Spanish diplomats expelled from Western Sahara by Morocco
Two Spanish political parties are demanding an explanation after the Moroccan government expelled Spanish diplomats from the western Sahara on the 28th of January of this year.
This is according to AL24 on the 5th of February – a pro-Algerian newspaper.
Morocco has tightened its control over the Western Sahara over the past year as it looks to solidify its sovereignty over the region.
It has received support from its ally France as well as backing from Israel and the US.
The visiting Spanish delegation was made up of three Basque parliamentarians.
They came to the western Saharan region to make contact with pro-independence Saharawi groups in the western Sahara.
The western Sahara was a Spanish colony from 1884 – 1976, however Morocco now has the support of Spain in its sovereignty over the region.
But the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination has been often overlooked by the international community.
Despite Spain supporting Moroccan sovereignty in the western Sahara, the visiting Basque party politicians supported the right to self-determination for the Saharawi people.
The purpose of the Basque party delegation was to reiterate their support of the right to self-determination for the Saharawi people in the western Saharan region.
Morocco has banned over 300 people from 21 different countries from visiting the western Sahara in recent years.
This includes human rights activists, journalists and diplomats.
According to El Publico, on January the 19th one of their own journalists was expelled from the city of Dakhla after he met with two pro-Saharawi activists.
The two Spanish parties, the Sumar coalition and Izquierda Unida (IU) believe Morocco’s actions to be serious and meditated.
The three Spanish diplomats who were prevented from leaving their aircraft in the western Sahara were there on an official trip, organised by members of the Basque parliament and communicated to the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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