Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

The Unfinished Referendum Process in Western Sahara

2001; Volume: 1; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.20940/jae/2001/v1i1a4

2415-5837

Terhi Lehtinen,

Global Politics and Economy

The Western Saharan conflict, between Morocco and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario), has constituted a major threat to regional stability in North Africa since the Spanish decolonisation in 1975.The war has cost thousands of lives, with prisoners of war taken on both sides, and forced Morocco to construct a huge fortified wall in the Sahara.The conflicting parties have a fundamental disagreement on the status of Sahara; Morocco claims its marocanity based on the region's historical ties with Moroccan dynasties.In contrast, the Polisario fights for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination, bolstered by Organization of African Unity (OAU) principles and United Nations (UN) resolutions.However, the underlying dispute concerns the control of the region's rich phosphate and fish resources.The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (Minurso) has played the major role in the organisation of the referendum for self-determination, delayed several times due to disagreement on the voter identification and registration.In January 2001, the Polisario declared the end of the ceasefire, effective since 1991, due to Morocco's failure to respect the agreed principles.The political settlement of the dispute remains difficult to achieve and frustration on the ground is increasing.However, the example of a successful referendum in East Timor gives hope for the future in Western Sahara.