WESTERN SAHARA: MAKING HASTE SLOWLY-LITTLE PROGRESS TOWARDS THE REFERENDUM

In: Review of African political economy, Band 67, Heft 23, S. 103-106

Abstract

IN SEPTEMBER 1991, THE UN BEGAN WHAT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE A SIX MONTH OPERATION TO SUPERVISE A REFERENDUM ON THE FUTURE OF THE WESTERN SAHARA. FIVE YEARS LATER, NO REFERENDUM HAS BEEN HELD. THE ORIGINAL UN PLAN WAS CLEAR ON WHO COULD VOTE, YET MUCH OF THE DELAY IS DUE TO DISAGREEMENT AND CONFUSION OVER VOTER IDENTIFICATION AND ELIGIBILITY. THIS ARTICLE NOTES THAT THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THE POSITION OF THE UN ON VOTER IDENTIFICATION AND ELIGIBILITY IS STRONGLY BIASED TOWARDS THE MOROCCAN POSITION.