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NRC REPORTSWestern Sahara A thematic report from the Norwegian Refugee Council, issue 2/2008 OCCuPiEd couNTRy, displaced peoplE ›› 2 Western SahaRa>BaCkgrouNd OCCuPiEd COuNTRy, diSPlaCEd PEOPlE Western Sahara – africa’s last colony More than 80 former colonies have ent on international aid. However, What use is it to have right on your gained independence since the UN this aid has constantly diminished side if you do not get justice? While the Sahrawis wait for their rights to be respected, the international com- was founded, a process which has over the past few years and is very affected more than one billion people, unpredictable. Malnutrition and Western Sahara is clearly neglected munity has chosen to look the other way. The Sahrawis have learned through and in which the UN itself has played anaemia are widespread and the edu- by the international community. a crucial and driving role. cation sector is disintegrating. For Humanitarian assistance is decreas- bitter experience that without the help of powerful friends, it is of little use to the government in exile the struggle ing year by year, there is little media have justice on your side. Richard Skretteberg For most of us the decolonisation of is twofold: they have to meet the ref- attention, and minimal will on the Editor Africa belongs to the history books, ugees’ immediate needs at the same part of the international community and is viewed as one of the UN’s time as carrying out nation-building to find a solution along the lines that Ever since Morocco invaded this thinly popu- had enough of repression and discrimination. tive strip of desert, is under Polisario control. greatest successes. And yet the original in exile. The refugees fear that the UN has outlined. These things are lated desert country in 1975, in defiance of UN There is now an increased danger of renewed The partition of the country is the result of population of Western Sahara has not dependence on aid from a politically all connected. Media, donor coun- resolutions, the international community has conflict. a 16 year war which broke out after Moroccan yet been allowed to exercise its dem- divided EU and an under-financed tries and development aid organi- been unable to push through a solution to the invasion. Morocco built up its military defences ocratic right to decide its own future. UN may be used to force the Sah- zations lose interest when a refugee conflict. A new round of UN-led talks began Morocco rejects uN soluTiON Western in order to cut off Polisario’s guerrilla forces. Western Sahara is therefore still seen rawis to abandon their struggle for situation has been long-lasting – and in 2007 between Morocco and Polisario, the Sahara is a divided country. Those living in the The liberation movement, based in refugee camps by the UN as a colony, and the an independent Western Sahara. the reason for its duration is most liberation movement of Western Sahara, and refugee camps are cut off from contact with their in Algeria, continued its armed resistance until subjugation of its people under the often a conscious policy on the part further talks are planned in 2008. But there is relatives in the occupied territory. Morocco has the UN succeeded in brokering a ceasefire present occupying power of Morocco The UN has defined Western Sahara of the actors who wield power. little room for optimism in terms of finding a built a 2,200 kilometre-long wall that divides between the two sides in 1991. Agreement was is much harsher than it was under the as a decolonisation question and in solution that both parties can accept. the country in two. It is almost impossible to reached on a detailed plan, which also gave draft old Spanish colonists up until 1975. 1975 the International Court of Jus- The UN Security Council, The UN It is urgent for the Sahrawis that the conflict get over the wall, which is flanked by one of timelines for Morocco’s withdrawal from tice in The Hague rejected Morocco’s General Assembly and thereby all the is resolved. For over three decades the majority the world’s largest minefields. The area west of Western Sahara and for the return of refugees. For over 30 years more than half of alleged “historical claim” on Western world’s states have expressed their of the Sahrawi population has lived in refugee the wall, with its great natural resources and In September 1991 the UN Security Council the Sahrawis, the original population Sahara. The African Union has rec- support in principle for the Sahrawis’ camps on an open, wind-swept Algerian desert well-stocked fishing waters, is controlled by deployed the MINURSO force (”UN Mission of Western Sahara, have lived in four ognised Western Sahara and accept- right to determine their own future, plain, while the Sahrawis under occupation have Morocco. The eastern side, a mostly unproduc- for the Referendum in Western Sahara) to the ›› isolated refugee camps in Algeria. ed it as a member country, having but they need to follow up this sup- Their homeland is divided along a defined the question of Western port in practice. It must increase its Moroccan-built wall, and electronic Sahara as the right to self-determina- humanitarian assistance and actively Dakhla refugee camp, Algeria. surveillance, land mines and soldiers tion. In the times in which we live it engage to have Western Sahara will put a stop whatever the wall itself is more important than ever to placed higher up on the internation- fails to. Families have been separated defend the principles of internation- al, political and humanitarian agen- for decades, and new generations al law. The tracks of the UN are clear, da. Morocco should be put under grow up in the camps without ever but at the same time it is power that far greater pressure. The occupying having seen their homeland. In the prevails. What use is it to have the country is without doubt dragging occupied territories there are now support of the UN and the AU when its feet in the hope that the refugee more Moroccans than Sahrawis. powerful countries such as France, communities will simply break up the US and Spain are either indiffer- and disperse. Not unlike the Govern- But despite great efforts by the ref- ent or actively oppose the Sahrawis ment of Bhutan (see NRC Report ugees to establish structures and to legitimate rights? For decades the Issue 1/2008), they rely on the notion engage in a certain degree of marine refugees of Western Sahara have that injustice pays dividends, just so salvage, they are completely depend- been asking themselves this question: long as you have powerful friends. Contents Editorial: Occupied country, The changing face of the UN’s tracks fade into The Sahrawis’ right to displaced people 2 refugee camps 6 the sand 12 self-determination 16 BaCkgROuNd: Western Sahara – ThE REfugEES: Fish, phosphates and RecommendaTiONS Of Africa’s last colony 3 Isolated in the desert 9 international business 14 ThE NORWEgiaN REfugEE COuNCil 18 The Sahrawis: historical POliTiCS: The game huMaN Rights: Imprisoned origins of a people 6 of the great powers 10 for their views 14 EDitor: Richard Skretteberg EDitoriaL TEAM: Ronny Hansen, Vikram Odedra Kollmanskog, Contributors: Per Kristian Cappelen Nielsen, Eli Wærum Rognerud, Eirik Hjort Kirkerud TransLation: Jane Thompson ADDRESS: Norwegian Refugee Council, P.O.box 6758, St. Olavs plass, 0130 Oslo, Norway DESIGN & LaYOUT: Cox Oslo Front page: The Sahrawis are very proud of the cultural uniqueness and their history. From a parade in the refugee camp Smara in Algeria. Photo: Norwegian Refugee Council/Ronny Hansen Back page: The 2200 kilometres long Moroccan military wall through Western Sahara keeps the population in the occupied areas in and shuts the refugees out. Moroccan army camp in the centre of the picture. Photo: Jean Lamore PRINTING: Photo: Berserk Productions Gamlebyen Grafiske Edition: 3,000 ISBN: 978-82-7411-181-8 Western SahaRa>BaCkgrouNd Western SahaRa>BaCkgrouNd country. Its mandate was to implement the Photo: Eirik Hjort Kirkerud Illustration: Eirik Hjort Kirkerud settlement plan in cooperation with the parties. o o o o o The first steps were to identify qualified voters WESTERN SAHARA so as to later organise a referendum in early o o 4IZNIT MOROCCO 1992, when the Sahrawis were to choose between 3IDI)FNI ,ANZAROTE integration into Morocco and full independence. #ANARY)SLANDS A R I ,A0ALMA 3PAIN E This is where the problems started. Instead G 4ENERIFE &UERTEVENTURA 4AN4AN a L 3ANTA#RUZ Oued Drâ of taking just a few weeks, the UN operation DE4ENERIFE A o ,AS0ALMAS :AG 'OMERA 4ARFAYA 4INDOUF %L!AIUN would take all of eight years to identify the (IERRO Subkhat Tah 'RAN#ANARIA !S 3AKN !USSERD -AHBES 2ABOUNI *DIRIYA 3MARA qualified voters. The process was continuously !L'AgDA El Aaiun (AUZA &ARCIYA ATLANTIC OCEAN amra Oue l H $AKHLA hampered by Morocco, which made use of the d A‘s Saquia A 3MARA t t delay to move increasing numbers of Moroccan a h !MGALA Bir Lehlou K "OUKRA l 4IFARITI "OUJDOUR A -EHARIS o d o settlers into Western Sahara, contrary to inter- !RIDAL e u national law. When MINURSO finally complet- O MAURITANIA ed the registration process in 2000, Morocco "IR-OGHREIN 'UELTA:EMMOUR :BAYRA refused to accept the eventual list of qualified #HALWA Sebkhet Oumm ed Drous Telli voters. Subkhat /UM$REGA Aghzoumal o 4AGARZIMAT o Not even the appointment of the former US "IR!NZARANE $AKHLA "AGGARI !ARGUB Subkhat -IJEK Secretary of State James Baker as the UN Sec- Tanwakka )MLILY retary- General’s Personal Envoy to Western LEGEND Subkhat Subkhat Doumas Sebkhet 4OWN VILLAGE Tidsit Ijill :OUERATE Sahara helped expedite the process.