Tiris al-Gharbiyya 3224883 223954823 2008-07-06T18:00:44Z Lightbot 7178666 Units/dates/other '''Tiris al-Gharbiyya''' ([[Arabic Language|Arabic]] for ''Western Tiris'') was the [[Mauritania]]n name for the area of [[Western Sahara]] under its control between 1975 and 1979. ==Background== Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former [[Spain|Spanish]] [[colony]] of [[Spanish Sahara]] in 1975 after the [[Madrid Accords]], with [[Morocco]] taking the northern two-thirds ([[Saguia el-Hamra]] and the northern half of [[Río de Oro]]) as its [[Southern Provinces]]. Both countries claimed historical rights over the area, while the [[United Nations]] [[International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on Western Sahara|demanded]] that the [[Indigenous peoples of Africa|indigenous]] population ([[Sahrawi]]s) had a [[right to self-determination]], and should be allowed to decide through a [[referendum]] whether the territory should join either of the neighbouring states, or be established as an [[independence|independent]] country. The latter was the preferred option of the [[Polisario Front]], a Sahrawi organization which turned its [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla forces]] against both countries, having until then fought Spain. Its attacks against Mauritania proved highly effective. Polisario strikes against the [[iron]] mines at [[Zouerate]], as well as the costs of the war effort, soon brought the country to the brink of [[economy of Mauritania|economic]] collapse, and produced increasing tensions in the army and government apparatus. In 1978, the one-party government of [[Moktar Ould Daddah]] was severely compromised by the failing war effort, and fell to a coup by disgruntled army officers. Mauritania then disengaged from the conflict, surrendering its claims to any part of Western Sahara, and pulling out its troops. The areas occupied by Mauritania were entered by Morocco, which has sinced claimed ownership over the entire territory, despite continued opposition by Polisario, and its main backer, [[Algeria]]. Mauritanian [[president]] [[Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla]] in 1984 proceeded to recognize the Polisario-backed [[Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic]] (SADR) as the legitimate [[Sovereignty|sovereign]] of the area. After his toppling in yet another military [[coup d'etat]] later the same year, this position was increasingly downplayed - though never explicitly overturned - in order to appease Morocco. ==Borders and characteristics== Tiris al-Gharbiyya was the lower half of [[Río de Oro]], the southern province of the former [[Spanish Sahara]], comprising 88,000 sq km (33,977 sq mi).<ref>Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations: Africa, Fifth Edition, Worldmark Press, Ltd., John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,1976.</ref> It consisted mostly of barren desert terrain, scarcely populated except by some thousands of Sahrawi [[nomad]]s, many of whom had [[refugee|fled]] towards the Algerian [[Tindouf Province]] in 1975. A few minor settlements dotted the [[coast]], and the largest of these, [[Dakhla, Western Sahara|Villa Cisneros (Dakhla)]], was made the province [[capital]]. While some reports indicate the territory may hold important quantities of [[mineral]] resources such as [[iron]] - and there is speculation, but no proof of, off-shore [[Petroleum|oil]] - the war prevented any serious exploration efforts. It remains mostly unexplored and unexploited to this day. The exception is the rich [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] [[fishing]] waters. They were never put to use by Mauritania, but have since been fished by Morocco and foreign ships under Moroccan licenses. The name "[[Tiris]]" refers to a [[desert]] plain of the [[Sahara desert|Sahara]]. Mauritania's northernmost province (in its internationally recognized territory) is similarly called [[Tiris Zemmour]], where "[[Zemmour]]" refers to a [[mountain]] range in central Western Sahara. The Ould Daddah government's claims to the territory was based in the strong cultural and tribal ties between the [[Moors|Moor]]ish inhabitants of Mauritania, and the [[:category:Sahrawi tribes|tribes of Western Sahara]]. The government argued they were all part of the same people, and also put forth the notion of pre-colonial sovereigny by certain Mauritanian [[emirate]]s (tribal fiefdoms) over some of these tribes. Before of the [[International Court of Justice]] (ICJ), Mauritania claimed in 1975 that the entire [[Spanish Sahara]] had historically constituted part of "[[Bilad Chinguetti]]", which it argued had been an undeclared tribal and religious community. But it also recognized that there had never been a Mauritanian state to claim the territory, since Mauritania itself was a modern-day creation of French colonialism. The court recognized the importance of these cultural links, but announced that they had not constituted sovereignty over the territory or its inhabitants before colonialism, and could not by themselves justify sovereignty today. Instead, it recommended a standard self-determination process where Sahrawis were given the choice of merger with Mauritania and/or Morocco, or independence. [http://www.icj-cij.org/icjwww/idecisions/isummaries/isasummary751016.htm] ==Present Mauritanian position== In later years, the Mauritanian government has maintained a policy of strict [[Neutral country|neutrality]] between Polisario and Morocco, while retaining its recognition of the SADR. Minor parts of the Mauritanian [[political opposition]] will occasionally express interest in the area, although direct advocacy for retaking it is very rare. Other groups support either Polisario or Morocco. The official position of most [[political party|parties]] is to support any final outcome acceptable to both remaining sides of the conflict, and that has also been the government's position since the late 1980s, even if it has varied in tune with relations with Morocco. The territory is now effectively divided between Moroccan and Polisario forces along the length of the [[Moroccan Wall]], and with a [[cease-fire]] in effect pending the outcome of the [[United Nations]] [[decolonization]] process. ==See also== *[[Free Zone (Western Sahara region)|Free Zone]] (Parts of Western Sahara under SADR/Polisario control) *[[History of Western Sahara]] *[[History of Mauritania]] *[[Regions of Mauritania]] *[[Southern Provinces]] (Parts of Western Sahara under Moroccan control) ==References== <references/> [[Category:History of Western Sahara]]