Shaheed El-Hafed, May 10, 2025 (SPS) – The Sahrawi people commemorate today, Saturday, the 52nd anniversary of the founding of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Río de Oro (Polisario Front), on May 10, 1973, recalling the gains achieved under its leadership.
This anniversary comes as the entire Sahrawi people stand united behind the Polisario Front as their sole legitimate representative, advancing their struggle to secure their right to self-determination and independence. This takes place in a unique context shaped by national developments, including the resumption of armed struggle after Morocco violated the ceasefire agreement through its illegal breach in Guerguerat and its attempts to attack unarmed Sahrawi civilians.
To this day, the Polisario Front, backed by the Sahrawi people, has confronted all Moroccan conspiracies and obstacles aimed at entrenching occupation and obstructing the Sahrawis' quest for self-determination and independence. The Polisario Front has reaffirmed its refusal to engage in any political process that does not respect the Sahrawi people’s right to struggle for self-determination in accordance with UN resolutions and international legitimacy.
The anniversary coincides with the Polisario Front’s renewed call for the international community to pressure the Kingdom of Morocco to respect internationally recognized borders, end its illegal occupation, and uphold the Sahrawi people’s inalienable rights to self-determination and independence. This is seen as an essential step toward achieving a just and lasting peace in Northwest Africa.
The Sahrawi people celebrate 52 years since the founding of the Polisario Front amid political and diplomatic achievements, including the Sahrawi Republic’s membership in the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) as a founding member, and the success of the legal battle led by the Polisario Front to protect the rights and resources of the Sahrawi people. The strength and determination of the Sahrawi people in resisting occupation are matched by a broad wave of international solidarity supporting their legitimate right to self-determination and condemning Moroccan repression and the practices of the Moroccan regime.
The voices of the Sahrawi people continue to call for international intervention, led by the United Nations, to pressure the Moroccan regime to grant them freedom and halt the inhumane treatment of Sahrawi civilians and prisoners in Moroccan jails—especially under the dire conditions in the occupation’s detention centers due to mistreatment and abuse.
To mark the occasion, commemorative events are held in most regions and national institutions, highlighting the significance of the Polisario Front’s founding from 1973 to the present and the stages of struggle that accompanied its establishment on May 10, 1973.
This anniversary serves as a reminder of the unwavering commitment of the Sahrawi masses—whether in refugee camps, the diaspora, or the occupied territories—to the Polisario Front as the sole legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people, as well as their dedication to national unity as a strategic choice for all Sahrawis. The Front has succeeded in uniting the entire Sahrawi people around its goals and principles.
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