Thursday, June 10, 2021 Edition by Peoples Media Limited

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021

FEATURE

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro

Ceuta and Melilla: Spain’s enclaves in North Africa

n Morocco they call them the occupied “Sebtah and Melilah”. The rest of the world knows them as the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa. They are the only piece of European territory on mainland Africa - a political and legal reality that has never been recognised by Morocco, which has continued to demand their return, along with four other smaller territories in the Mediterranean all in the narrow strait of Gibraltar. Last month, an exceptionally large number of migrants crossed the border in one single day - some 8,000, mostly Moroccans. It also emerged that the Moroccan guards had turned a blind eye to the breach. The incident quickly developed into a diplomatic crisis between Spain and Morocco, prompting the Spanish government to send reinforcements to the territories and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to describe it as an “unprecedented [crisis] in recent years between the EU and Morocco”. As the crisis was unfolding, Moroccans launched a campaign on Twitter, with the slogans: “Ceuta and Melilla is not Spain” and “Ceuta and Melilla are Moroccan - end colonialism”. Arab media reported on ugly scenes inside Ceuta showing angry altercations between Spanish protesters opposed to migration and Muslim women of Moroccan descent. “These are not migrants, they are in their own country,” one person tweeted. ‘A classic case of European colonialism’ Subsequently it emerged that the failure of the Moroccan guards to stop the influx had not been an accident, but rather a deliberate attempt to send a warning message to Spain for hosting Brahim Ghali, the leader of the Polisario Front, which campaigns for the independence of Western Sahara. Spain, like most other countries, has never recognised Morocco’s claim to the territory, and a Spanish court on Tuesday refused to order Mr Ghali’s detention on charges of war crimes, saying there was a lack of evidence against him. But there is broad consensus in Morocco that Western Sahara is every bit as Moroccan as Ceuta and Melilla. Talk of the status of the two

Spanish forces battled to curb the arrival of migrants in Ceuta and Melilla

A fence separates Melilla and Morocco - and Europe from Africa

cities flares up every now and then, especially in the context of illegal migration. On the face of it, the Moroccan claim to the territory seems to make perfect sense. The enclaves are on African soil, while Spain is in Europe. It looks like a classic case of European colonialism. Once you scratch the surface, however, you uncover a host of competing narratives and legal complexities. Like most territorial disputes, this one comes with a lot of emotional luggage and national pride on either side of the Mediterranean. Reminder of Muslim ‘humiliation’ Arab sources describe Ceuta as the launchpad for the Muslim conquest of the Iberian peninsula in the 8th Century, an occupation which lasted for

800 years. The ports were re-captured later in what is known as the Reconquista - the military campaign to evict the Muslims from what is now Spain and Portugal. Both cities were captured by Spain between the 15th and 16th century - roughly the same time Christopher Columbus was “discovering” America and paving the way for eventual European colonization of both North and South America. For the Muslims, Ceuta and Melilla are a painful reminder of Muslim defeat and humiliation by rising Western, Christian powers. “It’s a Muslim land no matter for how long the occupation lasts, an old wound that some think has healed, but it continues to bleed and there is no other cure than the re-

conquest,” is how one Arabic publication describes the sentiment. Even the Arabic Wikipedia describes the two cities as Moroccan under Spanish control. However, although Morocco went to war to capture Western Sahara after the Spanish evacuated the territory in 1975, its pursuit to regain control of Ceuta and Melilla has been lukewarm at best. Crucially, Morocco failed to press its case at the UN, to include them among territories that are yet to be decolonized, also known as non-selfgoverning territories. Moroccan political scientist Samir Bennis says after independence from Spain and France, Morocco acted in good faith, assuming the issue would be resolved amicably in the

future, but the Spaniards didn’t respond in kind. “On July 6 1963, the late King Hassan II [of Morocco] and General Franco [the ruler of Spain] met in Madrid’s Barajas airport to address their pending territorial disputes. “Morocco agreed to separate the issue of Ceuta and Melilla from the other territorial disagreements, pitting the two countries against each another in the UN Special Political and Decolonization Committee, known as the 4th Committee,” he says. Today, Spain rejects categorically any talk of negotiation on the two cities, and insists that they have been Spanish for more than five centuries and that they are an integral part of the Spanish state. But Mr Bennis questions the Spanish claim on historical and legal grounds. “From a political and administrative standpoint, for the most part of their history, these two enclaves were not considered full-fledged Spanish cities. “Their status varied between being military fortification shadowy people were sent to serve their sentences or were outright disposed of and kept away from the peninsula,” he says But what does international law say on the claim and the counter-claim? “Under international law, Morocco doesn’t have strong claims to Ceuta and Melilla, which have been Spanish for hundreds of years. There are significant legal and political barriers to any change in status of those territories in favour of Morocco,” writes Dr Jamie Trinidad of Cambridge University in the UK. “Politically, the fact that the populations of Ceuta and Melilla wish to remain Spanish is the most significant barrier to any change of status. The idea of Morocco taking over these cities against the wishes of their populations is almost unthinkable in this day and age,” he adds. In other words, even if there were ever a dramatic change in the balance of power and the question of sovereignty was put to the people of Ceuta and Melilla, what are the chances of them ever opting to be ruled by Morocco rather than a European democracy? It’s not hard to guess. Source: BBC

embers of Edo State vigilante Network (ESVN) have reportedly clashed with bereaved Nigerians whose relatives were shot dead by one of its personnel in IkpobaOkha Local Government Area of the State. 63-year-old woman, Mrs. Lucy Nwaorie and 38-year-old Tony Bassey were allegedly murdered on May 20, 2021 by a vigilante member identified as Mr. Osagie Ufua also known as stone in Efehi Street, off College Road, Aduwawa in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the State. Fearing attacks by angry youths that could possibly lead to jungle justice, the murder suspect, Mr. Osagie turned himself into police custody after the tragedy. In search of justice for the murdered Nigerians, on Monday, grieving family members embarked on a peaceful procession to police headquarters in Benin City, but they were

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crime News Edo vigilante clashes with families of Nigerians killed by personnel

attacked at an intersection of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) House road near the Edo State Secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the State Capital where they addressed the Press. During the peaceful procession on Monday, about 20 armed vigilante personnel ambushed the mourners and ordered them to abandon the placards they

displayed to draw the attention of the public to their plights. As the tension escalated, a fight broke out between members of vigilante and the defiant mourners, prompting other curious pedestrians and commuters who were caught in the traffic snarl to intervene before the mourners were let-off the hook. Addressing newsmen earlier

at the NUJ Press Centre, Mr. Uche Nwaorie, eldest son of the mother of seven Children who hails from Enugu State, demanded for justice and called for a thorough investigation into the incident which he claimed was a planned attack. “The alleged killer came to the shop without a gun. Immediately he arrived the shop, he (Osagie) ordered for

bullets. Condemning the behaviour of some lawless vigilante members and residents in the State, former Attorney-General of the State and national President, Committee for the Defence of Human Right (CDHR), Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, called for an overhaul of the local security Network and a reorientation towards checking abuses.

Chairman , National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa (Rtd) (middle), flanked by the Chairperson, Women Youth Children Crime Organization (WYCO), Mrs Farida Waziri (right) and the member of the organization, Dr. Dayo Kusa (left), during the WYCO members courtesy visit to the NDLEA cooperate Headquarters in partnership for drugs abuse free Nigeria , yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin ImoOwo

Oyetola says youths critical to his administration’s sustainable devt PDP alarmed over killing of Dega,

From:Femi, Kaduna

Oyelola,

sun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola said youths are critical to his administration’s sustainable development. He made the assertion when he launched the state Youth Policy Document to develop and empower the young people and put them at the centre of the development of the State. According to him, the newly unveiled Youth Policy Document which was christened 4Es---Youth Empowerment, Youth Engagement, Youth Entrepreneurship and Youth Education, was developed to provide a crucial framework for guiding the State’s approach to ensure that large number of youths residing in the state are provided with high quality of life. Oyetola disclosed that his administration has enunciated a clear policy framework to ensure that an enabling environment is created for the youths to maximally realise their creative and productive potential.

Ortom’s Security Adviser

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that it is alarmed by the gruesome murder of the Senior Special Adviser on Security to Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, AIG Christopher Dega (rtd) by gunmen in Jos, Plateau state capital yesterday. The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr

Kola Ologbondiyan, condemned, in very strong terms, the murder of AIG Dega (rtd). The main opposition party described the murder as barbaric as well as ominous, given the recent attempts on the life of Governor Ortom by terrorists and bandits, marauding various parts of Benue state. The party described the slain Dega as a very patriotic Nigerian and dutiful aide, who gave his

all i”n the service of our dear fatherland and his home state, Benue”. The PDP therefore charged the police to immediately go into action and follow the leads to apprehend and bring the assailants and their backers to justice. The party also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to “end his lethargic approach to security matters

and take decisive steps to end the activities of terrorists, bandits and vandals, who have been emboldened by his administration’s body language and overt failure”. The PDP commiserated with Governor Ortom, the Dega family as well as the government and people of Benue state and prayed God to give all the fortitude to bear “this sad episode in our national life”.

LASG pays over N32bn to 7,998 retirees in 2 years

he Lagos State Government on Wednesday said it had paid over N32 billion to 7,998 retirees of its public service in the past two years. Mr Babalola Obilana, Director-General, Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) disclosed this during the 85th bond presentation to benefiting retirees in the state. Obilana said that the state government considered the welfare of pensioners as top

priority and was committed to the speedy resolution of all pension issues in the state. He explained that one of the targets of the present administration was to successfully conclude the payment of accrued pension rights at the end of the governor’s first term in office. According to him, this will enable pensioners to receive their entitlements upon retirement from the state’s public service on a ‘pay as you leave’ basis.

Obilana noted that in fulfilment to the government’s commitment to pensioners’ welfare, the Retirement Saving Accounts (RSAs) of 326 retirees were credited with over N1 billion for the month of May. “The governor is committed to retiree’s welfare that is why in spite of all odds, retirees are still on the front burner of his agenda. ” It is clear that the financial freedom of the state’s pensioners is paramount to this administration,” he said .

Obilana advised the retirees to choose the right option for their pension needs between annuity and programmed withdrawal. He urged the elder statesmen not to follow the decision of others but ensure that they select choices that best suit them. Mrs Felicia Ojo who spoke on behalf of the retirees, thanked Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the management and staff of LASPEC for their unflinching support for pensioners in the state. (NAN)