In a world where there are so many conflicts, you have probably not heard of the struggle of the Saharawi people and the Polisario front. This is certainly one group of people that Western media has not brought much (if any) attention to, and the restrictive access to the area for foreign visitors makes current information hard to come by. Some have even deemed this the Sahara’s forgotten conflict.
The area in question is better known as Western Sahara and is a part of Africa on the western part of the Sahara that is now largely administered (or occupied depending on who you talk to) by Morocco.
The conflict has its origins in 1973 when the Sahrawi people launched a rebellion against the Spanish who had been in control of the region. The Spanish ended up leaving in 1975 and the area was then taken over by Morocco and Mauritania who partitioned it. This led to a war between the Saharawi people and the Moroccan army which ended in a ceasefire in 1991.
The term Polisario comes from the phrase “the popular front for the liberation of Sangue El-hamra and Rio del Oro”. The Sangue el Hamra and Rio del Oro are the two main regions of the Western Sahara area which are claimed by the Saharawi.
Who supports them?
There has been limited international support and what little aid enters the region has only been going through the border with Algeria, which has led to tensions with Algeria and Morocco.
The UN has also declared that the Saharawi people do have a right to self-determination and considers the Polisario Front the legitimate government of their people. Their flag and the movement is completely illegal in the Moroccan-occupied areas of Western Sahara.
What do they control?
The Majority of Western Sahara is under the control of the Moroccan government, and the Saharawi have been pushed to a strip of arid Sahara Desert along the border of Algeria and Mauritania. This strip is demarked by a large sand wall built by the Moroccans, as well as an extensive minefield which is almost impossible to cross.
Why does Morocco want this area?
Well simply put, just like most conflicts, it’s down to resources. The area controlled by Morocco has extremely rich fishing (especially for sardines) and it is also reported that the area is rich in oil and gas.
What has been happening recently?
The Polisario Front, as of 2020, has declared the end of the ceasefire and has renewed efforts to fight against the Moroccan army. The area inside the Polisario Front is largely made up of scattered refugee camps that are named after actual cities inside the larger Western Saharan territory.
Years of neglect of this area for aid and education of the people has also resulted in increased trading of illegal goods and increased extremism. Most people in this area have never been to Western Sahara or left the Polisario area and are some of the poorest in the region. This is leading them to become more and more desperate, and so they see conflict with Morocco as the only way forward for any type of recognition or independence.
Can I travel there?
Travel from the Moroccan side is absolutely impossible unless you want to try and run past military blockades and mine fields. The only way people have been accessing it is through NGOs which have to travel from Algeria. As for now, tourists are absolutely forbidden from entering the area.