Abdulah Arabi: "Spain is violating international law in Western Sahara"

MadridAbdulah Arabi has been the Polisario Front representative in Spain since January 2020. He receives us at the headquarters of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in Madrid, a somewhat ramshackle apartment, with old furniture, but with the identifying elements of a diplomatic headquarters: the flag and the photograph of the president, Brahim Gali. Arabi does not talk as an activist but as a politician, and it is from this perspective that he is perplexed and indignant in equal parts by the step taken by Spain in relation to Western Sahara.

Were you convinced by the explanations of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, about the letter sent to Mohamed VI where it is stated that the solution of self-rule proposed by Rabat is the "most serious, realistic and credible basis" to resolve the conflict?

— Neither I nor Parliament have been convinced. It was very clear to Minister Albares that he will travel to Rabat without political parties' support, which is very serious, because it is a turn that affects state policy, breaks with Madrid's traditional position to bet everything on United Nations' resolutions and unilaterally backs the proposal made by one of the parties, which moreover is the aggressor and the occupier.

Were you consulted prior to the shift?

— No, but it seems that nobody was consulted. Least of all us. But we are not surprised, because it is a consequence of the ambiguity of Spain's discourse, which had already given up talking about a referendum and the right to self-determination. Now they have made explicit what was previously implicit.

And why now?

— It is the result of pressure from Morocco since December 2020, doing what it does best, which is to use immigration. But there are many more factors that are part of Morocco's blackmail strategy, such as the fight against terrorism and economic agreements, which include Western Sahara's natural resources. And then there is the pro-Morocco business and political lobbies.

How far do the tentacles of this lobby reach?

— There is no limit. Morocco is a country with expansionist ambitions, to the north, to the west and to the south. They have no limits, everything is possible. Morocco does not have good relations with any of its neighbours. According to them, their borders extend as far as Senegal. A king with these delusions of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries cannot be presented to us as someone from the twenty-first century. And whoever does not see it either does not want to see it or is naive.

You paint Mohamed VI as a North African Putin...

— Of course, that is why neither Pedro Sánchez nor Albares can explain the 180-degree turn they have made. You cannot defend international law in Ukraine and try to avoid an illegal occupation of a country, and justify it and stand by the aggressor in the case of the Sahara. And they talk about territorial integrity? What territorial integrity are we talking about? Do they take it for granted that the Sahara is part of Morocco? This is extremely dangerous. Even European justice has just made it clear that the Sahara is not part of Morocco! That is why there is no possible explanation other than to give in to Morocco's blackmail in order to re-establish bilateral relations.

The Spanish government claims that it remains within the UN framework because it defends a "mutually acceptable" solution.

— They cannot say this! It will be mutually acceptable if they give the Sahrawi people two options, but Morocco only wants a referendum to confirm the Moroccanness of the Wstern Sahara. Autonomy is the only option for them. The only mutually acceptable, fair and lasting solution is for the Sahrawi people to be able to decide between any option and independence. This is the only way to end the decolonisation process.

Do you feel betrayed by Spain?

— Well, it is a repetition of the betrayal of 1975. What is the difference between what the dictatorship did then and what has been done now?

The Spanish government defends that they apply realpolitik. That the same thing they have done was done before by France or Germany.

— This is not true. It is one thing to see the option of autonomy as a possible solution within the international framework, which is what these countries have done, and another thing to say that it is the "most realistic". This is going much further. None of them have talked about territorial integrity. And none of them has tried to justify the unjustifiable, because this would be going outside the framework of international legality and, above all, excluding themselves from any possibility of helping in the United Nations' efforts to solve the conflict.

Do you rule out Spain as a mediator in the conflict?

— Honestly, it never has been, for us. It has always been the administering power. And the only thing we ask of it is that it acts accordingly. However, far from this, Spain has become a hostage in the hands of Morocco, which shifts different governments' positions at will. That is why we have never seen it as a country willing to play a mediation role to reach an agreement based on international law, because Morocco will never allow it. And now in what position do they leave the UN envoy if they are already leaning towards one of the options? If they are already conditioning the consultation and its outcome? You cannot say that you want to help the UN when you stand by the occupying power.

How can Spain's turnaround affect the Sahrawi cause?

— Spain's position does not change anything in the political nature of the conflict, because to close it the Sahrawi people have to pronounce themselves, and the option of independence has to be present.

Aren't you afraid of running out of support, for example in the EU?

— The EU has pronounced itself and says that its position remains the same.

Do you consider that the Spanish turn is reversible?

— If there is a will, yes. We must not forget that a year and a half ago we witnessed a Trump proclamation and everyone thought we were dead. And now the new U.S. administration continues to defend international legality. Now Spain is acting against its responsibilities, but the Sahrawi people can do much more than this. We have a total determination to find a peaceful solution within the framework of international law. But we have also been at war for a year and a half.

One of the Spanish government's arguments is that you have been in refugee camps for 46 years.

— But they should consult this with us, shouldn't they? Are we Sahrawis tired? Have we asked for help? Have we said that any solution is good enough for us? It has been 46 years, and in the struggle of a people this is not much; in the struggle of a person it might be, but not in the struggle of a people. There are peoples who fought for 150 years, like Algeria. This is not a parameter that justifies bypassing international law. We know what we stand for and what we have the right to, which is to decide our future through a referendum. And Morocco is the occupying power and Spain is the administrator, whether it likes it or not. This is the reality.

Can you imagine what this autonomy could be like inside Morocco?

— No, because it does not exist. The Moroccan Constitution does not allow it. And thirdly, why not grant it also to the Rifians, who are demanding it? It is a total farce to perpetuate an illegal occupation and for countries to recognise its sovereignty. And recognising this sovereignty is very dangerous, because it is tantamount to giving the green light to the occupation of a country by its neighbour. It only takes 46 years to say: phew, this has no solution, we recognise it. It is a very dangerous message, and then: what democracy is there in Morocco? You cannot compare an autonomous region in Spain or Germany with a feudal country where many of its young people want to leave. This is to disrespect the struggle and the resistance of the Sahrawi people.

Are you personally hurt?

— As a politician I have to analyse politics, but as a Sahrawi I am hurt and I am perplexed. I knew it would be difficult for Spain to demand Morocco to comply with international law, but to submit to the dictates of a power that is illegally occupying a territory that Spain abandoned 46 years ago? We are trying to solve a social problem, immigration, by sacrificing a people, the Sahrawi people. Are we worthless as human beings?

Do you have family in the refugee camps?

— Yes, and in the occupied territories as well. Look, we have been like this for 46 years, and we are ready to spend 46 more, because the young people who were born in the camps are the first ones who do not want to leave them to go to autonomy [under Morocco].

And what do you think when they tell you that the independence referendum is impossible?

— We are a physically divided people. For us it is not only independence, but the reunion of families that have been separated for 46 years. That is why we are not willing to accept just any solution.

Were you surprised by the reaction of Spanish society in favour of the Sahara?

— There was a miscalculation on the part of the Spanish government, which is to think that the turn could go unnoticed when all the attention was focused on the war. And not to see that there is great solidarity with the Sahrawis.

Did it also miscalculate the impact on Algeria, which has withdrawn its ambassador?

— They have not had a geostrategic vision. There is a tense situation in North Africa between Algeria and Morocco, and what this does is raise it. I can only say that Algeria is a reliable partner for us.

What will the Polisario Front do now?

— We continue with our agenda at the UN, where we have 84 countries that recognise us, and if someone wants to do something against international legality, let them be aware of the consequences.

Does Spain's turn violate international law?

— Totally. Whichever way you look at it, it is a radical turn that places Spain outside international law.