About illegal immigrants in Morocco

Since the middle and late 1950s, a large-scale wave of decolonization has swept across Africa, and most African countries have basically gained their independence through wars of independence, peace agreements and referendums.

By 1975, more than 50 African countries had become independent from the European colonial powers.

Africa's "decolonization" process map

However, there is an area in the northwest corner of Africa that has never been successfully established independently. This area is the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara, which is out of place compared with the neighboring independent countries (Morocco is independent of 1956, Mauritania is independent of 1969, and Algeria is independent of 1962).

At present, Western Sahara can only be regarded as a region, not a country.

1976, Spain, which has been slow to withdraw its troops from Western Sahara, decided to withdraw its troops in an all-round way. However, this time, it did not play its cards according to the script of independence from its neighbors, and the people of Western Sahara slowly followed in the footsteps of their neighbors to gain independence.

Although the Western Sahara People's Liberation Front (also known as the Western Sahara People's Liberation Front) announced the establishment of the "Saharan Arab Democratic Republic".

However, Morocco and Mauritania, neighboring countries that have been independent for a long time, quickly marched into Western Sahara and had armed conflicts with the Frente POLISARIO. Western Sahara was not allowed to become independent, and the Western Sahara War broke out.

Mauritania withdrew from the Western Sahara War four years after the war began, and the southern part of Western Sahara occupied by Mauritania was occupied by Morocco.

By 1987, Morocco controlled 80% of the territory of Western Sahara, and the Frente POLISARIO ruled about 20% of the eastern region.

Morocco (blue) and Frente Polisario (green) occupied areas.

As of 202 1 4 1 United Nations Member States (including Algeria and Mauritania) recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, while Spain, the former suzerain, and two permanent members of the United Nations (the United States and France) supported Morocco's occupation of Western Sahara.

Then, why did Western Sahara not catch up with the "independence tide" and succeed in founding the country, but was invaded by neighboring countries?

From the map of Africa alone, Morocco is now an insignificant small country, located in a corner of northwest Africa, with an area of only 450,000 square kilometers.

Northwest corner of Africa

But from the perspective of Eurasia, Morocco has a unique geographical position. It is located in the northwest of the African continent, on the south bank of the Mediterranean Sea, guarding the Gibraltar Strait, the gateway of the Mediterranean Sea into the Atlantic Ocean.

Morocco guards the Strait of Gibraltar.

Although the Sahara desert in northern Africa is one of the most inhospitable places on the earth, and the climatic conditions are very bad, the Atlas Mountains (the highest peak is 4 167 meters above sea level) that obliquely passes through Morocco have blocked the invasion of desert heat waves.

The coastal area of Morocco belongs to the Mediterranean climate, which is suitable for population reproduction and development and enjoys the reputation of "North African Garden".

Topographic map of Morocco

So since the 7th century, all Moroccan dynasties have started from here (including Mrabet, Muwahid and Marin).

Moroccans (mixed Arabs and Berbers) invaded the Christian world in Europe for two centuries, and even invaded the Gibraltar Strait to the north, which frightened Europeans. The largest territory once included northwest Africa and Iberian Peninsula.

1076 the largest territory of the murabit dynasty (red)

Although the Moroccan dynasty brought Western Sahara into its sphere of influence, it was located in the south of Atlas Mountains and had a tropical desert climate. Due to the bad climate and scarce precipitation, it is not suitable for survival. At that time, this area was only regarded as a marginal zone by Moroccans.

Morocco's historical control over the Mediterranean coast to the Atlantic coast in northwest Africa laid the foundation of the contemporary concept of Greater Morocco, and also laid the groundwork for Morocco's territorial disputes with Western Sahara, Algeria and France.

The territory of greater Morocco concept

Since the southern Iberian Peninsula was occupied by Islamic forces in the 7th century (including the Moroccan dynasty for nearly two centuries), Christian countries have been trying to recover their territory.

The movement to recover lost territory, orange is the Islamic regime.

In the process of fighting against the southern Islamic forces, the Portuguese kingdom was established on 1 139, and reached the southern coast on 1249, taking the lead in completing the expansion and unification. Since then, the border has hardly changed.

The Kingdom of Spain was founded in 1469. After recovering lost territory for more than 700 years, it finally perished in Granada Emirates in 1492, marking the end of the last Islamic regime on the peninsula.

Time node of recovering lost territory movement

In the15th century, the movement of recovering lost land came to an end. Portugal and Spain began to expand southward and westward across the Strait of Gibraltar, and established solid outposts as trading ports along Morocco's Atlantic coast.

Ceuta, as a commercial and military center guarding the southern coast of Gibraltar, became its territory after it was occupied by Portugal in 14 15.

1580, after the crisis of succession to the throne occurred in Portugal, West Portugal merged (1640 dissolved), and Ceuta accepted the rule of King Philip II of Spain with Portugal, and was formally ceded to Spain in 1668. Melilla, another important Mediterranean town, was also included in Spain's sphere of influence in 1494.

Portugal establishes a stronghold in Morocco

Until the beginning of the19th century, the European colonial power was mainly limited to establishing trading posts in the coastal areas of Africa and establishing links with local trade networks.

The early European colonists only established strongholds on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Morocco with suitable climate, and carried out commercial trade and fishing activities, without deeply affecting Morocco's desert hinterland.

Although it did not successfully resist the Italian colonial forces like Ethiopia and remained independent from beginning to end, before the19th century, Morocco under the Alawite dynasty was one of the few African countries that could resist the invasion of European colonists and successfully maintain its independent status.

Alawite dynasty18th century

/kloc-in the 0/9th century, after the European colonial forces completed industrialization, the market demand for raw materials and commodities surged. Northwest Africa is richer than other unknown areas in Africa, which has a strategic impact on Mediterranean trade and has growing colonial potential.

1830 France invaded the Mediterranean coast of Algeria and continued to attack south, which was met with tenacious resistance from local residents.

After France successfully conquered many local tribes in Algeria, Abdul Qadir, the leader of the Algerian Resistance Army, fled to the northeast of Morocco and used this as a base to recruit soldiers and carry out anti-French military operations.

The progress chart of France's attack on Algeria

With the intensification of the conflict between France and Morocco, the two countries broke out in 1844. After Morocco's defeat, it was forced to sign an agreement to formally recognize Algeria as a part of the French Empire, which shook the political independence of the Moroccan dynasty in the face of European colonial forces.

France-Morocco War (1844)

Spain could not resist the independence wave of Latin American colonies in the early19th century, so it had to withdraw from America and turn its attention back to northwest Africa. The dispute between Morocco and Spain over the border of Ceuta and the territorial claim of Western Sahara triggered the Spanish-Moroccan War from 1859 to 1860.

Morocco failed to win the conflict and was forced to sign an agreement to allow Spain to expand its territory along the Atlantic coast of Africa. After the ports of Ceuta and Melilla became Spanish territory, this agreement was another blow to the Moroccan dynasty by Spain.

/kloc-in the 1970s, due to the internal turmoil in Morocco, European powers were able to further invade Morocco.

1880, Sultan Hassan I of Morocco signed the Madrid Agreement with European powers, which officially recognized the French (including Marrakech in western Morocco) and Spanish (including Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco) colonies in Morocco for the first time internationally, and granted them the ownership, resource use and settlement rights of Moroccan land.

Comparing the maps of Africa of 1880 and 19 13, the northwest corner is Morocco.

From 65438 to 1980s, European countries' interest in Africa increased, and their colonial scope gradually expanded.

In the next 30 or 40 years, France almost established a colony in Africa, controlling 35% of Africa's territory. Britain is trying to build a north-south Africa corridor that controls nearly 30% of Africa's territory.

1880 African colonies

After 1877 Congo River (first discovered by Portuguese navigators in 1482) was fully understood, Belgium tried to incorporate Congo into its territory. The Kingdom of Italy and the newly rising German Empire also occupy about 8% of African territory.

With the intensification of conflicts among European powers around African colonies, countries held an international conference in Berlin on 1884 to avoid meeting each other on the issue of fighting for Africa.

The Berlin conference initially established the sphere of influence of big powers in Africa, provided legitimacy for the imperialist powers to carve up Africa in an all-round way in the future, and set off a frenzy of carving up Africa.

In just thirty or forty years after the Berlin Conference, the land controlled by European forces in Africa soared from 10% in 870 to nearly 90% in 19 14.

African colonies 19 13

1884, Spain established colonial rule around Western Sahara and established a governor to exercise jurisdiction. Due to the resistance of the local aborigines, the Spanish government was not able to control the territory of Western Sahara in the desert until around 1934.

From the15th century, Morocco was gradually eroded by the great powers, but Morocco's independent status remained until the beginning of the19th century, and finally it was accelerated to become a colony because of the Agadir crisis.

As a rising star, Germany was unified in 187 1, leaving few colonies to choose from in Africa. 19 1 1 year, due to the uneven distribution of benefits, the conflict between Germany and France escalated. The German Empire sent battleships to Morocco to declare Germany's interests in Morocco, and the Agadir crisis broke out.

Germany and France negotiated and signed an agreement to ease contradictions. Germany recognized France's political status in Morocco, while France ceded part of French equatorial Africa as compensation.

France conquered Morocco.

With the consent of Germany, France and Morocco signed the Treaty of Fez in 19 12. Morocco became a protectorate and colony of France (Morocco and Sudan still retain the right to sign decrees), while Spain acquired a small part of northern and southern Morocco.

French colonies in Africa

Before the outbreak of World War I, France controlled a large territory in central and western Africa, while Spain mainly controlled small scattered territories (Morocco in the west, Sahara and Guinea in the west).

Spanish colonies in Africa

During the two world wars, millions of African soldiers were recruited to fight in Europe and Asia, which promoted the African people's deeper political awareness and expectations for national self-determination.

Colonial countries such as Britain and France were greatly weakened by their participation in World War I and World War II. During World War II, many colonies in France were occupied by Japan, Britain, the United States and Germany. From 65438 to 0956, the Kingdom of Morocco regained its political independence from French control, and France formally gave up its protection for Morocco.

1960, under the influence of the Algerian war (1954- 1962), almost all other French colonies gained independence after the referendum. After a long and cruel war of independence, Algeria finally broke away from French colonial rule in 1962.

In order to avoid war with colonial countries and damage the country, Britain quickly promoted the trend of decolonization. By 1970, all the British colonies on the African continent had gained independence.

Britain's decolonization process in Africa (the year of independence in brackets)

But Spain and Portugal were able to maintain their colonial system in Africa because they did not participate in the two world wars. Most Portuguese colonies (Guinea Bissau, Angola, Mozambique, etc. ) It was not until 1975 that it became independent.

Under the dictator Francisco Franco (1939-1975), Spain has been trying to maintain its control over the colonies.

Spain escaped World War II, but it ushered in a dictator.

Under the pressure of the United Nations, Spain and Guinea became independent in 1968. Western Sahara officially became a province of Spain in 1958.

Until 1975, Spain was forced by international pressure, became independent, Franco fell ill, and announced its withdrawal from Western Sahara the following year.

After independence, West Guinea became Equatorial Guinea.

Since European colonists invaded Western Sahara, Western Saharans began to rise up against colonialism again and again.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the people of Western Sahara formed an alliance with the Sultan of Morocco and joined Mauritania to resist the French invaders. However, due to the betrayal of the Moroccan sultan, the struggle failed.

In 1930s, the people of Western Sahara held a large-scale uprising against Spanish colonial rule, which was finally brutally suppressed by the colonial authorities.

Since 1950s, with the support and help of independent countries Morocco and Algeria, the people of Western Sahara have waged an armed struggle against French and Spanish colonialists.

1973, some students of Sahara University and Saharan veterans established the People's Liberation Front of Western Sahara, advocating the expulsion of Spanish colonists through armed struggle and national liberation.

Frente POLISARIO forces

At the beginning of the establishment of the Western Front, Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria and other neighboring countries gave strong support to the independence struggle of the Western Front for the purpose of consolidating their independent status.

However, the Frente POLISARIO insisted on independence and refused to accept the territorial claims of Morocco and Mauritania to Western Sahara, which contradicted the policies of Morocco and Mauritius, so Morocco and Mauritius stopped supporting the Frente POLISARIO.

1974, Spain agreed to the autonomy of western Sahara, 1975 held a referendum to decide the future of western Sahara.

However, Spain's decision to grant autonomy to Western Sahara and hold a referendum was firmly opposed by Morocco, and Algeria and Mauritania, two other neighboring countries of Western Sahara, also expressed their views on the ownership of Western Sahara, which made the situation in Western Sahara complicated.

Morocco said that some tribes in Western Sahara expressed their loyalty to the Moroccan sultan in the19th century, and this loyalty relationship is a sovereign relationship in Morocco's view.

Moreover, Morocco's claim to the sovereignty of Western Sahara has a long history, but in the19th century, because its strength was far less than Spain's, it was forced to agree to Spain's colonial rule over Western Sahara.

As early as 1963, King Hassan II of Morocco advocated the establishment of greater Morocco, including Morocco, parts of Algeria, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Ceuta and Melilla occupied by Spain, in an attempt to establish hegemony in the Maghreb.

King Hassan II of Morocco

At the same time, Morocco has close religious, legal and cultural ties with the inhabitants of Western Sahara. Since Spain has announced its withdrawal from Western Sahara, Morocco believes that Western Sahara should be returned to Morocco. Therefore, Morocco firmly opposes holding a referendum in Western Sahara and maintains that Western Sahara belongs to Morocco.

Secondly, Mauritania stated that Western Sahara and Mauritania are closely related in race and culture. Therefore, Mauritania also claims sovereignty over southern Western Sahara.

"Western Sahara is our home"

Algeria had a border conflict with Morocco at the beginning of its independence. Algeria is worried that once Western Sahara belongs to Morocco, it will encourage Morocco's expansion ambitions and thus endanger Algeria's own security.

Therefore, Algeria firmly advocates that the people of Western Sahara achieve independence through a referendum and provides financial and military assistance to the Frente POLISARIO.

After the International Court of Justice rejected the territorial claims of Morocco and Mauritania, King Hassan II of Morocco launched a large-scale mass demonstration "Green March", calling on 350,000 unarmed people to enter Western Sahara to swear sovereignty and let the Saharan territory "return to the embrace of the motherland".

green march

1975165438+10/4. Spain signed the Madrid agreement with Morocco and Mauritania. The agreement actually handed over the Sahara from Spanish colonists to Morocco and Mauritania.

1976 After Spain announced its complete withdrawal in February, Moroccan and Mauritanian troops entered Western Sahara and began to occupy it by region. On the same day, the Frente Polisario, with the support of Algeria, announced the establishment of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, and the war in Western Sahara broke out, and armed conflicts between the two sides continued.

1978 Mauritania withdrew from the war and abandoned its territorial claims because of the unfavorable war, and the Western Sahara war evolved into an armed conflict between Morocco and the Frente POLISARIO. From 65438 to 0987, Morocco controlled most of the territory of Western Sahara and built a defensive wall (Moroccan wall).

Colored lines are Moroccan walls.

199 1 year, under the coordination and mediation of the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity, Morocco and the Frente POLISARIO signed a ceasefire agreement, which triggered the confrontation between Morocco and the Frente POLISARIO and ended the military conflict that lasted for 16 years.

Although the two sides of the conflict have achieved a ceasefire, the two sides have differences on the referendum issue, which has not been resolved so far.

Generally speaking, the essence of the conflict in Western Sahara is the dispute over the sovereignty of Western Sahara after the withdrawal of Spanish colonists. Morocco claimed that Western Sahara belonged to Morocco, while the Frente POLISARIO insisted on independence.

United Nations vehicles entering the danger zone

In the international community, various countries have expressed different positions on the conflict in Western Sahara for their own interests.

Based on its North Africa strategy and Morocco's important position in the Arab world, the United States generally supports Morocco on the issue of Western Sahara.

Countries supporting Morocco (red) and countries supporting the Frente Polisario (green)

Since 1950, Morocco has become the country in the Arab world that receives the most American aid except Egypt, accounting for about one-fifth of the total American aid to Africa.

The US-Morocco Friendship Act (1787) has a long history of friendly relations between the two countries.

As the former sovereign state of Morocco, France does not want to lose Morocco as a raw material producing area and commodity market, and has also provided Morocco with huge economic and military assistance to ensure France's interests in the region.

After the outbreak of the conflict in Western Sahara, France clearly expressed its support for Morocco and directly referred to Western Sahara as Morocco's "southern province" to express its position.

As the former sovereign state of Western Sahara, Spain has a so-called positive and neutral attitude on the issue of Western Sahara. On the one hand, Spain recognizes the legitimacy of the Frente POLISARIO in safeguarding its economic interests in fishing and phosphate mining in Western Sahara.

On the other hand, in order to combat terrorism and illegal immigration, Spain began to focus on improving its relations with Morocco.

People protesting against the Moroccan wall

Morocco's position on the issue of Western Sahara has never changed in essence, that is, it insists on the return of Western Sahara to Morocco. With the support and acquiescence of the United States and France, Morocco has even repeatedly obstructed United Nations missions and peacekeeping forces.

Algeria has been firmly supporting the Frente Polisario since the outbreak of the Western Sahara issue, which has caused a conflict of interest with Morocco. Although Algeria also recognizes the importance of improving relations with Morocco, its position in the Western Sahara peace process has not changed.

Most countries in Africa are independent countries from colonies, so logically, they should support the Frente POLISARIO's demand for independence.

However, since 1996, the Moroccan authorities have stepped up their "money diplomacy" offensive against third world countries, which has led some African countries to withdraw their recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, aggravating divisions and differences within Africa.

Occupied by Morocco (west) and Frente Polisario (east)

Morocco controls the main cities and coastlines west of the sand wall, accounting for about 3/4 of the area of Western Sahara.

Morocco has established four provinces and established administrative organs at all levels in the Western Sahara under its control. Moroccan political parties are also active in the Sahara. There are about 600,000 people in Western Sahara, and the Moroccan garrison and its subordinate personnel are * * * 1.5 million.

In addition, Morocco has invested a lot of money in infrastructure construction in Western Sahara.

Laayoune, the capital located in the northwest corner of Western Sahara (controlled by Morocco), has also changed from a dilapidated town to a modern city with a population of more than 200,000, but Western Saharans only account for1/50, about 40,000 of the urban residents.

Tindouf refugee camp

The area 1/4 to the east of the sand wall controlled by the Frente Polisario is located in the hinterland of the Sahara desert, with extremely harsh natural conditions. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic divides Western Sahara into five administrative regions, but actually only controls the narrow areas bordering Morocco, Mauritania and Algeria.

The war that lasted for 16 years caused a serious refugee flow. Up to now, there are still150,000 Western Saharan refugees stranded in the Tindouf refugee camp in Algeria.

The Frente Polisario is led by the Secretary-General, who is elected by the people's congresses held regularly every four years. All camp residents have the right to vote in the people's congresses. The Frente POLISARIO has no formal members, and anyone who participates in the work of the organization or lives in refugee camps is regarded as a member of the organization.

Environment in refugee camps

1 1 room is the smallest unit in the political structure of the refugee camp. These institutions are usually responsible for distributing food, water and education in the area, and cooperate with higher-level institutions (including several camps) to establish distribution chains.

Although there are schools, hospitals, health centers and production activities in the refugee camps, local refugees mainly rely on food and materials provided by the United Nations, European countries and Algeria.

When this difficult land will usher in lasting peace is still unknown.