| Minurso |
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| CATEGORIES ABOUT UNITED NATIONS MISSION FOR THE REFERENDUM IN WESTERN SAHARA | |
| politics of western sahara | |
| peacekeeping missions and operations involving the united nations | |
| western sahara | |
| referendums | |
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MINURSO is the United Nations Peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara . The name is a French Acronym for "'''Mi'''ssion des '''N'''ations '''u'''nies pour l'Organisation d'un '''R'''éférendum au '''S'''ahara '''O'''ccidental" - United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara. PURPOSE OF THE MISSION MINURSO was established in 1991, as part of the Settlement Plan , which had paved way for a Cease-fire in the conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front (as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ), over the contested territory of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara ). MINURSO's mission was to monitor the cease-fire and to organize and conduct a Referendum , in accordance with the Settlement Plan, which would enable the Sahrawi s of Western Sahara to choose between integration with Morocco and Independence . This was intended to constitute the Sahrawi people's exercise of Self-determination , and thus complete Western Sahara's still-unfinished process of Decolonization (Western Sahara is the last major territory remaining on the UN's List Of Non-decolonized Territories .) To this end, MINURSO has been given the following mandates:
Plans The independence referendum was originally scheduled for 1992, but conflicts over voter eligibility prevented it from being held. Both sides blamed each other for stalling the process. In 1997, the Houston Agreement was supposed to restart the process, but again failed. In 2003, the Baker Plan was launched to replace the Settlement Plan, but while accepted by the Polisario and unanimously endorsed by the United Nations Security Council , it was rejected by Morocco. Presently, there is no plan for holding the referendum, and the viability of the cease-fire is coming into question. Extensions The MINURSO mandate has been repeatedly extended since 1991. On October 31, 2006, the 15-member Security Council unanimously passed was approved 14-1, but deleted due to French objections1. To date, MINURSO has cost the United Nations almost $1.5 billion. Bases There are two sets of teams, those in the Moroccan-controlled Portion west of the berm and those in the Sahrawi-controlled Region and Refugee Camps to the east and in Algeria . The camps west of the Berm are located in Mahbas , Smara , Umm Dreiga , Auserd , and Ad-Dakhla . The eastern camps include Bir Lehlou , Tifariti , Mehaires , Mijek , and Agwanit . There is also a liaison office in Tindouf which serves as a communication channel with Polisario leadership. CURRENT COMPOSITION As of January 31, 2007, MINURSO had a total of 215 uniformed personnel, including 28 troops, 4 police officers and 183 military observers, supported by 101 international civilian personnel, 138 local civilian staff and 23 UN Volunteers. Major troop contributors are Malaysia , Russia and Egypt . Armed contingents patrol the No Man's Land that borders the Moroccan Wall , to safeguard the cease-fire.
There have been a total of 14 fatalities in MINURSO: five military personnel, a police officer, a military observer, two international civilian personnel, and five local civilian personnel. CRITICISMS In 1995, MINURSO's inability or unwillingness to act against perceived Moroccan manipulation of the process, and abuse of Sahrawi civilians, caused its former deputy chairman Frank Ruddy to deliver a strong attack on the organization he has since kept up his critique of what he argues is an economically costly and politically corrupt process[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_37_15/ai_56184193 . SEE ALSO
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