23 March 2007
editorial
There are increasing apprehensions that the appeal to world conscience on the plight of the Saharawi people, most of them, refugees stranded inside Algeria for more than three decades, is taking a back seat.
While there are obviously more important concerns to the international community, Morocco's intransigence and suave diplomacy, especially with France's influence has kept the Western Sahara question in a stalemate. Two weeks ago, the leader of Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, Mr. Mohammed Abdullaziz at the 31st anniversary of the territory, since former colonial power, Spain pulled out, said that his people would accept nothing except a referendum on self-determination and independence from Morocco, and dismissed off-hand, Morocco's proposal for autonomy. Spain, the former colonial authority pulled its troops out of the colony in 1976, but Morocco and Mauritania moved to stake claims of the territory. However, the POLISARIO Liberation Movement of the territory which had been fighting the Spanish earlier, turned against the new claimants. Mauritania pulled out but Morocco reinforced its presence by ferrying settlers to the territory. To tighten its noose in the territory, the kingdom barricaded it with a trench cum wall 1,500 miles or 2,400 kilometres long. However, a ceasefire in 1991 provided for referendum but Morocco stalled and backed off from any ballot that included the option of independence.
In 1994, the Organisation of African Unity, now African Union (AU) recognised the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and the Polisario Movement as its legitimate authority and representative. More countries mostly from Latin America accorded recognition to the SADR, bringing the number of countries that recognised the Saharawis as an independent state to more than seventy. In 1997, the United Nations appointed the former US Secretary of State, Mr. James Baker as its special envoy to Western Sahara. Mr. Baker resigned seven years after in 2004, after trying to find solution.
Morocco made as its irreducible demand, the non inclusion of independence for the territory, something the Saharawis clearly rejected. While the stalemate lasted, Morocco kept pushing in settlers now reported to outnumber the Saharawis by at least two to one; deployed military equipment at the Western side of the wall, where it allegedly planted an estimated 5 million mines. Meanwhile the kingdom of Morocco has announced that it would submit its plan for the settlement of the conflict next month to the United Nations Security Council. The plan according to the proposal will consist of Saharawi parliament with competence over minor matters, cabinet ministries and local judiciary. But Morocco's flag will fly over the territory, stamps and currency will be issued by Morocco and the kingdom's king shall be the territory's highest religious authority. It is however doubtful if Morocco's plan would scale the UN Security Council, given that South Africa, who along with other African countries recognised the SADR in 2004, currently heads the council. But France, a permanent member of the council, wedded to Moroccan sensibilities might weigh in to ensure stalemate. We believe that the UN should show more vigour and commitment in the resolution of the conflict, taking into account the plight of the Saharawi people. It is important the UN takes its cue from the position of the regional body, the African Union. Morocco's occupation of Western Sahara in our view is old style colonialism and the kingdom should reflect on the cost of holding down an unwilling people.
Indonesia's occupation of East Timor was even more vehement than Morocco's hold of Western Sahara and therefore, the kingdom should avail itself of Indonesia's lesson in East Timor. The world should wake up to the plight of the Saharawi people as it did to that of East Timor.
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