“What Aboubakar Al Jamaï and Ali Anouzla don’t want to see”
translation of the Spanish original text: "Es la fuerza de la razón, señores"
by Haddamin Moulud Said
In an article [English translation in Jadalyya] that I recommend everyone should read, the two outstanding Moroccan journalists make up a theory, which is simply indefensible :
According to them, “when back in 1999 the Saharawi young people started to protest, they didn’t do it with the SADR flags nor they were raising independence demands”.
According to them, “the democratization of Morocco would result in the Saharawi young people who were born after the “Green March” and raised at the Moroccan schools, becoming real participants on the achievement of autonomy inside Morocco”.
Eventually, they end saying that “the democratization of the Moroccan institutions will provide an opportunity to pull out from the world an international recognition to the Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara and it will shield its territorial integrity”.
This way, they pretend that it is only socio-economic and cultural reasons that drive the Saharawi people to the streets carrying flags of the SADR.
Either they want it or not, though I would affirm they do, the two journalists miss out the true reasons and facts which justify why the young and not so young Sahrawi get on the streets to protest carrying the ‘Zreiga’ (popular name Saharawi flag).
They don’t only carry the flags when they get out on the streets, but they display that feeling since the moment they were born as they were fed the indomitable spirit of struggle for the freedom and independence of Western Sahara. When they grow up enough, they find the unquestionable facts of The Hague International Court in favor of self-determination. With only the overview of any world map hanging on the web site of any other country, they realize that Western Sahara is not Moroccan. With searching in any library, they will find out that Morocco is refusing today the holding of the referendum he accepted yesterday. They will even read things like this:
The solemn and public positions of the Moroccan Kingdom regarding Western Sahara:
1).- Day Ould Sidi Baba, Moroccan delegate to the committee of 24, (Addis Abeba, June 7th, 1966) :
“I ask for the independence of Western Sahara as soon as possible and this should be an authentic independence, hence we can get over the actual impasse. Once owners of their destiny, the inhabitants of the region could accomplish with total freedom their duties as dignified and conscious citizens and will act in favor of a policy that is adaptable to the national objectives of their people”.
2).- Mohamed Charkhawi, Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs. Speech at the 21st Session of the UN General Assembly, October 13th, 1966:
“Morocco supports a real independence for Western Sahara, putting the future of the region in the hands of its sons which in the context of liberty will decide freely on their self-determination. I therefore, call for the organization of a process of self-determination according to the following stages: Spanish military forces withdrawal from the territory and deployment of UN forces (…) withdrawal of the Spanish administration and return of the Saharawi refugees abroad. These are conditions that the UN could be responsible of, with the support of the Moroccan and Spanish authorities”.
3) King Hassan II himself explained during a press conference on 30 July 1970 that:
“Instead of going to the tribunals claiming the whole Western Sahara territory, we have claimed the holding of a popular consult which will take place as long as the first result would be the departure of non Africans and which will give the people of Western Sahara the option to chose between living under the Moroccan aegis, under their own aegis or under any other aegis”. Conférence de presse du Roi Hassan II, le 30 juillet 1970, in Annuaire de l’Afrique du Nord, 1970, CNRS, Paris, 1971, p. 807.
4).- Mr. Butaleb, Moroccan representative to the 25th Session of the General Assembly (October 12th, 1970).
“Morocco and neighboring countries, concerned about peace in the area, the development and cooperation among them, have decided to implement and facilitate the application of the self-determination of the territory of Western Sahara in collaboration with the international organization and the administering power.”
5).- M. Benhima at the 28th Session of the UN General Assembly (October 3rd, 1973) announced on of behalf the Moroccan government:
“It is known that my country proclaims solemnly and in front of other international authorities to be in favor of the self-determination of the people in this territory aimed at the decolonization of Western Sahara.”
6) The heads of state of Algeria, Mauritania and Morocco proclaimed in Nouadhibou and in Agadir their:
“Firm commitment with the principle of the free determination and its will to provide for this principle to be carried out within the framework that will garantee the open and genuine expression of the inhabitants of Western Sahara, in conformity with the Decissions of the United Nations over this topic”. Communiqués conjoints tripartites du 14 septembre 1970 à Nouadhibou (Mauritanie) et du 24 Juillet 1973 à Agadir (Maroc)
7) Morocco had, during the meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) held in Rabat, worked actively for the adoption of the Resolution of the Council of Ministers nº15, CM-RES 272, 1972, Spain, as the administrative power of Western Sahara, it is requested to
“Provide a free and democratic environment where the people of this country might exercise their right to free determination and Independence without any delay and according to the United nations Charter”.
8) King Hassan II of Morocco in a speech before the 37th sesión of the UN Assembly General, 27/09/1983, declared:
"Morocco announces that he wants a referendum. Morocco announces that he is ready to carry out the referendum tomorrow, if that is possible, Morocco is ready to provide the whole conditions for all observers to have a ceasefire so that a just, fair and legal consult is carried out. Finally, Morocco commits itself solemnly to be and be bound by the results of the consult".
But it’s not only so. Morocco also has a serious problem, not with the Saharawi people, but with international community as a whole. Morocco is the only country that celebrates what international community deplores. Something really serious must happen to a nation when that nation is driven by its governors to celebrate what the rest of nations of the world consider as deplorable.
Year after year, the Moroccan Majzen makes its people celebrate the “Green March”. However, the “Green March” is a deplorable act, not only for the Saharawi people, but also for international community. It is difficult for me to believe that, at this point, Mr. Abubakar Al Jamaï and Mr. Ali Anouzla haven’t read yet the Security Council Resolution 380 (1975) where it clearly stipulates that the Counsel:
1.- Deplores the execution of the “Green March”;Resolutions of these kind are the ones, Mr. Al Jamaï and Mr. Anouzla, that deepen the conviction of the Sahrawi people of today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow to maintain their struggle for a Free Western Sahara…do you get it now?
2.- Requests Morocco to immediately withdraw from the territory of Western Sahara all the participants in the march;
During the Moroccan religious or national festivities, the Kingdom normally receives congratulations from many states. However, during what the Makhzen calls the “Green March Holiday”, Morocco never receives any congratulation message. It must be very sad that, when you announce your birthday, even on your Facebook, no one remembers to congratulate you.
No matter how much Morocco invests in Western Sahara and no matter how democratic the Moroccan institutions become, Morocco will never manage to get out of its international isolation regarding the Western Sahara issue. To stop being a pariah state, Morocco only has possible way; to adjust its behavior to what international Community demands, which is recognizing the Saharawi people’s right for self-determination and independence. To spread these ideals, Moroccan intellectuals should take the lead instead of echoing the Makhzen stereotypes. Anyway, if they advocate open and publicly for the independence of Western Sahara, Mr. Al Jamaï and Mr. Anouzla will only be reiterating the honorable positions that their grandfathers Mohamed Charkhawi, Mr. Butaleb, and M. Benhima once publicly assumed.
PS. To read the article (French) of Al Jamaï and Anouzla: http://www.lakome.com or
English translation in Jadaliyya
More about Dey Ould Sidi Baba, read the brilliant article of de Jatri Beiruk (Spanish): http://saharaopinions.blogspot.com.es/2009/10/la-historia-se-repite.html
Haddamin Moulud Said. Valencia, Spain, 12 of May 2013.
ibnuabirabiaa[at]yahoo.es
-------------- Este texto expresa la opinion del autor y no de los moderadores del foro.