U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon finally decided to visit the wrongfully-forgotten Sahwari refugee camps in southern Algeria, where close to 200,000 stateless people have been living in impoverished conditions for about 40 years in what has been condemned as a massive violation of human rights.
Ban, whose visit is apparently aimed at ending a territorial dispute between the Sahwari Polisario Front and Morocco, took too long to arrive to this squalid region to promise Saturday he “will spare no effort” to help make progress towards a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution for Western Sahara.
But despite the long standing international disregard to the plight, Polisario leader Mohammed Abdelaziz agreed the U.N. had “lost its way” over Western Sahara, but called Ban's visit the best opportunity to reset negotiations over a referendum for self-determination.
“We want to hear from the secretary-general in order to achieve a solution this year,” Abdelaziz said.
But a solution depends on international resolve, as Morocco wants Western Sahara, which is rich in phosphates and possibly offshore oil and as, to be an autonomous part of Morocco and disagrees with Polisario over who should take part in the referendum.
The U.N. chief’s visit is meant to contribute to international efforts to restart negotiations and thus end a dispute between the Polisario Front independence movement and Morocco over the Western Sahara territory.
Ban Ki-moon visited Sahrawi refugee camps to speed up the end of 4 decades of exile, Sergio Rodrigo teleSUR Correspondent in Algeria.
#SAHARA Ban Ki-Moon visita #refugiados saharauis para acelerar el proceso departirás 4 décadas de exilio en #Argelia pic.twitter.com/X63pFW4Gjb
— Sergio Rodrigo (@SRodrigoteleSUR) March 5, 2016
The Polisario — considered by the U.N. as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people — says the territory belongs to ethnic Sahrawis, whose troops waged a guerrilla war after Morocco took over the area from colonial Spain in 1975 until a U.N.-brokered cease-fire in 1991. The two sides have been deadlocked since.
Ban Ki-moon lands in Tindouf. will travel to Sahrawi refugee camps to highlight forgotten humanitarian crisis. pic.twitter.com/9XsuqfAv0m
— UN Spokesperson (@UN_Spokesperson) March 5, 2016
The Sahrawi refugee crisis began in 1975, and today these people are still living in exile in highly vulnerable and inhumane conditions, and hardly no means for income, forcing them to depend on the good will of international communities. In the meantime, their families are back home in the occupied territory.
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The illegal occupation by Morocco over the Western Sahara has only been condemned internationally as a "flagrant violation to the international law." The condemnation, however, has done nothing to improve the conditions of those living in the refugee camps.
The U.N. chief met with Sahrawi officials and expressed his support for an urgent referendum on the self-determination of the Sahrawi people. But, the Kingdom of Morocco resists.