Tiris al-Gharbiyya

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Tiris al-Gharbiyya (Arabic for Western Tiris) was the Mauritanian name for the area of Western Sahara under its control between 1975 and 1979.

1 Background
2 Borders and characteristics
3 Present Mauritanian position
4 See also

[edit] Background

Mauritania invaded the former Spanish colony of Spanish Sahara in 1975 after the Madrid Accords, with Morocco taking the northern half (Rio de Oro) as its Southern Provinces. Both countries claimed historical rights over the area, while the United Nations demanded that the indigenous Sahrawi population had a right to self-determination, and should be allowed to decide through a referendum whether the territory should join either of the neighbouring states, or be established as an independent country. The latter was the preferred option of the Polisario Front, a Sahrawi organization which turned its guerrilla forces against both countries, having until then fought Spain. Its attacks against Mauritania proved devastatingly effective. Polisario strikes against the iron mines at Zouerate, as well as the costs of the war effort, soon brought the country to the brink of economic collapse, and produced increasing tensions in the army and government apparatus.

In 1978, the one-party government of Moktar Ould Daddah was severely compromised by the failing war effort, and consequently overthrown by disgruntled army officers. Mauritania then disengaged from the conflict, surrendering its claims to any part of Western Sahara, and pulling out its troops. The areas occupied by Mauritania were then entered by Morocco, which has sinced claimed ownership over the entire territory, despite continued opposition by Polisario, and its main backer, Algeria. Mauritanian president Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla in 1984 proceeded to recognize the Polisario-backed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) as the legitimate sovereign of the area, but after his toppling in yet another military coup d'etat later the same year, this position was increasingly downplayed - though never explicitly overturned - in order to appease Morocco.

[edit] Borders and characteristics

Tiris al-Gharbiyya corresponded roughly to the Spanish Sahara province of Saguia el-Hamra. It consisted mostly of barren desert terrain, scarcely populated except by some thousands of Sahrawi nomads, many of whom had fled towards the Algerian Tindouf Province in 1975. A few minor settlements dotted the coast, and the largest of these, Villa Cisneros (Dakhla), was made the province capital.

While some reports indicate the territory may hold mineral resources such as iron, or even off-shore oil, the war prevented any serious exploration efforts, and remains mostly unexploited to this day. For the same reasons, the rich Atlantic fishing waters were never put to use, although they have since been successfully fished by Morocco.

The name "Tiris" refers to a desert plain of the Sahara. Mauritania's northernmost province (in its internationally recognized territory) is similarly called Tiris Zemmour, where "Zemmour" refers to a mountain range in central Western Sahara.

[edit] Present Mauritanian position

In later years, the Mauritanian government has maintained a policy of strict neutrality between Polisario and Morocco, while retaining its recognition of the SADR. Parts of the Mauritanian political opposition still lay claims to the area, while other groups support either Polisario or Morocco, but the official position of most parties is to support any final outcome acceptable to both remaining sides of the conflict.

The territory is now effectively divided between Moroccan and Polisario forces along the length of the Moroccan Wall, and with a cease-fire in effect pending the outcome of the United Nations decolonization process.