By Elie Smith

The African kingdom of Morocco has been defiant on the issue of her occupation of the West or North West African state of Western Sahara since 1976. Attempts by the OAU, the ancestor of the African Union to change the situation have been snubbed by the authorities in Rabat. Even the UN’s own attempts to do justice to the Saharouis have been rebuked.

The humiliation of the UN and the African Union on the Western Saharan dossiers comes from some well informed minds manning the ruder of power in the African kingdom. These groups are often presented as westernized and at par with international law. Strangely it is those handled like spoiled children by western diplomats particularly in Brussels and Washington DC that have done everything to scuttle plans to solve the occupation of Western Sahara.

But in everything, there is a certain reason advanced or justifications. In the case of the occupation of Western Sahara, Moroccan authorities claim that, their ignoble act is justified by the fact that, the occupied land was in ancient times, part of what is internationally known today as the kingdom of Morocco. Perhaps that theory is correct, but it seems in reality that, ancient Morocco, except the Moroccan expansionists’ authorities may have selective read of history, did cover parts of ancient Mali, Mauritania and Senegal to the South.

It also had the Canary Islands and the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. However, Morocco has not laid similar assertive claims over the above alleged ancient components of it Kingdom, as it has done with Western Sahara. Besides mild protest over Mauritania when France decided to grand the West African state her independence in 1960. There are still evidence in Mali, Mauritania and Senegal or in the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, that they may have belonged or shared a common history with present day Morocco.

One depressing thing with Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara is that, her late Kings: Mohammed V and Hassan 11 were pioneers of African unity and the second even contributed in the foundation rules of the Organization of African Unity, the ancestor of African Union. He even contributed to enshrine in its (OAU) constitution the respect of colonially inherited boundaries. Nonetheless, Morocco is currently the arch violator of laws written by her monarchs and have also left the African organization she helps found. She may have left with the hope of obtaining membership of the European Union.

Possibly one day Morocco will be admitted into the European Union, for the union is from all indication, a concept that has no geographic limits, with illusions being the only thing shared by all its present member states. Whether Morocco wants to joint Mars or Jupiter, she must be reminded and forced to free the people of Western Sahara. Most reasons advanced by Moroccan authorities for occupying Western Sahara are baseless and unfounded.

To refresh the minds of many, the royal family in Morocco have always been contested by native Moroccans and claims made by the monarchs that, they are off springs of prophet Mohamed, a stratagem to appease the deeply religious but highly illiterate Kingdom has not appease the rebellion of those who do not want to swallow the royal deception and propaganda.

But another more plausible reasons why Morocco under late King Hassan 11 invaded and occupy Western Sahara could be that, their ruling dynasty are not native Moroccans. The ruling family in Morocco are in reality natives of Western Sahara. Perhaps the nostalgia of their ancestral land and desires to proof that they were/are native Moroccans and not simply usurping the royal title motivated the late Monarch to carry out the invasion.

Presently, the new strategy to silence all those against the Monarchy is to dangle the label of Islamic fundamentalism on them. The world being what it has become since 9/11/2001 twin towers Islamic attacks means that, the fear of wrong labeling by any Muslim is the beginning of wisdom. A recent controversy about the alleged collaboration of some senior Moroccan military officials with Islamic terrorists groups in the Kingdom published by the French language pan African weekly Jeune Afrique N° 2385 of the 24 th-30 th of September 2006, gives details of how the network was dismantle.

But the paper forgot to mention that, most Islamists or whatever appellation all those against the Moroccan monarchy might be labeled, they are in reality, mostly nationalists who are exhausted by the stratospheric level of corruption in their country and also tired with the usurped titles that the monarch has: commander of believers/faithful. It is awkward that a man who is Muslim as King Mohammed VI is, who also claims to be a modern Monarch and knows fully well that, Islam forbids any representation of God, can boldly ascribe to his person the title of commander of believers.

The second reason why Morocco invaded Western Sahara might be that, as the colonial master of the country Spain, was reeling from the death of General Franco in 1976 and disorganized, Spain paid little attention to what was going on around her. Third, Morocco’s support for the free world during the cold, while her regional rival Algeria was on the side of the enemy, which is/was USSR, made things very easy for the Kingdom. This is because; Algeria that was on the side of the USSR during the cold war as from 1976 the main African state supporting the Saharouis and this support may have played in the disfavor of the people of the occupied land.

Finally, the real reason that may have made Morocco defiant was the backings that she received and keeps receiving from the US and the general Western World. Although it is not explicit, Alexandre de Marenches in his book Dans le Secret des Princes, Stock 1986, written in collaboration with Christine Ockrent, details in pages 172-180 how Morocco was or is important to the free world.

However, presently the fear of irritating a Muslim country considered conciliatory to the West and that may easily transform the call for the independence of Western Sahara, in particular if it is spearheaded by Western nations, as an attack on Muslims, hence nobody dare criticize the roguish action of Morocco. Alternatively any attempts of Rabat to travesty the quest for self determination of Saharouis as a West versus Muslim worlds clash would have been rendered useless if all African states did recognized Western Sahara. Sadly it is not the case. There are still some African countries that, because of the meager economic help they can receive from Morocco have ignored the rightful case of the people of Western Sahara.

However, the European Union or some of its members within the dubious political body have interestingly developed some interest on the injustices faced by the people of Western Sahara. But strangely, the European Union that provides financial support and outlets for Moroccan goods (mainly farm products) is not respected by Rabat officials.

On several occasions, Rabat authorities have either expelled members of the European parliament (MEP)who were already in the country or refused to grand visas to MEP’s, if they want to focus or deal on the Western Saharan palaver during their stay or visit in Morocco or in the occupied country.

The most recent show of defiance from the Moroccans authorities was published by the French daily Le Figaro of Friday October 6 th 2006. According to the French daily and quoting the words of Mr. Ioannis Kasoulides, an MEP and chair of a delegation of European Members of parliament in charge of the Saharouis dossier in Brussels, he said: “Moroccan authorities have denied them visas”. Moroccans have snubbed the continental political body called the African Union, they have defied the UN and now they are despising the European Union that most of her backers are members. What will the European Union now do as the Moroccans are becoming bolder?

Some member of the European Union are lion hearted when it comes to denouncing and challenging the United States on matters of supposed human right violations and none respect of the UN, but when their pal Morocco does worst, they( European Union )suddenly becomes Hares. Or perhaps, the fear of punishing an Islamic country Morocco just like it is the case with Sudan is the beginning of wisdom for Europeans.

However, Brussels must know that, if they are not able to make Morocco respect UN resolutions pertaining to Western Sahara, they can’t and won’t be considered honest partners in the Middle East especially in the Israel/Palestinian conflict. Western Sahara is the last continental African country, still under colonial rule, ironically colonized by another African country.

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