Michael Lipinski
Mrs. Redlinger
World Affairs
February 11th, 2009
Morocco and Current affects of Colonization
As a protectorate of France, Morocco began to advance in many different ways.
The infrastructure was greatly improved in the way of roads and railways being
developed, and Casablanca was built a port while being shaped into a great and important
city in Africa. However, because of the Treaty of Fez in 1912, Morocco was really split
to half its size and France was given control over the northern half, the other half was
given to Spain and became known as the Western Sahara. Morocco gained independence
in 1956, and while Western Sahara was on the verge of their own independence Morocco
stepped in as the rightfully owners of this landed and demanded it back.
Hassan II, king of Morocco at the time, argued that the Spanish colonization
agreement with France clearly disrupted the sovereignty Morocco had over the Western
Sahara territory before they were split up. Morocco took their argument to the UN, where
it was ruled the people of Western Sahara will decide their fate. In response to the UN
giving Western Sahara “self-determination”, 350,000 unarmed Moroccans marched into
Western Sahara under the direction of Hassan II. Hassan’s act, called the Green March,
expressed his belief that Western Sahara is Moroccan soil and his for the taking. This
started a conflict that is still going on today, and the Moroccans still feel the territory is
theirs. Current king Muhammed VI visited the Western Sahara in March of 2002, to an
area where many Moroccans have moved to, and gave a speech. Muhammed was quoted
to have said he opposed the idea of “creation of artificial entities.” Muhammed was
referring to one of four proposals given by the UN to put an end to the dispute on the
basis that the land is Moroccan, not “Saharan.”
The U.N. has stepped in on many occasions to try to make the sides come to a
consensus, but all have failed. Both the Moroccan government and the Polisario Front,
the group that is fighting for the independence of Western Sahara and it’s people, agreed
to meet at the U.N. in New York for negotiations over Western Sahara in 2007. Morocco
generously offered limited autonomy for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty,
based on the fact, once again, the land was originally Moroccan and still belongs to
Morocco. They also argued the Saharawi people are now outnumbered by Moroccans
two to one in Western Sahara, and though believe all the people are Moroccan; there is
no need to split them up. The Polisario front demanded a referendum with a choice of
autonomy or independence for the remaining people. It remains a deadlock.
Morocco did get a jump start into the modern world under the French, but also
feel that because of the colonization that they have been robbed of half their land. The
Western Sahara is Moroccan territory status. Morocco argues pre-existing sovereignty
over the land and since decolonization has taken place, the land should be returned to its
original status. We believe the land should be given back and considered Moroccan soil
again.
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2009 <http://www.afrol.com/News2002/mor003_king_dakhla.htm>.
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<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/2431365.stm>.
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