T
tariq
Guest
THE WISE YOUNG KING'S MAGIC
FORMULA HAS PREVAILED
THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL RECOGNIZES AND WELCOMES
SERIOUS AND CREDIBLE MOROCCAN EFFORTS TO MOVE
THE PROCESS FORWARD TOWARDS RESOLUTION
TAOUFIQ
GAZOULIT
JOURNALIST /
RESEARCHER
On Wednesday, April 11, 2007 the Moroccan government submitted its
proposal for a substantial autonomy for the Western Sahara region to
the newly nominated secretary general of the United Nations
organization, taking the first step, which the international community
has called for repeatedly, toward a political direct dialogue with the
parties concerned i.e. Algeria and the Polisario front.
The conflict between the Kingdom of Morocco, and the Algerian-backed
polisario front, dates back more than three decades. From 1975 until
an UN-brokered cease-fire agreement in 1991.
The terms of 1991 cease-fire agreement were not fully met until august
2005, when the polisario, under pressure from the international
community released the over 400Moroccan prisoners of war.
Since war brought about no solution, the UN tried to organize a
referendum based upon identification. Nevertheless The UN became aware
of the fact that referendum is in practical terms impossible to carry
out since sahraouis do not live only in Morocco, but also in Algeria,
Mauritania, and Mali. This means simply that there should be a change
of these countries borders, in order to organize a just and fair
referendum, since the countries concerned would totally reject the
idea, the general secretary of the UN confirmed that the organization
of such referendum is impossible politically and technically.
Recognizing this deadlock, the UN shifted its approach to encouraging
direct negotiations between Morocco and the polisario.
Even if the idea of autonomy is not new, The Moroccan Proposal for
substantial Autonomy is the first, and the only practical proposed
framework for a political solution submitted to the UN, and from it
the two sides can craft a final agreement. IT preserves Moroccan
sovereignty, but gives the Western Sahara sufficient autonomy to
become effectively self-governing.
The project consists of giving Western Sahara a substantial autonomy
within Moroccan sovereignty. According to the substantial autonomy
proposal sahraouis will have an elected regional parliament, with
power over local policies in terms of management, and decisions, and
president of a local government, the right to create local laws, as
long as they do not contradict Morocco's constitution, regional
judiciary to rule regarding local laws, and control of local police,
schools, economy, infrastructure, taxation and housing. The Kingdom of
Morocco would control external defence and foreign relations, national
judiciary, religious affairs, with King Mohamed VI as the highest
religious authority.
IT is in the same context that the royal advisory council for Saharan
affairs, commonly known by its French acronym CORCAS, was created by
the King of Morocco in march 2006, by defining its role to "foster the
culture of dialogue, and thus pave the way for our citizens to help in
this process and make practical proposals on matters pertaining to our
country's territorial integrity" (speech of 25th march delivered by
the Moroccan monarch)
This culture of dialogue is the king's innovative to seek solutions to
significant issues facing Morocco. In 2004, Morocco's truth and
reconciliation commission was created to investigate past human rights
violations and propose political and judicial reforms which were
approved by the King. CORCAS was another example of the King
innovative approach to make use of dialogue to find solutions to
complex, social and economic issues .It is worth mentioning that
CORCAS is composed of 140 members (among them 14 women),they represent
an ethnic, political , and tribal section of the Moroccan society.
Most of CORCAS's members are representatives from all sahraoui tribes,
including the father of the Polisario leader Mohamed Abdelaziz
CORCAS's main task is to seek an input from all parties concerned, and
affected by the 31 year old dispute in order to follow the right way
towards a substantial autonomy for the Western Sahara. In this context
the polisario movement ( long before the submission of both proposals
to the UN by Morocco and Polisario ), was invited to take part of a
constructive dialogue between sahraouis in charge of the Polisario,
and those in charge of CORCAS, .up to now the polisario leader is
refusing.
MOROCCO AND WESTERN SAHARA
IT is known to everybody that historically speaking Western Sahara
was always an integral part of the kingdom of Morocco, until 1884 when
the Spanish started invading the area, and by 1912 Morocco was
colonized by two major European powers: France and Spain
The process of decolonization of Moroccan territories which were
occupied by Spain took place through negotiations. In this respect,
Morocco regained the north zone in April 1956, Tarfaya and Tan Tan in
1958, Sidi ifni in1969, and the Sahara in 1975 .Therefore the UN does
not consider the Sahara issue as a colonization affair , but as a
political conflict, particularly that the international court of
justice decided that Western Sahara was not a TERRA NULLIUS. Its
population, although consisting mainly of nomads, was organized in
tribes under the authority of the elected sheikhs. It found that legal
ties of allegiance between the Sultan of Morocco and the tribes living
in the territory of Western Sahara existed and this legal situation
was recognized not only by the sultan and the population concerned,
but also by the international community. (See international court of
justice / advisory opinion 16/10/1975)
The Kingdom of Morocco has regained Sahara in accordance with the
treaty signed with the occupier, Spain, the 1975 treaty marked the end
of a continued struggle that lasted over a century .the treaty in
question created tension in the northwest of Africa. The Algerians
blamed Morocco for not recognising that the sahraouis had the right to
make their own decisions. What the Algerians did not appear to realize
was that the entire Moroccan population, including sahraouis, had been
fighting for the return of the Sahara since 1884, when Spain laid
claim to the area, and since gaining the incomplete independence in
1956; Morocco had continued the fight for unity and territorial
integrity.
It is not by chance that the general assembly resolutions adopted in
1965, and1968 confirming the right to self -determination refer not
only to the population of IFNI, but also to that of western
sahara.Resolution1514 considered to be the charter of decolonisation,
states in paragraph6 that: "any attempt to destroy partially or wholly
the national unity territorial integrity of a country are incompatible
with the aims and ideas of the UN charter
FORMULA HAS PREVAILED
THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL RECOGNIZES AND WELCOMES
SERIOUS AND CREDIBLE MOROCCAN EFFORTS TO MOVE
THE PROCESS FORWARD TOWARDS RESOLUTION
TAOUFIQ
GAZOULIT
JOURNALIST /
RESEARCHER
On Wednesday, April 11, 2007 the Moroccan government submitted its
proposal for a substantial autonomy for the Western Sahara region to
the newly nominated secretary general of the United Nations
organization, taking the first step, which the international community
has called for repeatedly, toward a political direct dialogue with the
parties concerned i.e. Algeria and the Polisario front.
The conflict between the Kingdom of Morocco, and the Algerian-backed
polisario front, dates back more than three decades. From 1975 until
an UN-brokered cease-fire agreement in 1991.
The terms of 1991 cease-fire agreement were not fully met until august
2005, when the polisario, under pressure from the international
community released the over 400Moroccan prisoners of war.
Since war brought about no solution, the UN tried to organize a
referendum based upon identification. Nevertheless The UN became aware
of the fact that referendum is in practical terms impossible to carry
out since sahraouis do not live only in Morocco, but also in Algeria,
Mauritania, and Mali. This means simply that there should be a change
of these countries borders, in order to organize a just and fair
referendum, since the countries concerned would totally reject the
idea, the general secretary of the UN confirmed that the organization
of such referendum is impossible politically and technically.
Recognizing this deadlock, the UN shifted its approach to encouraging
direct negotiations between Morocco and the polisario.
Even if the idea of autonomy is not new, The Moroccan Proposal for
substantial Autonomy is the first, and the only practical proposed
framework for a political solution submitted to the UN, and from it
the two sides can craft a final agreement. IT preserves Moroccan
sovereignty, but gives the Western Sahara sufficient autonomy to
become effectively self-governing.
The project consists of giving Western Sahara a substantial autonomy
within Moroccan sovereignty. According to the substantial autonomy
proposal sahraouis will have an elected regional parliament, with
power over local policies in terms of management, and decisions, and
president of a local government, the right to create local laws, as
long as they do not contradict Morocco's constitution, regional
judiciary to rule regarding local laws, and control of local police,
schools, economy, infrastructure, taxation and housing. The Kingdom of
Morocco would control external defence and foreign relations, national
judiciary, religious affairs, with King Mohamed VI as the highest
religious authority.
IT is in the same context that the royal advisory council for Saharan
affairs, commonly known by its French acronym CORCAS, was created by
the King of Morocco in march 2006, by defining its role to "foster the
culture of dialogue, and thus pave the way for our citizens to help in
this process and make practical proposals on matters pertaining to our
country's territorial integrity" (speech of 25th march delivered by
the Moroccan monarch)
This culture of dialogue is the king's innovative to seek solutions to
significant issues facing Morocco. In 2004, Morocco's truth and
reconciliation commission was created to investigate past human rights
violations and propose political and judicial reforms which were
approved by the King. CORCAS was another example of the King
innovative approach to make use of dialogue to find solutions to
complex, social and economic issues .It is worth mentioning that
CORCAS is composed of 140 members (among them 14 women),they represent
an ethnic, political , and tribal section of the Moroccan society.
Most of CORCAS's members are representatives from all sahraoui tribes,
including the father of the Polisario leader Mohamed Abdelaziz
CORCAS's main task is to seek an input from all parties concerned, and
affected by the 31 year old dispute in order to follow the right way
towards a substantial autonomy for the Western Sahara. In this context
the polisario movement ( long before the submission of both proposals
to the UN by Morocco and Polisario ), was invited to take part of a
constructive dialogue between sahraouis in charge of the Polisario,
and those in charge of CORCAS, .up to now the polisario leader is
refusing.
MOROCCO AND WESTERN SAHARA
IT is known to everybody that historically speaking Western Sahara
was always an integral part of the kingdom of Morocco, until 1884 when
the Spanish started invading the area, and by 1912 Morocco was
colonized by two major European powers: France and Spain
The process of decolonization of Moroccan territories which were
occupied by Spain took place through negotiations. In this respect,
Morocco regained the north zone in April 1956, Tarfaya and Tan Tan in
1958, Sidi ifni in1969, and the Sahara in 1975 .Therefore the UN does
not consider the Sahara issue as a colonization affair , but as a
political conflict, particularly that the international court of
justice decided that Western Sahara was not a TERRA NULLIUS. Its
population, although consisting mainly of nomads, was organized in
tribes under the authority of the elected sheikhs. It found that legal
ties of allegiance between the Sultan of Morocco and the tribes living
in the territory of Western Sahara existed and this legal situation
was recognized not only by the sultan and the population concerned,
but also by the international community. (See international court of
justice / advisory opinion 16/10/1975)
The Kingdom of Morocco has regained Sahara in accordance with the
treaty signed with the occupier, Spain, the 1975 treaty marked the end
of a continued struggle that lasted over a century .the treaty in
question created tension in the northwest of Africa. The Algerians
blamed Morocco for not recognising that the sahraouis had the right to
make their own decisions. What the Algerians did not appear to realize
was that the entire Moroccan population, including sahraouis, had been
fighting for the return of the Sahara since 1884, when Spain laid
claim to the area, and since gaining the incomplete independence in
1956; Morocco had continued the fight for unity and territorial
integrity.
It is not by chance that the general assembly resolutions adopted in
1965, and1968 confirming the right to self -determination refer not
only to the population of IFNI, but also to that of western
sahara.Resolution1514 considered to be the charter of decolonisation,
states in paragraph6 that: "any attempt to destroy partially or wholly
the national unity territorial integrity of a country are incompatible
with the aims and ideas of the UN charter
