Morocco poll aims to boost Sahara claim

THE referendum to be held today in Morocco on some very limited constitutional changes is merely the latest device to ensure that King Hassan will never renounce title to the Western Sahara, which is claimed by the Polisario Front.

The King has finessed the issue consummately. First, he showed statesmanship by accepting the United Nations peace plan for the Western Sahara announced on 31 December last year. Then he displayed cunning by announcing his own referendum, which will, in effect, undermine the whole UN exercise.

The key to the UN plan was a referendum of the inhabitants of Western Sahara, until 1975 a Spanish colony, and since then largely controlled by Morocco. They would have been asked to choose between independence, or being absorbed more formally into Morocco. However, the Moroccan referendum presents a problem for the Western Saharans. If they cast their vote in it, they will lend legitimacy to Morocco's claim to sovereignty over the region.

The Polisario Front has been much weakened over the past years, militarily, diplomatically and politically. Morocco's building of a sand wall across the territory, in violation of all accepted principles of the uselessness of fixed defence lines in desert warfare, effectively contained the Polisario fighters.

The Polisario has been severely hit in recent months by defections of some key political and military personnel, including its ambassador to Algiers. Most serious of all, however, was Algeria's decision to drop its backing of the Polisario as part of its broader desire to improve relations with all states in the region, especially Morocco.

Today's referendum is over only fine adjustments to the constitution. The King has made quite clear that he is not prepared to renounce any of his real power. And he gave plenty of ammunition to those who argue that Islam and democracy are irreconcilable. He stated in an interview with Le Monde that 'Islam forbids me to set up a constitutional monarchy in which the sovereign delegates all his authority and would reign without ruling'.