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Western Sahara>Background
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
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:
Gamlebyen Grafiske Edition: 3,000 ISBN: 978-82-7411-181-8
Western sahara>Background Western sahara>Background
country. Its mandate was to implement the
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compromises, accepted the proposal, knowing The tea ritual is important in the Sahrawis’ culture and their daily lives.
well that they could lose a referendum under
these new conditions. However, it was rejected the International Court of Justice in The Hague Morocco refuses to accept a referendum which France, in 2007 pronounced the Moroccan had moved to the occupied territories. Both Increasing nationalism ”Many believe that
by Morocco. (1975) affirm that the Sahrawis have interna- would allow independence as one of the alter- plan to be a “serious and credible” proposal. international organizations and the press cov- the Moroccan annexation of Western Sahara
In 2004, Baker gave up and resigned as the UN tional law on their side. Notwithstanding this, natives. As a “new” proposed solution, it put While the search for a political solution ered the Sahrawi activists being subjected to is developing into an established fact,” says Ph.D.
Secretary- General’s Personal Envoy, believing they have never been allowed to exercise their forward a plan in 2007 which would entail the drags on, the refugees live under extreme cli- summary arrests, torture, house searches and candidate Jacob Mundy at the Institute of Arab
it to be impossible to find a solution acceptable right to self-determination. Instead, Morocco annexation of Western Sahara as an integrated mate conditions in the Algerian desert. Almost widespread surveillance by the Moroccan police.2 and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter, UK.
to both parties. The result of years of the UN’s can continue its occupation without any great part of Morocco, but with a degree of autonomy. all the food they eat bears the logo of an inter- The second wave of demonstrations and har- Mundy is about to publish a book on the
work – a list of qualified Sahrawi voters – is detriment to itself, despite this not being rec- The UN has not reacted to the fact that national aid organisation. Over the past years, assment began in the spring of 2005. Western Sahara conflict.
filed away in heavy steel boxes somewhere in ognised by a single country in the world. The Morocco is thereby flying in the face of the the aid has constantly dwindled and its supply In periods of 2005 and 2006, almost every “But what many overlook is that at the
Geneva. Sahrawis’ own state, on the other hand, the agreements it signed with Polisario in the 1990s has become more unpredictable. This total single leading human rights activist in Western same time, Sahrawi nationalism is increasing,”
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) has and of international law, which clearly affirms dependence makes the refugees extremely vul- Sahara was arrested. he states in an interview with the NRC.
Insistence on integration The Sahrawis have been recognised by over 80 countries since the Sahrawis’ right to self-determination. On nerable to failing and inadequate assistance. Today the ceasefire in Western Sahara con- Mundy points out that the 32 year-long margin-
been promised a referendum which will decide 19761. Unlike Morocco, SADR is also a member the other hand, two of the permanent members According to Polisario, which manages the tinues, but it is tenuous. The patience of the pop- alisation of the Sahrawis in the occupied terri-
their own future. Over 100 UN resolutions and of the African Union (AU). of the UN Security Council, the USA and camps, 165,000 Sahrawi refugees are living in ulation in the occupied territories has reached tory, and the isolation of the refugee popula-
Algeria. New generations have grown up with- breaking point, and Polisario threatens to take tion, have only strengthened their desire for
out ever having seen their homeland, and an up arms again if their right to choose independ- independence. He is of the view that the 1991
entire people are divided from one another by ence is not respected. agreement with Morocco now appears mean-
the Moroccan occupation, the wall and the The Moroccan occupation is a barrier to devel- ingless to many Sahrawis, and that there is a
Western sahara: Facts landmines. opment, stability and security in this region on limit to how long Polisario can continue to take
the threshold of Europe. Algeria, Morocco’s arch a moderate line without losing credibility with
■■ Official name: Sahrawi Arab Democratic ■■ Population:13 Area controlled by Morocco: ■■ Refugees: Approximately 160,000 are A barrier to development The first large enemy, is Polisario’s main supporter. The absence the Sahrawis. The credibility of the UN as a
Republic (SADR). Recognised by approx. approximately 400,000, of which refugees in camps in Algeria14, 26,000 in Sahrawi demonstrations within the occupied of cooperation and peace between Morocco and conflict negotiator stands and falls upon its
80 countries 250-300,000 Moroccan settlers and Mauritania. territories of Western Sahara took place in 1999, Algeria makes political and economic integration ability to find a solution before the outbreak
■■ Capital: El Aaiún (Laayoune) 100-150.000 Sahrawis. In addition there ■■ Religion: The population is Sunni Muslim, and represented a new turn in the Sahrawi in North Africa impossible, and prevents effective of renewed open conflict, Mundy believes. ■
■■ Geography: Area 260,000 km2. Bordered are some 160.000 Moroccan soldiers but the majority have a liberal religious resistance movement. anti-terrorist cooperation between the two coun-
by Morocco to the north, Mauritania to and police. outlook. Now it was no longer only Polisario and the tries. It is because of the occupation of Western
the south and Algeria to the northeast. ■■ Area controlled by Polisario: approxi- ■■ Natural resources: Large deposits of high refugees in Algeria who were the Sahrawis’ heroic Sahara that attempts to establish a Maghreb
■■ Climate: Very hot in June/July mately 30,000 nomads. quality phosphate, large fish stocks off the freedom fighters. The front line of the conflict Union have repeatedly foundered.
(+50-60°C), as low as 0°C in January. coast, possible deposits of oil and gas.
Morocco has a very good relationship with France and traditionally has had
down. This small but very symbolic act was to agreement. Since 2004 the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, Norwegian policy in the matter of Western Sahara has always
make him most unpopular in Moroccan circles. has been carrying out a programme for increased contact between been to «support the UN General Secretary’s efforts to achieve
“At the same time, some will perhaps say that Sahrawis in the refugee camps and those in the occupied territories. a political solution», and has lately added that “Norway sees it
“The matter is simple. The UN is clear that the ceasefire only postpones the problem, as The main part of the programme consists of charter flights which as important to refrain from actions that can be seen as a legit-
Western Sahara is a territory whose status is still it was, after all, only meant to be an interim shuttle between the two places. In this way Sahrawis from the imization of the situation in Western Sahara”20. When Norway
unclear. So it is unacceptable that a Moroccan solution while awaiting a permanent political refugee camps are given the opportunity to visit their relatives sat on the Security Council from 2001-2002 it played an active
flag should fly above the UN building. It goes solution.” in the occupied territories for a few days, and vice versa. part in defending the rights of Sahrawis. And since the end of
directly against our mandate. I don’t know how The programme has been very popular with the Sahrawis. Several the 1990s the Norwegian MFA has supported humanitarian aid
this can have continued for 16 years without On the other hand, MINURSO has no mandate thousand people have taken part in the visit programme – most projects in the refugee camps, as well as landmine clearance in
anyone having taken action”, he says. to intervene or to report on human rights vio- of them women – while still many more are on the waiting list the Polisario-controlled parts of Western Sahara.
lations in Western Sahara. For several years to take part. The programme is very costly and at times has But apart from this, Norway has taken few political initiatives
He says that the flag issue is one of many instanc- Polisario has been calling for MINURSO to have come close to being terminated due to lack of funds. to work for a solution to the conflict. Norwegian support to the
es of the UN saying one thing in New York, the right and the duty to protect the civilian UN is unreserved and unchanged, despite the UN’s inability to
but often playing a different role in practice. population against such violations. Norwegian put pressure on Morocco to respect international law.
Ex- MINURSO force commander Foreign Affairs Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has
Kurt Mosgaard.
international business
The risk of arrest and
torture is imminent.
population and must be in accordance with their tive practice are needed for the country to
economic interests. To trade or engage with comply with its international obligations.
Morocco’s illegal exploration and exploitation
of Western Saharan resources can be considered Refugees The humanitarian situation of the
a violation of international law and a contri- refugees in particular is becoming more and
bution to consolidate the illegal occupation. more precarious. The ICESCR has special
(The duty of non-recognition dealt with below, arrangements allowing developing countries to
is particularly relevant in this connection). prioritise their own citizens to a certain degree,
This was made clear in the advisory opinion but the 1951 Refugee Convention contains some
from the UN Legal Advisor47 and was also a minimum social and economic standards for
strong factor in a recommendation from the refugees. Algeria, as an asylum country, must
Norwegian Petroleum Fund’s ethical council meet its obligations according to the basic human
to withdraw investments in Kerr-McGee.48 rights conventions and the 1951 Refugee Con-
International Humanitarian Law / Laws of War vention, to which it is a party. Member states
also has similar rules: The occupying power can of human rights conventions are under an
only use property to the extent that it is neces- obligation to respect and promote the rights
sary for the administration of the occupied of all people within their territory, including
territory and to cover the needs of the soldiers; refugees and asylum seekers. Algeria, however,
never to cover the occupying state’s own needs is of the view that they have no responsibility
or to improve own economy (which must be for the refugees, due to the fact that they are
held separate from the economy of the occupied organised by a government in exile, SADR, led
A small number of Sahrawi nomads still live in the Polisario controlled areas of Western Sahara. territory.)49 by Polisario. Algeria’s stance has no support Camel and goat herding forms the basis of the livelihood of the Sahrawi nomads.
www.NRC.no
20 NRC REPORTS Western Sahara