The rays of sun hits the blue roof terraces of Chaufchaouen in Morocco at 8:15, stretch across the valley and then climb the face of the mountain ahead. The smell of kif is thick. Now back on the road through the mountains of the Middle Atlas, through the intensity of Fes, and now Marrakesh, a fatigue finally settles in.
The journey to the occupied territories in the south is a journey through all six senses and then some. In a couple of days I’ll be in the Western Sahara to document a resistance movement that has largely been ignored and forgotten.
And as I slowly make my way down starting first in the chaos of Tangiers and into the solemn silence of the vast desert plains, the Saharawi continue to protest, continue a civil resistance, to claim their right to self-determination.
And yet only a few days ago, Morocco celebrated its 53rd anniversary of independence from France. The colonized have in turn become a colonizer. Somewhere along the way I passed a billboard of Morocco's current King Mohammed VI. The photo was washed out and faded by the sun.
The young king is smiling, his left elbow perched on the chair, he wears a suit and tie. He is revered and is a powerful national symbol that binds many and charms the west. The longest unbroken peace agreement treaty US has ever signed is with Morocco.
A young man from Agadir told me Moroccans do not protest. The tyranny of the king's father, Hassan II, has not been forgotten he said. But today there are indeed greater freedoms of expression, greater freedoms for women, and vast development projects. A new highway runs from Marrakesh to Casablanca. It cannot be said that the king has not introduced reforms.
In January next year, Morocco will officially have the controversial Advanced Status with the EU which will not exempt the disputed Western Sahara. In the meantime, Morocco continues to push for autonomy in an area it considers its historical land right. Despite have initially agreed on the referendum for self-determination, it would appear the kingdom is squeezing to death any real chance of a popular vote.
The once nomadic Saharawi are now sedentary and marginalized. Countless landmines are buried on either side of the Berm, a 2400 km sand wall guarded by over 100,000 Moroccan soldiers. Make no mistake, this territory with the relative size of Colorado is occupied. Journalists abstain or be deported if caught.
