Bir Lehlou
| Bir Lehlou بير لحلو Bir Lahlou |
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 Bir Lehlou
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| Coordinates: 26°20′58″N 09°34′32″W / 26.34944°N 9.57556°WCoordinates: 26°20′58″N 09°34′32″W / 26.34944°N 9.57556°W | |
| Territory | Western Sahara |
| Claimed by |  Morocco Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic |
| Controlled by | Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic |
Bir Lehlou (also transliterated Bir Lahlou, Bir Lehlu, Arabic: بير لحلو) is an oasis town in north-eastern Western Sahara, near the Mauritanian border and east of the border wall, in POLISARIO-held territory. It has a dispensary and a school. It is the head of the 5th military region of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. It is also the name of a Daïra of the Wilaya of Smara, in the Sahrawi refugee camps.
The name "Bir Lehlou" is transcribed from Arabic, and means "the sweet water well". The Arabic transcription would be "bir lahlu" (بير لحلو).
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[edit] History
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, an exiled government seated in Tindouf, Algeria, administers it as the temporary capital of the SADR, as long as the Sahrawi capital of El-Aaiun is under Moroccan control. For example, it had been the scenario of reunions of SADR's National Secretariat[1]. This is also from where the republic's existence was proclaimed over radio on the night of February 27, 1976, by its first president, El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed. Some sources list also Bir Lehlou as El-Ouali's birthplace[2].
Today's "Radio Nacional de la Republica Árabe Saharaui Democrática" (National Radio of the SADR) keeps broadcasting from there on both medium and short wave, webcasting the programming in Hassaniya Arabic, and also some hours in Spanish[3].
On May 20, 2005, coinciding with the 32nd anniversary of the beginning of the armed struggle of the Polisario Front, a primary school was inaugurated in Bir Lehlou. The school was named "José Ramón Diego Aguirre" (Spanish colonel and historian, first foreigner to be awarded with the Sahrawi honorific nationality) in his honour[4].
On February 27, 2010, Bir Lehlou hosted the 34th anniversary of the proclamation of the SADR, with the presence of several African and South American ambassadors[5].
On October 12, 2011, during the 36th National Unity Day celebrations, commander of the Sahrawi 5th militar region Hama Salama inaugurated an ampliation of the town's school, as well as a mosque[6].
[edit] International relations
[edit] Twin towns - Sister cities
Bir Lehlou is twinned with:
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[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "The National Secretariat calls UN to compel Morocco to conform to the international legality". Sahara Press Service. 03-05-2005. http://www.spsrasd.info/sps-e030505.html. Retrieved 22-09-2010.
- ^ Sahara : le retour du guerrier
- ^ "Radio Nacional de la R.A.S.D.". http://web.jet.es/rasd/radio.htm. Retrieved 09-09-2010.
- ^ "Polisario Front celebrates its 32nd anniversary in the liberated territories". SPS. 19-05-2005. http://www.spsrasd.info/sps-e190505.html. Retrieved 09-09-2010.
- ^ "Diplomatic and political delegations participate in 34th anniversary festivities of SADR". SPS. 27-02-2010. http://www.spsrasd.info/en/detail.php?id=10083. Retrieved 22-09-2010.
- ^ "Inauguradas instalaciones en Bir Lehlo en el marco de las celebraciones del 36 Aniversario de la Unidad Nacional". SPS. 17-10-2011. http://www.spsrasd.info/es/content/inauguradas-instalaciones-en-bir-lehlo-en-el-marco-de-las-celebraciones-del-36-aniversario-d. Retrieved 18-10-2011. (Spanish)
[edit] External links
- Photo & full text of the proclamation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in Bir Lehlou, 27-02-1976 (English)(Spanish)(French)
