Tifariti تيفاريتي | |
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 Tifariti, 2005 | |
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  Tifariti Location in Western Sahara Show map of Western Sahara Tifariti Tifariti (Africa) Show map of Africa | |
| Coordinates:26°9′29″N10°34′1″W / 26.15806°N 10.56694°W /26.15806; -10.56694 | |
| 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 (Arabic:تيفاريتي) is anoasis town and thetemporary capital of theSahrawi Arab Democratic Republic,[3] located in north-easternWestern Sahara, east of theMoroccan Berm, 138 km (86 mi) fromSmara and 15 km (9 mi) north of theborder withMauritania. It is part of whatPolisario Front calls theLiberated Territories andMorocco call theBuffer Zone. It has been thede factotemporary capital of theSahrawi Arab Democratic Republic since the government moved there in 2008 fromBir Lehlou. It is the headquarters of the 2nd military region of the SADR.
It is also the name of adaïra of thewilaya ofSmara, in theSahrawi refugee camps.
In 2010, the population of Tifariti was estimated at around 3,000 people.[citation needed]
Tifariti is located betweenSmara, the traditional spiritual centre of the Sahara founded byMa El Ainin, (177 km (110 mi) away)[4] and the Algerian town ofTindouf (320 km (200 mi) away), where theSahrawi refugee camps are located.
The government quarter of Tifariti houses theParliament of the SADR, a hospital, a school, amosque and a museum.[citation needed]
Primarily an encampment located near an oasis, it was always a kind of seasonal town for theSahrawis, aBedouin people controlling the area sincemedieval times. In 1912, aFrench Foreign Legion expedition commanded by Captain Gerard, who was trying to link with their troops in Morocco, was exterminated by Sahrawi rebel nomads near Tifariti.[5]Then, it was permanently settled and used by the Spanish authorities as an advanced desert military outpost. Now in reconstruction, it is estimated that Tifariti had a population of approximately 7,000 inhabitants in 1975. Its inhabitants largely abandoned the town in 1976 because of the war with Morocco.[6] Tifariti never had many fixed structures, due to the pastoral lifestyle of theSahrawis. It is located in a rugged desert area, with little vegetation.
Tifariti was the place of several battles during theWestern 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 toTindouf (Algeria) during the invasion phase (1975–76). Some sources claim that in January 1976 there were 15,000Sahrawi refugees around the town.[7]
The village was briefly occupied by theMoroccan Army in February 1976,[8] but 2 months later it retreated, being reoccupied by the SPLA in March 1977.[5]
In the summer of 1977, Moroccan troops controlled the town once more, this time for nearly two years. In March 1979, and after theBattle of Tifariti, the town was taken by the Polisario troops, theSPLA,[9]
During the 1980s, theMoroccan Wall was constructed north of Tifariti, and the terrain around the town was heavilymined. The risk was greatest east of the Berm, especially in the areas of Mehaires, Tifariti and Bir Lahlou where the Royal Moroccan Army (RMA) conducted offensive operations in August–September 1991. The dangerous result is, among others, scattered cluster bombs, still active in these areas.[10]
In August 1991, weeks before the proclamation of the ceasefire, theRoyal Moroccan Air Force repeatedlybombed Tifariti, destroying the buildings and the wells, as well as killing dozens of civilians.[11][12]
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 theRoyal Moroccan Air Force in August 1991, a few days before the proclamation of the cease-fire.[12][13]
AUnited Nationsairstrip and a base for theMINURSO'speace keeping forces is situated close to Tifariti.[14]
In April 1999, theNavarra Hospital was inaugurated. It was built up with the collaboration of solidarity associations from that Spanishautonomous community.[15] In January 2001, the patients and equipment of the hospital were evacuated, because of the threat of a restarting of the war. Finally, in February 2006, the hospital was re-opened.[16]
On May 21, 2005, and during the celebrations of the 32nd anniversary of the creation of the Polisario Front,Mohamed Abdelaziz (President of theSADR) put the first brick of the building that will host the Sahrawi Parliament, theSahrawi National Council, and also the first brick of the Solidarity Neighbourhood district.[17]
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 theAndalusianprovinces ofSevilla andMálaga.[18]On December 21, 2007, Abdelaziz inaugurated a mosque, in the framework of reconstruction and settlement of theFree 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 bySouth 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 ofMeharrize, Bir Tighissit,Bir Lehlu,Mijek andAgounit".
— Abdelkader Taleb Omar. Tifariti. October 28, 2009.[22]
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In October 2003, thePolisario Front held its XI General Popular Congress here, electing officials to its executive National Secretariat, the exile parliament of theSahrawi 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 theSADR) was the first mayor of Tifariti.[27] He was replaced in 2012 by Mohammed Salem Dayah.[2]
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:
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 theSaharawi Arab Democratic Republic.[30][31]
In 2012, ARTifariti moved its activities to theSahrawi refugee camps inTindouf,Algeria.
Approximately 30 km (20 mi) to the northeast of Tifariti is theErqueyez Archaeological Park. This archaeological site, without precedents in this area, provides an interesting lithic manufacturing works from the Late Paleolithic orEpipaleolithic, mound graves, and more than a hundred caves with rock paintings.[32]
On 9 February 2013,Sahara Press Service announced thatMohamed Abdelaziz had released on 23 December 2012 apresidential decree establishing the first Sahrawi university, named "University of Tifariti". The President of the SADR also appointed Khatari Ahmudi Abdallahi as the head of the new educational institution.[33]
Since 2009, Tifariti is the finish line of the "Sahara Bike Race", a 300 km (190 mi) route in parallel with theMoroccan Wall, that starts in the Wilaya of El Aaiún, in theSahrawi refugee camps.[34]
Tifariti istwinned with:
Agliana,Pistoia,Tuscany,Italy (since April 20, 1994)[35]
Aldaia,Valencia,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]Carmona,Sevilla,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, SpainLibertador,Capital District,Venezuela (since November 27, 2005)[44]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, SpainSigna, 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]Venta de Baños,Palencia,Castilla y León, Spain (since December 10, 2009)[50]Vicchio, Florence, Tuscany, Italy[35]
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Places adjacent to Tifariti | |
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26°09′29″N10°34′01″W / 26.158°N 10.567°W /26.158; -10.567
