the last colony in Africa 34 years of life in refugee camps everyday human rights violation no right to self determination

…and the world chooses to be silent

Western Sahara

1884: Colonised by Spain

1973: Polisario established

1975: Morocco and Mauritania – Green March

1979: Mauritania withdraws

Morocco occupies 2/3rd of W.S.

1976-1991: Polisario v/s Morocco

1980- 1987: 1000 mile long wall by Moroccans

1991: MINURSO – Referendum

Ceasefire – referendum?

2001: Baker Plan

2007 – 2008: First ‘direct talks’ in 7 years

2009 : … still no right to self - determination

• Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).• Recognised by approx. 80 countries.• El Aaiun (Laayoune)

Population4,00,000

2,50,000 – 3,00,000 1,00,000 – 1,50,000moroccan settlers saharawis

+ 1,60,000 moroccan soldiers

Displaced Saharawis

• Polisario controlled Western Sahara : 30,000

• Algerian refugee camps : 1,60,000

• Mauritania : 26,000

Why Western Sahara?

“Historical claims of sovereignty over the territory based on competing traditional claims, argued that the

territory was artificially separated by the European colonial powers.’’

Phosphate Over 10% Moroccan exports come from Western Sahara.

RESOLUTION 1803: "PERMANENT SOVEREIGNTY OVER NATURAL RESOURCES"Adopted by General Assembly resolution 1803 (XVII) of 14 December 1962

“The exploration, development and disposition of such resources, as well as the import of the foreign capital required for these purposes, should be in conformity with the rules and conditions which the peoples and nations freely consider to be necessary or desirable with regard to the authorization, restriction or prohibition of such activities.’’

“Violation of the rights of peoples and nations to sovereignty over their natural wealth and resources is contrary to the spirit and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and hinders the development of international co-operation and the maintenance of peace.”

Western Sahara Bu Craa mines -1,700,000 tons extracted/year.

High quality phosphate – 75 to 80% anhydrous phosphate

107 km – long conveyor belt, the longest in the

world, used to transport the extracted phosphate

to the Saharan coast

At the Laayoune coast

Transported and marketed as Moroccan Office of Cherifiana Phosphate.

Main importers:European UnionAnd even India – Tata chemicals.

Phosphate production in Western Sahara

Yearly export 1.2 billion USD!

World’s phosphate prices

Morocco is now…

• The fifth largest exporter of phosphate and phosphoric acid.

• 3rd largest producer in the world.• Largest exporter of phosphoric acid.

Fish stockWestern Sahara accounts for more than half of Morocco’s fish exports.

Possible deposits of natural gas and oil.Exploration is still on…

Omega 3 from Western Sahara

That’s not all…

Yet the UN has ‘no mandate to intervene’…

but just to condemn!!!

Students• No saharawi universities.• Curriculum – Moroccan version.• Not allowed to voice the Saharawi

identity.• No right to protest.• Frequent raids in houses.• Discrimination in classes.• Missing.

The refugee life

• Many fled their country in 1975.• 1,65,000 live in the desert across the

border to Algeria.• Dependent entirely on foreign

humanitarian aid.

and yet the world chooses to be silent…