ALGERIAN PATRIOTS - ENGLISH

To the proud and indomitable Sahrawi people, I write to you as the grandson of an officer of the National Liberation Army, the grandson of an Algerian hero who defied General Bigeard in the heights of Djebel Amour. In my veins runs the pride of martyrs and the flame of revolution. From the heart of Algeria—the land of sacrifice and the refuge of free men—I send you a message that is not mere words, but a cry of brotherhood, loyalty, and defiance. What unfolds today in the corridors of the United Nations is no surprise to those who know the history of great powers and the cynical twists of international politics. The forces of colonialism have never ceased to reinvent themselves, clinging to the same spirit of domination, imposing their vision at the expense of the rights of peoples. We Algerians know what oppression means. One hundred and thirty-two years of colonization did not break our will. We resisted, generation after generation, in the mountains, the cities, and the deserts. ...

Abstract — This article examines, in light of international law and United Nations practice, legally compliant pathways for resolving the Western Sahara question. After outlining the applicable framework ( UN Charter , GA Resolutions 1514 (XV) and 1541 (XV), the 1975 ICJ Advisory Opinion , the Territory’s non‑self‑governing status, and MINURSO ’s mandate), it situates Morocco ’s 2007 Autonomy Initiative and explains why, in its current form, it does not fully satisfy the requirements of free and genuine self‑determination. It then proposes alternatives compatible with international law: a UN‑supervised referendum offering all final‑status options; a transition package providing security and human‑rights guarantees; an interim resource‑governance regime based on the consent of the Sahrawi people ; and confidence‑building measures. The precedents of Namibia and Timor‑Leste are used to illustrate credible transitional architectures. 1) Introduction Western Sahara remains among the ...

In November 1975, Spain withdrew from Western Sahara. Seizing the opportunity, Morocco and Mauritania illegally divided the land, in blatant violation of international law and the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination. The Sahrawis became the first victims: bombed with napalm and phosphorus, massacred, and buried in mass graves beneath the desert sands. True to its revolutionary mission and the principles of November 1954, Algeria stood firm with the Sahrawi people. In January 1976, more than 2,000 Sahrawi civilians found refuge in Amgala, a vital water point in the desert, where the 41st Algerian Infantry Battalion, specialized in logistics and humanitarian support, was stationed. Their mission: to protect refugees, provide food, and deliver aid. But the Moroccan monarchy — the Makhzen — chose to reveal its true face. Amgala I (21–29 January 1976): Algerian Blood Spilled for Justice 21 January 1976 Polisario fighters struck a Mauritanian garrison in Dakhla, killing 60 soldiers....

While the Algerian president has taken a summer break, logically suspending his official activities, an unusual stir can be observed on the other side of the border. Many Moroccans, amplified by countless live streams and comments on social media, are eager to know: “Where is the Algerian president?” A question that might seem trivial at first glance, but in reality reveals deep political and psychological dynamics. A Revealing Paradox What stands out first is the paradox. The King of Morocco himself is often absent—whether for health reasons or extended vacations abroad—to the point that his prolonged absences have become a constant feature of Moroccan political life. Yet, despite this, the attention of many Moroccans is not focused on the management of their own internal affairs, but rather on the presence or absence of Algeria’s head of state. At the same time, Morocco is grappling with multiple crises: economic, with mounting debt; social, with poverty affecting millions of citizen...

The Moroccan press, in a wave of near‑triumphal euphoria, loudly hailed the message sent by former U.S. President Donald Trump to King Mohammed VI on the occasion of the Throne Day celebrations. In this letter, the former occupant of the White House reaffirmed U.S. recognition of Morocco’s so‑called sovereignty over Western Sahara, first announced in December 2020. For Rabat, this reiteration was presented as yet another step toward the definitive normalization of its annexation and a sign of international validation. Yet behind this media and diplomatic commotion lies an inescapable truth: this message, however symbolic, alters nothing in the legal status of Western Sahara. The reality of international law—enshrined in United Nations resolutions and confirmed by the International Court of Justice—remains unchanged: Western Sahara is a non‑self‑governing territory, still awaiting the completion of its decolonization process. The illusion of sufficient recognition If recognition by a me...

In his traditional July 29 address marking the Throne Day, King Mohammed VI once again declared his wish to “extend a hand to Algeria” and “open a new chapter” between the two countries. It is a refrain we hear every year, a well-rehearsed ritual that clashes head-on with the ongoing hostile actions Morocco continues to take against Algeria. History Remembers… and Betrayal Repeats Itself Since Algeria’s independence in 1962, Morocco has proven that its promises collapse when confronted with its ambitions. Barely months after our liberation, the 1963 Sand War broke out, when the Moroccan army attempted to seize Tindouf and Béchar. Since then, violations have been constant: open support for separatist groups, security cooperation with foreign powers hostile to Algeria, and diplomatic and media campaigns aimed at tarnishing our nation’s image on the international stage. History is clear: those who betray you once will betray you again. The Kingdom of Cannabis… and Poisoned Borders Accordi...

Despite the media theatrics and diplomatic posturing of the Moroccan regime, the Sahrawi cause has once again triumphed on the international stage, reaffirming that truth and justice will always outlive the illusions of expansionism and occupation. The 2024 annual informational report of the UN Security Council, presented to the General Assembly, has once again exposed the Moroccan narrative and effectively buried the so-called “autonomy plan.” The Moroccan permanent representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, responded with theatrical outrage, unable to mask the sting of a diplomatic defeat. His protest, thinly veiled in official language, is nothing more than a confession of failure — the failure of a strategy built on misinformation, manipulation, and the politics of coercion.   The Mirage of Autonomy Crumbles Before International Law Despite the illusions fed to Rabat by political sponsors such as Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, and Pedro Sánchez, the Morocc...

In recent days, international headlines have celebrated what is being portrayed as yet another “diplomatic victory” for Morocco, following the United Kingdom’s shift in tone on the Western Sahara issue. London, it appears, now implicitly supports Rabat’s autonomy proposal. This development echoes similar realignments in several Western capitals. But behind this diplomatic fanfare lies a stark reality: Morocco’s so-called victories are not achievements of principle or legitimacy, but rather the result of calculated concessions—economic, strategic, and political—offered to powerful states in exchange for their endorsement. Morocco’s Bargain: Trading Sovereignty for Support Let us be clear: what Rabat presents as foreign support for its autonomy plan is, in most cases, the outcome of transactional diplomacy. What has Morocco promised to the United Kingdom? Access to the natural resources of Western Sahara? Exclusive investment deals or security partnerships? The same applies to the cases ...

In a compelling op-ed published on May 28, 2025, in The Washington Times, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton reignited the debate over one of the world’s most neglected and unresolved territorial disputes: Western Sahara. With China and Russia expanding their influence across Africa, Bolton argues that now is the time for the United States to reassert its commitment to international law and democratic principles by supporting a long-delayed referendum for the Sahrawi people. A Frozen Conflict Since the 1970s Stretching along the northwest coast of Africa, south of Morocco, Western Sahara remains a non-self-governing territory—the last colonial question on the African continent. When Spain abruptly withdrew from the territory in 1975 following the death of General Franco, both Morocco and Mauritania moved in to fill the vacuum. In response, the native Sahrawi population organized under the Polisario Front and began armed resistance, with Algeria offering political ...

In the obscure twists and turns of Moroccan intelligence, a new episode – pathetic as much as revealing – has been added to the long list of clumsy maneuvers by an institution more adept at political tinkering than enlightened strategy. The General Directorate of Studies and Documentation (DGED), visibly disoriented by the kingdom's repeated diplomatic failures on the Sahrawi issue, ventured to fabricate a supposed Syrian document. This document was meant to support the idea of a collusion between the Polisario Front and the Islamic Republic of Iran – a fanciful alliance, tailor-made to provoke international indignation. But this attempt to associate the Sahrawi movement with Tehran or Hezbollah is nothing new. Morocco has been trying for years to portray the Polisario as an unsavory group, hoping to pass it off as a terrorist organization. This repetitive and desperate strategy of disinformation stems from a realization of impotence: Rabat is out of arguments in a conflict where i...

New York, April 16, 2025. In the solemn chamber of the United Nations Security Council, a man takes the floor. With composure, precision, and a measured gravitas, Staffan de Mistura , the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, delivers a briefing that, according to several diplomats present, may well mark a turning point in the protracted Sahrawi dossier. This report comes at a highly charged moment: fifty years after Spain’s withdrawal from Western Sahara in 1975, the question of decolonization remains unresolved, frozen in a status quo that only a crisis—or a concerted international awakening—might shake loose. For the first time in a long while, such a shift now appears within reach. A Diplomatic Trilogy at the Core of the Report Three key messages emerge from De Mistura’s address—three pillars that reflect both the current posture of the United States and shifting power dynamics within the Security Council. 1. Toward “Genuine” Autonomy: A Call for Clari...

Following the report presented on April 16, 2025, by Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations Special Envoy, who solemnly urged Morocco to further clarify its autonomy proposal—a sparse document of just 35 articles spread over barely four and a half pages—Rabat responded with notable, almost embarrassed, reticence. In the analysis that follows, we rigorously and precisely highlight the real reasons preventing the long-awaited clarification. For contrary to the official narrative that describes the plan as “serious” and “credible,” it does not withstand either a thorough legal examination or the fundamental principles of international law. The Western Sahara conflict, long classified on the United Nations agenda as a decolonization issue, remains one of the most sensitive and pivotal matters for the stability of the Maghreb region and beyond. In 2007, Morocco put forward an “Initiative for Negotiating an Autonomy Statute,” intended to serve as the cornerstone of a final settlement. Yet be...