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{{Short description|Part of the Western Sahara conflict}}
:''Note: This article is about Western Sahara. For "Intifada of Independence" in ], see "]".''
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}

{{Infobox civil conflict
'''The Independence Intifada''' (''intifada'' is ] for "uprising") is a ] name for the disturbances, demonstrations and riots that broke out in May ] in the ]-held ] of ]. This event has also been called "The El-Aaiun Intifada". The Moroccan government terms these events simply disturbances or troubles. It has accused the ] of instigating unrest, and ] mislabeling it an "intifada".
| title = Independence Intifada
| partof = ]
| image =
| caption =
| date = 21 May – 14 December 2005
| place = ], south of ]
| coordinates =
| causes = Transfer of a Sahrawi prisoner from ] to ]
| goals =
* Independence of Western Sahara
* Respect of human rights
| methods =
*]
*]
*Rioting
| status =
| result = Sahrawi failure to gain independence<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sahara |first1=Western |title=Sahrawis campaign for independence in the second intifada, Western Sahara, 2005-2008 |url=https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/sahrawis-campaign-independence-second-intifada-western-sahara-2005-2008 |website=Global Nonviolent Action Database |publisher=Elliana Bisgaard-Church}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=sahara |first1=Western |title=Sovereignty on Borrowed Territory: Sahrawi Identity in Algeria |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43133843 |journal=Georgetown Journal of International Affairs |year=2010 |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=59–66 |publisher=Randa Farah|jstor=43133843 }}</ref>
| side1 = {{flagicon|SADR}} ] ]
| side2 = {{flagicon|Morocco}} ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
| side3 =
| leadfigures1 =
| leadfigures2 =
| leadfigures3 =
| howmany1 = Hundreds{{Citation needed|date=May 2014}}
| howmany2 =
| howmany3 =
| casualties1 = ]<br/>dozens wounded{{Citation needed|date=May 2014}}
| casualties2 =
| casualties3 =
| casualties_label =
| notes =
}}
{{Campaignbox Western Sahara conflict}}
The '''Independence Intifada'''{{ref|arso2005c}} or the '''Second Sahrawi Intifada''' (''intifada'' is ] for "]") and also '''May Intifada'''<ref name=Mundy></ref> is a ] activist term for a series of disturbances, demonstrations and riots that broke out in May 2005 {{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} in the Moroccan-] of ] and south of Morocco. This event has also been called '''The El-Aaiun Intifada''' by the same sources.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}


==Background== ==Background==
{{Sahara conflict}}
:''main article, ].''
{{main|History of Western Sahara}}
], formerly ], was annexed by ] in 1975, as Spain pulled out. A war with the ], which according to the UN represent the ] ] population, and was backed by neighboring ], ensued. In 1991 a ] was agreed upon, on the condition of a ] on ] (including the options of independence or integration into Morocco). Since 1991 the terms of a referendum have been subject to years of dispute between the parties, although the cease-fire continues to hold despite remaining tensions. Morocco controls the majority of the territory, with Polisario forces controlling a rump. A UN mission ] mission patrols the demarcation line.


Sahrawi political activity in the Moroccan-controlled parts of Western Sahara remains severely restricted, and police crackdowns and ]s were a frequent response to civil protest.{{ref|amnesty2004}} The political climate gradually relaxed in the 1990s, after the cease-fire, and following considerable liberalization in Morocco proper. Since political liberalisation, intermittent protests have broken out and pro-Polisario groups have declaring minor "intifadas" in 1999 and 2000, often resulting in dozens of demonstrators being arrested.{{ref|amnesty1999}}{{ref|state2001}}
], formerly ], was forcibly annexed by ] in 1975, as ] pulled out. A war with the indigenous ], representing the ] ] population, and backed by ], ensued. In 1991 a ] was agreed upon, on the condition of a ] on ] (including the options of ] as the ] or integration as Morocco's ]). This has since been the Polisario's main demand, but no referendum has taken place. The cease-fire holds, but tension remains high. The area is divided between Morocco and Polisario forces by the ] and patrolled by the ]'s ] mission.
]s in ], May 2005]]
Sahrawi political activity in the Moroccan-controlled parts of Western Sahara remains severely repressed, and police crackdowns and ]s has been a frequent response to civil protest. {{ref|amnesty2004}} The political climate gradually relaxed in the 1990s, after the cease-fire, and following considerable liberalization in Morocco proper, and this resulted in more frequent protests, with the Sahrawi sides declaring minor "intifadas" in 1999 and 2000, as dozens of demonstrators were rounded up and arrested during unrest in the region. {{ref|amnesty1999}}


==Demonstrations and arrests== ==Demonstrations and arrests==
Demonstrations began on 21 May 2005 in ], after relatives protesting the transfer of a Sahrawi prisoner accused of drug dealing and insulting the Moroccan monarchy to a prison in ] were violently dispersed by police, provoking further demonstrations over the next several days. Protests spread by the end of May to other towns in the Western Sahara, such as ] and ], and were accompanied by demonstrations by Sahrawi students living in Moroccan cities such as Agadir, ], ], ] and ]. Moroccan public security units quelled the disturbances, although some subsequent pro-independence demonstrations have subsequently flared up, most recently reported in November 2005. On 30 October 2005, a first fatality was recorded when 31-year-old ] died after what human rights organizations assured was police brutality during his arrest, although at first Moroccan authorities attributed his death to an accident.<ref> US Department of State</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Un joven detenido por la Policía, primera víctima mortal de la "Intifada saharaui"|url=http://www.abc.es/hemeroteca/historico-01-11-2005/abc/Internacional/un-joven-detenido-por-la-policia-primera-victima-mortal-de-la-intifada-saharaui_611978896048.html|author=Luis de Vega|publisher=]|date=1 November 2005|accessdate=6 October 2012|language=es}}</ref>


Over a hundred pro-Polisario Sahrawi protesters were reported arrested by Moroccan authorities by international human rights, and approximately thirty demonstrators and well-known Sahrawi human rights-activists have been imprisoned after summary trials.{{ref|arso2005}} Among them are the former political prisoner ] (who did not partake directly in any demonstrations, but was arrested when returning from abroad), human rights-activist ], and ], a former ]. An international campaign for her release was signed by 178 members of the ], and she was nominated as a candidate for the ].{{ref|arso2005a}}{{ref|arso2005b}}{{third-party-inline|date=May 2014}} A 50-day hunger strike of all the arrested Sahrawis put the health of several at risk, and the action was aborted.
Demonstrations began in May 2005 in ], after relatives protesting the transfer of a Sahrawi prisoner to Morocco were dipersed by police, and escalated into major demonstrations within a matter of days. It then spread to other Sahrawi cities such as ] and ], and also into Sahrawi-populated parts of southern Morocco, notably the towns of ] and ]. Sahrawi students rioted in the universities of ] and ]. Police and army units were brought in from Morocco to quell the uprising, and although demonstrations subsided, several protests a month are still held in November 2005. On October 30, 2005, a first casualty was reported: 31-year old Lembarki Hamdi died after what human rights organizations claimed was police brutality, although the Moroccan government attributed his death to an accident. Another Sahrawi, Lekhlifa Abba Cheikh, was killed by police in Tan-Tan in early December, but it is not clear that this was related to political protest.
<!-- Unsourced image removed: ]]] -->


On 14 December 2005, 14 pro-independence Sahrawis and human-rights activists, including the activists mentioned above and most of the remaining pro-Polisario Sahrawi political leadership, were sentenced to between six months and three years in prison by an El-Aaiún court, on charges of disturbing public order, membership of illegal associations, incitement to unrest, damaging public property and rioting.{{ref|reuters2005a}} They denied the charges of using violence. Both ] and ] had expressed serious concern over the trials, pointing to reports of torture and previous abuse of some of the prisoners.{{ref|amnesty2005}}{{ref|hrw2005}}
Hundreds of Sahrawi protestors have been arrested, and demonstrators and well-known Sahrawi human rights-activists have been imprisoned after summary trials. Among them are the former political prisoner ] (who did not parttake in any demonstrations, but was arrested when returning from abroad), human rights-activist ], and ], a former ]. There is an international for her release which has been signed by of the ], and she has been nominated as a candidate for the ]. A 50-day hunger strike of all the arrested Sahrawis put the health of several at risk, and the action was aborted.
]


==International reactions==
On ], ], 14 pro-independence Sahrawis and human-rights activists, including the activists mentioned above and most of the remaining Sahrawi political leadership, were sentenced to between 6 months and 3 years in prison by an El-Aaiún court, on charges of disturbing public order, membership of illegal associations, incitement to unrest, damaging public property and rioting. They denied the charges of using violence. Both ] and ] had expressed serious concern over the trials, pointing to reports of torture and previous abuse of some of the prisoners (see and ).
Several international human rights-organizations have shown interest in alleged Moroccan abuse of Sahrawi demonstrators. ] has demanded an investigation into reports of torture of prisoners and called for fair trials, and the release of political prisoners.{{ref|amnesty2005}} This has been echoed by ] and others.{{ref|hrw2005}}


Morocco has limited journalists' and diplomats' access to the territory, claiming that their public presence is used by pro-Polisario activists to trigger more riots. Investigative missions from European countries have been denied access to the territory, including several high-ranking parliamentary delegations and foreign ambassadors to Morocco.{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Several foreign journalists, mainly European, but also ] correspondents, were expelled after interviewing protesters, and others have been prevented from visiting it.<ref>{{cite web|title=RSF denuncia las condiciones de trabajo de los periodistas en el Sahara Occidental|url=http://www.ifex.org/morocco/2005/06/17/journalists_in_western_sahara_face/es/|publisher=] (])|date=17 June 2005|accessdate=18 June 2013|language=es}}</ref> In November 2005, Moroccan authorities shut down a number of pro-independence or pro-Polisario Internet sites. This was condemned by ] as an example of ].{{ref|rsf2005}}
== International Reactions ==
Several international ]-organizations have shown interest in alleged Moroccan abuse of Sahrawi demonstrators. ] has demanded an investigation into reports of torture of prisoners. It calls for fair trials, and the release of political prisoners. This has been echoed by ] and others.


The ] voted 98 in favor, 1 abstention and 0 votes against an October 2005 resolution that "deplored" expulsions of journalists covering the uprising and demanded the "immediate release" of political prisoners.{{ref|europarl2005}}
Morocco has attempted to limit access to the territory. Investigative missions from ] countries have been denied access to the territory, including several high-ranking parliamentary delegations and foreign ambassadors to Morocco. Several foreign journalists, mainly from European countries, but also ] correspondents, have been expelled after interviewing protestors, and others have been prevented from visiting it. In November 2005, Moroccan authorities shut down a number of pro-independence or pro-Polisario ] sites. This was by ] as an example of ].

The ] voted 98 in favor, 1 abstention and 0 votes against an October 2005 resolution that "deplored" expulsions of journalists covering the uprising and and demanded the "immediate release" of political prisoners().

==References==

# {{note|amnesty1999}}
# {{note|amnesty2004}}


==Aftermath==
{{main|Gdeim Izik protest camp|2011 Western Saharan protests}}


==See also== ==See also==
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]


==References==
* ]
{{reflist}}
* ]
#{{note|arso2005c}}
#{{note|amnesty1999}}
#{{note|amnesty2004}}
#{{note|state2001}}
#{{note|reuters2005}}
#{{note|amnesty2005}}
#{{note|arso2005}} {{in lang|fr}}
#{{note|arso2005a}}
#{{note|arso2005b}}
#{{note|reuters2005a}} {{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
#{{note|hrw2005}}
#{{note|rsf2005}}
#{{note|europarl2005}}


==External links== ==External links==
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060324023600/http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE290042005?open&of=ENG-2D3 |date=24 March 2006 }} Amnesty International
===Human rights reports===
* New arrests and allegations of torture of Sahrawi human rights defenders * Amnesty International
* Human Rights Watch
* Sahrawi Human Rights Defenders Under Attack
* Letter to King Mohamed VI

===Pictures and video===
* From Spanish TV, viewable by ] - in Spanish
* EuroNews, viewable by ] - in French
*


===Sahrawi blogs and support pages===
* Mixed Spanish, French, English, etc
* Special Intifada page - Trilingual.
* Mixed Spanish, French, English, etc
* Sahrawi support page on the Intifada - English
* Polisario news service


] ]
] ]
] ]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 04:36, 19 October 2024

Part of the Western Sahara conflict

Independence Intifada
Part of Western Sahara conflict
Date21 May – 14 December 2005
LocationWestern Sahara, south of Morocco
Caused byTransfer of a Sahrawi prisoner from El Aaiun to Agadir
Goals
  • Independence of Western Sahara
  • Respect of human rights
Methods
Resulted inSahrawi failure to gain independence
Parties
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Independentist Sahrawis

Morocco Moroccan government

Number
Hundreds
Casualties and losses
1 civilian killed
dozens wounded
Western Sahara conflict

The Independence Intifada or the Second Sahrawi Intifada (intifada is Arabic for "uprising") and also May Intifada is a Sahrawi activist term for a series of disturbances, demonstrations and riots that broke out in May 2005 in the Moroccan-controlled parts of Western Sahara and south of Morocco. This event has also been called The El-Aaiun Intifada by the same sources.

Background

Part of a series on the
Western Sahara conflict
Background
Regions
Politics
Clashes
Issues
Peace process
Main article: History of Western Sahara

Western Sahara, formerly Spanish Sahara, was annexed by Morocco in 1975, as Spain pulled out. A war with the Polisario Front, which according to the UN represent the indigenous Sahrawi population, and was backed by neighboring Algeria, ensued. In 1991 a cease-fire was agreed upon, on the condition of a referendum on self-determination (including the options of independence or integration into Morocco). Since 1991 the terms of a referendum have been subject to years of dispute between the parties, although the cease-fire continues to hold despite remaining tensions. Morocco controls the majority of the territory, with Polisario forces controlling a rump. A UN mission MINURSO mission patrols the demarcation line.

Sahrawi political activity in the Moroccan-controlled parts of Western Sahara remains severely restricted, and police crackdowns and forced disappearances were a frequent response to civil protest. The political climate gradually relaxed in the 1990s, after the cease-fire, and following considerable liberalization in Morocco proper. Since political liberalisation, intermittent protests have broken out and pro-Polisario groups have declaring minor "intifadas" in 1999 and 2000, often resulting in dozens of demonstrators being arrested.

Demonstrations and arrests

Demonstrations began on 21 May 2005 in El Aaiún, after relatives protesting the transfer of a Sahrawi prisoner accused of drug dealing and insulting the Moroccan monarchy to a prison in Agadir were violently dispersed by police, provoking further demonstrations over the next several days. Protests spread by the end of May to other towns in the Western Sahara, such as Smara and Dakhla, and were accompanied by demonstrations by Sahrawi students living in Moroccan cities such as Agadir, Casablanca, Fes, Marrakech and Rabat. Moroccan public security units quelled the disturbances, although some subsequent pro-independence demonstrations have subsequently flared up, most recently reported in November 2005. On 30 October 2005, a first fatality was recorded when 31-year-old Hamdi Lembarki died after what human rights organizations assured was police brutality during his arrest, although at first Moroccan authorities attributed his death to an accident.

Over a hundred pro-Polisario Sahrawi protesters were reported arrested by Moroccan authorities by international human rights, and approximately thirty demonstrators and well-known Sahrawi human rights-activists have been imprisoned after summary trials. Among them are the former political prisoner Ali Salem Tamek (who did not partake directly in any demonstrations, but was arrested when returning from abroad), human rights-activist Mohamed Elmoutaoikil, and Aminatou Haidar, a former disappeared. An international campaign for her release was signed by 178 members of the European Parliament, and she was nominated as a candidate for the Sakharov Prize. A 50-day hunger strike of all the arrested Sahrawis put the health of several at risk, and the action was aborted.

On 14 December 2005, 14 pro-independence Sahrawis and human-rights activists, including the activists mentioned above and most of the remaining pro-Polisario Sahrawi political leadership, were sentenced to between six months and three years in prison by an El-Aaiún court, on charges of disturbing public order, membership of illegal associations, incitement to unrest, damaging public property and rioting. They denied the charges of using violence. Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch had expressed serious concern over the trials, pointing to reports of torture and previous abuse of some of the prisoners.

International reactions

Several international human rights-organizations have shown interest in alleged Moroccan abuse of Sahrawi demonstrators. Amnesty International has demanded an investigation into reports of torture of prisoners and called for fair trials, and the release of political prisoners. This has been echoed by Human Rights Watch and others.

Morocco has limited journalists' and diplomats' access to the territory, claiming that their public presence is used by pro-Polisario activists to trigger more riots. Investigative missions from European countries have been denied access to the territory, including several high-ranking parliamentary delegations and foreign ambassadors to Morocco. Several foreign journalists, mainly European, but also al Jazeera correspondents, were expelled after interviewing protesters, and others have been prevented from visiting it. In November 2005, Moroccan authorities shut down a number of pro-independence or pro-Polisario Internet sites. This was condemned by Reporters Without Borders as an example of internet censorship.

The European Parliament voted 98 in favor, 1 abstention and 0 votes against an October 2005 resolution that "deplored" expulsions of journalists covering the uprising and demanded the "immediate release" of political prisoners.

Aftermath

Main articles: Gdeim Izik protest camp and 2011 Western Saharan protests

See also

References

  1. Sahara, Western. "Sahrawis campaign for independence in the second intifada, Western Sahara, 2005-2008". Global Nonviolent Action Database. Elliana Bisgaard-Church.
  2. sahara, Western (2010). "Sovereignty on Borrowed Territory: Sahrawi Identity in Algeria". Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. 11 (2). Randa Farah: 59–66. JSTOR 43133843.
  3. Western Sahara Between Autonomy and Intifada
  4. 2005 County Reports on Human Rights Practices – Morocco – Respect of Human rights US Department of State
  5. Luis de Vega (1 November 2005). "Un joven detenido por la Policía, primera víctima mortal de la "Intifada saharaui"" (in Spanish). ABC. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  6. "RSF denuncia las condiciones de trabajo de los periodistas en el Sahara Occidental" (in Spanish). IFEX (Reporters Without Borders). 17 June 2005. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  1. An Urgent Appeal
  2. Amnesty International – REPORT 1999: MOROCCO AND WESTERN SAHARA
  3. Amnesty International – Morocco / Western Sahara – Covering events from January – December 2003
  4. U.S. Department of State – Western Sahara – 2001 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
  5. Reuters – Policemen held after W. Sahara youth's death
  6. Amnesty International – Morocco / Western Sahara – Sahrawi human rights defenders under attack
  7. Western Sahara Human Rights – LISTE des PRISONNIERS et CONDAMNES au cours de l'INTIFADA 2005 (in French)
  8. Western Sahara Human Rights – FREE AMINATOU HAIDAR
  9. Western Sahara Human Rights – Members of the European Parliament who support the International Campaign for the liberation of AMINATOU HAIDAR and of all Saharawi political prisoners
  10. Reuters – Morocco jails Western Sahara activists over riots
  11. Human Rights Watch – Morocco/Western Sahara: Activists Need Fair Trial
  12. Reporters without borders – Morocco puts US censorship busting site Anonymizer.com on its black list
  13. European Parliament resolution on human rights in Western Sahara

External links

Categories: