United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|OrganizationUnited Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara}}

| image = Emblem of the United Nations.svg

| image_size = 120px

| map = WesternMINURSO SaharaDeployment (orthographicApril projection2014).svgpng

| leader_title = Head

| leader_name = Colin{{ill|Alexander StewartIvanko|ru|Иванько, Александр Сергеевич}} (CanadaRussia), Special Representative

| subsidiaries =

| footnotes =

MINURSO's mission was to monitor the cease-fire and to organize and conduct a [[referendum]] in accordance with the Settlement Plan, which would enable the [[Sahrawi people]] of [[Western Sahara]] to choose between integration with [[Morocco]] and [[independence]]. This was intended to constitute a Sahrawi exercise of [[self-determination]], and thus complete Western Sahara's still-unfinished process of [[decolonization]] (Western Sahara is the last major territory remaining on the UN's [[United Nations list of Nonnon-Selfself-Governinggoverning Territoriesterritories|list of non-decolonized territories]].)

The independence referendum was originally scheduled for 1992, but conflicts over voter eligibility prevented it from being held. Both sides blamed each other for stalling the process. In 1997, the [[Houston Agreement]] was supposed to restart the process, but again failed. In 2003, the [[Baker Plan]] was launched to replace the Settlement Plan, but while accepted by the Polisario and unanimously endorsed by the [[United Nations Security Council]], it was rejected by Morocco. Morocco insisted that all inhabitants of the territory should be eligible to vote in the referendum. Following the 1975 [[Green March]], the Moroccan state has sponsored [[:Category:Settlement schemes|settlement schemes]] enticing thousands of Moroccans to move into [[Southern Provinces|the Moroccan-occupied part of Western Sahara]] (80% of the territory). By 2015, it was estimated that Moroccan settlers made up at least two thirds of the [[Demographics of Western Sahara|500,000 inhabitants]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/06/morocco-western-sahara-referendum-delay|title=Western Sahara's stranded refugees consider renewal of Morocco conflict|first=Whitney|last=Shefte|date=6 January 2015|website=the Guardian|accessdateaccess-date=2 April 2018}}</ref>

The MINURSO mandate has been extended 47 times since 1991.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-10-26|title=Security Council Resolutions and Statements|url=https://minurso.unmissions.org/security-council-resolutions-and-statements|access-date=2020-08-05|website=MINURSO|language=en}}</ref> In October 2006 the Security Council passed a resolution extending the mandate of MINURSO to April 2007.<ref name="UN_SRES17202006">{{UN document |docid=S-RES-1720(2006) |type=Resolution |body=Security Council |year=2006 |resolution_number=1720 | accessdate=2008-05-02|date=31 October 2006}}</ref> A provision decrying [[Human rights in Western Sahara|human rights abuses by Morocco in Western Sahara]] had the backing of 14 members of the Security Council, but was deleted due to French objections.<ref name="human rights">{{cite news | author = Reuters | author-linkagency = Reuters | title = UN shuns W. Sahara rights plea after France objects | url = http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N31281581.htm | publisher = Reuters Alertnet | accessdateaccess-date = 2006-10-31 }}</ref>

{{As of|2018|6|30}}, MINURSO had a total of 220 uniformed personnel, including 19 contingent troops, 193 experts on mission, 7 staff officers, and 1 police officer,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/troop-and-police-contributors|title=Troop and police contributors|work=United Nations Peacekeeping|access-date=2018-07-19|language=en}}</ref> supported by 227 civilian personnel, and 16 UN Volunteersvolunteers. Major troop contributors are [[Bangladesh]], [[Egypt]], and [[Pakistan]]. Armed contingents patrol the [[no man's land]] that borders the [[Moroccan Western Sahara Wall|Moroccan Wall]], to safeguard the cease-fire.

*'''[[Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara|Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Chief of Mission]]''': [[Colin Stewart{{ill|Alexander (diplomat)Ivanko|Colinru|Иванько, Stewart]]Александр Сергеевич}} ({{CANRUS}})

*'''Force Commander''': [[Major general]] [[WangFakhrul Xiaojun (born 1959)|Wang XiaojunAhsan]] ({{CHNBGD}})

*'''Chief of Staff''': AlexanderNick IvankoBirnback ({{RUSUSA}})

[[File:MINURSO HQ, El Aaiun, WS.jpg|thumb|right|250px|MINURSO headquarters in [[Laayoune|El Aaiun]], [[Western Sahara]], June 2, 2012. Several Moroccan flags are displayed at the entrance of the compound, in contrast with MINURSO bases in the [[Polisario Front|POLISARIO]] [[Free Zone (region)|Liberated Territories]], where only the UN flag is displayed.]]

|{{GER}}|| align="right" | 0 || align="right" | 1 || align="right" | 0 || align="right" |0|| align="right" | 21

There have been a total of 16 fatalities in MINURSO: six military personnel, a police officer, a military observer, three international civilian personnel, and five local civilian personnel.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/fatalities|title=Fatalities|work=United Nations Peacekeeping|access-date=2018-07-19|language=en}}</ref>{{clarify|reason=How/why did they die?|date=December 2011}}

MINURSO is the only UN peacekeeping mission established since 1978 to be operating without the capacity to monitor human rights.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mission Mandate|url=http://minurso.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=9531&language=en-US|access-date=2015-04-14|archive-date=2013-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130204034057/http://minurso.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=9531&language=en-US|url-status=dead}}</ref> Although Resolution 1979 of the UN Security Council recommends the establishment of one, this has not yet happened.<ref>{{cite web|title=United Nations Security Council Resolution 1979|url=https://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/1979(2011)|website=Resolutions of the Security Council on MINURSO}}</ref> In 1995, MINURSO's inability or unwillingness to act against perceived Moroccan manipulation of the process, and abuse of Sahrawi civilians, caused its former deputy chairman [[Frank Ruddy]] to deliver a strong attack on the organization;<ref name="ARSO">{{cite web | url = http://www.arso.org/06-3-1.htm | last = Ruddy | first = Frank | title = Review of United Nations Operations & Peacekeeping | accessdateaccess-date = 2009-02-26 | publisher = Congress of the United States | date = 1995-01-25 | location = Washington, DC}}</ref> he has since kept up his critique of what he argues is an economically costly and politically corrupt process.<ref name="FA">{{cite news|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_37_15/ai_56184193 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071005011844/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_37_15/ai_56184193 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-10-05 |title=Saharawi Republic Waits to Be Born |last=Catherine |first=Edwards |accessdateaccess-date=2009-02-26 |date=1999-10-04 |publisher=B Net }}</ref> Growing criticism has been voiced against the UN Security Council for not establishing a program of [[human rights]] (as MINURSO is the only UN mission in the world who has no mandate on them) monitoring for Western Sahara and the Sahrawi population,<ref name="HRW">{{cite web | url = https://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/04/17/letter-unsc-urging-human-rights-monitoring-western-sahara

| accessdateaccess-date = 2009-07-06

Over a two-year period, mostly 2006–2007, MINURSO personnel vandalized archaeological sites by spraying [[graffiti]] over prehistoric rock paintings and engravings<ref>{{cite web|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article3280058.ece|website=[[The Times]]|title=UN vandals spray graffiti on Sahara's prehistoric art|accessdateaccess-date=May 8, 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809071616/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article3280058.ece|archivedatearchive-date=9 August 2011}}</ref> in the [[Free Zone (region)|Free Zone]] (POLISARIO-controlled parts of Western Sahara). There are also accusations of looting of prehistorical paintings by individuals from the UN on some of those sites.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cronaca.com/archives/005271.html |title=ArchivedCronaca: UN peacekeepers: Cultural crime, copytoo |accessdateaccess-date=April 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708205213/http://www.cronaca.com/archives/005271.html |archivedatearchive-date=July 8, 2011 }} UN peacekeepers: cultural crime, too.</ref>

In May 2010, the Polisario Front suspended contacts with the MINURSO, because of the failure on implementing the self-determination referendum, and accused the force of "''...turning into a protector shield of a colonial fact, the occupation of the Western Sahara by Morocco''".<ref>{{cite news | title = El Polisario rompe los contactos con la MINURSO | url = http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Polisario/rompe/contactos/MINURSO/elpepuint/20100528elpepuint_12/Tes | publisher = [[El País]] | date = 2010-05-28 | accessdateaccess-date = 4 June 2010|language=es}}</ref>

{{wikisourcepar2Wikisourcepar2|UN Security Council Resolution 1541|UN Security Council Resolution 1541}}

*{{officialOfficial website}}

[[Category:DecolonisationDecolonization|Western Sahara]]