On 18 December 1975, the first day of Eid al-Adha, the Algerian president Houari Boumediene ordered the expulsion of all Moroccan nationals from Algeria, resulting in the exodus of 45,000 Moroccan families,[1] or by some accounts 350,000 people in total.[2][3] Although, according to some modern sources, between 10,000 [4] to 30,000 were expelled and 5,000 Moroccans were granted Algerian nationality.[5][6] The expulsion was a response to the Madrid Accords (which did not include the consultation of Algeria nor the POLISARIO movement)[7] and the earlier Green March in the Western Sahara.[8][9]
| Part of the Western Sahara War | |
 Map showing locations of Algeria and Morocco. | |
| Date | 18 December 1975 (48 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Type | mass deportation |
| Organized by | Government of Algeria |
| Outcome | 45,000 Moroccan families expelled |
The exodus, code-named by the Algerian government as the "Black March", was carried out by Abdelaziz Bouteflika, then the foreign minister of Algeria at the time.[10]
45,000 families were estimated to have been expelled; a large portion of them had lived in Algeria for decades or even centuries.[11][12][13] Most Moroccans had lived wealthy lifestyles and were in good conditions prior to the expulsion.[14] Many families were separated; Moroccans who had married Algerians were not deported but their family members usually were. Many Moroccans have not yet been reunited with their families.[14][15]
Commemoration
editIn 2019, the Moroccan military posted a video on Facebook depicting the testimonies of Moroccan refugees, calling for an apology from Algeria. The video was also a response to the Algerian Government's demands for Morocco to apologize for Algerians it left stranded after a 1994 terrorist attack in Asni, Marrakesh.[16]
The Moroccan Organization for Human Rights (ODHM) has also called for the United Nations to investigate the expulsion.[14]
In July 2014, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry brought the topic up again, urging Algeria to conduct a re-examination of the exodus.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Morocco and Algeria: A rivalry stretching back decades - Qantara.de". Qantara.de - Dialogue with the Islamic World. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Moroccans in Algeria fear for the future after diplomatic ties severed". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ "Morocco calls on Algeria to address conditions of displaced Moroccans". Middle East Monitor. 23 July 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- ^ Weissman, Juliana (1977). Kingdom of Morocco. U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, Office of International Health, Division of Program Analysis. p. 125.
- ^ Quarterly Economic Review of Algeria. Economist Intelligence Unit Limited. 1976. p. 2.
- ^ MEED Arab Report. Middle East Economic Digest Limited. 1976. p. 2.
- ^ "Morocco and Algeria: A Long Rivalry". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "Moroccans expelled from Algeria in 1975 still an open wound – General news – ANSAMed.it". www.ansamed.info. 2 February 2015. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ Mebtoul, Taha. "CIEMA Appeals for Algeria to Recognize 1975 Expulsion of Moroccans". Morocco World News. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- ^ "AMVEAA report on the issue of the rights of Moroccan families expelled from Algeria in 1975" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- ^ "Moroccan Victims of Expulsion from Algeria Bring Case to the UN Human Rights Council". The North Africa Post. Archived from the original on 5 April 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ International, Forecast (2 November 2021). "Algeria and Morocco's Deteriorating Relations: A Brief History and Analysis of Modern Ties". Defense Security Monitor. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- ^ "Moroccan farmers' protests highlight the human toll of border dispute". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- ^ a b c Staff Writer. "Moroccans Expelled from Algeria, a Bitter Memory That Still Haunts Us". Morocco World News. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ "Morocco-Algeria tensions tearing border families apart". La Prensa Latina. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- ^ Kasraoui, Safaa. "Video Shows Testimonies of Moroccans Expelled from Algeria in 1975". Morocco World News. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
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