There's a lot of stuff to know about the Western Sahara, and not a lot of time to tell people. I decided the best place to get people would be where they don't have anything else to do: the bathroom. I posted this info sheet in the men's bathroom stall on my floor and, so far, I've been getting positive responses.
The Western Sahara: 31 Years Without Self-Determination
Where is the Western Sahara?
Western Sahara is on the northwest coast of Africa, south of Morocco and north of Mauritania.
When did the Western Sahara’s problems begin?
From 1884 to 1974, Western Sahara was a Spanish colony. In 1975, due to activism from native Sahrawis (the Arab ethnic group that lives in the Western Sahara), Spain decided to decolonize and grant the Western Sahara independence.
Before independence, vast phosphate reserves were discovered in the territory. Morocco and Mauritania began claiming Western Sahara was part of their countries, despite a 1975 International Court of Justice ruling that found neither country had a legitimate claim.
Morocco and Mauritania made a secret agreement with Spain to divide Western Sahara between them. In late 1975, the two countries invaded, forcing tens of thousands of Sahrawis to flee to nearby Algeria. During the evacuation, the Moroccan air force dropped napalm on the refugees.
Did the Sahrawis accept the occupation?
Not at all. The Polisario Front, a militant Sahrawi independence organization, attacked both occupying armies. Their successful operations forced Mauritania to withdraw, but Morocco’s Western allies reinforced its army. Morocco also built a wall through all Western Sahara and sowed over 3 million land mines.
The war ended in 1991, when Morocco and Polisario signed a ceasefire. Morocco promised to hold a referendum on independence, but it’s broken its promise. Meanwhile, Sahrawis languish in the territory or in refugee camps.
What does the international community think?
The United Nations lists the Western Sahara as Africa’s last colony. In November 2006, it reaffirmed its commitment to Sahrawi self-determination.
In 2006, Amnesty International reported that Moroccan police beat a Sahrawi independence demonstrator to death.
What do you think I should include/drop? Right now, it's at one page for punchiness.