Malta buries the myth of the “sole representative” of the Sahrawi people forever

Sahrawi society has changed and diversified, and today expresses aspirations that go far beyond the rigid framework imposed for years by a single political actor.

The Sahrawi Movement for Peace (MSP) has established itself as a credible and representative alternative within the Sahrawi community. With a peaceful and pragmatic vision, it is committed to pluralism, dialogue, and the coexistence of different political sensibilities in a society that for too long was confined to the single-party system embodied by the Polisario.

This transformation was particularly evident in Malta. During the Socialist International Council, the MSP and the Polisario participated side by side, each representing a part of the Sahrawi voice.

It was a political event of enormous significance: the image of both movements present at the same international forum symbolized the definitive burial of the concept of a single party that the Polisario has defended for more than fifty years. From that moment on, no one can seriously argue that Sahrawi representation is limited to a single organization.

The very existence of the MSP demonstrates that the Sahrawi people are not monolithic. Like any modern society, they are made up of multiple sensibilities and legitimate political options. By promoting an approach based on peace, negotiation, and realism, the MSP enriches the Sahrawi political space and opens the door to a more pluralistic, more inclusive, and therefore more representative future.

Today, the Sahrawi cause must be understood in all its diversity and richness. In this new scenario, the MSP already occupies an essential place alongside other political actors who express the real plurality of the Sahrawi people.

What goes around comes around: the Polisario faces its own logic

At the Socialist International Council held last May in Istanbul, when the MSP's admission as a member was approved, the Polisario refused to accept that the poster relating to the MSP should include the reference to “Western Sahara.” Its objective was the same as always: to project itself as the sole and legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people and to prevent any other Sahrawi voice from appearing linked to the country.

Now, however, that same argument has backfired on them. After hearing the MSP's reasoning—that accepting the Polisario's imposition would be tantamount to endorsing single-party systems, which is incompatible with the principles of the Socialist International—it was decided to apply a consistent criterion: if that reference could not appear for the MSP, it should not appear on the Polisario's posters either.

In fact, the Malta Council has now also removed the reference to Western Sahara from the Polisario poster, thus completing the strict application of the principle of equal treatment.

The outcome speaks for itself. The old saying has come true: those who live by the sword die by the sword.

Hach Ahmed. First Secretary of the Sahrawi Movement for Peace MSP