Leo Olivero
Most of us over the years have heard Spain frequently accuse and moan about the injustice and over British control of Gibraltar. In fact as recently as last month Spain’s ambassador to the United Nations was still saying that “Gibraltar is a colony and what must be done is establish a system of negotiations that will lead to the territorial unity of the country,”
Similarly, how many times have we from a Gibraltar perspective, called Spain ‘masters of hypocrisy, who have had the sheer audacity to demand from the UK the return of Gibraltar, yet Spain at the same time, refusing to enter discussions with Morocco over the return of the two pieces of Moroccan territory in Ceuta and Melilla, which Madrid have always claimed are integral parts of Spain, although connected and surrounded by the Moroccan mainland.
Spain’s fetish in wanting to claim rocks, Gibraltar is one of them!
But how many people really know that Spanish imperialistic hypocrisy over in the African mainland and coast, does not stop with the latter two well known enclaves alone! Spain in fact, has many more anachronistic lands under their own colonial belt that they accuse others of being, three or four in fact just off (where else) morocco!
I’ve come to the conclusion that Spain has some kind of a colonial fetish with rocks, the Rock of Gibraltar being one of them. In fact it’s incredible that Spain has spent well over 300 years trying to gets it hands on our Rock, when across the Straits, it has 3 or 4 sovereignty related rocks of its own, hidden away in the Moroccan mainland or bits of rock type fortresses sticking out at sea.
Attack on Spanish held garrison on the Moroccan coast!
Last week ‘Peñon de Velez de la Gomera’ was attacked, and where for a short time temporary control was gained by a group of Moroccan nationalistic activists (see our photo). This minute rock is located eighty miles west of Melilla. The ‘rock de velez de gomera’ is a minor pointed island; it is also a peninsula, currently connected to the Moroccan mainland coast by an 85 m long sandy isthmus, the world’s shortest land border it seems. With a length of 400 meters northwest-southeast and a width of up to 100 meters, it’s barely no more than a barren rock of 15 acres which serves as a relay station between Ceuta and Melilla and has been used as a prison in the past. There is also a settlement of about five hundred inhabitants; many I understand are ex-convicts, although the tiny population is made up of a few hundred soldiers.
Reports suggest this action by activist was organized by the Coordination Committee for the Liberation of Ceuta and Melilla. The group of Moroccan activist’s intention was to raise the Moroccan national flag, which they did manage to wave before being taken away.
Another sovereignty dispute for Spain…Moroccan Style!
This is another on-going sovereignty dispute which Spain has been grappling with for many years, although one that doesn’t get much publicity, (I wonder why?) These anti-Spanish Moroccan groups continue to grow, as they want control of their own little bit of land and rock and Spanish presence out, don’t we know the feeling from our bit of rock!
Twenty-seven miles east of Spanish rock of velez there is another hidden rock called ‘The Rock (peñon) of Alhucemas’ this is smaller then velez rock although the conditions are the same, with more Spanish soldiers and a small civilian population.
Twenty-seven miles east of Melilla are three rocky islands called Zaffarine. Spain considers these islands important for the maintenance of Spanish fishing rights, navigation and supervision of illegal migration and smuggling. All of these areas have the status of autonomous communities.
Spain also controls other small islets along the North African coast, including the uninhabited ones, I’m sure most of you remember the ‘isla de Perejil’ which was at the centre of a major Spanish/Moroccan political humdinger in 2002 when Moroccan soldiers occupied it before being removed by the Spanish army.
Morocco still lays claim to Ceuta and Melilla!
However in much the same way that Spain lays its claim to sovereignty over Gibraltar and does on a daily basis, Morocco also maintains that Ceuta and Melilla are integral parts of Morocco’s sovereign territory. These two North African towns and all the tiny offshore islands and rocks are the last vestiges of Spain’s far-flung empire!
Although I have to say that as far as Ceuta and Melilla are concerned they are a unique and weird set-up, as they are a small portion of Europe on North Africa’s Mediterranean coast, similarly, both Spanish controlled towns makes them the only NATO country bordering an Arab and Muslim nation.
So there you have it, whilst Spain is continuously embroiled sending its paramilitary troops into the Gibraltar Bay in an attempted to exert its sovereignty claim over Gibraltar, a group of brave Moroccan anti-Spanish activists were doing their bit for their cause last week, when they planted the Moroccan flag on a disputed land, where Madrid also have another big sovereignty battle on their hands that won’t go away!
Although it seems to me, that Spain appears to be ashamed of these small bits of land in Morocco, I’ve hardly ever heard them being mentioned, or openly admit that they have control over them… Maybe to avoid criticism or called colonist Spain as They Frequently Accuse Others of Being!
Gibraltar Panorama 03-09-12
