hatzel
25th February 2013, 15:32
So it seems people are making a fair bit of noise about Morocco's trial of the Gdeim Izik activists, drawing attention back to the western Sahara (by which I mean simply the western parts of the Sahara, not the territory by that name) after the Mali conflict. Perhaps the relative geographic proximity and the fact that these two events came in quick succession is messing with my mind a little, but I can't help but feel an urge to draw thread between the Saharawi struggle and the situation in Mali, not least because there's a certain degree of crossover when it comes to the relevant parties in each case. For example, Algeria certainly has a finger in the Saharawi pie, but has also taken a central role in Mali, whilst Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb were implicated in Mali, but have also kidnapped western humanitarian workers in Saharawi refugee camps, suggesting that these two movements are overlapping and (perhaps) coming up against each other. This without even considering French, Spanish etc. involvement in both conflicts. But I'm far from an expert on this part of the world, so I'm wondering if anybody is. How are these various parties interacting in and between these conflicts and others, if at all? Is there any degree of contact between these various rebel groups, friendly or hostile? Is there some kind of overarching project - Algerian, western or otherwise - that might link these seemingly disconnected events? What's going on here?
Somebody talk to me! :)
Somebody talk to me! :)