Sahrawi Political Detainees Urge Boycott of Elections
Sahrawi political detainees, part of the Akdim Izik group, have made a compelling appeal to the Sahrawi people residing in the occupied territories of Western Sahara and southern regions, urging them to boycott the upcoming Moroccan elections. They characterize the electoral process as a means of legitimizing Moroccan dominion over the territory, which they believe only serves to perpetuate the colonial status quo. This call to abstain from participating in the elections is rooted in the belief that engagement with the electoral process organized by Moroccan authorities effectively normalizes the relationship between the Sahrawis and the occupying power, while simultaneously attempting to confer legitimacy upon Morocco's control of Western Sahara.
The detainees, who are currently incarcerated in various Moroccan prisons, have issued their plea amidst Morocco's ongoing electoral proceedings in Western Sahara—a region embroiled in a protracted dispute between Morocco and the Polisario Front regarding its final status. Their message resonates particularly with Sahrawis living in cities like Laayoune, Smara, Boujdour, and Dakhla, as well as other towns, encouraging them to maintain their Sahrawi identity and persist in peaceful civil resistance against what they view as attempts to erase their cultural identity and forcibly integrate them into Morocco's political framework.
Political Resistance through Boycott
The Akdim Izik detainees have denounced the elections as a mere “farce,” asserting that participation would only serve to legitimize Morocco's presence and its political institutions in Western Sahara. Their appeal contextualizes the electoral issue within the larger framework of the Sahrawi struggle for political recognition and self-determination, portraying the boycott not merely as a refusal to vote, but as a significant act of political resistance. The Akdim Izik group has long been linked to the Sahrawi political movement and the events that transpired following the dismantling of the Akdim Izik protest camp in 2010, which led to the arrest and prosecution of numerous Sahrawi activists.
In their concluding remarks, the detainees reaffirm their unwavering commitment to the Sahrawi people’s right to freedom and independence, reiterating their allegiance to the Polisario Front as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi populace. Their call for an electoral boycott thus encapsulates a broader political stance that rejects the integration of Western Sahara into Morocco’s electoral and institutional mechanisms, while passionately advocating for the Sahrawi demand for self-determination, freedom, and independence.
As reported by dzair-tube.dz.
