Africa Daily Western Sahara: what is life like for the Sahrawi refugees?
Mar 18, 2025
Sally Nabil, a BBC correspondent, shares her insights from her visits to the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria. She discusses the harsh living conditions and economic hardships faced by the Sahrawi people, who have been displaced for over 50 years. Nabil illuminates the struggle for identity and self-determination amid the political stalemate between Morocco and the Polisario Front. She also addresses rampant human rights violations and the yearning for a resolution to their plight, emphasizing the urgent need for international attention and support.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Sahrawi Refugee Life
- Imagine living your entire 50 years within a secluded desert refugee camp.
- Isolated, hungry, and witnessing your culture fade, you're a pawn in a larger conflict.
The Forgotten Refugees
- The Sahrawi people, indigenous to Western Sahara, have been refugees for over 50 years.
- A promised referendum to decide their fate never happened, leaving them in limbo.
Life in Tanduf Camps
- Sally Nabil describes the harsh conditions in the Tanduf refugee camps, noting the lack of basic amenities.
- Refugees rely heavily on UN aid, living in modest houses and facing food insecurity.