Screenshot of a video of Al Arabiya demonstrations in Morocco.
for more than 40 years, the tense relationship between the kingdom of Morocco and the people of Western Sahara has been a latent conflict over the government of the region. Earlier this month, tensions resurfaced when the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon flew to southern Algeria where he visited refugee camps populated by Sahrawis indigenous.
On Sunday March 13, tens of thousands of Moroccans took to the streets in a particular sample of outrage, complaining of comments by Ban Ki-Moon on the disputed territory. The Moroccan government accuses Ban of violating the neutrality of the United Nations describing the Western Sahara as a territory ‘under occupation’. A spokesman for the Foreign Minister of Morocco told reporters that the UN official had ‘attacked’ the ‘feeling’ national.
Morocco claims that the Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, is its territory . On the other hand, the Sahrawi Polisario Front led by indigenous demanding independence for what they call Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Both fought a bloody turf war from 1975 to 1991, when the UN managed to negotiate a ceasefire.
As a result of the conflict, thousands of Sahrawis were deported and live to date in camps refugees in Tindouf, near Algeria. 165,000 Sahrawis live in camps, according to UNHCR. Opportunities to fend for themselves are rare and depend largely on humanitarian aid.
The people of Western Sahara, a population of 570,866, they want a referendum to determine their independence as was promised in the ceasefire, but Morocco rejected the idea
Morocco believes that the integrity of their country is at stake.; Western Sahara independence believes is rightfully his. As expected, the passions surrounding the issue are incensed.
‘not renounce or molehills’
Annoyed with Secretary General of the UN, a prominent member the Moroccan parliament, Idriss Lashkar urged people to attend demonstrations across the country.
Several political leaders supported the marches that began in Bab Chala, in the center of Rabat, encouraging young people to that they borrowed. In the teeming streets, the protesters termed the protests’ Milyoneya’-an Arabic term for a demonstration of millions of people. Moroccans chanted slogans and carried banners to promote the fervent national environment. The leaders also strongly criticized Ban Ki-Moon, vindicating the unity of the people and the Moroccan sovereignty.
In social networks, some Moroccans turned their frustration towards Algeria, which supports the Polisario Front and the rest of the world for what they perceive to side with the Western Sahara.
in a Facebook post, Hajar Maky posted a photograph of a group of Moroccan with the country’s flag on the back. He stressed the importance of unity:
“نحن لسنا أفضل شعوب العالم من ناحية التسامح و احترام و تقبل الآخر. نحن أصلا لا نملك مواقف نحو قضايا شعوب العالم و لا نعلم عنها الكثير إن لم نستثني القضية الفلسطينية .. كذلك أغلب شعوب العالم لا تعلم شئ عن قضيتنا. و تأخد مواقف نتيجة جهلها بالواقع. والشقيقة الجزائر حفظ الله شعبها من كل شر مهمتها الديبلوماسية الاولى توفير الامكانيات اللوجيستكية بشكل مستمر لقيادات البوليساريو لنشر اكذوبتهم التاريخية …
لا تنتظروا من شعوب العالم ان تبرمج في مقررات مادة التاريخ لتلامذتها تاريخ تحرير المغاربة لارضهم من يد المستعمر الاسباني
.
we are not the best nation in the world with respect to tolerance, respect and acceptance of others, etc. Not even have opinions made of problems that occur in many states, we do not know much about them, except Palestine. Similarly, most states are not aware of our situation, and say about the subject based on his ignorance of the facts and reality. Our neighboring country, Algeria God to protect his people from all evil attempts to maintain its diplomatic behavior by offering logistical material to leaders of the Polisario Front, the Saharawi armed movement to promote a historical lie.
Azhar tweeted:
like it or not, it pleases or not to Algeria and its allies, the Sahara is Moroccan …
Saad lmjarrad, famous Arab singer posted a picture on his Facebook page saying “the Sahara is Moroccan ‘and supported the demonstrations commenting:
المغرب في صحراءه و الصحراء في مغربها, قسما بالله ايمانا و احتسابا, لن نتنازل عن ذرة رمل من ارض وطننا.
نسأل الله العظيم ان يحفظ بلادنا من الفتن, وأن يعم الأمن والسكينة ربوع وطننا العزيز من طنجة الى الكويرة.
Morocco exists in its desert and the desert in Morocco. We swear by God not renounce or molehills of our land. We pray the Lord to keep our country of disputes and granting security and peace to our beloved country, from Tangier to Queira
Fatma Ezzahraa enable Moroccan Twitter user, published tweets and photos solidarity with the demonstrations:
Oh, my city. Oh, people of my land. Demonstrations in Rabat. Moroccan and proud of it.
The Saharawi resist
It was reported that Ban Ki-Moon was angry demonstrations. For its part, Morocco announced that it would cut aid to the mission of peacekeeping UN in Western Sahara.
However, the visit of Secretary General of the UN refugee camp seems to have imbued with some hope in the Sahrawi struggle for sovereignty.
in a reaction to the demonstrations in Morocco, several Sahrawis expressed outrage against what they called ‘Moroccan occupation’. Malainin Lakhal tweeted:
Morocco is a colonial power. Recall the Moroccan government and the world that Morocco is a power of military occupation in Western Sahara.
Lakhal is a human rights activist who claims to have been forced to forced in Moroccan prisons disappearances. He considers himself as a fighter for the independence of Western Sahara.
Abdullah Saleh posted a picture on Twitter showing a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain. The group hoisted flags of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, calling for the release of Western Sahara.
The international solidarity campaign for the Saharawi political prisoners outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain
the former diplomat Polisario Emhammad Alghazi, encouraged the people of Western Sahara to unite against the Moroccans in the following words:
Mille Neumann published a photograph with activists Afrika Kontakt, a solidarity movement with Danish headquarters cooperating with African movements, expressing support for the people of Western Sahara and calling for a referendum on secession:
@Afrikakontakt Supports Referendum now. Liberate Western Sahara.
Ghaly Ahmed personalized describing his land occupation as a person suffering. I said so:
When you were rid of your prolonged pain? Oh, my land. Peace be with you.
Meanwhile, the Sahrawis were planning a peaceful demonstration on March 19 requesting the release of political prisoners in the jails of Morocco.
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