Anthony G. Pazzanita

Historical dictionary of Western Sahara

Part 1 Editors Foreword Part 2 Preface Part 3 Readers Notes Part 4 Acronyms and Abbreviations Part 5 Map of Western Sahara Part 6 Chronology Part 7 Introduction Part 8 THE DICTIONARY Part 9 Bibliography Part 10 About the Author

Morocco Versus POLISARIO: A Political Interpretation

By 1994 Africa had only one major unresolved colonial question. Namibia and Eritrea having acquired their independence in March 1990 and May 1993 respectively, the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara remains controlled by the Kingdom of Morocco (as it has since 1975), despite the expenditure of thousands of human lives, billions of dollars, and strenuous diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute through the Organisation of African Unity (O.A.U.) and the United Nations. Both Morocco, under the monarchical regime of King Hassan II, and the Frente popular para la Liberacion de Saguia el-Hamra y Rio de Oro (Polisario Front) composed of Saharawis dedicated to the establishment of an independent Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (S.A.D.R.), have found each other far more resourceful and less willing to compromise than they could possibly have surmised almost two decades ago.

Historical dictionary of Mauritania

Mauritania is bordered by Senegal in the south, Mali in the east, Algeria in the far northeast, and the disputed territory of Western Sahara to the north. Comprised mostly of vast stretches of desert, this young country has escaped the ravages of the violent interstate and civil conflicts that have so bedeviled Africa. Mauritanian society possesses ancient antecedents and a universal religious faith that has been practiced over several centuries. These characteristics have given the country a sometimes fragile but relatively resilient sense of national identity, which has survived into the 21st century in the face of powerful political, regional, ethnic/racial, and tribal rivalries since its independence in 1960. An economy largely centered on the export of raw materials, a weak agricultural sector, and a harsh climate in most areas further add to the challenges confronting all Mauritanians. The third edition of the Historical Dictionary of Mauritania-through its chronology, introductory essay, maps, bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on important persons, places, events, institutions, and significant political, economic, social, and cultural aspects-provides an important reference on Mauritania.

The Conflict Resolution Process in Angola

OF the dozens of conflicts in the Third World which have occurred in the post-war era, few have been of greater duration and bloodshed or have attracted the attention of as many outside actors, including the superpowers, as Angola. It has only been since the mid-Ig80s that the conflict began moving towards eventual settlement, with the prospects for peace often seeming to depend largely on the attitudes of Cuba, South Africa, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Further affecting the overall environment was the state of East-West relations, the internal situation in Angola, and South Africas occupation of Namibia. A short historical background will serve as prelude to an extensive examination of the dynamics which fuelled the war in Angola for such a long period of time. Partly because Portugals colonial presence in Africa was one of the oldest in the world, as well as the most backward, brutal, and least amenable to change, Angola remained mired in tutelage longer than might otherwise have been the case, with appeals for decolonisation or improved conditions being rejected by the fascist regime of Ant6nio de Oliveira Salazar. Complicating matters also was the fact that Angola was the most important of Portugals colonies from an economic viewpoint.1 However, anti-colonial feelings in Angola could not be indefinitely checked. By the early I96os, two main liberation movements (and a variety of others) had developed. The Movimento Popular de Libertafdo de Angola (M.P.L.A.), founded in 1956 and headed by Dr Agostinho Neto,