Tifariti
Tifariti
تيفاريتي | ||
---|---|---|
Territory Western Sahara | | |
Claimed by | Kingdom of Morocco, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | |
Controlled by | Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | |
Government | ||
• Type | Municipality[1] | |
• Mayor | Mohammed Salem Dayah[2] | |
Area | ||
• Total | 6.78 km2 (2.62 sq mi) | |
Elevation | 490 m (1,610 ft) | |
Population (2010) | ||
• Total | 3,000 | |
• Density | 440/km2 (1,100/sq mi) | |
Climate | BWh |
Tifariti (
It is also the name of a
In 2010, the population of Tifariti was estimated at around 3,000 people.[citation needed]
Tifariti is located between
The government quarter of Tifariti houses the Parliament of the SADR, a hospital, a school, a mosque and a museum.[citation needed]
History
Primarily an encampment located near an oasis, it was always a kind of seasonal town for the
During the Western Sahara War
Tifariti was the place of several battles during the Western Sahara War (1975–1991) and served as a military base and stronghold for both sides at various points of the war. It was also used as a stopping place for Sahrawi refugees en route to Tindouf (Algeria) during the invasion phase (1975–76). Some sources claim that in January 1976 there were 15,000 Sahrawi refugees around the town.[7]
The village was briefly occupied by the
In the summer of 1977, Moroccan troops controlled the town once more, this time for nearly two years. In March 1979, and after the
During the 1980s, the
In August 1991, weeks before the proclamation of the ceasefire, the Royal Moroccan Air Force repeatedly bombed Tifariti, destroying the buildings and the wells, as well as killing dozens of civilians.[11][12]
Infrastructure
Hospitals and administrative buildings were built here between 1989 and 1991 by foreign aid agencies in preparation for a Sahrawi refugee return to Western Sahara, for the holding of a UN-backed referendum on either independence or integration with Morocco. That infrastructures were destroyed by the Royal Moroccan Air Force in August 1991, a few days before the proclamation of the cease-fire.[12][13]
A
In April 1999, the
On May 21, 2005, and during the celebrations of the 32nd anniversary of the creation of the Polisario Front,
On February 27, 2007 (31st anniversary of the proclamation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) a borough of 150 houses named Solidarity Neighbourhood was inaugurated by SADR's president, Mohamed Abdelaziz. It was built with the help of the
On December 21, 2007, Abdelaziz inaugurated a mosque, in the framework of reconstruction and settlement of the Free Zone.[19]On February 29, 2008, Abdelaziz launched the works of the building of the Mayoralty of Tifariti, a small dam to provide the local population with water[20] and the cornerstone of a sports complex, funded by South Africa.
On July 20, 2009, Salek Baba (SADR'S Minister of Reconstruction and Urbanization) visited Tifariti to assess the works of the "Tadamoun" and "Salam" neighbourhoods and a mini-desalination plant.[21] On October 30, 2009, Abdelkader Taleb Omar (Prime minister of the SADR) inaugurated a new district of 20 houses. He stated:
"The opening of these new residences is a portion of a large project of development in progress, includes other parts of the liberated territory of
Politics
In October 2003, the Polisario Front held its XI General Popular Congress here, electing officials to its executive National Secretariat, the exile parliament of the Sahrawi National Council, as well as reelecting (92%) Mohamed Abdelaziz as Secretary General.[23]
In December 2007, with the presence of 250 international delegates, the XII General Popular Congress of the POLISARIO was held again in Tifariti. Abdelaziz was reelected again (85%),[24] although he proposed to regulate alternation in the leadership of the Polisario Front.[25] Also, the members of the National Secretariat were elected.[26]
Between 2010 and 2012, Larabas Said Jumani (a former minister of the
Culture
In February 2009, the town hosted the "International Conference on Urbanization and Reconstruction of Liberated Areas".[28] The participants signed the "Declaration of Tifariti", with three principal aims:
- Rebuilding and reconstruction of the liberated territories of Western Sahara.
- Preservation of the Spanish language, through the establishment of the "Saharawi Academy for the Spanish language".
- Promotion of the establishment of the "Tifariti University".[29]
Festivals
Since 2007, Tifariti has been the scenery of "ARTifariti", an annual international encounter of artists from several countries. The art pieces are made in the town and remain there, in the museum of Tifariti or outdoors. On 27 February 2011 Tifariti hosted the 35th anniversary of the proclamation of the
On the 2012 edition, ARTifariti moved its activities to the
Archaeological park
Approximately 30 km (20 mi) to the northeast of Tifariti is the Erqueyez Archaeological Park. This archaeological site, without precedents in this area, provides an interesting lithic manufacturing works from the Late Paleolithic or
University of Tifariti
On 9 February 2013,
Sports
Since 2009, Tifariti is the finish line of the "Sahara Bike Race", a 300 km (190 mi) route in parallel with the
International relations
Twin towns and sister cities
Tifariti is
- Agliana, Pistoia, Tuscany, Italy (since April 20, 1994)[35]
- Comunidad Valenciana, Spain(since February 24, 2004)
- Artea, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain[36]
- Arusha, Arusha Region, Tanzania (since December 21, 2009)
- Balmaseda, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain[37]
- Bedia, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain[38]
- Campomarino, Campobasso, Molise, Italy (since November 29, 2005)[39]
- Andalucía, Spain (since October 30, 2009)[40]
- Caroní, Bolívar, Venezuela (since July 25, 2011)[41]
- Dima, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain[42]
- Guédiawaye, Guédiawaye Department, Dakar Region, Senegal (since December 21, 2009)
- Igorre, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain[43]
- Istán, Málaga, Andalucía, Spain (since October 15, 2009)
- Las Gabias, Granada, Andalucía, Spain
- Loro Ciuffenna, Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy[35]
- Los Palacios y Villafranca, Sevilla, Andalucía, Spain (since August 5, 1998)[45]
- Mascara, Mascara Province, Algeria (since June 9, 2008)
- Mbeya, Mbeya Region, Tanzania (since December 21, 2009)
- Mondragón, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain[46]
- Mwanza, Mwanza Region, Tanzania (since December 21, 2009)
- Pontassieve, Florence, Tuscany, Italy (since 1987)[35]
- Reggiolo, Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Italy (since 8 February 2014)[47]
- Sevilla, Sevilla, Andalucía, Spain
- Signa, Florence, Tuscany, Italy[48]
- Sumbawanga, Rukwa Region, Tanzania (since December 21, 2009)
- Tanga, Tanga Region, Tanzania (since December 21, 2009)
- Timbuktu, Tombouctou Region, Mali (since December 21, 2009)
- Trucios-Turtzioz, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain[49]
- Castilla y León, Spain (since December 10, 2009)[50]
- Vicchio, Florence, Tuscany, Italy[35]
Gallery
-
Outskirts of Tifariti
-
MoroccanMirage F-1 attack aircraft shot down by SPLA forces during the Western Sahara War
-
Moroccan Northrop F-5 fighter aircraft shot down by SPLA guerrillas near Tifariti, during the 1991 Tifariti offensive
-
SPLA troops gathering in Tifariti during the 32nd anniversary of the Polisario Front (21 May 2005)
-
Sahrawi children from the Sahrawi refugee campsin Tifariti, during the "Summer University" (17 August 2009)
-
naturalist) and his aide, during a monitoring expedition on the desert locust. Tifariti, May 1942
-
UXOs. Tifariti, 13 August 2011
-
Sahrawi artist Mohamed Mouloud Yeslem with his work "Um Dreiga" at ARTifariti 2010
-
Entrance of the Navarra Hospital
-
Map of Western Sahara on a hill near Tifariti, 2009
See also
Notes
- ^ "Allocating seats for the liberated territories in Parliament will be considered in the next election (Official)". Sahara Press Service. 2012-02-20. Archived from the original on 2014-09-12. Retrieved 2012-02-07.
- ^ a b "Minister of Defense receives Ross in liberated Tifariti". Sahara Press Service. 2012-03-11. Archived from the original on 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ "Sahara Occidental – Actualités 2008, février". February 2008. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
- ^ "La Mili en el Sáhara - Asociación Nacional Veteranos Mili Sáhara". www.sahara-mili.net. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ a b "Festivities of 35th anniversary marking proclamation of SADR kick off". SPS. 2011-02-27. Retrieved 2011-02-03.[permanent dead link]
- New York Times, 15 mars 1977.
- ^ Surendra Bhutani, Conflict on Western Sahara, Strategic Analysis, 1754-0054, Volume 2, Issue 7, 1978, p. 251– 256.
- ^ "Las tropas marroquíes ocupan el oasis de Tifariti, en el Sahara" (in Spanish). ABC. 1976-02-07. Retrieved 2010-09-11.
- ^ "Tifariti, symbol of resistance against the occupier". SPS. 2007-12-20. Retrieved 2010-09-09.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "MINURSO". MINURSO. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ Ana Camacho (1991-08-08). "Marruecos bombardea 'zonas liberadas' del Polisario" (in Spanish). El País. Retrieved 2010-11-09.
- ^ a b "La aviación marroquí bombardea uno de los principales oasis del Sáhara" (in Spanish). ABC. 1991-08-28. Retrieved 2010-11-09.
- ^ Milestones in the Western Sahara conflict. Archived 2012-02-27 at the Wayback Machine MINURSO.
- ^ Michael Bhatia, Western Sahara under Polisario Control: Summary Report of Field Mission to the Sahrawi Refugee Camps (near Tindouf, Algeria) in Review of African political economy, number 88, June 2001.
- ^ "Recortes de prensa de la inauguración del Hospital Navarra en Tifariti. 1999" (in Spanish). LEFRIG (Centro de Documentación y Museo de la Resistencia del Pueblo Saharaui y la Solidaridad Internacional). 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
- ^ "Refugiados Saharauis: instalación fotovoltaica en el Hospital Navarra de Tifariti" (in Spanish). ANARASD. Archived from the original on 2011-09-04. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
- ^ "The President of the Republic put the first brick in the new building of the Saharawi Parliament". SPS. 2005-05-22. Archived from the original on 2009-10-05. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
- ^ Viviendas con ayuda andaluza Flickr (in Spanish)
- ^ "The Head of the Saharawi State inaugurates a mosque in Tifariti". SPS. 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2010-10-09.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "The President of the Republic inaugurates social projects in Tifariti". SPS. 2008-02-29. Retrieved 2010-10-09.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Urbanization of liberated territories, Minister in charge inspects projects in course of execution". SPS. 2009-07-20. Retrieved 2010-09-11.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Inauguration of new residential district in Tifariti (liberated territories)". SPS. 2009-10-30. Retrieved 2010-09-09.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Communiques 2003". Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ "POLISARIO's XIIth congress re-elect Mohamed Abdelaziz as Secretary General". SPS. 2007-12-20. Retrieved 2010-09-10.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "POLISARIO's sitting Secretary General proposes alternation on the leadership of the movement". SPS. 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2010-09-10.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "POLISARIO Front's 12th congress elects 25 members of the National Secretariat". SPS. 2007-12-21. Archived from the original on 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2010-09-10.
- ^ "El parque del Alamillo de Sevilla se hermana con el huerto de Tifariti en el Sáhara Occidental" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 2010-10-24. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
- ^ "International Conference on urbanization and reconstruction of liberated areas". SPS. 2009-02-24. Retrieved 2010-09-14.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Sahara-Spain: University of the Desert". Universityworldnews.com. 2009-06-07. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
- ^ "Western Sahara: 35 years of colonisation and exile is enough". 3 March 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ http://www.spsrasd.info/en/detail.php?id=16654[permanent dead link]
- ^ Teresa Muñiz López (2005). "Los abrigos con pinturas rupestres de Erqueyez (Tifariti, Sáhara Occidental). Prospección arqueológica: Diseño y resultados" (PDF) (in Spanish). @rqueología y Territorio. Nº 2. p. 1-17. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
- ^ "Establishment of first Saharawi University in liberated Tifariti (presidential decree)". SPS. 2013-02-09. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
- ^ Sahara bike race (in Spanish, English, French, Italian, and German)
- ^ a b c d Gemellaggi e Patti di Amicizia[permanent dead link] Regione Toscana - Consiglio Regionale, 27 March 2010 (in Italian)
- ^ "Aytº de Artea (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2013-02-14.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Aytº de Balmaseda (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2013-02-14.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Aytº de Bedia (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2013-02-14.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Se firma un pacto de amistad entre las localidades de Tifariti y Compomarino (Molise) Yahoo España (SPS) (in Spanish)
- ^ Acta de la Sesion Extraordinaria Celebrada Por El Excmo. Ayuntamiento Pleno El Día Tres de Octubre de Dos Mil Doce = Punto 5º. - Propuesta de Aprobación de Constitución de Comité del Hermanamiento Con la Localidada de Tifariti. Carmona.org (in Spanish)
- ^ "Tifariti firma un hermanamiento con el municipio Caroní del Estado de Bolívar" (in Spanish). Sahara Press Service. 2011-07-25. Archived from the original on 2013-04-13. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
- ^ "Aytº de Dima (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2013-02-14.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Aytº de Igorre (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2013-02-14.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Se firma un acta de hermanamiento entre una ciudad venezolana y Tifariti Yahoo! España (SPS), 27 November 2005 (in Spanish)
- ^ Hermanamientos Archived 2013-04-15 at archive.today Ayuntamiento de Los Palacios y Villafranca (in Spanish)
- ^ "Aytº de Arrasate-Mondragón (Gipuzkoa)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Archived from the original on 2013-04-14. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
- ^ "Reggiolo mayor urges Italian government to recognize SADR". SPS. 2014-02-11. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-12.
- ^ Twinning countries Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Comune di Signa
- ^ "Aytº de Trucíos (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2013-02-14.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Venta de Baños se hermanará con una localidad saharaui El Norte de Castilla, 16 December 2009 (in Spanish)