U.S Congress staffers visit Moroccan Sahara

A delegation of U.S congress staffers visited on Tuesday the Moroccan southern provinces where they conferred with observers of the identification of would-be voters in the projected referendum in the area.

The Sahrawi shioukh (plural for sheikh, a tribal leader) informed the American staffers on the obstacles erected by the Polisario to sabotage the referendum, designed to determine whether the Sahara, a former Spanish colony, retrieved by Morocco in 1975, sets up on its own, as claimed by the Polisario, or be incorporated into Morocco.

The shioukh deplored the Polisario stalling tactics destined to denying the right of large numbers of genuine Sahrawis to participate in the vote.

The Sahrawi shioukh stressed that the Sahara is a Moroccan territory and will remain as such, with or without the referendum. They recalled that the Sahara has always been bound to the kings of Morocco by the sacred ties of Beia (allegiance).

The U.S congress staffers were also briefed on the economic development achieved in the provinces since they were recovered by Morocco.