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==Biography==
==Biography==
Mohamed Abdelaziz ben Khalili ben Mohamed al-Bachir Er-Rguibi was born in [[Marrakesh]]<ref name=alain>{{cite book|last=Pierret|first=Alain|title=De la case africaine à la villa romaine: un demi-siècle au service de l'état|year=2010|publisher=Harmattan|isbn=978-2-296-11585-9|page=174}}</ref><ref name="marrakesh">Hughes, Stephen O. ''Morocco Under King Hassan'', 2001. Page 247.</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=African concord, Volumes 2-3|journal=Concord Press of Nigeria|year=1989|page=6}}</ref> or in [[Smara]]<ref name="smara">[http://www.elperiodico.com/es/noticias/mundo/20091124/mohamed-abdelaziz-sahara-puede-ser-moneda-cambio-entre-espana-marruecos/115431.shtml Mohamed Abdelaziz: «El Sáhara no puede ser moneda de cambio entre España y Marruecos»] {{es icon}}</ref><ref>[http://www2.noticiasdealava.com/ediciones/2008/05/28/politica/espana-mundo/d28esp25.931452.php "El pueblo nos pide volver a la guerra, pero creemos que con el apoyo internacional la solución pacífica es posible"] {{es icon}}</ref><ref>[http://www.lavozdelanzarote.com/article9810.html "Esperamos que la comunidad internacional presione a Marruecos para recuperar nuestro derecho de autodeterminación"]{{dead link|date=June 2016}} {{es icon}}</ref>
Mohamed Abdelaziz ben Khalili ben Mohamed al-Bachir Er-Rguibi was born in [[Marrakesh]]<ref name=alain>{{cite book|last=Pierret|first=Alain|title=De la case africaine à la villa romaine: un demi-siècle au service de l'état|year=2010|publisher=Harmattan|isbn=978-2-296-11585-9|page=174}}</ref><ref name="marrakesh">Hughes, Stephen O. ''Morocco Under King Hassan'', 2001. Page 247.</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=African concord, Volumes 2-3|journal=Concord Press of Nigeria|year=1989|page=6}}</ref> or in [[Smara]]<ref name="smara">[http://www.elperiodico.com/es/noticias/mundo/20091124/mohamed-abdelaziz-sahara-puede-ser-moneda-cambio-entre-espana-marruecos/115431.shtml Mohamed Abdelaziz: «El Sáhara no puede ser moneda de cambio entre España y Marruecos»] {{es icon}}</ref><ref>[http://www2.noticiasdealava.com/ediciones/2008/05/28/politica/espana-mundo/d28esp25.931452.php "El pueblo nos pide volver a la guerra, pero creemos que con el apoyo internacional la solución pacífica es posible"] {{es icon}}</ref><ref>[http://www.lavozdelanzarote.com/article9810.html "Esperamos que la comunidad internacional presione a Marruecos para recuperar nuestro derecho de autodeterminación"] {{wayback|url=http://www.lavozdelanzarote.com/article9810.html |date=20110713191629 }} {{es icon}}</ref>
into a [[Sahrawi people|Sahrawi]] family of an eastern [[Reguibat]] subtribe, migrating between [[Western Sahara]], [[Mauritania]], western [[Algeria]] and southern Morocco.
into a [[Sahrawi people|Sahrawi]] family of an eastern [[Reguibat]] subtribe, migrating between [[Western Sahara]], [[Mauritania]], western [[Algeria]] and southern Morocco.


He was the son of Khalili Ben Mohamed Al-Bachir Rguibi, who was a member of the [[Moroccan Liberation Army]] and the [[Royal Moroccan Army]].<ref name="le matin">{{cite news|agency=[[Maghreb Arab Press]]|title=Le père de Mohamed Abdelaziz voterait pour le Maroc |url=http://www.maghress.com/fr/aujourdhui/6720|accessdate=25 May 2015|newspaper=Maghress|date=2002-01-05}}</ref><ref name=gazette>{{cite news|last=Gazette du Maroc|title=De Rguibi Khalili à son fils Abdelaziz ...|url=http://www.lagazettedumaroc.com/articles.php?id_artl=7773|accessdate=26 August 2011|newspaper=Gazette du Maroc|date=2005-10-24}}{{dead link|date=June 2016}}</ref> Abdelaziz's father lived in Morocco with a part of his family and was a member of the [[Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs]].<ref name="le matin"/><ref name=gazette/><ref name=telquel>{{cite web|last=Ahmed R. Benchemsi and Mehdi Sekkouri Alaoui|title=Au cœur du polisario|url=http://www.telquel-online.com/archives/329/couverture_329.shtml|publisher=Telquel|accessdate=2 February 2013}}</ref> His father held two transport licences in Morocco for buses serving Rabat–Casablanca–[[Essaouira]].<ref name=do>{{cite news|title=Le père du dirigeant du Polisario et le garde-corps préféré du roi parmi les bénéficiaires d’agréments {{!}} Demain|url=http://www.demainonline.com/2012/03/02/le-pere-du-dirigeant-du-polisario-et-le-garde-corps-prefere-du-roi-parmi-les-beneficiaires-dagrements/|accessdate=24 January 2014|newspaper=DemainOnline|date=2 March 2012}}</ref> The first license was given to him by [[Hassan II]] in 1983 and the second by [[Mohammed VI]] in 2002.<ref name=do/>
He was the son of Khalili Ben Mohamed Al-Bachir Rguibi, who was a member of the [[Moroccan Liberation Army]] and the [[Royal Moroccan Army]].<ref name="le matin">{{cite news|agency=[[Maghreb Arab Press]]|title=Le père de Mohamed Abdelaziz voterait pour le Maroc |url=http://www.maghress.com/fr/aujourdhui/6720|accessdate=25 May 2015|newspaper=Maghress|date=2002-01-05}}</ref><ref name=gazette>{{cite news|last=Gazette du Maroc |title=De Rguibi Khalili à son fils Abdelaziz ... |url=http://www.lagazettedumaroc.com/articles.php?id_artl=7773 |accessdate=26 August 2011 |newspaper=Gazette du Maroc |date=2005-10-24 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110929145602/http://www.lagazettedumaroc.com/articles.php?id_artl=7773 |archivedate=September 29, 2011 }}</ref> Abdelaziz's father lived in Morocco with a part of his family and was a member of the [[Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs]].<ref name="le matin"/><ref name=gazette/><ref name=telquel>{{cite web|last=Ahmed R. Benchemsi and Mehdi Sekkouri Alaoui|title=Au cœur du polisario|url=http://www.telquel-online.com/archives/329/couverture_329.shtml|publisher=Telquel|accessdate=2 February 2013}}</ref> His father held two transport licences in Morocco for buses serving Rabat–Casablanca–[[Essaouira]].<ref name=do>{{cite news|title=Le père du dirigeant du Polisario et le garde-corps préféré du roi parmi les bénéficiaires d’agréments {{!}} Demain|url=http://www.demainonline.com/2012/03/02/le-pere-du-dirigeant-du-polisario-et-le-garde-corps-prefere-du-roi-parmi-les-beneficiaires-dagrements/|accessdate=24 January 2014|newspaper=DemainOnline|date=2 March 2012}}</ref> The first license was given to him by [[Hassan II]] in 1983 and the second by [[Mohammed VI]] in 2002.<ref name=do/>


His brother is Mohamed Lahbib Rguibi,<ref>{{cite news | title=Aminetu Haidar reaparece en un tenso juicio en Casablanca | url=http://www.abc.es/20101015/internacional/aminatu-haidar-reaparece-juicio-201010151853.html | publisher=[[ABC (Spain)|ABC]] | date=2010-10-15 | accessdate=2010-10-19|language=es}}</ref> [[lawyer]] of many Sahrawi [[human rights]] defenders such as [[Aminatou Haidar]] or [[Naama Asfari]], and former "[[disappeared]]" in Moroccan prisons between 1976 and 1991.<ref>[http://arso.org/RappA.ChanuF.Weyl.pdf Rapport de Mission d’observateurs au proces en appel de Ennaama Asfari et de la Mission d’enquete qui s’est deroulee du 6 au 9 Mai 2007 dans les Territoires Occupes (Laayoune et Smara) pour l’Association franÇaise «Droit Solidarite» et l’Association Internationale des Juristes Democrates] {{fr icon}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=En las mazmorras de Hassan | url=http://www.interviu.es/reportajes/articulos/en-las-mazmorras-de-hasan/ | publisher=[[Interviú]] | date=2007-11-19 | accessdate=2010-10-19|language=es}}</ref>
His brother is Mohamed Lahbib Rguibi,<ref>{{cite news | title=Aminetu Haidar reaparece en un tenso juicio en Casablanca | url=http://www.abc.es/20101015/internacional/aminatu-haidar-reaparece-juicio-201010151853.html | publisher=[[ABC (Spain)|ABC]] | date=2010-10-15 | accessdate=2010-10-19|language=es}}</ref> [[lawyer]] of many Sahrawi [[human rights]] defenders such as [[Aminatou Haidar]] or [[Naama Asfari]], and former "[[disappeared]]" in Moroccan prisons between 1976 and 1991.<ref>[http://arso.org/RappA.ChanuF.Weyl.pdf Rapport de Mission d’observateurs au proces en appel de Ennaama Asfari et de la Mission d’enquete qui s’est deroulee du 6 au 9 Mai 2007 dans les Territoires Occupes (Laayoune et Smara) pour l’Association franÇaise «Droit Solidarite» et l’Association Internationale des Juristes Democrates] {{fr icon}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=En las mazmorras de Hassan | url=http://www.interviu.es/reportajes/articulos/en-las-mazmorras-de-hasan/ | publisher=[[Interviú]] | date=2007-11-19 | accessdate=2010-10-19|language=es}}</ref>
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From 1976 until his death he was Secretary-General of the organization, replacing [[Mahfoud Ali Beiba]], who had taken the post as interim Secretary-General after [[El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed]] was killed in action in Mauritania. He was also the president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), whose first constitution he was involved in drafting{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}}. He lived in exile in the [[Sahrawi refugee camps]] in the [[Tindouf Province]] of western [[Algeria]].
From 1976 until his death he was Secretary-General of the organization, replacing [[Mahfoud Ali Beiba]], who had taken the post as interim Secretary-General after [[El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed]] was killed in action in Mauritania. He was also the president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), whose first constitution he was involved in drafting{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}}. He lived in exile in the [[Sahrawi refugee camps]] in the [[Tindouf Province]] of western [[Algeria]].


According to some former members of Polisario now aligned with Morocco, Abdelaziz was "chosen" by Algeria at the top of the organization although he did not belong to the very closed circle of the organization's founders and "he always considered himself to be their man."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esisc.org/POLISARIO%20ENG.pdf|title=http://www.esisc.org/POLISARIO%20ENG.pdf|publisher=}}{{dead link|date=June 2016}}</ref>
According to some former members of Polisario now aligned with Morocco, Abdelaziz was "chosen" by Algeria at the top of the organization although he did not belong to the very closed circle of the organization's founders and "he always considered himself to be their man."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esisc.org/POLISARIO%20ENG.pdf |title=http://www.esisc.org/POLISARIO%20ENG.pdf |publisher= |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070614203940/http://www.esisc.org/POLISARIO%20ENG.pdf |archivedate=June 14, 2007 }}</ref>


In April 2000, the Moroccan weekly newspaper ''[[Le Journal Hebdomadaire]]'' "crossed a political redline" by printing an interview with Abdelaziz, and was briefly banned from publishing.<ref name=CPJ>{{cite web |url=http://cpj.org/awards/2003/jamai.php |title=Morocco: Aboubakr Jamai |author= |year=2003 |work= |publisher=[[Committee to Protect Journalists]] |accessdate=2 February 2012}}</ref> The Moroccan Ministry of Communications responded by banning both ''Le Journal'' and ''Assahifa Al Ousbouia'', though the latter had not run the interview in question. A Ministry spokesperson stated that the reasons for the papers' banning were "excesses in [their] editorial line concerning the question of Morocco’s territorial integrity" and "collusion with foreign interests".<ref name=CPJ2>{{cite web |url=http://cpj.org/Briefings/2002/DA_fall_2002/Dangerous.pdf |title=The Business of Journalism |author=Hani Sabra |date=Fall–Winter 2002 |work= |publisher=[[Committee to Protect Journalists]] |accessdate=2 February 2012}}</ref>
In April 2000, the Moroccan weekly newspaper ''[[Le Journal Hebdomadaire]]'' "crossed a political redline" by printing an interview with Abdelaziz, and was briefly banned from publishing.<ref name=CPJ>{{cite web |url=http://cpj.org/awards/2003/jamai.php |title=Morocco: Aboubakr Jamai |author= |year=2003 |work= |publisher=[[Committee to Protect Journalists]] |accessdate=2 February 2012}}</ref> The Moroccan Ministry of Communications responded by banning both ''Le Journal'' and ''Assahifa Al Ousbouia'', though the latter had not run the interview in question. A Ministry spokesperson stated that the reasons for the papers' banning were "excesses in [their] editorial line concerning the question of Morocco’s territorial integrity" and "collusion with foreign interests".<ref name=CPJ2>{{cite web |url=http://cpj.org/Briefings/2002/DA_fall_2002/Dangerous.pdf |title=The Business of Journalism |author=Hani Sabra |date=Fall–Winter 2002 |work= |publisher=[[Committee to Protect Journalists]] |accessdate=2 February 2012}}</ref>
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Abdelaziz condemned terrorism, insisting the Polisario's [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla war]] is to be a "clean struggle" (that is, not targeting private citizens' safety or property); he however acknowledged mistreatment to Moroccan prisoners of war as well as attacking civilian populations in Moroccan cities<ref name=telquel/> by the [[Polisario Front]], justifying this as necessary evils in times of war and that the Polisario had to use every means in order to defend the Sahrawi population from the enemy.<ref name=telquel/>
Abdelaziz condemned terrorism, insisting the Polisario's [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla war]] is to be a "clean struggle" (that is, not targeting private citizens' safety or property); he however acknowledged mistreatment to Moroccan prisoners of war as well as attacking civilian populations in Moroccan cities<ref name=telquel/> by the [[Polisario Front]], justifying this as necessary evils in times of war and that the Polisario had to use every means in order to defend the Sahrawi population from the enemy.<ref name=telquel/>


He sent formal condolences to the afflicted governments after the terrorist attacks in New York City,<ref>[http://www.arso.org/01-e01-37.htm The Polisario Front National Secretariat's Bureau, meeting under the chairmanship of Mohamed Abdelaziz, head of state and secretary-general of the Polisario Front, condemned the criminal attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the USA and, particularly, against defenceless innocent civilians. It expressed the Saharan people's solidarity with the people of the USA and their government.](Sahrawi national radio) ARSO, September 12, 2001</ref> [[Madrid]],<ref>[http://www.spsrasd.info/sps-e110304.html#2 The President of the Republic presents his condolences to the King of Spain and the Head of the Government after terrorist attacks in Madrid]{{dead link|date=June 2016}} SPS, March 11, 2004</ref> [[London]]<ref>[http://www.spsrasd.info/sps-e070705.html The President of the Republic expresses Saharawi people's condolences to British people]{{dead link|date=June 2016}} SPS, July 7, 2005</ref> and [[Kampala]].<ref>[http://www.spsrasd.info/en/detail.php?id=12561 President of Republic consoles his Ugandan counterpart on victims of Kampala bomb attacks]{{dead link|date=June 2016}} SPS, July 14, 2010</ref>
He sent formal condolences to the afflicted governments after the terrorist attacks in New York City,<ref>[http://www.arso.org/01-e01-37.htm The Polisario Front National Secretariat's Bureau, meeting under the chairmanship of Mohamed Abdelaziz, head of state and secretary-general of the Polisario Front, condemned the criminal attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the USA and, particularly, against defenceless innocent civilians. It expressed the Saharan people's solidarity with the people of the USA and their government.](Sahrawi national radio) ARSO, September 12, 2001</ref> [[Madrid]],<ref>[http://www.spsrasd.info/sps-e110304.html#2 The President of the Republic presents his condolences to the King of Spain and the Head of the Government after terrorist attacks in Madrid] {{wayback|url=http://www.spsrasd.info/sps-e110304.html#2 |date=20081011235428 }} SPS, March 11, 2004</ref> [[London]]<ref>[http://www.spsrasd.info/sps-e070705.html The President of the Republic expresses Saharawi people's condolences to British people] {{wayback|url=http://www.spsrasd.info/sps-e070705.html |date=20091005115823 }} SPS, July 7, 2005</ref> and [[Kampala]].<ref>[http://www.spsrasd.info/en/detail.php?id=12561 President of Republic consoles his Ugandan counterpart on victims of Kampala bomb attacks]{{dead link|date=June 2016}} SPS, July 14, 2010</ref>


Also, as head of the SADR, Abdrlaziz signed the [[OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism]] at the 36th summit in Algiers, July 14, 1999,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Documents/Treaties/Text/Algiers_convention%20on%20Terrorism.pdf|title=OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism|publisher=}}{{dead link|date=June 2016}}</ref> the [[Dakar Declaration against Terrorism]] in October 2001 and the additional Protocol to the previous OAU's Convention on Terrorism at the 3rd session of the [[Assembly of the African Union]] in Addis Ababa, July 8, 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Documents/Treaties/Text/The%20Protocol%20on%20Terrorism%2026July2004.pdf|title=Protocol to the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism|publisher=}}{{dead link|date=June 2016}}</ref>
Also, as head of the SADR, Abdrlaziz signed the [[OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism]] at the 36th summit in Algiers, July 14, 1999,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Documents/Treaties/Text/Algiers_convention%20on%20Terrorism.pdf |title=OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism |publisher= |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110915110529/http://www.africa-union.org:80/root/au/Documents/Treaties/Text/Algiers_convention%20on%20Terrorism.pdf |archivedate=September 15, 2011 }}</ref> the [[Dakar Declaration against Terrorism]] in October 2001 and the additional Protocol to the previous OAU's Convention on Terrorism at the 3rd session of the [[Assembly of the African Union]] in Addis Ababa, July 8, 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Documents/Treaties/Text/The%20Protocol%20on%20Terrorism%2026July2004.pdf |title=Protocol to the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism |publisher= |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110911031159/http://www.africa-union.org:80/root/au/Documents/Treaties/Text/The%20Protocol%20on%20Terrorism%2026July2004.pdf |archivedate=September 11, 2011 }}</ref>


==Awards and nominations==
==Awards and nominations==


In 2001, he was reportedly nominated for the [[Nobel Peace Prize]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arso.org/Abdelaz260304.htm|title=Western Sahara - Sahara Occidental -|publisher=|accessdate=18 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cynthiabasinet.com/id14.html|title=http://www.cynthiabasinet.com/id14.html|publisher=}}{{dead link|date=June 2016}}</ref>
In 2001, he was reportedly nominated for the [[Nobel Peace Prize]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arso.org/Abdelaz260304.htm|title=Western Sahara - Sahara Occidental -|publisher=|accessdate=18 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cynthiabasinet.com/id14.html |title=http://www.cynthiabasinet.com/id14.html |publisher= |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20100115042055/http://www.cynthiabasinet.com:80/id14.html |archivedate=January 15, 2010 }}</ref>


In December 2005, as leader of the Polisario Front, he received [[Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de España]]'s "[[Spanish Pro-Human Rights Association Human Rights International Prize|Human Rights International Prize]]".<ref>[http://www.apdhe.org/quienessomos/documentos/MEMORIA%20APDHE%202005%20TEXTO.pdf APDHE - Memoria de actividades 2005]{{dead link|date=June 2016}} (In Spanish)</ref>
In December 2005, as leader of the Polisario Front, he received [[Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de España]]'s "[[Spanish Pro-Human Rights Association Human Rights International Prize|Human Rights International Prize]]".<ref>[http://www.apdhe.org/quienessomos/documentos/MEMORIA%20APDHE%202005%20TEXTO.pdf APDHE - Memoria de actividades 2005] {{wayback|url=http://www.apdhe.org/quienessomos/documentos/MEMORIA%20APDHE%202005%20TEXTO.pdf |date=20110904045720 }} (In Spanish)</ref>


==Death==
==Death==

Revision as of 20:53, 2 June 2016

This article is about the Sahrawi President. For other people with the same name, see Mohamed Abdelaziz.
Mohamed Abdelaziz
Template:Rtl-lang
President of the Sahrawi Republic
In office
30 August 1976 – 31 May 2016
Prime MinisterMohamed Lamine Ould Ahmed
Mahfoud Ali Beiba
Mohamed Lamine Ould Ahmed
Mahfoud Ali Beiba
Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun
Mahfoud Ali Beiba
Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun
Abdelkader Taleb Omar
Preceded byMahfoud Ali Beiba
Succeeded byKhatri Addouh (Acting)
Personal details
Born(1947-08-17)17 August 1947
Marrakesh, French Morocco or Smara, Spanish Sahara
Died31 May 2016(2016-05-31) (aged 68)
Political partyPolisario Front
SpouseKhadija Hamdi
Alma materMohammed V University

Mohamed Abdelaziz (Arabic: محمد عبد العزيز; 17 August 1947 – 31 May 2016) was the 3rd Secretary General of the Polisario Front and President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic from 1976 until his death in 2016. He spoke Arabic and French.[1]

Biography

Mohamed Abdelaziz ben Khalili ben Mohamed al-Bachir Er-Rguibi was born in Marrakesh[1][2][3] or in Smara[4][5][6] into a Sahrawi family of an eastern Reguibat subtribe, migrating between Western Sahara, Mauritania, western Algeria and southern Morocco.

He was the son of Khalili Ben Mohamed Al-Bachir Rguibi, who was a member of the Moroccan Liberation Army and the Royal Moroccan Army.[7][8] Abdelaziz's father lived in Morocco with a part of his family and was a member of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs.[7][8][9] His father held two transport licences in Morocco for buses serving Rabat–Casablanca–Essaouira.[10] The first license was given to him by Hassan II in 1983 and the second by Mohammed VI in 2002.[10]

His brother is Mohamed Lahbib Rguibi,[11] lawyer of many Sahrawi human rights defenders such as Aminatou Haidar or Naama Asfari, and former "disappeared" in Moroccan prisons between 1976 and 1991.[12][13]

As a student in the Mohammed V University of Rabat,[7] he gravitated towards Sahrawi nationalism, and became one of the founding members[citation needed] of the Polisario Front, a Sahrawi independence movement in Western Sahara with strong Arab socialist ideas which launched a few attacks against Spanish colonialism in the Spanish Sahara in 1973, but that he was more notable for fighting against Mauritania and Morocco.

From 1976 until his death he was Secretary-General of the organization, replacing Mahfoud Ali Beiba, who had taken the post as interim Secretary-General after El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed was killed in action in Mauritania. He was also the president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), whose first constitution he was involved in drafting[citation needed]. He lived in exile in the Sahrawi refugee camps in the Tindouf Province of western Algeria.

According to some former members of Polisario now aligned with Morocco, Abdelaziz was "chosen" by Algeria at the top of the organization although he did not belong to the very closed circle of the organization's founders and "he always considered himself to be their man."[14]

In April 2000, the Moroccan weekly newspaper Le Journal Hebdomadaire "crossed a political redline" by printing an interview with Abdelaziz, and was briefly banned from publishing.[15] The Moroccan Ministry of Communications responded by banning both Le Journal and Assahifa Al Ousbouia, though the latter had not run the interview in question. A Ministry spokesperson stated that the reasons for the papers' banning were "excesses in [their] editorial line concerning the question of Morocco’s territorial integrity" and "collusion with foreign interests".[16]

Politics

Abdelaziz was considered a secular nationalist[17] and steered the Polisario and the Sahrawi republic towards political compromise, notably in backing the United Nations' Baker Plan in 2003. Under his leadership, Polisario also abandoned its early Arab socialist orientation[citation needed], in favor of a Western Sahara organized along liberal democratic lines[citation needed]. He is, however to date, the 2nd longest ruling non-royal leader as was the President of the Sahrawi Republic for nearly 35 years.

The Organization of African Unity seated Western Sahara for the first time in 1982, despite Morocco's vehement objections. In 1985, Abdelaziz was elected as Vice-President of the OAU at its 21st summit, effectively signalling that the Sahrawi Republic would be a permanent OAU member despite the controversy.[18] In 2002, he was elected as vice-president of the African Union, at its first summit.[19]

There was some criticism against Abdelaziz from within the Polisario for preventing reforms inside the movement[citation needed], and for insisting on a diplomatic course which had gained few concessions from Morocco, rather than re-launching the armed struggle favored by many within the movement. The only supposedly opposition group is the Front Polisario Khat al-Shahid, which states that it wants to restore the legacy of his predecessor, El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed[citation needed]. Abdelaziz specifically denied the existence of such a group;[9] he maintained that only the Polisario exists in the camps. Others[who?] consider that, despite his militant rhetoric, Abdelaziz cannot order a resumption of fighting without the approval of the Algerian government[citation needed].

Abdelaziz condemned terrorism, insisting the Polisario's guerrilla war is to be a "clean struggle" (that is, not targeting private citizens' safety or property); he however acknowledged mistreatment to Moroccan prisoners of war as well as attacking civilian populations in Moroccan cities[9] by the Polisario Front, justifying this as necessary evils in times of war and that the Polisario had to use every means in order to defend the Sahrawi population from the enemy.[9]

He sent formal condolences to the afflicted governments after the terrorist attacks in New York City,[20] Madrid,[21] London[22] and Kampala.[23]

Also, as head of the SADR, Abdrlaziz signed the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism at the 36th summit in Algiers, July 14, 1999,[24] the Dakar Declaration against Terrorism in October 2001 and the additional Protocol to the previous OAU's Convention on Terrorism at the 3rd session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa, July 8, 2004.[25]

Awards and nominations

In 2001, he was reportedly nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.[26][27]

In December 2005, as leader of the Polisario Front, he received Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de España's "Human Rights International Prize".[28]

Death

Abdelaziz died of lung cancer on May 31, 2016.[29]

References

  1. ^ a b Pierret, Alain (2010). De la case africaine à la villa romaine: un demi-siècle au service de l'état. Harmattan. p. 174. ISBN 978-2-296-11585-9.
  2. ^ Hughes, Stephen O. Morocco Under King Hassan, 2001. Page 247.
  3. ^ "African concord, Volumes 2-3". Concord Press of Nigeria: 6. 1989.
  4. ^ Mohamed Abdelaziz: «El Sáhara no puede ser moneda de cambio entre España y Marruecos» Template:Es icon
  5. ^ "El pueblo nos pide volver a la guerra, pero creemos que con el apoyo internacional la solución pacífica es posible" Template:Es icon
  6. ^ "Esperamos que la comunidad internacional presione a Marruecos para recuperar nuestro derecho de autodeterminación" Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine Template:Es icon
  7. ^ a b c "Le père de Mohamed Abdelaziz voterait pour le Maroc". Maghress. Maghreb Arab Press. 2002-01-05. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  8. ^ a b Gazette du Maroc (2005-10-24). "De Rguibi Khalili à son fils Abdelaziz ..." Gazette du Maroc. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b c d Ahmed R. Benchemsi and Mehdi Sekkouri Alaoui. "Au cœur du polisario". Telquel. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  10. ^ a b "Le père du dirigeant du Polisario et le garde-corps préféré du roi parmi les bénéficiaires d'agréments | Demain". DemainOnline. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  11. ^ "Aminetu Haidar reaparece en un tenso juicio en Casablanca" (in Spanish). ABC. 2010-10-15. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  12. ^ Rapport de Mission d’observateurs au proces en appel de Ennaama Asfari et de la Mission d’enquete qui s’est deroulee du 6 au 9 Mai 2007 dans les Territoires Occupes (Laayoune et Smara) pour l’Association franÇaise «Droit Solidarite» et l’Association Internationale des Juristes Democrates Template:Fr icon
  13. ^ "En las mazmorras de Hassan" (in Spanish). Interviú. 2007-11-19. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
  14. ^ "http://www.esisc.org/POLISARIO%20ENG.pdf" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 14, 2007. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ "Morocco: Aboubakr Jamai". Committee to Protect Journalists. 2003. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  16. ^ Hani Sabra (Fall–Winter 2002). "The Business of Journalism" (PDF). Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  17. ^ "ISS Africa - Home". ISS Africa. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  18. ^ Stefan Talmon, Recognition of Governments in International Law (1998), Oxford University Press, page 187.
  19. ^ "afrol News: Morocco loses out in Africa".
  20. ^ The Polisario Front National Secretariat's Bureau, meeting under the chairmanship of Mohamed Abdelaziz, head of state and secretary-general of the Polisario Front, condemned the criminal attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the USA and, particularly, against defenceless innocent civilians. It expressed the Saharan people's solidarity with the people of the USA and their government.(Sahrawi national radio) ARSO, September 12, 2001
  21. ^ The President of the Republic presents his condolences to the King of Spain and the Head of the Government after terrorist attacks in Madrid Archived 2008-10-11 at the Wayback Machine SPS, March 11, 2004
  22. ^ The President of the Republic expresses Saharawi people's condolences to British people Archived 2009-10-05 at the Wayback Machine SPS, July 7, 2005
  23. ^ President of Republic consoles his Ugandan counterpart on victims of Kampala bomb attacks[dead link] SPS, July 14, 2010
  24. ^ "OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 15, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ "Protocol to the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 11, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ "Western Sahara - Sahara Occidental -". Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  27. ^ "http://www.cynthiabasinet.com/id14.html". Archived from the original on January 15, 2010. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ APDHE - Memoria de actividades 2005 Archived 2011-09-04 at the Wayback Machine (In Spanish)
  29. ^ "Mort du chef du Polisario Mohamed Abdelaziz". 31 May 2016.
Political offices
Preceded by President of the Sahrawi Republic
1976–2016 		Succeeded by
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