"Historical introduction to Western... " a Western Sahara Travel Page by DanielF

The Western Sahara is totally covered by the desert, but its sea waters are rich in fish and its soil is rich in minerals. It has been a Spanish province until 1975. The original population is composed of desert tribes which speak a dialect closely related to the ones spoken in Mauritania.

The territory was occupied by Morocco in 1975 during the so called "Green March". Neither Spain or the international community did anything to stop it. Spain was undergoing the last days of Franco's dictatorship and starting a difficult transition towards democracy and forgot about the rights of this remote province.

This occupation resulted in the uprisal of the Polisario Front for the national liberation and a war started that still is provoking a lot of pain and suffering. A large part of the Saharawi population had to emigrate to Algeria. They have lived for more than 25 years in refugee camps in the middle of a stoney dessert (Tinduf) without water, electricity or any basic facilities.

A wall was erected in the middle of the dessert by the Moroccan army in order to prevent the attacks from the Polisario front, which gets the support of the Algerian government. The Moroccan government claims that Algeria is looking for an allied that would allow to have an easy outlet to the Atlantic.

Since the "Green March", Morocco has encouraged many people from the poorest areas of the country to settle in the Western Sahara. It is sad to see how a country with such limited resources and where social injustice is so blatant is losing so much money in a senseless war, if there is a war that makes sense.

Since 1975, the UNO has been trying to find a solution to the conflict, but the Kingdom of Morocco has boycotted any attempt to hold a referendum in which the Saharawi population can express their opinion.

The proposal that currently has gained more support (mainly by France and the USA) is that the Sahara should remain under Moroccan control, but with a certain degree of autonomy. The Polisario Front however objects to this solution and are willing to remain in the Tinduf desert until their demands are satisfied.