The extension of the MINURSO mission
On April 25th the UN Security Council decided to extend the mandate of the UN-Peace-Keeping Mission MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara). The central aim of holding a referendum about the future status of the Western Sahara has not been achieved until today. Besides that, the mission‘s task is primarily to supervise the armistice between the Frente POLISARIO (Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro) and the Moroccan armed forces. There has been evidence about serious human rights‘ violations in the occupied territories by Moroccan troops – officially one reason why the new foreign administration under John Kerry demanded to broaden the MINURSO mandate towards human rights monitoring. The result was regettably nothing, although respective reports state that there have been serious threats to the security of Sahrawi people. However, the implementation of human rights monitoring has been redrawn by the US-authorities – MINURSO has been extended until 2014.
The Mali Crisis and its impacts
Almost simultaneously there have been rumours about POLISARIO members fighting in northern Mali against governmental troops and their respective allies. Many media institutions tend to homogenise this complex coflict to a fight between islamist AQIM/Tuareg fighters against the official troops of the Malian government. This seems to be a deception – the current situation is far more complex and mirrors various regional and geo-political interests, notably from the former colonial power France, the United States and at least regional powers such as Algeria and Morocco. The MNLA (Mouvement National pour la Libération de l’Azawad) which represents the Tuareg people of northern Mali are rather nationalist and have their own interests which are far from radically religious aims. Apart from the MNLA there is an Al-Quaeda presence in the region, but there seems to be no rational reason for POLISARIO to officially intervene or collaborate with these actors.
The profiteers
Even though it might be true that the tristesse of a refugee camp in the middle of a desert such as Tindouf might be a perfect spot for radicalisation of young people. Structural problems and a lack of alternatives leads to lethargy and anger. But an official line of POLISARIO towards supporting islamist groups seems to be complete nonsense on the political level. The „Frente“ would loose their only allies on the global level which are rather leftist or at least secular. The argument, that an involvement in intra-saharan drug and weapons trade brings POLISARIO an advantage would in fact lead to further criminalisation and delegitimation of the political programme. The current discourse which equates POLISARIO to terrorists, or at least asserts a close relationship to AQIM provocates the question who benefits behind the scenes.
First, the United States were able to kill two birds with one stone. Through advocating on the international level for human rights monitoring in Western Sahara, the U.S. have positioned themselves again as „guardians of freedom and democracy“. Right next to that an increase of violence and a pretended threat of terrorism within the region offers the opportunity to safeguard their own neo-imperialist interests such as AFRICOM. (United States Africa Command) Upsetting the Moroccan government throughout the UN-proposal is not a big issue, since both countries need to continue their strategic relationship in the long run. Secondly, France benefits as it was always close to Morocco and had had a clear position towards the Western Saharan case. Furthermore France is the largest supplier of military equipment for Morocco – there’s big business hidden behind „terrorist threats“. The benefit of Morocco does not need to be further explained: every hint which alignes POLISARIO to terrorism is a success.
It seems that POLISARIO‘s presence in northern Mali is in everyone’s interest exept the Sahrawi people themselves.
