DEIM IZIK, WESTERN SAHARA // Seven years ago Moroccan teachers in the disputed territory of Western Sahara expelled a Saharawi named Moussa from school for his political views, shunting him into chronic unemployment.
Last month, Moussa joined thousands of Saharawi protesters camped outside Western Sahara's main city, Laayoune, demanding housing and state jobs in a mass show of discontent that has spiralled into a standoff with Moroccan authorities.
While protest organisers insist that their demands are strictly socio-economic, many Saharawis privately view the camp as an indirect call for independence.
"We can't talk to the government about self-determination," said Moussa, 24, eating bread and jam with friends in the camp. "Our only means of dialogue is through social issues."
He paused as a bowl of sour milk and water circled the tent and everyone took a swallow, a tradition that evoked the men's nomadic origins.
Saharawis descend from Yemeni tribes that entered North Africa in the 14th century, chasing the rainclouds with their herds of camels.
That lifestyle has largely vanished since Morocco invaded Western Sahara in 1975, triggering war with the Algerian-backed Polisario Front independence movement. The conflict has defied attempts at resolution since the United Nations brokered a ceasefire in 1991.
The Polisario wants a referendum with independence as an option, while Morocco rules that out and proposes autonomy instead. The two sides are meeting today near New York City in the latest round of UN-led talks to break the impasse.
Meanwhile, Morocco has poured money into infrastructure and goods subsidies in Western Sahara to attract Moroccans to the territory.
Today, they outnumber about 100,000 Saharawis by two to one.
Hopes of work brought a Moroccan labourer named Ali, 21, from his hometown of Agadir to Laayoune five months ago.
"But I'm struggling to make ends meet," said Ali, folding clothes at a street market stall one evening last week. "The truth is that if you want to work here, you need a job in the administration."
Protesters at the camp outside Laayoune say that Saharawis are disproportionately excluded from state jobs and key industries.
"We have the right to live with dignity on our land," said Omar Zraibia, a member of the camp's governing committee. "That means housing and more access to the public sector."
Last month, Mr Zraibia was one of about 30 Saharawi activists who pitched tents in the desert south-east of Laayoune as a gesture of protest. Today, the camp has ballooned to nearly 8,000 tents, according to organisers, as Saharawis have flocked to join the movement.
"Our demands are purely social," Mr Zraibia said. "We don't want them to be politicised by Morocco or anyone else."
Moroccan law prohibits questioning the country's rule in Western Sahara. Police typically break up public demonstrations of support for independence, while courts have jailed leading pro-independence activists.
In the camp outside Laayoune, political activism and the flags of both Morocco and the Polisario are forbidden. Nonetheless, Moroccan army units surround the camp, helicopters circle overhead, five checkpoints control the access road and cellular networks are frequently jammed.
Tension spiked two weeks ago after Moroccan soldiers shot dead a Saharawi boy trying to enter the camp. The Polisario has blamed Morocco for the killing, while Morocco says the soldiers fired after being fired upon by someone in one of two cars carrying the victim, Najem el Garhi, 14, and other Saharawis.
Moroccan authorities bar foreigners from the camp, although some foreign media, including The National, have been able to enter discreetly. Last night, Saharawi demonstrators blocked roads with stones and fires following unconfirmed reports that the army had sealed the camp.
On Thursday, members of the camp's governing committee met in Laayoune with Moroccan interior ministry officials to try to work out an agreement.
The government is offering state jobs and free building lots for all Saharawis in Laayoune who can demonstrate they are in need, said Mohamed Jallali, a spokesman for the Laayoune governorate.
"We had a good dialogue, but there's no solution yet," said Mr Zraibia. "We need more clarifications from the government on what is being offered."
For now, cars have continued to stream into the camp, their occupants flashing V-for-victory signs to the cheers of assembled Saharawis.
"People are angry with the government," said Abdelmjid Balghzal, a member of King Mohamed VI's advisory committee on Saharan affairs. "If the state doesn't solve this problem, the movement will turn political."
For many in the dusty camp outside Laayoune, that is already happening.
"Our children have good hearts and minds, but the government won't allow them to work," said Suelma, an unemployed mother of three. Her children were barred from school because they lacked money for textbooks, she said.
The night settled around her tent, where she sat with her family drinking hot milk flavoured with thyme. "Now this camp is our country," she said. "And it's a good country."
jthorne@thenational.ae
Company%20profile
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Top 10 most polluted cities
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Company%20Profile
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'
Rating: 3/5
Directors: Ramin Bahrani, Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, Guillermo Navarro
Writers: Walter Mosley
Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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UAE rugby season
FIXTURES
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers v Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Division 1
Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II
Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II
Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens
Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II
Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II
LAST SEASON
West Asia Premiership
Winners – Bahrain
Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership
Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners – Dubai Hurricanes
Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference
Winners – Dubai Tigers
Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
Teams in the EHL
White Bears, Al Ain Theebs, Dubai Mighty Camels, Abu Dhabi Storms, Abu Dhabi Scorpions and Vipers
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Points tally
1. Australia 52; 2. New Zealand 44; 3. South Africa 36; 4. Sri Lanka 35; 5. UAE 27; 6. India 27; 7. England 26; 8. Singapore 8; 9. Malaysia 3
A%20Little%20to%20the%20Left
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Zayed Sustainability Prize
