Moroccans commemorate 50th anniversary of the Green March

On November 6th, Moroccans were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the historic Green March, when an estimated 350,000 Moroccans walked to the Western Sahara, then occupied by Spain, according to a report by RFI. The Green March was sparked by a speech by then-King Hassan II, who called for civilians, all unarmed but carrying Moroccan flags, to walk towards the disputed land and cross the border, to force Spain to leave the Western Sahara.

The March finally led to the Madrid Treaty in November 1975, in which Spain relinquished the territory to the benefit of Morocco and Mauritania, who later withdrew its territorial claim to the land.

The national holiday is celebrated every year with an official ceremony and parades throughout the country, with schools and businesses closed. It is an important event for Moroccans as it is a reminder to stand united and to take pride in their country.

RFI interviewed some of the Moroccans who took part in this memorable event to collect their memories. Ali, now 72, recalls, “We left to fight colonisation, to pursue our country’s independence”. Saadia, who was only 16 at the time, remembered walking with women from all over Morocco in a joyful atmosphere, and compared it to “going on pilgrimage”.

Those who took part in the March were welcomed as heroes upon their return, and were awarded a ‘wissam’, a special distinction from the King, for their services to the country.

This year, the anniversary was made more special by the fact that it is has been 50 years since the March, and by the recent UN vote recognizing Moroccan’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara, after years of conflict. While the situation on the ground is far from resolved, with the Algeria-backed Polisario Front contesting the UN’s plan and the concerning living conditions of Sahrawi refugees in Tindouf, on the Algerian border, the vote has been celebrated as a diplomatic victory in Morocco, and will be celebrated with a separate national holiday.

RFI