Western Sahara Activist Fatima El-Eguaoui Accuses France of Exploiting Conflict for Strategic Gains

✏️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Algiers, Algeria | August 7th, 2024 —In a recent statement to Dzair Tube electronic channel, Fatima El-Eguaoui, Head of the Women’s Committee at the Sahrawi Center for Media and Communication, has accused the French government of manipulating the Western Sahara conflict to advance its strategic interests. El-Eguaoui’s remarks underscore ongoing tensions and France’s controversial role in the international discourse surrounding the disputed region.

El-Eguaoui criticized France for its historical opposition to the Sahrawi cause, stressing that the country has used its position as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to obstruct resolutions favoring Sahrawi self-determination. She condemned France’s recent support for autonomy in Western Sahara, describing it as a strategic maneuver rather than a genuine commitment to peace. “We condemn the French decision supporting autonomy in the Sahrawi territories and demand our right to independence,” she stated firmly.

El-Eguaoui’s criticism highlights a broader sentiment among the Sahrawi people, who view France’s actions as a continuation of its historical opposition to their quest for self-determination. Despite facing international obstacles, the Sahrawi community remains resolute in its pursuit of independence. “As Sahrawis, we demand our independence and will achieve it, whether through peaceful means or by fighting,” El-Eguaoui declared.

A Snapshot of Western Sahara Cause: History, Current Challenges

The Western Sahara conflict is fundamentally a question of decolonization, as defined by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1514. Adopted in December 1960, this resolution mandates the rapid and unconditional termination of colonialism in all its forms and asserts the right of all peoples to self-determination.

Western Sahara on the UN List of Non-Self-Governing Territories

Since 1963, Western Sahara has been classified by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory. This issue falls under the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly, also known as the Committee on Decolonization, which upholds the inalienable right of self-determination for the inhabitants of such territories.

International Support for a Referendum

The UN, African Union (AU), and European Union (EU) advocate for a referendum to determine the future status of Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), which is recognized by 80 countries, has been a member of the AU since 1982 and a founding member of the OAU upon its establishment in 2002. Morocco, on the other hand, withdrew from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1982 but rejoined the AU in 2017.

Historical Context and Current Challenges

In 1975, Spain, the former colonial power, withdrew from Western Sahara and transferred control to Morocco and Mauritania under the Madrid Accords of November 14, 1975. These accords were not recognized by the UN and faced opposition from the Polisario Front, which had been resisting both Spanish and Moroccan rule. Mauritania withdrew from its portion of Western Sahara in 1979.

Obstacles to a Referendum

The Polisario Front continued its armed resistance against Moroccan occupation until a ceasefire agreement was negotiated by the UN and AU in 1991. Despite the establishment of the UN Mission for the Organization of a Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), the referendum has not been organized due to persistent Moroccan obstructions. Moroccan occupation forces have continued to violate the rights of the Sahrawi people, obstructing the process of self-determination.

Violation of the 1991 Ceasefire

On November 13, 2020, the Polisario Front was compelled to resume armed action following Moroccan forces’ attack on unarmed Sahrawi protesters in the El Guerguerat buffer zone. This breach of the 1991 ceasefire agreement led the Sahrawi leadership to announce the resumption of armed struggle against the occupying forces, which have ignored international legal standards.

Rejection of the so-called “Moroccan Autonomy Plan”

Morocco’s proposed autonomy plan is firmly rejected by the Sahrawi people, who assert their right to self-determination as guaranteed by the UN Charter. The recent endorsement of the Moroccan plan by France further complicates the situation. Spain’s failure to uphold its historical role as the administering power, as recognized by the UN, has been a significant setback in the quest for a just resolution to the conflict.

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