How rebel singer Mariem Hassan galvanised Western Sahara’s fight for freedom

Singer Mariem Hassan has played a leading role in the struggle for a free and independent Western Sahara.

A powerful new documentary at France's Fipadoc festival reveals Western Sahara's fight for independence through the story of Mariem Hassan, whose music became the voice of her people's resistance until her death in 2015.

The film Haiyu – Rebel Singer Mariem Hassan and the Struggle for a Free Western Sahara, chronicles Africa's last colony. This resource-rich territory of 266,000 square kilometres, with valuable phosphate deposits and fishing waters, is home to 600,000 inhabitants.

Since Spain ended its colonial rule in the mid-1970s, the region has remained caught between Morocco and Mauritania's territorial claims, while Sahrawi independence fighters backed by Algeria continue their push for sovereignty.

At its premiere in Biarritz's elegant Casino theatre, half the audience admitted they had never heard of Western Sahara. By the end, all applauded the film's rare archival footage presenting an unprecedented Sahrawi perspective on the conflict.

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RFI interviewed Mohamedsalem Werad, co-founder of the online platform Saharwi Voice and one of the film's four directors, about the challenges of making the documentary and the story it tells.

RFI: Why is Western Sahara considered Africa's last colony?

MW: Western Sahara remains colonised because superpowers like France and the United States provide Morocco with the support it needs to maintain occupation. Morocco does their dirty work in return for military and political protection at the UN Security Council. At the same time, they exploit the region's natural resources for their benefit.


Read more on RFI English

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