Autonomous region proposal for W. Sahara
"Neighboring Algeria helped create and then lent armed support to the Polisario Front, a guerrilla group that resisted Moroccan rule [in the Western Sahara].
. . . For many years there was fierce fighting, from which tens of thousands of families fled, and eventually came under the care of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Though the violence concluded with a United Nations-brokered cease-fire in 1991, the Western Sahara’s inhabitants remain caught in the unresolved conflict.
. . . After a year-long national discussion, Morocco is to propose, at the United Nations in April, a plan to establish the Western Sahara as an autonomous region under Moroccan sovereignty. Autonomy would provide effective self-determination for the Sahrawis, allowing for local decision-making and control over economic, social, linguistic and cultural issues. Successful autonomy regions like this exist elsewhere. The Trentino-Alto Adige region in Italy and the autonomous region of Madeira in Portugal are examples, as are Catalonia and the Basque Provinces in Spain. The creation of these quasi-states has unlocked longstanding disputes once thought resolvable only by force."
Op-ed by Frederick Vreeland, former U.S. ambassador to Morocco
sources
[1] Vreeland, Frederick. (The New York Times). Will Freedom Bloom in the Desert? March 3, 2007.
posted: sunday, march 4, 2007, 8:34 PM ET
update: tuesday, march 6, 2007, 11:27 PM ET
tags: morocco federalism
. . . For many years there was fierce fighting, from which tens of thousands of families fled, and eventually came under the care of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Though the violence concluded with a United Nations-brokered cease-fire in 1991, the Western Sahara’s inhabitants remain caught in the unresolved conflict.
. . . After a year-long national discussion, Morocco is to propose, at the United Nations in April, a plan to establish the Western Sahara as an autonomous region under Moroccan sovereignty. Autonomy would provide effective self-determination for the Sahrawis, allowing for local decision-making and control over economic, social, linguistic and cultural issues. Successful autonomy regions like this exist elsewhere. The Trentino-Alto Adige region in Italy and the autonomous region of Madeira in Portugal are examples, as are Catalonia and the Basque Provinces in Spain. The creation of these quasi-states has unlocked longstanding disputes once thought resolvable only by force."
Op-ed by Frederick Vreeland, former U.S. ambassador to Morocco
sources
[1] Vreeland, Frederick. (The New York Times). Will Freedom Bloom in the Desert? March 3, 2007.
posted: sunday, march 4, 2007, 8:34 PM ET
update: tuesday, march 6, 2007, 11:27 PM ET
tags: morocco federalism
Labels: federalism, morocco
posted by eric at 8:23 PM
2 Comments:
Eric
This is an excerpt I know - but it is neither compete nor historically accurate.
The Saharawis have been striving for their rightful Independence since 1973 at least.
The International Court of Human Rights, in response to as application by Morocco, ruled that western Sahara, a country emerging from colonisation by the Spanish, was entitled to an act of free choice.,,,ie to choose to be independent, autonomous or integrated into Morocco. Having refused to cooperate in the holding of such a referendum sinse 1991 it is disingenuous of Morocco to make such a show of an offer of 'autonomy' .
The Saharawi people have shown themselves capable of managing their affairs for 31 years in the desert on the other side of the Moroccan wall. They have a democratic government in exile, with both women and men ministers. They have probably the highest rate of literacy in Africa [over 90% of population].
Why should they want to be subject to Morocco who are denuding their land of its natural resources, contrary to international law. Why would they seek to be subject to a state that has detained without cause and that wastes millions of its own scarce resources maintaining a military wall over 2400 km long that separates Saharawi families?
Strong intenational support for the referendum is the only legitimate way of ending this stalemate.
Thank you for your informative comment.
I posted this excerpt because I am interested in autonomous regions. I know little about Morocco or the Saharawis.
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