Moroccan Journalist Dounia Filali Criticizes King’s “Green March” Speech, Accuses Him of Using Western Sahara to Distract from Morocco’s Domestic Crisis and Escalate Tensions with Algeria

BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Algiers, Algeria | November 08th, 2024 — Prominent Moroccan journalist and government critic Dounia Filali has publicly denounced the recent speech delivered by King Mohammed VI on the anniversary of Morocco’s “Green March,” arguing that his emphasis on the Western Sahara conflict reflects a broader disregard for Morocco’s domestic issues. According to Filali, the King’s rhetoric has increasingly fixated on the Sahara dispute, which she stresses serves as a tool for political continuity, distracting from key national challenges, such as joblessness, healthcare deficits, and a struggling educational system.

Filali went so far as to describe the King’s approach as a “declaration of war on Algeria,” asserting that he is relying on the support of former U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron to back his position in this dispute.

Filali’s remarks come in response to the King’s strong criticism of Algeria’s stance on Western Sahara, which he called “outdated,” and accused Algeria of using the issue to deflect attention from its own domestic concerns. Filali, however, suggests that Morocco itself suffers from similar tendencies. By focusing on the external dispute, she argues, the monarchy sidesteps urgent national issues, making the Sahara conflict a convenient diversion from longstanding economic and social problems in Morocco.

In her video critique, Filali specifically addressed the King’s comments on Algeria and the Tindouf refugee camps, describing his tone as undiplomatic and verging on personal antagonism. She questioned the validity of the King’s claims concerning human rights in the camps, asserting that his remarks did little to address the reality of the refugees’ deprivation and limited access to international aid. The King’s criticism of Algeria, Filali stated, seemed disconnected from the current diplomatic landscape and ignored recent United Nations efforts to maintain peace in the region. She underscored that the UN’s return of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to the region counters the King’s assertion that the international body has “abandoned” the conflict.

Filali’s commentary also took aim at the monarchy’s seemingly inconsistent approach toward territorial sovereignty, questioning why issues, such as Ceuta and Melilla remain unaddressed even as the monarchy pushes for sovereignty over Western Sahara. Furthermore, she criticized Morocco’s growing alignment with the Zionist entity, a partnership she believes is misaligned with regional sentiments and destabilizing for the Maghreb, urging instead for diplomatic efforts to resolve regional tensions, including those with Algeria.

As the speech veered back to Sahara rhetoric, Filali called for renewed focus on Morocco’s domestic issues. The King’s narrative, she noted, misrepresents the United Nations’ role in the Sahara conflict and perpetuates a sense of urgency around an issue that detracts from Morocco’s internal needs. In Filali’s view, this continual emphasis on Western Sahara reflects a strategy to deflect from Morocco’s own challenges and projects a skewed perspective to the Moroccan public.

Filali closed her critique by calling for a shift in priorities, encouraging the King to focus on pressing national concerns through democratic reform, human rights protections, and economic development. She also stressed the need for a diplomatic solution to the Sahara issue, rooted in international law and a respect for human rights. Filali underscored that her stance does not favor one side but instead seeks a peaceful, fact-based resolution to the decades-long conflict. In light of Morocco’s growing alignment with the Zionist entity, she further urged the King to address these domestic priorities and regional stability over external alliances, which she argues may have lasting implications for the Maghreb region.

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