The preface informs us that the book produces, through a relation and a strict analysis of historical facts and genuine documents, proof certifying the sovereignty of Morocco over the Southern provinces, by revealing fallacious claims and fallacious information of the enemies of the Kingdom’s territorial unity.
«The information brought in this study was scooped out from official documents", points out the author, adding that " these written sources were enriched by visits on the ground to observe the way of life of Sahrawi tribes… and make sure of the genuineness of information mentioned in foreign writings ".
In this respect, the researcher asserts having stopped on " very interesting Maghzen archives, contained in the Hassania library in Rabat, while mentioning the refusal of the Spanish representatives to provide historical documents kept in their ministry of Foreign Affairs. This encouraged him to move to France to make research, mainly at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic Archives of the city of Nantes, knowing that at the end of the 19th century, the Moroccan coastal region was targeted by French desires.
As for the choice of the 1860-1934 period, the author notices that it was dictated to him " due to the importance of events which marked this period ", the first date being that where Makhzen, following the defeat of its army at the war of Tétouan, authorized the Spanish to settle on plots of his Sahara, while the year 1934 marked the date of a truce in the resistance of Sahrawi tribes, which lacked ammunitions facing French and Spanish colonization.
The geographical situation of the region and the way of life of Sahrawi tribes are first of the five parts of the study, which also treat natural potentialities of this region. This first chapter is meant to be an introduction to understand the mentality of the inhabitants of the region and their reaction facing events of 1860.
The second party focus on the expansionist plans of the Spanish in the region from the end of the 17th century until 1860, shedding light on the refusal of Sultans of any idea implicating the abandon of a parcel of the coastal region of the South.
It also analyses the position of Makhzen as for the English occupation of Tarfaya and its consequences on bilateral relations.
The third party relates to the first Spanish attempts to occupy the coasts of the region of Wadi Eddahab between 1884 and 1900 as well as the motives having pushed Spain to take this option.
As for the fourth party, it is dedicated to negotiations between France and Spain and to agreements signed between 1900 and 1912, to delimit and specify their spheres of infuence on the coastal region of Moroccan Sahara, highlighting the position of Moroccan authorities towards these agreements which threatened Morocco’s sovereignty.
It also treats relations of Makhzen with the components of its people in Sahara, as illustrated by great receptions, which took place in Fez and Marrakesh, for Sahrawi tribes led by Sheikh Ma Al-Ainaïn, who came either to renew loyalty, or to ask the Sultan to provide them weapon to fight against colonization in the Moroccan Sahara.
Source: MAP
News and events on Western Sahara issue/ Corcas