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Rabat – Refugees from the Polisario Front-controlled Tindouf camp who have been living in Spain have come out in support of the Moroccan autonomy proposal for Western Sahara, calling it the most effective way to solve the territorial dispute.
Several of the refugees also cited increasing international support for the Moroccan proposal, particularly from the US and Spain, as well as other allies of the two countries.
“I support the autonomy plan,” El-Qadi Mahfoud Ennajem, one of the refugees, said. “It is the only solution that guarantees the Sahrawi people the best outcome, and I wholeheartedly support it.”
“There is no alternative. It is the best proposal in my personal opinion,” he added in a video statement that was broadcast on Morocco’s Laayoune TV channel.
Aselko Weld Bakar, another refugee, spoke approvingly of Spain’s endorsement of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan. “I welcome the decision from the Spanish government. For me, it can turn a page on the suffering and separation of Sahrawi families,” Bakar said.
“This dispute has gone on for too long, 47 years, and we need a solution,” he added. “There is a solution, and it can end this issue that has gone on for 47 years.”
Spain voiced its support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan on March 18, and Madrid’s historic shift from “constructive neutrality” to a pro-Morocco stance has significantly boosted Morocco’s position on the Sahara dispute.
In particular, Spain’s move is expected to cause similar positions in other European countries, adding to the diplomatic momentum that Morocco has been experiencing in garnering international support for its plan.
The Tindouf camps are known for poor human rights conditions under Polisario’s management, causing thousands of Sahrawis to flee the camps.
Read Also: Moroccan Ambassador: Polisario, Algeria Responsible for Child Abuse in Tindouf
Morocco’s ambassador to the UN, Omar Hilale, recently said that 20,000 people have fled the camps due to such dire circumstances.
