U.S. Draft Sparks Unrest: Morocco Tightens Its Grip as Sahrawis Protest for Self-Determination
Western Sahara, a non-self-governing territory, is witnessing an intensification of Moroccan occupation policies marked by militarization, surveillance, and the suppression of civil and political freedoms. This escalation coincides with ongoing United Nations Security Council consultations and the fiftieth anniversary of Sahrawi National Unity. Amid these developments, a recently circulated United States draft Security Council resolution promoting Morocco’s autonomy plan risks undermining the Sahrawi people’s internationally recognized rights to self-determination and independence.
In the occupied cities of El Aaiún, Smara, Boujdour, and Dakhla, Moroccan authorities have imposed comprehensive security measures, deploying both military and plainclothes units to monitor activists and human rights defenders. Public gatherings and peaceful demonstrations are heavily restricted. The pervasive surveillance and militarization create an environment in which even referring to “Western Sahara” is considered a subversive act, reflecting a systematic attempt to criminalize dissent in violation of international human rights law, including Article 21 of the ICCPR, which guarantees the right to peaceful assembly.
First-Hand Testimonies from Occupied Territories to Adala UK:
M.Y., Activist from El Aaiún:
“Occupation forces are everywhere, in both military and civilian clothes, in ways that are unbelievable. We cannot even say ‘Western Sahara,’ and we are unable to meet or demonstrate. The police monitor our movements everywhere, and they monitoring our homes. They have created a climate of fear and panic among neighbors and among our family members.”
F.B., Activist from El Aaiún:
“I was going to the market when a Moroccan police vehicle followed me. They insulted me with degrading words, telling me that the Sahara is Moroccan and that I should leave Western Sahara if I want self-determination. They continued to verbally abuse me in ways that are humiliating and deeply offensive.”
T.A., Activist from El Aaiún:
“They have hung Moroccan flags across every street in our Sahrawi cities, while we are forbidden from displaying any symbol of Western Sahara. Even wearing our traditional Sahrawi dress subjects us to surveillance and harassment. We do not want these Moroccan flags in our cities we feel sadness and helplessness seeing them imposed on us.”
Y.N., six-year-old child from El Aaiún:
“At school, we were forced to memorize Moroccan songs glorifying Morocco and stating that the Sahara is Moroccan, not Western Sahara. The teacher told me that if I do not memorize all these songs, my grades will be lowered. The teacher also told me that if I do not attend the 50th-anniversary celebration of Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara (the Green March), the administration or the school will punish me.”
These testimonies vividly illustrate the psychological, cultural, and social repression imposed on Sahrawi civilians, including children. They demonstrate how militarization affects daily life, freedom of expression, and education, while fostering an atmosphere of fear, humiliation, and forced assimilation. The presence of Moroccan flags across the occupied cities and the prohibition of Sahrawi national symbols reflects a deliberate attempt to erase cultural identity and impose colonial dominance.
Sahrawi political prisoners face additional layers of repression. They are routinely subjected to prolonged solitary confinement, denied medical care, restricted from family visits, and verbally abused. Such treatment constitutes cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, prohibited under Article 7 of the ICCPR and Articles 31–32 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, reflecting a deliberate strategy to silence political dissent.
Despite the challenges within the occupied territories, Sahrawi refugees in Tindouf camps in Algeria have staged large-scale peaceful demonstrations, affirming their commitment to UN-mandated rights and rejecting any settlement that disregards self-determination. These mobilizations followed a formal objection by the Polisario Front to the US draft resolution, sending a clear message to the international community that any solution ignoring Sahrawi sovereignty is unacceptable.
From a legal perspective, Western Sahara qualifies as occupied territory under Article 42 of the 1907 Hague Regulations, obliging Morocco to administer the territory for the benefit of its civilian population rather than to suppress dissent or impose unilateral solutions. The Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination is enshrined in international law, including Article 1 of the ICCPR and ICESCR, and reaffirmed in UNGA Resolutions 1514 (XV) and 2625 (XXV). Imposing Morocco’s autonomy plan without genuine consultation violates these principles and undermines the decolonization process. Morocco bears legal responsibility for violations committed by its agents, while the international community, including the United Kingdom, has an obligation to support mechanisms that protect Sahrawi rights and ensure accountability.
Commenting on the ongoing situation, Sidi Ahmed lyadasi president of Adala UK stated:
“The systematic repression of Sahrawi civilians, activists, and political prisoners in the occupied territories represents a flagrant violation of international law. Peaceful protests in both occupied territories and refugee camps reflect the Sahrawi people’s unwavering commitment to their legal rights. The international community, including the United Kingdom, must take urgent and decisive action to uphold the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination and ensure accountability for ongoing human rights abuses.”
Western Sahara remains a protracted case of colonial denial, with systematic human rights violations targeting civilians, children, and political activists. Militarization, intimidation, and cultural suppression reflect a deliberate strategy to silence dissent. Yet, peaceful protests and firsthand testimonies demonstrate the resilience and determination of the Sahrawi people to secure their right to self-determination and independence. The international community has a legal and moral duty to support these rights in accordance with UN resolutions and international law, ensuring that any settlement is fair, just, and respects the Sahrawi people’s sovereignty.