western sahara ,sahara occidental issue
Post on 24-Jun-2015
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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…
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