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Moroccan Western Sahara Wall

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TheMoroccan Western Sahara Wallor theBerm,also called theMoroccan sand wall(Arabic:الجدار الرملي,romanized:al-jidār ar-ramliyya,lit. 'sand wall'), is an approximately 2,700 km-long (1,700 mi)bermrunning south to north throughWestern Saharaand the southwestern portion ofMorocco.Itseparates[1]the Moroccan-controlled areas (theSouthern Provinces) on the west from thePolisario-controlled areas (Free Zone,nominallySahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) on the east. The main function of the barriers is to excludeguerrillafighters of thePolisario Front,who have sought Western Saharan independence since beforeSpainended its colonial occupation in 1975, from the Moroccan-controlled western part of the territory.[2]

The berm visible from the air
Protesters carrying Polisario flags in front of the Western Sahara berm (2011)

According to maps from theUnited Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara(MINURSO)[3]or theUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR),[4]in some places the wall extends several kilometers into internationally recognizedMauritanianterritory.[5]

Names

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The wall is also called theWestern Sahara bermand theWestern Sahara separation barrier.

Physical structure

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The fortifications lie in uninhabited or very sparsely inhabited territory. They consist ofsandandstonewalls orbermsabout 3 m (10 ft) in height, with bunkers,fences,andlandminesthroughout. The barrier minebelt that runs along the structure is thought to be the longest continuous minefield in the world.[6]Military bases, artillery posts and airfields dot the Moroccan-controlled side of the wall at regular intervals, andradarmasts and other electronic surveillance equipment scan the areas in front of it.

The following is one observer's description of the berm from 2001:

Physically, the berm is a 2 m (6 ft 7 in) high wall (with a backingtrench), which rides along a topographical high point/ridge/hill throughout the territory. Spaced out over every 5 km (3.1 mi) are big, small and medium bases, with approximately 35–40 troops at eachobservation postand groups of 10 soldiers spaced out over the distance as well. About4 km (2+1⁄2mi) behind each major post there is arapid reaction post,which includes backingmobile forces(tanks,etc). A series of overlapping fixed and mobileradarsare also positioned throughout the berm. The radars are estimated to have a range of between 60 and 80 km (37 and 50 mi) into the Polisario-controlled territory, and are generally utilized to locateartillery fireonto detected Polisario forces. Information from the radar is processed by aforward-based commander, who contacts arear-basedartillery unit.[7]

In all, six lines of berms have been constructed.[8]The main ( "external" ) line of fortifications extends for about 2,500 km (1,600 mi). It runs east fromGuergueraton the coast in the extreme south of Western Sahara near the Mauritanian town ofNouadhibou,closely parallelling theMauritanian borderfor about 200 km (120 mi), before turning north beyondTichla.It then runs generally northeastward, leavingGuelta ZemmurandSmara,again crossing Mauritanian territory and reachingHaouzain Moroccan-held territory, before turning east and again closely following theAlgerianborderas it approaches Morocco. A section extends about 200 km (120 mi) into southeastern Morocco.[9][10]

Significant lines of fortifications also lie deep within the Moroccan-controlled area.[11]Their exact number and location have been ignored and not well understood until 2004 by international commentators.[12]

All major settlements in Western Sahara, the capitalLaayoune,and thephosphatemine atBou Craalie far into the Moroccan-held side.

History

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Construction

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System of the Moroccan Walls in Western Sahara with chronology of their construction

The fortifications were progressively built by Moroccan forces starting in 1980, with help from South African, South Korean, and Israeli advisors, and formally ending on 16 April 1987.[8]The wall was built in six stages, and the area behind the wall was expanded from a small area near Morocco in the north to most of the western and central part of the country gradually. The walls built were:

  • 1st wall(August 1980 – June 1982) surrounding the "useful triangle" ofEl Aaiún,Smara,and thephosphatemines atBou Craa,built with the help of South African military engineers and Portuguese and French renegade mercenaries (c. 500 km (310 mi)).
  • 2nd wall(December 1983 – January 1984) surroundingAmgala(c. 300 km (190 mi)).
  • 3rd wall(April 1984 – May 1984) surroundingJdiriyaandHaouza(c. 320 km (200 mi)).
  • 4th wall(December 1984 – January 1985) surroundingMahbesandFarciya(c. 380 km (240 mi)).
  • 5th wall(May–September 1985) surroundingGuelta Zemmur,Bir Anzarane,andDakhla,again with the help of South African and Israeli experts (c. 670 km (420 mi))
  • 6th wall(February–April 1987) surroundingAuserd,Tichla,andBir Ganduz(c. 550 km (340 mi)).
  • 7th wall(November–December 2020) from 6th wall toMauritanianfrontier (c. 14 km (8.7 mi)).[13]

2005 expulsion incident

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Sahrawi women hold a protest in Western Sahara on the eastern side of the wall

In the summer of 2005, theMoroccan Armyaccelerated the expulsion (begun in late 2004) ofillegal immigrantsdetained in northern Morocco to the eastern side of the wall, into theFree Zone.The Polisario Front and the MINURSO rescued several dozen lost in the desert, who had run out of water. Others died of thirst.[14]By October, the Polisario had received 22 immigrants inMehaires,46 inTifaritiand 97 inBir Lehlu.They were from African countries (Gambia,Cameroon,Nigeria,Ghana,etc.), except a group of 48 who were fromBangladesh.[15][16]

The Thousand Column demonstration

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Since 2008, a demonstration called "The Thousand Column" is held annually in the desert against the barrier by internationalhuman rightsactivists and Sahrawi refugees. In the 2008 demonstration, more than 2,000 people (most of them Sahrawis andSpaniards,but alsoAlgerians,Italians,and others) made ahuman chaindemanding the demolition of the wall, the celebration of theself-determinationreferendumaccorded by the UN and the parts in 1991, and the end of the Moroccan occupation of the territory.[17]

During the 2009 demonstration, a teenage Sahrawi refugee named Ibrahim Hussein Leibeit lost half of his right leg in alandmineexplosion.[18][19]The incident happened when Leibeit and dozens of young Sahrawis crossed the line into a minefield while aiming to throw stones to the other side of the wall.[20][21]

Effect

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Effectively, after the completion of the wall, Morocco has controlled the bulk of Western Sahara territory that lies to the north and west of it, calling these the kingdom's "Southern Provinces".The Polisario-foundedSahrawi Arab Democratic Republiccontrols the mostly uninhabited "Free Zone",which comprises all areas to the east of the barrier. Units from the United Nations mission MINURSO separate the two sides, and enforce cease-fire regulations.

External reactions and opinions

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Western attention to the wall, and to the Moroccanannexation of Western Saharain general, has been minimal, apart fromSpain.InAfrica,the annexation of Western Sahara by Morocco has attracted somewhat more attention. Algeria supports the Polisario Front "in its long-running desert war to oppose Moroccan control of the disputed area".[22][23]TheOrganization of African Unity/African Union(AU) and United Nations have proposed negotiated solutions.

The AU's stance on Western Sahara led toMorocco's exit from the organization.After a 33-year absence, Morocco rejoined on 30 January 2017, despite 9 member states voting against, but 39 supporting.[24]Morocco was re-admitted with the understanding that Western Sahara will remain an AU member.

  • Wall east ofMahbes
  • Wall south of Mahbes

See also

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References and notes

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  1. ^Saddiki, Said (October 2017), "5. The Wall of Western Sahara",World of Walls: The Structure, Roles and Effectiveness of Separation Barriers,Open Book Publishers, pp.97–120,doi:10.11647/obp.0121.06,ISBN9781783743681,However, with the completion of the Moroccan separation wall in the 1980s,...
  2. ^Maclean, Ruth (22 September 2018)."Build a wall across the Sahara? That's crazy – but someone still did it".the Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 24 September 2018.Retrieved25 September2018.
  3. ^Deployment of MINURSOArchived27 October 2007 at theWayback Machine
  4. ^"Western Sahara Atlas Map – June 2006".Archivedfrom the original on 28 July 2011.Retrieved14 September2010.
  5. ^MINURSO
  6. ^McCoull, Chad."Country Profiles – Morocco and Western Sahara".Journal of Mine Action.ISSN2154-1485.Archivedfrom the original on 29 August 2012.Retrieved27 November2010.
  7. ^"ARSO Website".Archivedfrom the original on 18 October 2017.Retrieved13 April2008.
  8. ^abMilestones of the conflictArchived21 February 2007 at theWayback Machine,page 2. Website of theUnited NationsMINURSO mission.
  9. ^United Nations Map No. 3691Archived23 August 2017 at theWayback MachineRev. 53 United Nations, October 2006 (Colour), Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Cartographic Section. Depicts the deployment of the MINURSO mission, as well as the wall location.
  10. ^See also e.g.this satellite montage at Google MapsArchived12 July 2023 at theWayback Machinefor a section of the wall in Moroccan territory. The northernmost fort that is clearly distinguishable can be seen here[1]Archived12 July 2023 at theWayback Machine.(Google Maps, as of 30 November 2006)
  11. ^For example, a sand berm with fortifications much like on the main external line can be seen here[2]Archived12 July 2023 at theWayback Machine,reaching the coast nearImlili,over 200 km (125 miles) north of the main external berm along the southern border. (Google Maps, as of 30 November 2006)
  12. ^"Marokkaanse veiligheidsmuur al twee decennia onomstreden"[Moroccan security wall has been undisputed for two decades].CIDI Israel Newsletter(in Dutch). The Hague. 2 February 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 9 February 2005.Until now, no mention has been made in the media or international politics of the fact that Morocco has had a 'security wall' for more than twenty years, consisting of meters high sand mountains, bunkers, barbed wire barriers and minefields. The structure is 2,500 kilometers long (longer than the Great Wall of China) and aims to keep Polisario guerrillas out of Morocco and the part of Western Sahara occupied by that country since 1976.
  13. ^Eljechtimi, Ahmed (17 November 2020)."Morocco PM says Western Sahara wall at centre of dispute completed".Reuters.Archivedfrom the original on 20 April 2022.Retrieved20 April2022.
  14. ^"Patada al desierto"(in Spanish). Diario de Córdoba. 17 October 2005. Archived fromthe originalon 21 July 2011.Retrieved28 May2010.
  15. ^"El Polisario busca desaparecidos"(in Spanish).El País.18 October 2005.Retrieved28 May2010.
  16. ^"De Bangladesh al desierto del Sáhara"(in Spanish). El País. 19 October 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 12 July 2023.Retrieved28 October2010.
  17. ^Una cadena humana de más de 2.000 personas pide el derribo del muro del SáharaArchived17 March 2014 at theWayback MachineEl Mundo(EFE), 22 March 2008(in Spanish)
  18. ^Demonstration in Western Sahara against Moroccan Army WallArchived23 September 2015 at theWayback MachineDemotix,9 April 2009
  19. ^Ibrahim Hussein LeibeitArchived17 March 2014 at theWayback MachineFocus Features,28 May 2009
  20. ^Screenings in The Devil’s Garden: The Sahara Film FestivalArchived3 January 2013 at theWayback Machine,New Internationalist,Issue 422, 20 May 2009
  21. ^The Berlin Wall of the DesertArchived3 January 2013 at theWayback MachineNew Internationalist,Issue 427, 10 November 2009
  22. ^"Security Problems with Neighboring States"Archived21 November 2010 at theWayback Machine,Country Studies/Area Handbook Series,Library of CongressFederal Research Division (retrieved 1 May 2006).
  23. ^Williams, Ian and Zunes, Stephen,"Self Determination Struggle in the Western Sahara Continues to Challenge the UN"Archived9 January 2007 at theWayback Machine,Foreign Policy in Focus Policy Report,September 2003 (retrieved 1 May 2006).
  24. ^"Morocco rejoins the African Union after 33 years".Al Jazeera. 31 January 2017.Archivedfrom the original on 24 June 2017.Retrieved23 June2017.

31°47′30″N7°05′33″W/ 31.7916°N 7.0925°W/31.7916; -7.0925

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