A Delicate Sense of Hope

The Saharawi people are an ethnic group from Western Sahara, a territory in North Africa that has been at the center of a long-standing conflict. Their story is marked by colonial rule, war, displacement, and an ongoing struggle for self-determination. Western Sahara was colonized by Spain in the late 19th century and remained under Spanish control until the mid-1970s. In 1975, as Spain withdrew, Morocco and Mauritania both claimed the territory but the Saharawi, led by the Polisario Front, fought for independence and declared the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). After the war with Morocco, a ceasefire was signed in 1991, but the issue of a referendum for self-determination remains unresolved. Morocco continues to claim sovereignty over Western Sahara, rejecting full independence. The Moroccan occupation led to mass displacement. Thousands of Sahrawis fled to Algeria, where they established refugee camps near the Tindouf region. Morocco also built a massive sand wall (the Berm), heavily fortified with landmines, dividing the Moroccan-controlled parts of Western Sahara from the Polisario-controlled areas.

Today, many Saharawi live in refugee camps in Algeria, while others are under Moroccan control. The fight for Western Sahara's independence continues to be a global issue. The camps were originally meant to be temporary when they were established in 1975, but nearly 50 years later, tens of thousands of Saharawis are still living there, completely dependent on humanitarian aid. The camps are located in the Hamada desert, one of the most inhospitable regions of the Sahara. The Saharawi refugee camps are among the longest-standing refugee settlements in the world.