change within the Arab world (which some analysts some (which world Arab the within change regime for pressure popular of generalisation and growth the 2010), Lopez, (Garcia country cupying oc- the in democracy of lack the to due credibility lacked plan autonomy 2007 ’s Whereas ‘equation.’ the change to promises now that world, Arab the in elsewhere revolution and rebellion with bination on in the com- ground, it presented is the challenge Ultimately ‘frozen.’ as externally regarded long flict con- a to ‘heat’ applying by Sahara, Western the in interest time, international revived has same activity opposition the At peaceably. with dealing of ble incapa- been has Morocco pre- that challenges senting 206-207), 2004: (Shelley activists Sahrawi by resistance of forms new by strengthened been have change of prospects the materialise, to failed has – allies powerful Morocco’s of one by support of factor’ ‘new – the withdrawal one potential While Mundy, and 263). p. (Zunes 2010, change” to are things if tion equa- the into enter must factor new a Sahara, ern West- in deadlock political the “given that, Mundy Jacob and Zunes vindi- Stephen of This judgement the Morocco. cates in policy of change a bring to helping catalyst, a as seen be can 2010 vember rule Moroccan No- in clashes violent the 2005, of to intifada the than challenge greater A sponses. re- Moroccan and action protest Sahrawi by driven ground, been have the and itself, territory disputed on the in partly mainly place taken have conflict Sahara Western the in developments recent 2007, the having proven unproductive since and Morocco between talks diplomatic direct With University ofLiverpool Professor ofPolitics R the into WesternConflict Sahara FactorsNew Theof Entry Mediterranean Politics |Maghreb ichard Gillespie lenged Moroccancontroltwelvemonthslater. rage’chal- of that hours ’48 WesternSahara’s ond, sec- and 2009; November 14 on Haidar Aminatou activist rights human Sahrawi of expulsion rocco’s Mo- surrounding controversy the first, below: lysed status of the disputed territory. Two of these are future ana- the affecting dynamics new generated have ground the on events dramatic unchanged, mained Although the military aspects of the conflict have re- well asindigenousSahrawis. as Sahara Western the in settlers Moroccan with favour finds it if especially last, at formula feasible a autonomy make could government, parliamentary of tional monarchy accompanied by a devolved system constitu- European-style a with monarchy’ ecutive ‘ex- the replace to plans announcing 2011, March 9 on speech monarch’s Moroccan The VI. hamed Mo- from offer reform far-reaching more a brought has anticipating) movement Sahrawi the seen have ened international humanitarian interest as a result of ately attracted sympathy in Spain, and quickly awak- immedi- situation Haidar’s card. landing the on rawi for describing her nationality as Sah- the to expelled was and confiscated passport can Moroc- her had she 2009, November 14 on abroad from home returning when airport at entry self-determination.”to right the and sembly as- Refused and speech of freedom the including Sahara, and political rights of the of Western civil the “promoting for 2008 in award rights human who had received the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy activist, Sahrawi pro-independence a of rights the of violation Moroccan of case straightforward a be To International A LittleLocalIncident... many observers, the Haidar episode seemed to seemed episode Haidar the observers, many T hat B ecame

179 Med.2011 Panorama 180 Med.2011 Panorama tion fortheSahrawi people. self-determina- of principle the reaffirming vote ing resound- a through least not grew, government the on pressure parliamentary Spain, in asylum political accept and protest her end to Haidar persuade to efforts socialist by Angered administration. Socialist minority the with aligned frequently some in- cluding – Spain in parties non-governmental the from but at the political cost of facing vociferous criticism crisis, the overcome to efforts their in position can Spanish formula. autonomy representatives did make the concessions to the Moroc- to support ous tero’s pro-Moroccan orientation – to give unambigu- Zapa- President notwithstanding – Madrid on sure authorities, the King also seemed to be putting pres- Spanish the of acquiescence the with Spain, to her traitor.” a or patriot expelling a By either is “one flict, con- the to relation in that, insisting population, rawi announcing plans to ‘impose’ autonomy on the Sah- by Sahara Spanish the of invasion the of niversary an- 24th the celebrated had VI Mohamed Morocco, from expulsion arbitrary Haidar’s before days Just solution. a of pursuit in conflict the to parties all with work US would the that saying pro-Moroccan by predecessor, his unqualified of stance the from position his Barack Obama from in President July, differentiating letter a received also had VI Mohamed supporters, its and Polisario the by resisted being formula can Moroc- the was only Not negotiations. sponsored UN- the for basis concrete a become to proposal motivated by at frustration the failure of its autonomy Morocco’s diplomatic blunder appears to have been unnecessarily, Spain with relations upsetting While policy. roccan pro-Mo- government Spanish the of rethink a about bring to Spain within pressure popular cause and martyr Sahrawi a become soil, foreign on die might Haidar that clear became it when retreated Rabat conflict. regional the to solution a for basis the as sovereignty Moroccan under autonomy for support its reiterated had US the after and Sahara Western in the law of Moroccan application the knowledging ac- statements issued had Spain and France after but only return, to Haidar’s accept Morocco suaded Secretary of State Hilary Clinton that per- eventually both US by intervention by an was it accepted Morocco, and be Haidar would that solution a find to government Spanish the by efforts intense After protest atnotbeingallowedhome. in airport in strike hunger month-long a regionalisation country was seriousabout international partnersthathis state, inanefforttoreassure modernisation’ oftheMoroccan announce a ‘renewal and Mohamed VI went onto At thebeginningof2010, ocn tt, n n fot o esue international reassure to effort an in state, roccan Mo- the modernisation’of and ‘renewal a announce to on went VI Mohamed 2010, of beginning the At the of handling Haidar caseas‘disastrous.’ Spain’s viewed also US the that showed revelations WikiLeaks Subsequent Europe. within grew status’relations vanced EU-Morocco of ‘ad- bestowed recently the surrounding doubts and agenda international the on salience more quired propaganda victory, the conflict ac- a handed was Polisario the that politically,was ploit ex- to able was Haidar which episode, the of come out- overall The agreement. existing the from ting benefit- population Sahrawi the of evidence no was there that basis the on grounds fishing rich ticularly be Westernexclude it agreement that par- or Sahara’s suspended the either that propose to ceeded pro- Parliament European the of services legal the situation, Saharan the over concerns European of Spain was the main beneficiary. Against a backcloth which under agreement, fishing EU-Morocco the of expression in the difficulties surrounding the renewal The disapproval of Moroccan actions found practical blocked byFrance. move a – (MINURSO) Sahara Western in mission peacekeeping UN the of mandate the to monitoring and support grew for a proposal to add human rights neighbour southern privileged its of actions the by embarrassed was itself EU The autonomy. Sahrawi of offer Morocco’s of flimsiness the underlined and tion of the Moroccan regime as liberal and reformist, thus placed in question the European Union’s depic- It rights. human her violated that act arbitrary an as coup against Morocco, it was widely seen in Europe propaganda a achieve and monarch the blackmail roccans, who saw her hunger strike as an attempt to Mo- many by supported was it although for rocco, Mo- against rebounded quickly expulsion Haidar’s 12km to the east of Laayoune, gradually came to at- Izik, Gdeim at camp the activity, as high-profile sive, mas- a became now it but year, previous the trialled been had camp protest a establishing of idea The ran resourcesinfishingagreements withMorocco. Westernincluding on Saha- intent seemed still tion, opposi- internal despite EU, the which in way the at Moroccan claims to sovereignty; and upholding disgruntlement those of many of circumstances nomic youth unemployment; anger over the privileged eco- Sah- rawis (Afkar/Ideas, 28, 2010-11, nomadic p. 3); high levels of by received traditionally subsidies of withdrawal the to: related These grievances. cial so- pre-eminently expressed 1975 since Sahrawis by staged demonstrations biggest the that ensure to converged issues of variety A discontent. nomic eco- and social by fuelled was autonomy, stantial insub- imposed an of prospect the by exacerbated occupation, Moroccan the of Resentment Polisario. the with identification political of absence the was November, and October in head a to came which ground, the on movement protest the of feature key raeli blockade of the occupied territory. Meanwhile, a Is- the breaking at aimed Gaza, of population tinian example set by international supporters of the Pales- tal of Laayoune. Their tactics owed something to the PolisarioWesternthe the with in Front capi- Sahara solidarity demonstrating for arrested were Islands ism. In August 2010, NGO activists from the Canary the policy of imposition came to from civil society activ- resistance however, Increasingly, Polisario. the by talks the of boycott temporary a provoked own its but proposals any discuss to refusal Morocco’s Civil Society,SmashingtheIce talks, presidedoverbyUNenvoyChristopherRoss. resolution conflict of context the in and domestically reform on promises, the consequences of deliver which were felt both to failure a from suffering more ond half of the year, the Moroccan regime was once sec- the by Thus, proposals. produce to it for lowed al- initially months six the within report to failed tee commit- The movement. Polisario the from defector a Souilem, Ould Ahmed of figure controversial the who was to be replaced as ambassador to Spain by Azziman, Omar by headed committee advisory an forefront of devolution measures to be elaborated by the in be would Provinces Southern The alisation. region- about serious was country his that partners space oftwo days claiming dozensofvictimsinthe offensive againsttheprotestors, outside world was ofabrutal the impressionthatreached the on independentnews reporting, Amid aMoroccanclampdown nesty International found that Morocco’s figures of figures Morocco’s that found International nesty Am- and Watch Rights Human as such ganisations or- However, stations. police in tortured been have may detainees that concede to later was Fassi-Fihri TaiebMinister Foreign Moroccan Sahrawi. being for people had been killed and more than 2000 arrested 100 over that claiming further, went League Rights Human Spanish The hospital. a in bodies 36 were there that reported later and killed; been had ians civil- 11 that claim to quick was Polisario The days. two of space the in victims of dozens claiming tors, protes- the against offensive brutal a of was world outside the reached that impression the reporting, Amid a Moroccan clampdown on independent news leaders. protest of camp the search in raids house-to-house undertook lice po- as itself, Laayoune in back militants opposition by tuated by a attacks enraged of number merciless punc- action, protest Sahrawi further brought ately immedi- camp the of destruction The side. roccan Mo- protestors the on mainly were of fatalities the dozens injured, were while that, meant timately ul- forces auxiliary para-police the of members and gendarmes unarmed the deploying by damage political minimise to Morocco from by vehicles Attempts protest Laayoune. of convoy fresh a in riving ar- supporters thousand its several by pre-empting reinforcement thus 8th, November on early bly forci- up broken was camp the down, back to tors protes- the persuade to failed concessions When of land,subsidiesandbenefits. offers making by demonstrators placate to attempts initial Morocco’s by reflected was grievances the of on October 24th. At the same time, the social nature boy was killed in an incident at a security checkpoint confrontation, especially after a 14-year old Sahrawi the into entered quickly territory the of occupation the of reality political the forces, police Moroccan by Surrounded demonstrators. 20,000 some tract

181 Med.2011 Panorama 182 Med.2011 Panorama early months of 2011 drew some of their inspiration their of some drew 2011 of months early the during itself Morocco in seen protests sporadic the that hypothesise least at may one prove), alone (let identify to difficult are causes whose processes, so-called While R in protecting human rights in the Western Sahara. role a play should UN the thatdemandingcountries positionjoininggroupofmodify itsthesuadedbyto per- finally was Madrid in government Zapatero’s Rabat, towards attitude conciliatory its for criticism strong under that, was events the of One consequence Spain. from emanating violations rights man hu- of criticismwidespread the to reaction in partly Hispano-MoroccanMelilla,disputesandCeutaover ment to shift the focus of international attention to the There were Sahrawi. diversionary efforts within the Moroccan aParlia- with Laayoune of governor civil the replaced Morocco Europe, within from pecially Todefuse theexternal condemnation itreceived, es- commitment toliberalisationandreform. regime’s the of extent the about doubts ternational in- fuelled events, the observe to keen groups pean Euro- concerned by Laayoune to travel and access media on restrictions Fourth, a devolution. of process with proceeding be to claims Moroccan dicted contra- authorities the of reaction the crunch, the to came it when Third, communities. Sahrawi between was violence the of some not- that fact the withstanding repression, and occupation involved Sahara Westernin presence its that world outside the to er its intervention to eradicate the camp was a remind- Second, force. to resorting eventually without ation face. First, it had not been able to deal with the situ- Overall, Morocco suffered by far the greatest loss of ings ofdetaineesandatleastonecaserape. beat- systematic including force, of use portionate throats; meanwhile, they stood accused of a dispro- bottles, but also targeted by militias intent on cutting gas and cocktails Molotov with civilians by resisted been only not had forces Moroccan sides: both on reports made clear that abuses had been committed rights Human accurate. were civilians, two and es 13 killed, including 11 members of the security forc- everberations inMorocco ‘demonstration’complex are effects Z S M G pendence. rawis alongside the more established cause of inde- Sah- among support popular for contender dable formi- more a thus is and meaningful, more much now Morocco from autonomy of offer the that imply least at world, Arab the within and below from sure coming ‘transition from above’, encouraged by pres- forth- a of indications early these clear, immediately not were Sahara the for this of implications precise the Although framework. democratic a within chy monar- constitutional a Morocco giving and powers royal reducing to made commitment concurrent a was plans decentralisation the to credibility Adding thorities. au- regional democratically-elected of system a ing involv- constitution, new a for plans committee, sory advi- his and Azziman Omar from recommendations receiving after and 9th the on then, and rights man hu- monitor to body independent an of creation the March 2011, in quick succession, he first announced In reign. his of start the at contemplated those than reforms political decisive more much on depends Morocco in monarchy the of future the that himself: VI Mohamed by learnt been has – Africa North in state of heads successive of fall the from especially drawn – lesson biggest the that be may It itself. co the Moroc- than deeply more much cases some in time, at states African North neighbouring shaking Western Sahara, along with the upheavals that were the in witnessed campaign protest preceding and rage’of ‘hours the from learnt actually possibly and B unes helley ibliography undy arcí El País,Madrid,9November2010. Syracuse UniversityPress,2010. Irresolution . Conflict and Nationalism War, ra: London: Zed, 2004. colony? last Africa’s for future what ern-saharas-48hours-rage, 12/3/2011. at: cessed Rage”. , Stephen and Stephen , Sehn “etr Shr’ 2 Hus of Hours 24 Sahara’s “Western Stephen. , L Toby. , ópez 5, 00 Ac- 2010. 257, Research East Middle , Bernabé. “El suicidio de Marruecos”.de suicidio “El Bernabé. , ngm i te etr Sahara: Western the in Endgame www.merip.org/mer/mer257/west M undy , Jacob. , Western Saha- Western