For those of us who are subscribers to the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, you should have seen the shocking new article by Ian Williams, entitled “Morocco’s Designs on Western Sahara Pose Danger to Palestinians”. I thought that article warrants a response. If you receive this publication, and you concur, I urge you to send a response as well, below is the text of my letter to the editor if you think it might help in formulating other letters.

..................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Letter by Moroccan American Saidi Farhi to the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs in reaction to anti Morooccan Article by the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs

.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I have been a subscriber to the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs magazine for years and have been introducing it to many of my acquaintances as a publication that seeks to show the truth. I was, however, taken aback by the content of the latest article written by Ian Williams, and entitled “Morocco’s Designs on Western Sahara Pose Danger to Palestinians”. Ian compares the situation in the Moroccan Sahara with that of the actions of Israel in Palestine. This is an insult to all Moroccans, who have always supported the Palestinians cause as a just one. The case in the Sahara is a totally different one. The case of the Sahara is that of liberation by Moroccans of parts of their territory that was occupied by a colonial power (Spain at the time), just like they did for Tarfaya and Sidi Ifni before then. Other powers, during the cold war then, saw that liberation effort as a problem and proceeded to create, finance, and support the so called SADR as a means to destabilize Morocco and prevent it from achieving its territorial integrity, since Morocco was not in the Soviet block sphere. Moroccans are no occupiers or settlers, Mr. Williams; Moroccans are not taking bounty or treating the locals as sub-human beings, Mr. Williams; in fact, a lot of financial and economical resources have been spent over the past three decades to develop the area for the benefit of its residents and their brethren who joined them from neighboring provinces, having close tribal ties with them and being Moroccans above all. On the other hand, the Polisario have used the border Tindouf area to barricade a lot of families in a big jail; in fact, some lucky families have over the years succeeded in escaping from the camps and joined the rest of their families within the Sahara proper; even some high level Polisario leaders have come back to their senses, left the group and came back to the home-land. If liberation be, let’s call for opening the camps by the Polisario in Tindouf and have the whole population engage in an effort to resolve all issues in a positive manner, without the influence of those who benefit from the victim status that they market throughout the world to make fortunes out of international aid or those who have a grudge against Morocco for working to establish its territorial integrity.

 Regards,

 Said Farhi,

 ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................