By Saad Guerraoui – CASABLANCA, Morocco
Thousands of Moroccans are venting their anger on social networks at the US-backed plan to broaden the mandate of UN peacekeepers in the disputed Western Sahara to human rights monitoring.
The Facebook page of the US Embassy in Rabat has been awash with anti-US comments since Washington unveiled its plan
Washington declared that it was “in discussions” with the Group of Friends on Western Sahara – which includes the US, France, Spain, Britain and Russia – over its proposal that United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) expands its mission to include monitoring human rights.
Morocco annexed the Western Sahara in 1975. A war then ensued between Polisario separatists and Morocco until a ceasefire was brokered in 1991.
Morocco has proposed broad autonomy for the disputed territory under its sovereignty. But efforts to broker a lasting settlement have been deadlocked by Polisario’s demand for Sahrawis to decide whether or not they want independence in a UN-monitored referendum.
“After the hostile attitude of your government towards our territorial integrity we now understand why some countries like Iran and North Korea are seeking a nuclear bomb to protect themselves from the greed and your rulers,” wrote Anys Louzal Soussi in message addressed to US Ambassador Samuel Kaplan on the Facebook page of the US embassy in Rabat.
Marouane Kchikach questioned the reasons and motives that prompted Morocco’s long ally to propose such plan while praising the development of human rights in Morocco.
“Does Washington’s change of stance show that there is something wrong regarding the respect of human rights in our country?” Asked Kchikach.
Ahmed Lafridi said that “as a free Moroccan Sahrawi I will not accept the establishment of another East Timor in my country no matter what the outcome of the US-backed plan is.”
“We were proud to be the first country which recognized the independence of America, but we were shocked by the US return of favour as it seeks to undermine our territorial integrity.
“We hope that Washington will review its position,” Lafridi added.
Abdellah Bouziani asked why the US did not call for the not monitoring of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories for example.
Faouzi Habaj said the US-backed plan was in Morocco’s favour and that it should be passed because “there are human right violations in Tindouf refugee camps which have not been reported by ‘corrupt NGOs’.”
On another Facebook page called Marche Verte Digitale (Digital Green March), Timo Said noted that he would prefer another march towards “our Sahara so that everybody knows once more that this territory belongs to Morocco like any other part of the country.”
Jamal Naser expressed his disappointment in the US administration.
“I did not expect the US administration to take this strange position against its strategic ally, which was on its side in all the crises and conflicts, from the establishment of the US to fighting terrorism,” said Naser.
It all started almost a year ago when Morocco accused UN envoy for Western Sahara Christopher Ross of being ‘unbalanced and biased’ after the UN report on the disputed territory released in April 2012 said Morocco’s tactics had “undermined” UN attempts to report on events in the territory, while also criticising the human rights situation.
Ross’s call for the broadening of the mandate of the UN mission in the disputed territory drew Rabat’s ire.
However, in a U-turn, Morocco allowed Ross to return to Morocco six months later where he spent four days in Rabat for talks with Moroccan officials before going to Laayoune for the first time since taking up the UN post in 2009 and meeting political and civil society figures from all sides of the dispute.
Rabat’s decision was a clear message to the UN that it was eager to find a just solution to the Western Sahara standoff amid a growing concern over the security situation in the Sahel region.
Last August, a delegation of human rights observers led by Kerry Kennedy, of the Robert F Kennedy Centre for Justice and Human Rights, was also allowed access to Western Sahara and held meetings with tribal leaders, peacekeepers and Moroccan officials.
The delegation held a closed meeting at their hotel with Sahrawi pro-independence groups. It also met pro-Moroccan groups.
Kerry Kennedy could not wait to publish an illustrated article on The Huffington Post about a Moroccan security officer beating a Sahrawi woman who was peacefully protesting rather than giving a detailed account of the humanitarian situation in the disputed territory, prompting the Moroccan media to question her impartiality.
Morocco World News reported that Susan Rice, the US Ambassador to the UN who is believed to have a close relationship with Kennedy, has been leading a public relations campaign in order to push the US and the other members of the Security Council to expand MINURSO’s mandate and appease her friend.
All Moroccan political parties are unanimously behind their government’s staunch opposition to US-backed plans which it sees as “biased and unilateral initiative.”
Morocco is now turning to its historic ally France to block the US proposal which will be put to a vote in the Security Council this month.
However, France, Morocco’s traditional protector on the 15-nation Security Council who has previously vetoed resolutions on the issue, will unlikely veto the US draft, according to Western diplomats.
Will France back Morocco at the Security Council?
To avoid embarrassment with Rabat, especially after recently signing a raft of agreements on The French President’s official visit to the kingdom earlier this month, France is mulling ways of pushing to modify the draft resolution before deciding which way it would vote.
Should Paris decide to vote “Yes”, the longstanding relationship between France and its former colony will be in jeopardy as Morocco will feel a sense of betrayal from a country which has been privileged in major investment projects in the North African country.
