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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0224/01 0371841
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061841Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5780
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 4310
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3219
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 5653
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 3414
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4527
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 9198
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 2629

UNCLAS RABAT 000224 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG; PM FOR HUMANITARIAN DEMINING - RKIDD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PBTS PHUM PREL EAID MOPS KHDP MO
SUBJECT: WESTERN SAHARA: LANDMINES CLAIM LIVES, SPARK 
INTEREST IN DEMINING 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Several recent landmine incidents, with at 
least three deaths, highlight the continuing danger of 
landmines in the Western Sahara.  Two prominent Sahrawi 
figures, one a local leader and CORCAS member, the other a 
member of the upper house of parliament, were killed when the 
vehicles they were traveling in hit mines.  Moroccan press 
has predictably blamed the Polisario, and to a lesser extent 
the Spanish military, for the deaths; the Polisario has 
traditionally claimed that Moroccan-placed mines are to blame 
for landmine deaths.  MINURSO does not believe that the three 
deaths are a result of recent Polisario action, but could 
result from mines placed in the 1980's.  The Moroccan 
military is launching an enhanced anti-mine effort in the 
territory.  Humanitarian landmine action may be appropriate, 
perhaps with USG support.  See Action Request Para 9. End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On January 18, Mohamed Lamine Laaroussi, an upper 
house member of parliament from the Istiqlal party, was 
killed when the off-road vehicle he was traveling in 
unexpectedly hit a landmine near Bir Anzaran (160 km 
northeast of Dakhla).  Three other passengers in the vehicle 
were injured.  Mohamed Khatri Joumani, the president of the 
Gueltat Zemmour commune and a member of CORCAS, was killed 
January 22 in a similar accident in an area about 250 km 
northeast of Dakhla.  Joumani, a former parliamentarian, died 
from injuries suffered when a mine exploded near his vehicle; 
three others in the vehicle were injured.  An eight year old 
girl was also fatally wounded January 22 near Al-Haouza (200 
km from Smara) when the explosive she and her brother were 
playing with detonated. The Moroccan press and NGO community 
has predictably blamed the Polisario, and to a lesser extent 
the Spanish military, for the recent landmine deaths.  On the 
other hand, the Polisario has traditionally claimed that 
Moroccan-placed landmines are to blame for accidental deaths. 
 We have not yet seen any Polisario comment on the recent 
deaths. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) In response to the three deaths, King Mohamed VI on 
January 23 reportedly sent a very high-level delegation to 
Laayoune to pay condolences to the families of those recently 
killed by the mine explosions.  The delegation was lead by 
Minister of Interior Chakib Benmoussa, and included Minister 
of Education Habib El Malki, CORCAS President Khalihenna Ould 
Errachid, MOI Minister-Delegate Fouad Ali El Himma, as well 
as several walis and governors.  According to press sources, 
in addition to attending the funeral of Mohamed Khatri 
Joumani, the delegation was also charged with examining 
potential strategies to safely and efficiently de-mine the 
territory and educate local citizens on the dangers 
associated with unexploded mines. 
 
¶4.  (U) Moroccan press reported January 27 that six teams 
specializing in de-mining from the Moroccan military will 
soon be sent to the Western Sahara.  The teams will undertake 
a large de-mining campaign in the territory, likely focusing 
much of their efforts in the region of Smara, which is an 
area known to be particularly hazardous.  Moroccan army 
deminers have just returned from an assistance mission in 
Senegal.  According to official statistics reported in the 
Moroccan press, since 1980 Morocco has recovered and 
destroyed over 20,000 anti-tank mines and over 44,000 
antipersonnel mines. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The Moroccan berm defensive line in the Sahara was 
built in stages, beginning close to Laayoune in the 1980s. 
Each iteration was built closer to the borders of the 
territory and the current line covers the vast preponderance 
of the trackless desert that is the Sahara.  The Moroccans 
mined the external facing sides of the berm, and it is not 
clear to what extent they de-mined the old berm, when they 
expanded control to the areas of each new berm. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) According to the Moroccan Association for Mine 
Victims, since 1979 mines have been responsible for more than 
360 deaths, with the highest number of victims being 
children.  More than 600 additional people have been wounded 
during the same period.  The association also claims that 
mines once laid by the Polisario and the Spanish military 
pose the largest threat to the region's population. 
According to Moroccan press, landmines laid by the Moroccan 
military are less threatening than those of the Polisario 
 
because the military possesses maps detailing the exact 
location of all explosive devices laid by Morocco. (Note: 
While these maps may exist, many observers note that given 
the constantly changing nature of the sand where many mines 
have been laid, the maps are unlikely to accurately reflect 
the mines' current locations. End Note.)  Meanwhile, 
"official" statistics reported by the press claim higher 
casualty and injury figures.  According to unnamed "official 
sources", since 1975 landmines have injured 1610 individuals 
and have fatally wounded 534. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) On February 2, MINURSO Force Commander General Kurt 
Mosgaard confirmed to polcouns that Moroccan de-mining 
elements have moved into place and will soon begin a 
large-scale de-mining operation.  Commenting on the three 
deaths, Mosgaard explained that according to local Moroccan 
military officers, Laaroussi and Joumani died in explosions 
caused by old anti-tank mines placed between 1984-1985, 
whereas the young girl was probably handling a wartime 
unidentified explosive object or an antipersonnel mine. 
MINURSO does not have reason to believe that the three deaths 
are a result of recent Polisario mine-laying operations. 
More recently, a Moroccan NGO recently claimed that the 
Polisario was planting mines to limit access to Tifariti, 
also a claim without foundation, according to MINURSO.  So 
far as we understand, MINURSO does not have a specific mine 
action mandate. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) While antipersonnel anti-tank mines left behind 
from the armed conflict between Morocco and the Polisario 
have been responsible for deaths in the Western Sahara in the 
past, particularly among local nomads and others who travel 
through the region via unpaved roads and surfaces, the recent 
deaths of several high-profile Sahrawis have highlighted the 
sensitive nature of this issue.  The King's swift reaction, 
by sending a royal delegation to Laayoune, signals the 
governments resolve to keep this incident from serving as a 
catalyst for local protests. While the presence of six 
de-mining teams will likely be welcomed by the population, it 
remains to be seen, however, if local associations will call 
for more immediate de-mining of the area from the GOM or 
other sources.  End Comment. 
 
Can the U.S. Help? 
------------------ 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Action Request:  While the USG avoids providing 
assistance within the disputed Western Sahara territory, 
humanitarian considerations may argue in favor of providing 
some mine action support.  We have seen an NGO, Landmine 
Action, at work in the Western Sahara, on the far side of the 
berm, in the Polisario-controlled town of Tifariti.  They 
reported to us, in late 2006, that they had submitted a 
proposal to the Department for funding work in that part of 
the Western Sahara.  We are unaware of any current USG 
programs in the territory and are uncertain whether the GOM 
would be interested in a civil demining program; other 
aspects of mine actions could be of greater interest. 
Washington may wish to consider a humanitarian demining or 
mine awareness on both sides of the berm.  If so, we can 
informally discuss it with the GOM.  However, any initiative 
in the Western Sahara would need to be coordinated with all 
concerned. 
****************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat 
****************************************** 
 
Riley