AGWANIT-AS THE MAURITANIAN SAHARA WERE ANNEXED MOROCCO? As Morocco boycotted the Agreement of Algiers: initially trying a military coup in Mauritania and soon annexing that part of the Sahara Saturday 15 of September of 2007
HOW WERE ANNEXED MOROCCO THE MAURITANIAN SAHARA? Text updated and reformed for the last time the 14 of November 2009*
The 11 of August of 1979 the Moroccan troops takes the prefecture from Dajla, old Villa Cisneros, Morocco alleges a right assumption of withdrawal to annex the Western Sahara that corresponded to Mauritania in the Tripartite Agreements of Madrid of 1975. This territory has an extension of about 90,000 square kilometers and counted in 1979 with around 18,000 inhabitants, almost all nomads. In this territory, rigorously desert, were three localities of certain organization: the capital, Dajla, old Villa Cisneros, fishing port on the Atlantic, where one is concentrated the sedentary population most of, and, isolated in the desert, both put of Ausserd (in center) and Tichla (to the South). Forced by its delicate internal situation, the international pressure of certain powers and by the Green March. the 8 of November of 1975, Spain, like colonial power of the “Spanish Sahara” signs, unilaterally behind the back of the UN the Tripartite Agreement of Madrid by which it transfers the administration from the Sahara to Morocco and Mauritania until the 26 of February of 1976, date in that it retires of the territory without celebrating the self-determination referendum by which saharauis would have to decide their destiny, in clear contradiction with the Consultative Opinion of the Court the International of Justice 16-10-75 in whose opinion it established that there were elements no to prevent the call of the referendum anticipated when not recognizing sovereignty exercise Morocco and Mauritania on the zone in previous period to the colonization. The 27 of February of 1976, the Polisario Front proclaimed the SADR(Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic) in the locality of Bir Lelhú, beginning a war between the SADR against Morocco and Mauritania. The 14 of April of 1976 Morocco and Mauritania sign a Treaty the International of borders by which they distribute the territory: corresponding 2/3 parts to Morocco and a third from the territory to Mauritania (in fact habia is reflected than each occupied). Fruit of the war of attrition of the Polisario Front the 10 of July of 1978 takes place a coup d'etat that the president of Mauritania Mohtar Uld-Dadach overthrows and although initially it seemed that the blow would not affect the Mauritanian foreign policy, especially concerning the Western Sahara and to the Canary Islands; this one, is going away to orient to the search in an agreement with the Polisario Front to leave the war. The problem Mauritania was like doing it without enemistar to Morocco that had been their natural ally from 1975. The 10 of November of 1978 President Salek declared to the international press his will to reach an agreement in which he did not discard to yield the Mauritanian Sahara to the Polisario Front. Its initial idea consisted of reaching a regional global agreement between Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria and consisting of the Polisario Front the cession of the Sahara occupied by Mauritania to the Polisario Front and to obtain some type in agreement for the territory occupied by Morocco between the other parts ( Polisario Front, Algeria and Morocco) to which Rabat refused alleging that it would not allow the creation of " microstate hostil" between " his border" and Mauritania, on the other hand the Polisario Front was in opposition to a division of the territory. As of this Mauritania moment it will try to reach a bilateral agreement with the Polisario Front to look for peace. In the month of May of 1979 through several Mauritania acts it indicates that she is totally determined to leave the war, being set out east exposition a delegation of the Algerian government who visited Nuakchott, as well as during one he turns realised to several countries by minister Amhed Uld Buseif among them to colonel Gadafi in Tripoli, and Spain to the then President of the government Adolfo Suárez. On the other hand Adolfo Suarez in a visit to Algiers de facto realises a recognition of the right of self-determination of saharauis and the Polisario Front. This uprising would produce an angry reaction of Morocco that tried to press to Spain with contentious of the fishing and territorial of Ceuta and the Melilla. However, in spite of these tensions, this positioning produced a certain lightening between the Mauritanian authorities since thus not caeria on Mauritania all the Moroccan pressure. In addition, they were decisive aspects on the Mauritanian decision, the conviction of which the Moroccan theses were going to have little echo in the summit of the OUA that was going away to celebrate the month of July in Monrovia and the situation of bankruptcy of the country with the urgent necessity of a aid of 140 million dollars to be able to pay to the administration and army. However, the fact that this debt could be covered by moderate Arab countries with which Morocco maintain excellent relations and the threat of the president senegalés Leopold Senghor (great ally of Morocco in the OUA) to ask for the self-determination of the Mauritanian black population in case this one recognized the right of self-determination of saharauis, made conceive to Rabat hopes of which Mauritania would not too much far go in the recognition of the rights saharauis. The 2 of August the minister of Outer Subjects Moroccan Mohamed Bucetta, declares that if Mauritania yields the Mauritanian Sahara to the Polisario Front it would be violating treaties in force enters countries both. The 5 of August the Agreement of Algiers takes place by which Mauritania recognizes the Polisario Front like legitimate representative of saharauis and his right to the self-determination, and in which in addition it resigns to all territorial pretension on the Western Sahara. By estes Mauritania agreements would realise organized withdrawal of the territory that would last several months; on the other, part while independence was not obtained, by reasons for security, Mauritania would continue occupying the peninsula of La Güera.
This agreement had its immediate approval by the governments of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Tanzania, and it hoped that in a moment that many states were adheriesen to the same, France was not wanted to pronounce officially although it realised diplomatic movements. This agreement instead of to involve to Morocco by the way of the dialogue and the agreement produces a belligerent reaction on the other hand. The first official reaction of Hasán II was by means of its Secretary of State Mohamed Bucetta declaring that the Agreements of Algiers were null and which they do not comprometian to Rabat. In addition, Morocco took some military measures like ordering the retirement of the Moroccan troops who were in Mauritania (6000) as well as, the repatriation of the contingent of stationed Moroccan troops in Zaire from the previous year (this one last one in forecast to increase its military presence in the Sahara). Before this position, the Mauritanian government asked for Morocco that avoided disagreeable incidents in the Tiris the Garbia. Since it is speculated on with different scenes from conflict, like the Moroccan occupation of the Tiris the Garbia or a armed confrontation Algerian-Moroccan. Although after a meeting of the Cabinet, Morocco were limited to inform publicly into which it would send emissaries to the OUA and the United Nations with the dossier of Morocco on the Sahara, the majority of the Moroccan press requests an armed intervention in the Tiris the Garbia, and some cases like communist deputy Ali Yata in own Mauritania. In addition, the Moroccan press reflected a displeased assumption of the population of Dajla since the Mauritanian and governing deputy of Dajla, Hurmullah Dlimi, old member of the Yemaa saharaui, was stopped to be against to the delivery of that part from the Sahara to the Polisario. Day 10 of August before holding the meeting in Rabat between king Hasán II and Mauritanian prime minister Juna Uld Haidala in whom Mauritania tried to explain to Morocco the Agreement with the Polisario Front, the creation of a “Committee of opposed Mauritanian Free Officials” to the “capitulation” of the government of Nuakchott, directed by the ex- Commander-in-Chief of aviation announced in Rabat, colonel Mohamed Uld Ba Abdelkader, was described by the Mauritanian delegation like a provocation and a clear attempt to promote a military coup in Mauritania. In this atmosphere the meeting was held in which Mauritania does not manage to make flexible the Moroccan position and after which Morocco show that it is not considered forced to withdraw his of the Mauritanian Sahara (Morocco by an agreement of defense signed in 1977 with then president Mohtar Ould Daddach so much in the Mauritanian Sahara as within the borders internationally recognized of Mauritania maintained troops stationed from its independence in 1960). Saturday 11 of August, Morocco alleging a right assumption of withdrawal of null validity from the point of view of the international right, initiates the military annexation of the Mauritanian Sahara, that culminated with the occupation of Dajla (Villa Cisneros) where as of that moment the Moroccan flag waves. The day 12 Morocco announces that the Saharan territory of Tiris the Garbia is already under Moroccan administration, that day four ministers of the Moroccan Government went to transmit to the population of Dajla the decision of King Hasán II of “not leaving its subjects”. The Moroccan press of the following day was gathering in its ample pages news article photographic on popular manifestations in Morocco, of support to King Hasán to refund to the kingdom that part of the Sahara. This zone was red-baptize with its old name of Rio de Oro (in Oued-Eddahab Arab) and its annexation was described by the minister as the Moroccan interior Driss Basri like an act of “self-determination of its settlers” before French journalists, unique press to which was allowed to cover the military occupation and the acts with annexation, to whom showed photos of the retirement of the old Mauritanian administrators. The day 14 Mauritania requested aid to the UN and the OUA to protect its borders after the annexation by Morocco of the Sahara administered by Mauritania, although some sources next to Moroccan theses wanted to indicate that Mauitania did not put too many repairs to that Morocco the Garbia (they indicated that this decision was announced on the part of Morocco when finalizing the meeting of Friday 10) Mauritania occupied the Tiris condemned the annexation and showed that such occupation attacked its pretension to fulfill its commitments international as it reflects the Letter to the Secretary General of the UN of 18 of August. The sentence of this act of force on the part of the UN takes place by means of the Resolution of the General Assembly of 21 of November of 1979. At those moments the number of Moroccan soldiers in the city of Dajla was increased to more than 3000. In response to the annexation of Tiris the Garbia by Rabat, to few kilometers of the place, forces saharauis attacked during six hours in Bir Enzaran, annihilating near two Moroccan battalions, of who four hundred men died, three hundred wounded and 175 were made prisoners. The Polisario Front noticed that it would anywhere send against the Moroccan troops similar operations find that them, taking place a serious worsening of the conflict in the following weeks. On the other hand, in which he interprets himself like a consequence of Agreement of Algiers, 61 Mauritanian prisoners were set free by the Polisario Front, who were given to the Mauritanian military administrations in Nuadhibú. Day 15 department gives August of State North American pleads to look for solution pacific conflict of the Sahara Western and on the other hand Algeria warned that force could to use in conflict of the Sahara, while made a call to the African States so that they condemned the aggression acts, on the part of Rabat, in the Western Sahara, and demand the total and immediate retirement of the Moroccan Armed Forces of the Saharan territory. Day 16 of August a representation of some tribal heads of Tiris the Garbia moved until Rabat to attest “their vasallaje” to the king of Morocco. The majority outpost people tie age to the tribe Ouled Dlim and the greater colonel of the Moroccan Army, Amhed Dlimi, original of the region, that was present in the ceremony next to the alauita sovereign where new governor to Cherif Dlimi of the same familiar surroundings of the previous Mauritanian governor named. Day 17 of August Hasán II in a press conference in tone conciliator suggests an encounter with Algerian president Chadli Benyedid in which it did not discard the negotiation on the Sahara. The fear to a conflict armed between Morocco and Algeria appears latent between the international community. Day 19 of Morocco August begins to withdraw its of Mauritania as it announced at the beginning of month and to requirement of the Mauritanian government. Day 21 Spanish minister of exteriors, Marcelino Oreja affirmed to a French newspaper that the Sahara " now like internacional" was a territory yesterday; reiterating the Spanish position by which Spain transferred the administration from the Sahara to Morocco and Mauritania but not it sovereignty because as colonial power did not have sovereignty on the territory, and that the Spanish government supports a referendum to solve the question. These declarations brought about an aggressive reaction of the Moroccan press that asked that against Spain were retaliated: retaking the vindication of Ceuta and Melilla, annulling the fishing agreements, or questioning the Spanish sovereignty on the Canary Islands. On the other hand, in those days the PSOE presents/displays a proposal in the parliament so that the Spanish government recognized the Polisario Front diplomatically. Day 25 of August Spanish Navy military recommends the retirement of the fishing boats that worked in the canary-Saharan bank, this preventive measure takes place after the declarations of minister Marcelino Ear, and the reaction of the Moroccan government who threatened taking measures against Spain. This policy of harassment is going to continue until today, whose more serious incident was the strafing the 17 of January of 1980 of the destroyer of the Spanish Navy Admiral Ferrandiz by a Mirage of the Moroccan Air Force when it came to the aid of a Spanish fishing boat to five miles of the coasts of the Mauritanian Sahara at the moment occupied by Morocco, the incident was tried to hide and day later the Spanish government cleared an official note describing the happened thing like nonalarming. Although officially Morocco declare that the territory totally is controlled, during the month of September in international means already is anticipated that the war of the Sahara was going to be a war of attrition, as thus were concludes with the 1991 cease-fire. Diverse trackings realised on the part of the Moroccan army by all the territory before foreign press in which is not any cash of the Polisario Front do not convince the international observers of which the Moroccan occupation was consolidated in all the territory. In this war the Moroccan army thanks to the defensive walls is able in 1987 to even occupy approximately 2 thirds of this part of the territory arriving to penetrate in Mauritanian territory as nonofficial of the Minurso is reflected in military-political map; being to the east of the wall and under control of the SADR of the old Mauritanian Sahara, localities like Agwanit, Zug, or Dougaj. At present from the Moroccan control post of Guerguerat there is a zone of no-man's land to the first Mauritanian control post, that is plagued of mines and that an important zone of contraband of automobiles constitutes essentially. And finally the locality of the Güera in the coast that at present totally is vacated follows under Mauritanian control; for that reason when Morocco the Mauritanian Sahara was annexed its main preoccupation was to look for saharauis original of the Güera that could be compatible to their cause. From the beginning of the conflict the Moroccans were hostile to any type of affirmation of territory released of the SADR as much in this part of the Sahara like in the North zone in the localities of Tifariti (locality devastated by the Moroccans shortly before the cease-fire in denominated by the Moroccans " operation cascabel" or Battle of Tifariti.) and Bir Lelhú, in this sense also is possible to emphasize the pressures that exerted Morocco during the gestation of the first Plans of Peace of the UN so that the troops of the Polisario Front quartered themselves in Algeria and not in " buffer zone" according to Moroccan terminology, as it is reflected in the Report of the Mission of the Security Council sent to the Western Sahara from the 3 to the 9 of June of 1995 For that reason, the unique solution that gives unit to all the territory is a free and right referendum that allows to exert the right from self-determination to the town saharaui and determines the definitive statute of the territory without exclusion of options. To ignore this principle on the base of which a referendum is unrealizable supposes actually, not only to steal the international legality but after all to defend that for the conflict of the Sahara there is no democratic solution, since it would be the overflow of the cynicism to speak of democratic solution ignoring the will of saharauis. To look for another type of solutions of unilateral character that avoid this principle like " moroccan autonomy plan " on the basis of an assumption " realism" it supposes a falsification of the reality, since as he appears reflected report in the last of April of the Secretary General of the UN Mr. Banki Mon InformeSGabril2008.pdf as a result of the cease-fire the territory is divided in several zones: 2 exclusive rights of the Minurso that include 30 km to the east of the wall and other 30 km in the west of the wall in occupied territory Moroccan (and this are " buffer zone" not the one that alleges the Moroccan on Tifariti). The rest of the denominated territory of partial restriction, de fact of a side is Moroccan administration to the west, and of administration from the RASD to the east, this supposes that the republic saharaui is administering to 2 bags of territory one in the zone of Tifariti in the North and the other in the zone of Agwanit in the South, reason why to look for solutions besides the legality and the will of the town saharaui can lead to us to reactivate or to anchylose the conflict, or to admit a division of the territory.
Original: Spanish
Document drafted by Roberto Barral teacher of IES Valga. Galicia (Spain)
