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The reactivation of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (CORCAS), whose members were appointed by the King on 25 March 2006 in Laâyoune, constitutes a fundamental base in the process of establishing a culture of dialogue and consultation with the citizens who come from the provinces of the South. In fact, the importance that the new form of CORCAS takes up resides in two essential points: The representativeness of all the notables and elected representatives. The participation of the populations of the region in the economic, social and political development of the region, as the Moroccan Sovereign would wish.
The Royal speech of 25 March 2006 relative to CORCAS has fixed the grand orientations; still more, the program that CORCAS is called upon to put in practice, calling thereby for the members of CORCAS to submit to the Moroccan Sovereign all the proposals and initiatives that allow for the return of the Moroccan citizens in sequestration in the camps of Tindouf. Also, this institution is in charge of expressing the positions of the latter and, in general, of all the Sahrawis on the international scene, the ultimate objective being to defend the territorial integrity of Morocco. The contribution of CORCAS consists in its qualification to include civil society and sahrawi tribes altogether. It actively participates in the presentation of the global conception of the Moroccan Autonomy Project for the Sahara region. Indeed, its participation also manifested itself at the level of the proposals susceptible of leading to the realization of global development. I. corcas: what representativeness for the populations of the sahara region? The Sahrawi tribes have three kinds of Arab affiliations: the Chourfa, the Anssar and Gharb Al Maaqil. According to the Spanish statistics of 1974, these tribes come as follows : The Ouled Tidrarine: These are the partisans of Ahmed Ben Ghanbour, who left Ouazzane (north of Morocco) in order to settle in the Sahara; The Rguibat: These belong to the Idrissides. The grand-father, Ahmed Reguibi, left Tétouan (north of Morocco) in order to settle in the Sahara; Tekna: It comprises Izerguiyne, Ait Lahssen, Ait Moussa Oali, Yakout and Ait Oussa; Ouled Dlim; Ait Ba Amrane; Aroussiyne: These are Idrissides, too. They had lived in Tétouan and definitively settled in the Sahara.
This anthropological overview has allowed us to observe the importance of the blood as well as kinship ties between the North and the South of Morocco, owing to the fact that the origin of certain Sahrawi tribes goes back to the Northern region of Morocco. The Sahrawi were, in fact, organized within the framework of tribes that were composed of nomads and shepherds that moved about on a surface that went beyond the international frontiers we know of today. In fact, the chiefs of tribes gathered together within the framework of a tribal association known as the « Jmaâ », during which they engaged in discussions with those responsible for the running of the affairs of the tribes. Between the latter and the Moroccan monarchy, there existed ties of allegiance. Prior to the Spanish colonization in 1884, Morocco had lost a part of its eastern region to France. After the colonization of Algeria by France in 1830, Moulay Abderrahmane decided to stand by Emir Abdelkader in order to face up to the French occupation. After 15 years of confrontations with Emir Abdelkader, France declared war against Morocco. In question here is the battle of Isly, of 14 August 1844, wherein the French forces, at the head of which was General Bugeaud, defeated the Moroccan forces that were placed under the command of Moulay Mohammed (the Sultan's son). The defeat of Isly caused a revision of the frontiers that were traced in conformity with the treaty of Lalla Maghnia, which was signed on 18 March 1845. In fact, France officialized Tindouf, Touat, Saoura and Tidikelt as part of the colonial territories of Algeria. Following the Conference of Algeciras, signed on 7 April 1906, Morocco was subject to an international protectorate. Six years later, the Treaty of Fès, which was assigned on 30 March 1912, subjected Morocco to the French protectorate. During the second half of the 20th century, thousands of Sahrawi took part in the struggle (above all within the framework of the National Liberation Army- South section) for independence. In fact, right after independence, King Mohammed V claimed the historical rights of Morocco, as well as the restitution of the Moroccan territories under Spanish occupation. In response to Morocco's request, the UN Committee on Decolonization qualified the Sahara region subject to the Spanish occupation as being a region where occupation had to stop. However, towards the beginning of 1958, the Franco-Spanish allied forces could eliminate the Southern section of the National Liberation Army. That was, in fact, within the framework of what we call « Ecouvillon operation », which resulted in the emigration of numerous Sahrawi towards the North, a fact which quite clearly shows the ties that existed between the North and the South, as well as the struggle of the Sahrawi tribes towards enabling Morocco to fully enjoy its independence. It is in this sense that the representativeness of the Sahrawi tribes within CORCAS accords the latter more credibility. According to Article 4 of Dahir n°1.06.81, published on 25 March 2006, relative to CORCAS, other than the President of the Council, the latter is composed of other members who enjoy a deliberative quality. They are nominated by the King for a four-year period, and are chosen from among the following: The members of Parliament, the presidents of regional and provincial Councils, as well as the professional Chambers, all along their period of delegation; The members to have been elected by the sahrawi tribes during the former Council; The Chioukhs of tribes; The actors of civil society and youth organizations in the provinces of the South; The representatives of citizens who come from the provinces of the South, but who live abroad, as well as those of the sequestered of Tindouf; The representatives of the actors of socio-economic organizations; Other personalities reputed for their competence and impartiality.
In analyzing the provisions of Article 4 of the Dahir relative to CORCAS, we will realize that the legislator has sought to guarantee a certain representativeness to the whole Sahrawi tribes, he thus insisted on the question of the adhesion of the chioukhs of tribes, no matter what their size or demographic import are, which translates the Royal determination to involve all the actors concerned by the resolution of the Sahara conflict. The Dahir in question has not excluded the actors of civil society, nor those in youth organizations in the provinces of the South. Besides, one observes that the legislator has opted for a global approach in connection with the representativeness of Sahrawi, including as he does those who live abroad as well as the sequestered of Tindouf, which will allow for securing a certain consensus around the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative, on the one hand, and the active participation in the development and promotion of the provinces of the South, on the other. With reference to Dahir n°1.06.82, published on 25 March 2006, relative to the members of CORCAS, one could raise the importance of the representativeness of the Sahrawi within the Council, which is composed of 141 members. However, with this number, the Council's work used to run the risk of being hindered, particularly in the area of decision-making. It is precisely for this reason that article 2 of Dahir n°1.06.81, charged CORCAS with adopting its internal regulation. The latter will determine the administrative and financial bodies of the Council, as well as its modes of management, the exercise of its prerogatives, and the holding of its meetings and deliberations. In fact, in analyzing the internal regulation of the Council, it will transpire that the latter is far from being an administrative institution; its internal regulation is in close affinity with the internal regulation of Parliaments. This reflects, in fact, the will that the Council has for activating the political aspect of the affair; it does so by establishing a number of contacts with the Sahrawi populations. It is precisely in this sense that CORCAS has put in place five Commissions that thus reflect the true will and determination to carry out the missions of proximity in relation to the Sahrawi citizens, with a view to inquire about their preoccupations and problems. II. corcas : the political contribution This contribution materializes at the level of the active participation of the members of CORCAS with regard to the presentation of the Autonomy Project, as well as in the search for a new interlocutor from the provinces of the South able to take part in the management of the internal affairs of the regions of the South. In fact, the reactivation of CORCAS aims at resolving the Sahara conflict in a definitive manner. This is why all the political parties, and all the representatives of the populations of the South, have been asked for purposes of consultation. In fact, the Council is a dynamic institution, owing to the fact that it has been able, within a timeframe of no more than six months, following its activation, to elaborate and debate the Moroccan Project of Autonomy, and to present it to the Sovereign. According to Article 2 of Dahir n°1.06.81, published on 25 March 2006, relative to CORCAS, the latter enjoys the following prerogatives: To give its opinion on all the questions connected with the defense of the territorial integrity and national unity of the Kingdom, as well as to the human, economic and social development of the Kingdom; To submit to the Sovereign all the proposals allowing for the return and integration of all the Moroccans who come from the provinces of the South within the framework of the merciful and forgiving mother-land, the defense of territorial integrity and the reinforcement of the ties of national solidarity, not only in the provinces of the South, but in the other regions of the Kingdom; To guarantee the human, economic and social development of the provinces of the South, in coordination with every which national and local body, public sector and private sector alike; To protect and promote the cultural and linguistic (Hassani) patrimony of the provinces of the South; To guarantee a promising future for the youth thanks to the advancement of education, training and work, as well enable them to express their ambitions and their capacities within a framework of dynamism and solidarity at the local and national planes; To advance the situation of woman, and guarantee its integration in all domains; To promote the principles and rules relative to the question of the rights of Man in the provinces of the South in conformity with the legislation in effect; To participate, in coordination with all the specialized authorities, to all the workshops as well as the meetings of the international Commissions and organizations pertaining to the question of the territorial integrity and the development of the provinces of the South.
All these prerogatives show indeed the importance of the missions that CORCAS is entrusted with. However, it is appropriate to specify that the listing of the prerogatives of the Council in Article 2 aims at demonstrating the great interest that this institution inspires. This determination in no way seeks to restrict the functions of CORCAS, which is manifested at the level of the crucial role that it has played in the treatment of the dossiers pertaining to the violation of Human rights in the camps of Tindouf. The political contribution of CORCAS is also manifested in the fact that it constitutes a new interlocutor with the international community. In fact, throughout the multiple advances made by the members of CORCAS to the international community, notably the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies of Georgetown University, Washington D.C., in October 2006, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the United States, this organ demonstrates the will that its members have for explaining and defending the Moroccan Project of Autonomy. Having said this, this situation allows for obtaining some greater support for the reasonableness of the question of the territorial integrity of the Kingdom. It is in this sense that 170 members of the American Congress have expressed in April 2007 their full support of the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative; they qualified it as being in conformity with international democratic principles. They have also emphasized that it is a question of the active participation on the part of Morocco to put an end to the Sahara dispute. In fact, this demonstrates the importance of parallel diplomacy, which the members of CORCAS have put into practice, obviously in addition to the official diplomacy of the Kingdom. Anass LAMCHICHI
Doctorand in international law
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