Green March, A Philosophy that Animates Moroccan Nation – Diplomat –

The spirit of the Green March has never faded as it continues to shape the very nature of Morocco’s present and future, said Morocco’s ambassador to South Africa, Youssef Amrani, adding that “it is indeed one philosophy that animates one nation around one country.” In an article published Saturday by South-African newspaper “The Independent” (IOL), Amrani explained that ”Morocco celebrates today the anniversary of the Green March, as a key and fundamental moment in its struggle for freedom and continuous fight against colonialism.” ”The Green March is itself a unique reflection of Morocco’s belief, love, and attachment for peace and solidarity,” he noted. ”On this historic day, November 6, 1975, under the leadership of the late King Hassan II, more than 350,000 Moroccans took part in the iconic and peaceful protest against the Spanish occupation of Morocco’s southern provinces,” he added. The diplomat stressed that ”today, 46 years after this auspicious event, the spirit of the March has never faded as it continues to shape the very nature of Morocco’s present and future.” “This glorious event was a show of commitment by the Moroccan people as a whole to Morocco’s sovereignty over the then Spanish-occupied territories,” the ambassador pointed out. He recalled that His Majesty King Mohammed VI called on Moroccans to equip themselves with “clarity” and “far-sightedness” regarding present and future challenges. The Sovereign stated that ”today, we are linking the past with the present, and we continue to safeguard the territorial integrity of our country with the same clarity, ambition, responsibility and committed action, both domestically and at the United Nations,” Amrani added. The diplomat pointed out that Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara is that of a historical fact, legal legitimacy and a nation’s willfully reflected by Morocco in all its human, social, political, cultural, religious, and economic components. Today, the achievements in the development of Morocco’s southern provinces are considered by many as extraordinary, he stressed, adding that Morocco deployed all the means available to raise these provinces from an abandoned region during the Spanish occupation, to above the national level currently. From a desert-like region without any infrastructure, without health care nor education, Moroccan hard work has enabled the development of its southern provinces which now have roads and highways, airports, ports, cities, health services, schools, water desalination plants, electric networks, the diplomat noted. The economic development of the southern provinces is a reality that has been possible thanks to the political will and the mobilization of the entire Moroccan society as a whole under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, he added. The diplomat concluded that ”the Sahara issue is not a mere item on the agenda of the UN Security Council but rather represents a historical injustice done to Morocco in the recovery of its territorial integrity. It is indeed a matter linked to the dignity and sovereignty of the Moroccan people.”