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3.9

Western Sahara

The decades-long dispute over the African territory of Western Sahara remained UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) in deadlock through 2011, as meetings between the government of Morocco and the Frente • Authorization and 29April 1991 (UNSC Res. 690) Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra Start Date y de Río de Oro (POLISARIO) yielded no •SRSG Hany Abdel-Aziz (Egypt) progress on the fundamental points of con- • Force Commander Major-GeneralAbdul Hafiz (Bangladesh) tention. Since the departure of its Spanish • Budget $63.2 million (1 July 2011–30 June 2012) colonial rulers thirty-five years ago, conflict •Strengthasof Troops:27 and uncertainty have plagued the territory 31 October 2011 Military Observers: 201 and defied determination of its final status. Police: 6 The UN Mission for the Referendum in International Civilian Staff: 102 Western Sahara (known by its French acronym National Civilian Staff: 165 MINURSO) was formed to conduct a self- UN Volunteers: 18 determination vote after a 1991 cease-fire For detailed mission information see p. 198 agreement. September 2011 marked the twen- tieth anniversary of the mission’s establish- ment, but MINURSO finds itself continuing to monitor a cease-fire line and support territory ever since. POLISARIO was founded confidence-building measures, while the two in 1973 to fight Spanish control, and refo- sides appear no closer to an agreement on the cused its attention on Morocco after Spain’s future of Western Sahara. POLISARIO, the departure. It operates in exile from the Alger- dominant political power among the area’s ian city of Tindouf, and has gained recogni- Sahrawi people, long ago claimed an indepen- tion from a number of countries in addition to dent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, African Union membership. while since 2004, the government of Morocco Approximately 500,000 people live in has categorically rejected the possibility of in- Western Sahara, while more than 100,000 dependence or the option in a referendum. The Sahrawi refugees reside in Algerian refugee gulf between the two sides suggests that the camps. Morocco has invested heavily in mission will continue to act as an observer in Laayoune, Western Sahara’s largest city, which the absence of progress on the political track. is now home to approximately 200,000 people, fewer than 40 percent of whom are Sahrawi. Socioeconomic grievances have heightened Background tensions between the Sahrawi population and Western Sahara, a Spanish colony for nearly a Moroccan settlers. In addition, some Sahra- century, was annexed by Morocco and Mauri- wis in the Tindouf refugee camps are grow- tania upon Spain’s exit in 1976. Mauritania ing increasingly frustrated by the lack of po- abandoned its claim in 1979, and Morocco litical progress achieved by the POLISARIO has considered the entire region part of its leadership.

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MINURSO was founded in 1991 with a are currently no UN staff in the territory to mandate that includes monitoring the cease- address human rights issues. In April 2011 fire, verifying Moroccan troop reductions, the Security Council decided against the implementing a repatriation program, identi- establishment of a full-time human rights fying and registering qualified voters, and or- monitoring mechanism in Western Sahara. ganizing and proclaiming the results of a self- POLISARIO and states including South Africa determination referendum. The referendum have called for augmenting the mission’s man- was originally scheduled for January 1992, date to encompass these issues, while a group but no real progress has been made toward its of Western powers has presented a compro- execution in over a decade. The mission iden- mise initiative calling for more periodic visits tified voters in the 1990s, resulting in a final by independent UN rights investigators. With list published in 1999, but disagreements be- long-standing allegations of human rights vio- tween the two sides on the eligibility of three lations by both sides, this has been a promi- groups of applicants derailed the process. nent recurring issue in annual Security Council Due to the absence of staff tasked with discussions on the renewal of MINURSO’s organizing a referendum, MINURSO’s staff mandate. numbers are much smaller than originally planned, with an authorized strength of 237 military and 6 police personnel, in addition to Key Developments a civilian component, which includes a polit- In 2011 MINURSO continued to actively as- ical affairs unit and public information office. sist the UN High Commissioner for Refugees It currently monitors the cease-fire and sup- (UNHCR) in conducting confidence-building ports assistance programs for displaced and measures. The mission provides logistical separated Sahrawi families. The mission tracks support, including aircraft transportation and troop movements and military activity around police escorts, for a family visitation program the “berm,” an extensive system of sand walls that reunites refugees in Algeria with their constructed by Morocco as a buffer strip be- families in Western Sahara. Since the begin- tween the territory it administers and that con- ning of the program in 2004, over 14,000 trolled by POLISARIO. MINURSO receives Sahrawis have participated, with 27,000 in- complaints from both sides, reports on viola- dividuals currently registered on waiting tions, and acts as the means of contact between lists. Disagreements between Morocco and the Moroccan military and POLISARIO’s POLISARIO have led to periodic interrup- armed forces, as the two parties do not com- tions in the visitations, but both sides agreed municate with each other directly. The mis- in 2011 on plans to enhance the program. To sion also visits units on both sides to monitor support this, MINURSO participated in a their adherence to military agreements. In July technical assessment mission to examine a 2011, Major-General Abdul Hafiz of Ban- potential ground route to allow more families, gladesh was appointed head of MINURSO, re- some separated for over thirty years, to be placing Major-General Zhao Jingmin of China. transported by road. The mission also provides Both Morocco and POLISARIO maintain humanitarian medical support for UNHCR-led restrictions on MINURSO operations, includ- family visits. ing limitations on its access to military posi- MINURSO also plays a critical role in the tions and units. This has been detrimental to removal of landmines and other explosive rem- the mission’s ability to achieve its mandated nants of war (ERW), which have been prev- tasks, but the cease-fire has generally held. alent in the territory. In March 2011, the mis- MINURSO is the only UN peacekeeping sion reported that POLISARIO had destroyed mission established since 1978 without a 1,506 antipersonnel mines in its stockpiles, the human rights role in its mandate, and there fourth such operation carried out by the group 2011_CIC_3.qxd:Peacekeeping_FM_qxd.qxd 1/16/12 1:45 PM Page 125

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since 2005. MINURSO’s Mine Action Coor- against MINURSO, which it claimed were dination Centre conducts quality-control of due to its frustration with the UN’s lack of stockpile destruction, while a UN implement- progress in resolving the conflict. After the ing partner hires local Sahrawis to clear mission agreed to provide POLISARIO with mines east of the berm, with the Moroccan information on mission flights and ground military responsible for removing mines to patrols, the number of violations decreased. the west. The program has resulted in the de- Morocco committed four such violations, struction of many thousands of mines and preventing the mission from visiting facilities other explosive ordnance, but the death of a and military units in certain areas. Sahrawi mine clearer in June 2011 was only Since the 1999 voter list was published, the latest of over 500 mine- and ERW-related negotiations between Morocco and MIN- fatalities since the conflict began. URSO have not seen any progress on the core From April 2010 to March 2011, MIN- issues of the conflict, despite the considerable URSO performed 8,168 ground patrols and efforts of the UN Secretary-General to pro- 710 aerial patrols. During these patrols, the mote dialogue. Since 2003, a series of Per- mission observed and recorded 126 new vio- sonal Envoys to the Secretary-General have lations by the Moroccan military, a consider- presented proposals and organized meetings able increase from the previous reporting pe- between the sides. Ambassador Christopher riod, and 12 new violations by POLISARIO. Ross was named to this position in 2009 and Morocco argues that some acts reported by initiated the current series of informal discus- MINURSO as violations were in fact justified sions. Ross has sought to involve regional by security enhancements to combat terror- stakeholders Algeria and Mauritania in the ism and smuggling activities, though under discussions, and has reasserted Western Sa- the military agreement with MINURSO, any hara’s right to self-determination. Despite a such construction altering the military status crisis in November 2010 involving the dis- quo is prohibited. Both parties would like re- mantling of a Sahrawi camp by Moroccan au- visions to the agreement codifying these thorities and consequent rioting in Laayoune, rules, but for different reasons, and thus are talks remained on schedule through 2011, unlikely to agree to each other’s proposals. with four rounds of discussion occurring dur- MINURSO also received a number of al- ing the year. However, the talks have failed to legations by each party concerning violations generate meaningful progress to date. of the cease-fire agreement during the most Since the November 2010 violence, the recent reporting period. Morocco submitted general situation in the territory has remained twenty-one allegations and POLISARIO eight. tense, particularly between the Sahrawi popu- One POLISARIO allegation, concerning un- lation and Moroccan authorities. Several dem- authorized Moroccan defense infrastructure onstrations have occurred, with allegations of work, was confirmed, but none of the other repression and detention by Moroccan forces. allegations, from either side, could be con- In February 2011, there were incidents of vio- firmed. MINURSO lacks the technical capa- lence between groups of Moroccan and Sah- bility for ground-to-air surveillance, making rawi civilians in the city of Dakhla, leading to it difficult to confirm allegations of Moroc- Sahrawi demonstrations. MINURSO took en- can overflights. hanced security measures in all its locations The parties have still not addressed their in response to the deteriorating regional situ- long-standing infringement on MINURSO ation and increased tension in the territory. operations, and restrictions by both parties in- In January 2011, Morocco arrested twenty- creased significantly in the mission’s most re- seven people accused of operating an Al- cent reporting period. POLISARIO committed Qaida–connected terrorist cell in Western eighty-one freedom-of-movement violations Sahara. The government claimed this group 2011_CIC_3.qxd:Peacekeeping_FM_qxd.qxd 1/16/12 1:45 PM Page 126

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was planning suicide and car bomb attacks referenced the human rights situation in against Moroccan and foreign security forces, POLISARIO camps and supported registration as well as bank robberies. MINURSO could of refugees in Tindouf, a position Morocco has not corroborate these claims. In October, three supported. aid workers were kidnapped from a Sahrawi refugee camp near Tindouf—reportedly by Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, though the Conclusion organization did not claim responsibility. While informal talks are expected to continue Security Council discussions in April re- in 2012, a solution to the dispute over West- garding the renewal of MINURSO’s mandate ern Sahara does not seem likely in the near were contentious, with intense lobbying from future. The core issue of the right to self-de- both sides of the dispute. Criticisms were termination remains at odds with Morocco’s raised that the draft resolution had not taken a insistence that the territory cannot become in- stronger stance on human rights. On 27 April, dependent. While MINURSO maintains the MINURSO’s mandate was extended by one cease-fire with only isolated instances of vi- year, with the authorizing resolution taking olence, its ultimate role remains unclear. It a slightly stronger stance on human rights appears that the stalemate will persist while and, for the first time, specifically referencing the mission bides its time, unable to pursue the human rights situation in the Moroccan- its original goal of organizing a referendum. administered territory. The resolution also