The grandson of Mohammed V, the hero of the Moroccan liberation, addressed the historic news of the creation of the Royal Advisory Council for Sahara Affairs, which will give new dynamism and contribute along with public authorities and elected institutions to the defence of Moroccan Sahara, and express the legitimate aspirations of its citizens. The Moroccan monarch is devoted to enable the Council credibility and effectiveness. He personally attended its creation through democratic ballot, in which tribal dignitaries and elected people known for their sincere patriotism took part.
After the founding of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs, the Moroccan king urged the council’s chairman Khalihenna Ould Errachid, former Minister for Saharan Affairs, to carry out serious and deep reflection relating to the autonomy project under Moroccan sovereignty. The Council has started working to achieve the king’s hope to find a consensual solution to this long artificial conflict.
Ould Errachid’s first media appearance after the founding of the Council was broadcast by the Moroccan television at «Hiwar» programme, open to the Moroccan and international public, Ould Errachid invited to open wide the dialogue door to all parties who believe in democracy and consultation. He strictly ruled out any personal fanatic view. The council’s chairman surprised the public by his unprecedented political courage. He described Algeria, which has long been accused by some Moroccan papers to support Polisario against Morocco, describing as «friendly and brotherly country», « wise and mature».
He also announced, always through the monthly programme prepared by journalist Mustafa Alaoui, that one hundred and forty members who compose the Sahrawi Council are willing to end the conflict, adding that the country’s unity under political openness and effective and full participation in the management of public affairs, will remain real choice and the only recourse to all Saharans regardless of their origins, positions, attitudes and tendencies, in order to affirm to the world, adds Ould Errachid, that those who support separation and segregation are isolated and represent only themselves. Khlihenna Ould Errachid had stressed in a speech delivered at the Council’s opening meeting, that what should America, France and Spain support is « to work on means to facilitate the return of brothers detained in the Tindouf camps to enjoy the warmth of their homeland, in a civilized way of communication and persuasion, in order to demonstrate facts, and highlight the new Moroccan reality thanks to the open policy conducted by King Mohammed VI ».
Tindouf population rights
When Morocco was seeking a political compromise on the Sahara issue, the American civil society denounced the Polisario’s conduct towards Moroccan prisoners detained in «Tindouf» camps. The American Committee for Refugees and Migrants, which was created in 1911, and which deals with the protection of refugees and migrants and defends freedoms, called Algeria last March, immediately after the historic speech by the Moroccan monarch, to close Tindouf camps, which had been devastated by floods and exacerbated the sufferings of refugees who were regrouped in camps by Polisario.
In addition, the American Independent Commission said following a study entitled: investigation on refugees around the world during 2006 / risks and rights and on the basis of Amnesty International, that the of Tindouf camps population do not enjoy freedom of movement, pointing out that those who try to leave the camp without permission are arrested by forces by the Algerian army which delivers them to Polisario.
Spain supports autonomy
After the departure of Jose Maria Aznar, former president of the Spanish Government and the arrival of his successor José Rodríguez Zapatero, President of the current government, which will sit alongside with the Moroccan King Mohammed VI, in the courtyard of the historic Hassan silo in the capital Rabat. Zapatero participated in the Kingdom’s celebrations the fiftieth anniversary of independence from the French and Spanish colonialism. This was a clear message bridging the gap of understanding between the two countries, following the problem over «Leila rock» for which Spain had mobilized its military forces and detained two Moroccan guards. They were released afterwards following a diplomatic effort led by the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Benaissa.
A few days later, Europa Press Agency quoted the spokesman of the Spanish Socialist Party, from within the Foreign Affairs Committee (the lower chamber of Parliament, Rafael Estrella, as saying that it is important that Morocco has made a new step after three decades that have not led to anything.
The Spanish official called for patience until the Moroccan proposal is submitted to the United Nations next April; few days before Security Council decision to extend the MINURSO mission. At the same context, « Al-Razon» Spanish paper revealed that Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero expressed to a known Spanish personality his support to «Sahrawi people»: « international pressure forces us to support autonomy solution to the Moroccan Sahara».
Autonomy, Okad covered an international conference in the «Settat» based the Hassan I University under the theme: «which autonomy for our southern provinces». A number of Moroccan and international personalities took part in this event, including Spain, and addressed the topic of self-government in its various aspects.
Some professors participating in the symposium cited models of self-government in some European countries, including France, Spain and Germany. The Moroccan proposed model for the Sahara, was tackled by Dr. Ben Younes Marzouki, Professor of Public Law.
The State needs to find appropriate solutions to multiple and varied situations. For his part, Dr. Hussein Abouch, Professor of Public Law at Kadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, considers self-determination or self-government among the political principles that were strengthened as a fundamental right in international law through the Charter of the United Nations, the recommendations of the General Assembly or the ICJ advisory opinions.
Dr Khalid Alordege, who did not have the opportunity to participate in the symposium, sees that the concept of self-governance has been associated with multi-related aspects of the lives of communities and its ethnic, linguistic, and religious extensions. Perhaps this why it has no unified and comprehensive definition, adding to it a problematic character related to its historic roles and connotations, often gathering political and legal dimensions.
Dr. Al Wardighi concluded that the autonomy initiative is almost unanimous internationally, as was confirmed by the former Assistant; Eric Johnson, in a global symposium organized by «Las Palmas» Government over the that three American global powers: US, France and Spain, all show support to the support of a political solution to the artificial Moroccan Sahara conflict.
News and events relating to Western Sahara issue / Corcas