POLISARIO stands for Peoples Front for Liberation of Saquet el-Hamra and Rio de Oro. It is a liberation struggle in Spanish Sahara which started in 1973 against the Moroccan and Mauritanian imperialism.

Background

Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed and is not expected to occur until at least 2002.

Western Sahara the former Spanish colony is the last African colonized country still waiting for independence. Since 1973 the Polisario Front is fighting for independence. 1975 Morocco and Mauritania invaded the country. Most of the civilian population fled to Algeria, living in refugee camps.

The Polisario Front proclaimed in February 1976 the SADR, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. After 18 years of war the Security Council adopted the United Nations Peace Plan for Western Sahara in 1991. The United Nations mission for the referendum in Western Sahara, MINURSO (Misión de las Naciones Unidas para el Referendum del Sahara Occidental), has been monitoring a cease-fire since September 6 1991 and preparing the self-determination referendum.

The following are the facts about Western Sahara: Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore; Population: 244,943 (July 2000 est.) Ethnic groups: Arab, Berber; Religions: Muslim, Languages: Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

The administration of the area is not very clear. Government type: the legal status of territory and question of sovereignty is unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR); territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979;

Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991

As concerns the economy, Western Sahara is a territory poor in natural resources and lacking sufficient rainfall, depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. Most of the food for the urban population must be imported. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities. Incomes and standards of living are substantially below the Moroccan level.