Western Sahara Conflict

Paper Summary:

This essay is a study of the resources, the major players and forces, and, finally, the people of the Western Sahara region in an effort to understand what has been done to resolve the conflict brought about by the violence and greed of the area's leaders. The paper discusses possible ways to bring about a peace settlement which would allow the people whose lives remain in constant turmoil and conflict to finally make permanent homes and focus on their daily lives of subsistent living. The citizens of the region who are not in the military, not engaged in the conflict, but whose lives are subjected to decisions and actions of the primary forces and power elites, live in terror each day. They are the ones who suffer the losses, and their lives and losses seem to be of little relevance to the forces in conflict and control. An effort is made in this study to understand why the conflict continues, and which groups or individuals are benefitting from the continued unrest and aggression. This paper includes maps.

Outline:
Introduction
The Moroccan Position
The Algerian Position
The Polasario Position
Human Rights and Loss
The Economic Cost of Western Sahara
The Political Cost of Western Sahara
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"There is a need to understand the positions of the forces at play here. First, it is necessary to gain a sense of the region. What is the landscape, and who occupies what section of that landscape? From where does their claim on the landscape arise from? It is only by analyzing the landscape and the positions of the players that an effort to make sense of what has gone on and continues to go on in Western Sahara can begin to make sense. Even if the sense that it brings to the understanding of the dynamics of the situation belie the true interests of the parties involved. The first is the Moroccan position."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Borowiec, Andrew. 2003. Taming the Sahara: Tunisia Shows a Way While Others Falter. Westport, CT: Praeger. Book on-line. Available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=107024757. Internet. Accessed 14 August 2008.
• Dela Rosa, Darrell. 2003. The UN Role in Western Sahara. UN Chronicle, September-November, 22+. Database on-line. Available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002077928. Internet. Accessed 14 August 2008.
• Dodds, Klaus. 2008. Western Sahara. Geographical, May, 12. Database on-line. Available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5026946743. Internet. Accessed 14 August 2008.
• Executive Summary, 2007. Western Sahara: The Cost of Conflict, Middle East/North Africa Report No. 65.
• Ford, Neil. 2003. Oil Potential Could Provide Catalyst for Change: The Thorny Issue of Sovereignty Has Hampered the Development of the Western Sahara for Decades. but the Possibility of Large Untapped Oil Reserves Could Force Imminent Change. The Middle East, January, 52+. Database on-line. Available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000644844. Internet. Accessed 14 August 2008.

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