Morocco marks Green March anniversary
Morocco, Politics, 11/6/1999

Morocco marks this Saturday the 24th anniversary of the Green March, which liberated the Moroccan southern provinces from the yoke of Spanish occupation.

On this day, 24 years ago, some 350,000 men and women, holding up the Quran (Islam's holy book) and the national flag as their sole arms, marched through the artificial borders set by the colonial powers to free the southern areas and translate into reality the reunification of the Kingdom.

Late King Hassan II decided to organize the march after the Hague-based International Court of Justice recognized on October 16, 1975 the existence of centuries-old legal bonds of allegiance between the Kings of Morocco and the Sahrawi tribes.

The peaceful march sealed the reunion between the populations of the north and those of the south and put an end to long years of separation and occupation.

The Green March was the march of a whole people, who stood as one to uphold its national cause. The special dimension of the event, that prompted the admiration of the whole world, made of it a reference in the struggle against colonialism.

By marking the event, the Moroccan people proudly remembers and recalls this epic that crowned Morocco's reunification process, under the leadership of late king Hassan II.

The Moroccan people's unwavering determination to free its southern provinces was evidenced again in the struggle against under-development in these parts of the kingdom that have ever since witnessed an unprecedented social and economic development.

All foreign observers, who visited the area, unanimously applauded the progress achieved in the various cities of the region. Full-fledged and modern cities sprang from the sand of the region that was a mere desolate barren desert at the time of the Spanish occupation.

The march of progress and development is being carried on with the same rigor and inspiration under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, who ascended the Alaouite Throne following the demise of his father, late king Hassan II.

In his first Throne speech last July 30, King Mohammed VI renewed firm will to continue his late father's work and to ensure the holding of the projected referendum in the Sahara to seal once and for all Morocco's territorial integrity.

The king's determination is embodied in the recent royal decisions, instituting a royal commission in charge of Saharan affairs and enhancing the mission of the royal advisory council for Saharan affairs.

During a meeting of the commission, King Mohammed VI gave instructions to earmark a budget to fight unemployment in the southern provinces and to tackle other social problems in the area.

The King also recommended the cabinet members to visit the Saharan provinces to follow up the projects falling within the scope of their respective competencies and to get informed on the situation of the citizens.

Previous Stories:
  King Mohammed determined to remain close to southern provinces inhabitants   (11/4/1999)
  Swedish diplomat visits Laayoune   (10/20/1999)
  King Hassan II: July 9, 1929 - July 23, 1999   (7/24/1999)

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