahara (the Sahrawies) and their right to self-determination. Despite this, both Morocco and Mauritania invaded the country on November 6, 1965.
In response, the Sahrawi people rallied around the liberation movement, Polisario, who launched a guerrilla war against the invading forces. During this time, nearly half the population of Western Sahara fled across the border to Algeria, establishing refugee camps outside the city of Tindouf. As Polisario succeeded in negotiating a peace treaty with Mauritania, Morocco intensified the war, building a wall through Western Sahara in the 1980s. Today the wall divides the country in two; the Moroccan-administered west and a minor area in the east which is controlled by Polisario.
Ceasefire without a solution
The war came to an end in 1991 as the United Nations initiated a ceasefire based on a settlement plan, and the establishment of a UN force to the area. The main feature of the settlement plan was a referendum giving the people of Western Sahara the right to vote over their future, be it with Morocco or as an independent state.
However, since then the situation has remained in a deadlock. The referendum was never upheld, as Polisario and Morocco disagreed on who constituted eligible voters. Nor did UN special envoy James Baker succeed in persuading the two parties to agree on an alternative solution to the referendum.
Today, Western Sahara is considered a non self-governed territory by the UN, yet it is recognized by over 75 countries and is a full member of the African Union. While no governments officially endorse Morocco's occupation of Western Sahara, the issue fails to receive adequate attention from the international community. Thus, the Sahrawies' struggle for independence has turned into a classic example of a forgotten conflict.
The rhetoric of war
In the weeks prior to the Polisario congress in December 2007, several prominent representatives of the movement were quoted saying that the congress would determine whether they would return to war against Morocco. This is certainly not the first time such statements have been made, however, this time the threats of war more alarming.
First and foremost, the lack of progress in Polisario's negotiations with Morocco and within the UN has become the root of much frustration. When the settlement plan was proposed in 1991, the expectation was that the referendum would be carried out quickly, allowing for refugees to return from Algeria. These expectations, however, have not been met. Sixteen years later, most Sahrawies feel deceived. More disheartening, Morocco has reneged on its commitment. Since King Mohammed 6th came to power in 1999, a referendum on the question of independence is not considered a feasible alternative by Morocco. The kingdom is only willing to offer limited autonomy within Moroccan sovereignty. On the contrary, Polisario considers this to be a clear violation of the settlement plan and the basis of the ceasefire. They continue to demand a referendum on the future of Western Sahara.
Morocco and Polisario have been in a series of direct negotiations throughout 2007, alongside their neighbours Mauritania and Algeria. However, these negotiations proved fruitless and failed to bring the parties closer to an agreement. Many young Sahrawies are loosing faith, and expressed their discontent at the congress. They pointed out that during the war Polisario captured international attention, but today they feel politically marginalized.
Desperation amongst the Sahrawies
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in the refugee camps in Algeria is deteriorating. More than 165,000 Sahrawies have been forced to live in a part of the Sahara desert not previously inhabited. In summer, temperatures may reach 50 °C, and in winter below freezing. These extreme conditions have made the refugees entirely dependent upon humanitarian aid. Unfortunately, international aid has decreased notably the past couple years, leading to severe problems such as malnutrition.
According to NGOs operating in the area, dissatisfaction has been growing in the camps. A large fraction of the refugees are below the age of thirty and have spent the majority of their lives in the camps. After so many years, they especially, are growing increasingly frustrated over the hopeless future awaiting them. Individuals from within this group have joined with the army to take a leading role in pushing for a change in strategy towards Morocco.
The situation in the Moroccan administered part of Western Sahara is also grim. Amnesty International describes the human rights situation as very concerning, reporting incidents of: forced disappearances, the use of torture during interrogations, detention of political activists, deportations, censorship, and a lack of fair trials. Recent years have also seen a growing number of mass demonstrations in Western Sahara. As the Moroccan authorities have tightened their hold on the Sahrawi population, tensions between the two groups are rising.
Hope of a lasting solution to the conflict has slowly been fading, while the status quo has been growing increasingly acceptable to the international community. To quote a young Sahrawi woman at the congress, "our patience has been turned against us, and we are now left with only one option: war."
A last chance for diplomacy
Polisario's general secretary, Mohamed Abdelaziz, stated at the congress that he does not want a military solution. However, he warned that if Polisario were to be forced to resume the armed struggle, it would bring with it a fierce war of incalculable consequences for the stability of the entire region. As international delegates and the media left the congress after two days, intense discussions among the Polisario representatives prolonged the congress an additional 48 hours. According to Polisario spokesperson Mhamed Khadad, the result was a decision to meet again in six months, when a final decision on taking arms will be determined. Postponing the decision increases the pressure on both Polisario and Morocco prior to the final direct negotiations set for January 7, 2008.
Jacob Mundy, scholar on Western Sahara at the University of Exeter, doubts that a new war is on the rise, and that the threats are merely the venting of frustrations. If armed struggle were to break out, Polisario undoubtedly would be the weaker part militarily. A new strategy from Polisario would also be highly unlikely without the support of Algeria.
Regional power struggle
Morocco and Algeria have for decades attempted to expand their regional influence; these interests have clashed over the case of Western Sahara. Algeria has given full support to Polisario from the independence movement's beginning. The country has willingly accepted the refugees and promoted the Sahrawies' cause in the African Union and in international forums. However, Algeria has itself been locked in internal turmoil for several years, peaking with the terrorist attacks in Algiers on the eleventh of December this year. Even though representatives from Algeria's largest political parties expressed their unanimous and unwavering support of Polisario, a war in its own backyard would be ill received at this point.
Back in the refugee camps, people await news from the congress. A group of young Sahrawies gather for the night to enjoy some tea, the only item they possess in large stocks. Upon request, one of them tells how as a child he watched his family pack their belongings in preparation for the move back to their home in Western Sahara after the ceasefire. Today, he has children of his own and promises that they will not have to spend their lives at the mercy of the Saharan desert.
Tom C. Varghese
MA in Law, University of Bergen, Norway.
______________________________________________________________________
Source: http://www.globalaffairs.es/Noticia-262.html
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Forwarded by:
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Forwarded by:
Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara
*** Referendum now! ***
www.vest-sahara.no
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sahara-update
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