Since the end of the 1980s, several members of
POLISARIO have decided to discontinue their military or political activities for the
Polisario Front. Most of them returned from the
Sahrawi refugee camps in
Algeria to
Morocco, among them a few founder members and senior officials. Some of them are now actively promoting Moroccan sovereignty over
Western Sahara, which Morocco considers its
Southern Provinces. Their individual reasons to stop working for
POLISARIO, as reported in the media, vary, but include allegations of human rights violations, monopolization and abuse of power, blackmailing and sequestering the
refugee population in
Tindouf, and squandering foreign aid. They also claim
POLISARIO is controlled by the government of
Algeria and as one former member of
POLISARIO put it, "[was] a group of Moroccan students who were urging the
Spanish colonizer to leave and who had never claimed independence or the separation from motherland Morocco."[1]
The following is a list of some former members of the POLISARIO. It is not exhaustive.
Ahmedou Souelem Ahmed Brahim, former "minister", responsible of relations with the Arab World[2]
The reports of the experiences of the former members of POLISARIO have generally been published in Moroccan newspapers supporting the government position on Western Sahara. The possibility to freely report on the problem of Western Sahara is limited in Morocco (see: International Press Institute, World Press Freedom Review, 2005 Morocco).[37]
US Congressman
Donald M. Payne, from New Jersey, referred in 2005 to some former members of POLISARIO during a hearing before the subcommittee on Africa: "Also several people who were in a position of authority in the POLISARIO camps, when serious human rights abuses including torture were widespread, particularly during the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, now occupy positions of authority in the Moroccan civil administration. This is based on information Amnesty International has been privy to."
[38]
^[1] Outpouring of grief in Tindouf compels Polisario to circulate release hailing late Hassan II's qualities (7-30-1999)
Archived May 22, 2013, at the
Wayback Machine
^[5] Gajmoula Ebbi raconte son aventure avec le Polisario, ses rêves, son calvaire et ses attentes (10-19-2006)
Archived January 27, 2008, at the
Wayback Machine
^[7] Mohamed Ahmed Ben Omar Ouled M’Brirek : « Les gens en ont assez d’attendre jusqu’à l’éternité »
Archived March 12, 2007, at the
Wayback Machine
^
ab[8] Détournement des aides humanitaires par le Polisario
Archived September 27, 2006, at the
Wayback Machine
^[9] Guerre de clans et scission inévitable à Tindouf, selon trois ex-responsables du Polisario ayant regagné le Maroc
Archived August 14, 2004, at the
Wayback Machine
^[13] S.M. le Roi Mohammed VI Mohjamed VI reçoit Cheikh Ali El Bouhali Hnini ayant regagné récemment la mère-patrie
Archived September 28, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine
^[14] Polisario leadership lives in wealth to detriment of camps' populations, Polisario member
Archived July 17, 2006, at the
Wayback Machine
Since the end of the 1980s, several members of
POLISARIO have decided to discontinue their military or political activities for the
Polisario Front. Most of them returned from the
Sahrawi refugee camps in
Algeria to
Morocco, among them a few founder members and senior officials. Some of them are now actively promoting Moroccan sovereignty over
Western Sahara, which Morocco considers its
Southern Provinces. Their individual reasons to stop working for
POLISARIO, as reported in the media, vary, but include allegations of human rights violations, monopolization and abuse of power, blackmailing and sequestering the
refugee population in
Tindouf, and squandering foreign aid. They also claim
POLISARIO is controlled by the government of
Algeria and as one former member of
POLISARIO put it, "[was] a group of Moroccan students who were urging the
Spanish colonizer to leave and who had never claimed independence or the separation from motherland Morocco."[1]
The following is a list of some former members of the POLISARIO. It is not exhaustive.
Ahmedou Souelem Ahmed Brahim, former "minister", responsible of relations with the Arab World[2]
The reports of the experiences of the former members of POLISARIO have generally been published in Moroccan newspapers supporting the government position on Western Sahara. The possibility to freely report on the problem of Western Sahara is limited in Morocco (see: International Press Institute, World Press Freedom Review, 2005 Morocco).[37]
US Congressman
Donald M. Payne, from New Jersey, referred in 2005 to some former members of POLISARIO during a hearing before the subcommittee on Africa: "Also several people who were in a position of authority in the POLISARIO camps, when serious human rights abuses including torture were widespread, particularly during the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, now occupy positions of authority in the Moroccan civil administration. This is based on information Amnesty International has been privy to."
[38]
^[1] Outpouring of grief in Tindouf compels Polisario to circulate release hailing late Hassan II's qualities (7-30-1999)
Archived May 22, 2013, at the
Wayback Machine
^[5] Gajmoula Ebbi raconte son aventure avec le Polisario, ses rêves, son calvaire et ses attentes (10-19-2006)
Archived January 27, 2008, at the
Wayback Machine
^[7] Mohamed Ahmed Ben Omar Ouled M’Brirek : « Les gens en ont assez d’attendre jusqu’à l’éternité »
Archived March 12, 2007, at the
Wayback Machine
^
ab[8] Détournement des aides humanitaires par le Polisario
Archived September 27, 2006, at the
Wayback Machine
^[9] Guerre de clans et scission inévitable à Tindouf, selon trois ex-responsables du Polisario ayant regagné le Maroc
Archived August 14, 2004, at the
Wayback Machine
^[13] S.M. le Roi Mohammed VI Mohjamed VI reçoit Cheikh Ali El Bouhali Hnini ayant regagné récemment la mère-patrie
Archived September 28, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine
^[14] Polisario leadership lives in wealth to detriment of camps' populations, Polisario member
Archived July 17, 2006, at the
Wayback Machine