The Sahara Stalemate

Algeria's claim that it is not a party to the Sahara issue is in defiance of the international community, which recognises that without its support the Polisario would never have existed, said former US ambassador to Morocco Michael Ussery.

Ussery, who has also served as deputy assistant secretary for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, recalls that "Polisario was a Soviet-supported effort to destabilise America's Moroccan ally and enjoyed the military and financial backing of Algeria and Cuba."

Backed by neighboring Algeria, the Polisario front has been seeking, since 1976, the separation of the Moroccan Southern Provinces, known as the Sahara, from the rest of the Kingdom. The former Spanish colony was retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords.

The former diplomat underlines that the Polisario “restricts the movement of people” in the refugee camps in Algeria, “keeping them in place as a means of maintaining political leverage” and that “without holding thousands of families in the desert, the Polisario would be irrelevant.”

he deplores that Algeria continues to claim that it is not a party to the dispute. “This claim is in defiance of the international community, which recognises that without its support the Polisario would never have existed.”

He points out that if the political stalemate over the Sahara issue is resolved, many believe that North Africa can turn the corner, dramatically improving the security, economy and political situation of the region.

“The benefits to resolving this matter are numerous. First and foremost, it will free the thousands of refugees who have been forced by the Polisario to live in refugee camps outside of Tindouf, Algeria, where they are kept as political pawns while many of their children are sent to Cuba for education,” he says.

Resolving this issue will also improve security by stabilising the region and ease the constant tension between the two major players in the region, Algeria and Morocco, he says, adding that North Africa's proximity to Europe, its educated workforce and history of innovation give it great promise and that many believe that a free-trade agreement among the countries in the region will materialise after the Sahara issue is resolved.

Ussery also recalls that Morocco has spent the past several years enacting an aggressive reform package, holding free elections, addressing past abuses and passing laws that dramatically increase women's rights. “It is on a clear path to a democracy with a thriving civil society and a free press."

Tags: Morocco, Polisario, Western Sahara, Terrorism,