CORCAS a vital player in the Western sahara conflict
tariq
CORCAS : A VITAL PLAYER IN THE
WESTERN
SAHARA CONFLICT
BY : Moulay Ahmed Maouelainin
The coming weeks would be decisive as to the future of Western Sahara,
the Moroccan diplomacy is expected to perform with conviction,
professionalism, and close coordination with different "players» in
the process of achieving a final settlement.
In this particular context, CORCAS (royal advisory council for Saharan
affairs) is in a position to play a vital role in terms of directly
dealing with all sahraouis whether they are in the territory or in the
refugee camps in Tindouf, inside Algeria or anywhere else around the
world.
CORCAS is composed of 140 members, including 14 women, appointed by
the King of Morocco, Mohamed VI, who represent an ethnic, political,
and tribal cross-section of Moroccan society, including the father of
Polisario leader Mohamed abdelaziz.
In his founding speech, which took place in Laayoune on the25th of
march 2006, the King said "I have decided to give fresh momentum to
this organ, in its new composition, entrust it with a new mandate and
endow it with an enhanced status, so that it may together with public
authorities, and elected institutions, defend the Moroccan ness of the
Sahara, and express the legitimate aspiration of my beloved subjects"
CORCAS primary task is to seek input from all parties affected by the
30 year old political stalemate to reach the most effective path
towards autonomy for the Western Sahara within the framework of
Morocco's sovereignty
CORCAS is an institution that contributed substantially in the
elaboration of the Moroccan autonomy proposal, deals with the
economic, social, and cultural development in the territory. And
defend the Maroccanity of the Sahara at the local, national, regional,
and international levels. One of the main tasks of the CORCAS is to
convince all sahraoui populations to massively adhere to the autonomy
project put forward by Morocco to the UN, and hopefully would be the
basis of any future direct dialogue between parties concerned.
After less than two years of its creation, CORCAS becomes an important
player in the Western Sahara conflict. The international media, NGO's,
elected institutions all over the world are so interested in the
council. This interest felt nationally, regionally, and
internationally shows the importance of such an institution, and its
direct impact within sahraoui populations, and international
community, to the point that when CORCAS sneezes the Polisario catch
cold
The composition of the CORCAS reflects a tribal equilibrium, local
elected members, representatives of civil society, and others. The
CORCAS strategic policy in terms of the western Sahara conflict, is
basically to avoid any mediatic confrontation with Algiers .IT is
always mentioned as "a friendly country" or as "the sister country" in
the CORCAS political speech, it sees its role mainly within the
framework of sahraouis, and opts to deal directly with sahraouis,
where ever they are; and particularly those who have been refugees in
the Tindouf camps for the last three decades. The systematic refusal
of the leadership of the Polisario to engage in an informal dialogue
with the CORCAS is seen by Chairman Khali Hanna Ould Er-Rachid as
"conjonctural", he insists that the Polisario does not represent all
sahraouis, and that the majority of sahraouis living under Moroccan
sovereignty fully and unconditionally support the autonomy project. In
fact, he is determined to spare no efforts with other members of the
council to convince Polisario of the utility of autonomy.
In this respect CORCAS chairman called on Algeria in so many occasions
to help ease dialogue with sahraouis in its territory ,he even asked
the Algerians not to set obstacles to the UN organization ,and to
encourage "our brothers living in its territory to engage in dialogue
with us so as to come out the impasse»
the secretary general of the royal advisory council for Saharan
affairs doctor Maouelainin Ben Khalihanna Maouelainin in an interview
with " TEL QUEL " weekly magazine on April 15th,2006 said "parents
of all polisario officials pledged allegiance to Moroccan King's, only
a cursed son would break this allegiance" he added " our mission is to
hold talks with all the inhabitants of the southern zone, wherever
they are, in order to allow them to come back to homeland"
CORCAS is empowered to communicate with the inhabitants of the
Sahara, and with the Polisario in Tindouf camps or elsewhere. The
emphasis of the strategic policy of the CORCAS relies on the
willingness of its members to start of the ground an informal dialogue
with the Polisario, among others, those who have expressed openly
their rejection to their leader strategy towards the Western Sahara
issue. The tribe and family links between sahraouis from both sides is
a vital clue to open up channels of communication and dialogue. CORCAS
is seriously engaged in making a positive impact on the camp of the
"independentists", many are convinced of the seriousness of the
Moroccan Substantial Autonomy Proposal, and others are in the process
of considering the project.
Today Polisario is loosing momentum; it does not appear that it has
much chance of winning the present diplomatic battle, following the
failure of its own proposal, and the content of the security council
that calls upon for a direct negotiations with a view to reaching a
political and final settlement to the dispute over western Sahara.
All the signs indicate that it will weaken, if the status quo remains.
The military and political leadership of the Polisario is well aware
of the fact the Moroccan Substantial Autonomy proposal is an advanced
form of self-determination.
Establishing a form of meaningful informal open dialogue between
these two institutions (CORCAS,and POLISARIO) representing sahraouis,
could turn to be a golden opportunity to start of the ground an
overall formal dialogue between parties concerned, aiming at reaching
a final and just political settlement.