Stories about Western Sahara

MENA: Acclaimed Authors’ Favorites of 2012

  29 December 2012

M. Lynx Qualey, blogger, who is interested in Arab and Arabic literature, wrote a series of posts introducing acclaimed Arab poets, novelists, and short-story writers’ favorite Arab reads of 2012. She started with a list of nonfiction books, then followed by a list for poetry [En] and fiction [En].

Morocco: Talks on Western Sahara to Resume

  10 February 2010

The dispute over the Western Sahara is a complex one--Morocco claims it as their own, while the Saharan independence movement (the Polisario), backed by Algeria, desires independence. Three years ago, talks resumed between the Polisario and Morocco. Bloggers react to a new round of talks.

Western Sahara: Running the Sahara Marathon 2010

  7 January 2010

The Sahara Marathon is an international sport event to demonstrate solidarity with the Saharawi people and this year celebrates its 10th anniversary. Many dedicated bloggers wrote about it to promote the event in different languages and even created blogs for this purpose.

Western Sahara: Aminatou Haidar Deported

  18 November 2009

Aminatou Haidar is a leading activist for independence of the Western Sahara (from Morocco). On Friday, November 13 when, upon returning to Laayoune (a city in the Western Sahara region), she was arrested and subsequently deported. Jillian C. York rounds up the reactions of bloggers.

Western Sahara: Hunger Strike in Support for Separatists

  21 October 2009

Solidarité Maroc [Fr], an online forum regrouping some Moroccan human rights activist, publishes an appeal (video) by French national Jean François Debargue who's on hunger strike in solidarity with Sahrawis whom he says are living in “dire conditions” in Western Sahara – a territory administered by Morocco and contested by...

Bubisher: A Bus of Books for Children in Western Sahara

  29 April 2009

Do you want to go to the Sahara desert and read for children living in the refugee camps? Bubisher is a mobile library being driven across Western Sahara refugee camps. In those refugee schools, the bus shares with youngsters food for the soul and mind: books. Renata Avila highlights the initiative.

Western Sahara: Landmine Injures Five During Peaceful Protest

  14 April 2009

Last week, Saharawis and Spaniards stood together in solidarity against the berm (”Wall of Shame”) built between Morocco and the Western Sahara, over which Morocco claims sovereignty. The protest, dubbed the International March against the Wall of Shame, resulted in an unconfirmed number of Saharawis injured by landmines. Jillian York shares the story.

Maghreb: UN Western Sahara Envoy Holds Talks with Polisario

  22 February 2009

Yesterday, Christopher Ross, the UN Special Envoy to the disputed Western Sahara, arrived in Algeria to hold talks with the Polisario Front, according to AFP. Jillian York rounds up blogger reactions from the Maghreb region on this latest development.

Global: Morocco Closes Caracas Embassy

  21 January 2009

Morocco announced this week that it would close its embassy in Venezuela due to Venezuela's recognition of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), the territory also known as the "Western Sahara," over which Morocco asserts its sovereignty.