TERRORIST ORGANIZATION OR LIBERATION MOVEMENT? THE POLISARIO FRONT’S CLASSIFICATION
TERRORIST ORGANIZATION OR LIBERATION MOVEMENT? THE POLISARIO FRONT’S CLASSIFICATION

Author(s): János Bésenyő
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Civil Society, Developing nations, Politics and religion, Corruption - Transparency - Anti-Corruption, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: Carol I National Defence University Publishing House
Keywords: Polisario Front; terrorist group; organized crime group; liberation movement; legal representative of Sahrawis; International law; Morocco; Mauritania; SADR; AQIM;
Summary/Abstract: The reality of the widening category of irregular warfare and the raising quantity of radical units all around the world arrived in an unprecedented pace in the 21st century’s security environment. The decisions on designating and labeling „terrorist groups”were always surrounded with terminological debates, diverse state interests, and different perception of security. Thereby handling and countering their attacks and secondary destabilizing effects are hardly-cooperative among larger alliances. Of course, we might not exclude the good examples of international peacekeeping and countermeasures, such as it is happening in the case of ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab or other specific organizations. But in some cases, the methods of engagement, the continuously shaping security environment, shifts in ideology or other factors should influence the classification of a „terrorist group”, which might be questioned by individuals, ethnic groups, states or the international community itself.This was the situation with the Polisario Front group as well, which in some cases was labeledas terrorist organization, while other papers mentioned it as a separatist group or an organized crime unit. However, in the eyes of the world, the Front still is the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi’s people and a liberating organization responsible for its people. In this analysis,my main aim is to concentrate on these accusations against the Polisario Front, and its actual activity and connections with organized crime groups and highlight the facts, which exclude the Polisario Front from being a terrorist organization.

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