The Sahrawis of Western Sahara

The Sahrawis of Western Sahara

John Mercer’s The Sahrawis of Western Sahara (1979) is a concise study of the conflict that erupted after Spain ceded Western Sahara to Morocco and Mauritania in 1975. It outlines the Sahrawi people’s history, culture, and push for self-determination, then examines how the Moroccan–Mauritanian takeover led to war with the Algerian-backed Polisario Front. The report details the displacement of much of the Sahrawi population to refugee camps in Algeria, the harsh conditions faced by those remaining, and the mixed role of international actors such as the UN and the Organization of African Unity—showing how global politics often outweighed justice in determining the territory’s fate.

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