By providing self-expression and interaction, social media tools pave the way toward conflict resolution in nowadays territorial disputes . A base line to transfers of knowledge on social networks like Youtube, Facebook and Twitter empower us to build understanding and correct any misconceptions through lateral learning. While it is considered that teaching tends to be top-down, lateral learning allows to learn from one another through day-day updates. We decide what we learn, as well as where, when and how.
Since the cease-fire between the Polisario and Morocco-monitored by MINURSO (UN)-has been in effect since 1991, the war has changed tools and lands. The territory conflict took place on other fronts: Social Media and diplomacy.
In this paper, I shall tackle the importance of social media and the academic field as being part and parcel of the Western Sahara conflict resolution.
Social media become a key weapon in what the press once termed as an`` arsenal of Internet tools``, it is playing a growing role for several reasons. There is a dramatic increase in use of social networking through the new Moroccan generation and thanks to the democratic and openness process in terms of freedom of speech that Morocco was engaged in since the last decade. This has galvanized large constituencies in and outside Morocco who are eager to lend their side in the media battle .
Yet without efficient media communication but also a global strategy, Morocco will remain weak in front of this grounded machine of the Polisario and Algeria.
The case of Aminatou Haidar is a striking example of this Polisario-Algeria social media success. This woman is very well known in the Communcation and Media world: Sensitizing people and disseminating misinformation repeatedly .
She has gained the field and many people`s hearts ,especially big NGO`s through her so called fight against Morocco`s Human Rights Abuses`, yet where are these abuses nowadays, do you they really still exist?
Morocco has shown its democratic process by admitting its human rights abuses and this through the establishment of IER ( Instance of Justice and Reconciliation) .
Aminatou Haidar and many like her were compensated with a huge amount of money through IER. This woman was given the freedom to travel all over the world with her Moroccan citizenship and inviting who she wants to Morocco –her country, but during her trips she has been indoctrinating people and the international community with her lies and untruth about Morocco .Mrs.Aminatou has used the most used media outlets and social websites for her propaganda, let alone the money given by the N1 peace process stumbling block –Algeria to run this propaganda
Morocco has always done its utmost best by giving the rights to all the Sahrawi in the Southern Province and integrating them into the development process of the kingdom. I will cite the democratic election of Cheikh Biaddillah as an MP- whose family members have key role position within the Polisario .Rachid Ould Souilm former founding Polisario who joined Morocco and made it cut and clear that his decision to join, comes from the fact that Algeria is the main orchestrator of the conflict and it uses the population against their will. Mustapha Ould Salma former Inspector General of the Judicial RASD Police who went to Morocco to announce his support for the autonomy plan and his determination to defend Morocco`s credible solution and its international relevance once he returns to the Tindouf camps . Until today no one knows Mustapha Ould Salma`s whereabouts.
The Polisario mobilizes a lot of people to vehicle its propaganda ,and doctrine. In the Metros of Madrid, one can see Polisario pamphlets lies being handed out to people. Approximately all the Spanish artists were endoctrinated by the Polisario ideas. This can be seen during last year`s manifestations lead by hundreds of Spanish in the streets of Madrid claiming Aminatou as Human rights activists and Morocco the colonizer . Just this months , tents were laid out in the streets of Madrid in support of the polisario making the information spread at an unprecedented speed .
In the United States, many Aminatou Hadair`s figures like start to come out on the scene.In Amherst where I teach , I was appalled to hear a student from Tindouf camps disseminating untrue information about Morocco in the Five Colleges. I witnessed students coming to me and asking reasons
1-why Morocco still<span> Colonizes</span> Western Sahara,
2-why Morocco commits beatings and tortures on these vulnerable Saharaoui,
3-Why Morocco uses Sahara`s natural resources-Phosphates- to its benefits and leave the Sahraoui starve in the Tindouf Camps.
I was flabbergasted to notice that many in this Academic arena believe that Morocco is the criminal and the Polisario is the victim, not being informed about the historical events as well as the whole development process that Morocco experiences from the North to its the southern provinces .
Another striking truth , at the academic field in the United States, there are many resources and a large bibliography of books tackling only one side of the conflict :Morocco being the source of occupation, let alone those visits from representatives of our protagonists side and the conferences held regularly in the Academic arena .
This, should be taken seriously, the Moroccans working in Academia in the United States along with the government support should start realizing that this is a very serious issue that should be considered . Academic events should take place in order to correct these fallacies. Panels should be organized in these academic institutions and experts should be invited to talk about this conflict while mentioning the international law –that doesn`t recognize the word`` occupation`` - including the United Nations and the MINURSO.A state which is run by the Polisario, Marxist and non-democratic whose president is in power since 1979.While in Morocco, which is the most democratic country in the MENA region,in Tindouf ,NGO`s are not allowed to enter the camps without the Algerian Visa that they hardly ever get .
Time has come to get all Moroccan academicians and intellectual minds along with civil society actors involved interdependently in counterattacking these invalid inferences.
By Yasmine Hasnaoui
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