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Forced exodus of Moroccans From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
On 18 December 1975, the first day of Eid al-Adha, the Algerian president Houari Boumediene ordered the expulsion of all Moroccan nationals from Algeria, resulting in the exodus of 45,000 Moroccan families,[1] or by some accounts 350,000 people in total.[2][3] Although, according to some modern sources, between 10,000 [4] to 30,000 were expelled and 5,000 Moroccans were granted Algerian nationality.[5][6] The expulsion was a response to the Madrid Accords (which did not include the consultation of Algeria nor the POLISARIO movement)[7] and the earlier Green March in the Western Sahara.[8][9]
| Part of the Western Sahara War | |
 Map showing locations of Algeria and Morocco. | |
| Date | 18 December 1975 (49 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Type | mass deportation |
| Organized by | Government of Algeria |
| Outcome | 45,000 Moroccan families expelled |
The exodus, code-named by the Algerian government as the "Black March", was carried out by Abdelaziz Bouteflika, then the foreign minister of Algeria at the time.[10]
45,000 families were estimated to have been expelled; a large portion of them had lived in Algeria for decades or even centuries.[11][12][13] Most Moroccans had lived wealthy lifestyles and were in good conditions prior to the expulsion.[14] Many families were separated; Moroccans who had married Algerians were not deported but their family members usually were. Many Moroccans have not yet been reunited with their families.[14][15]
In 2019, the Moroccan military posted a video on Facebook depicting the testimonies of Moroccan refugees, calling for an apology from Algeria. The video was also a response to the Algerian Government's demands for Morocco to apologize for Algerians it left stranded after a 1994 terrorist attack in Asni, Marrakesh.[16]
The Moroccan Organization for Human Rights (ODHM) has also called for the United Nations to investigate the expulsion.[14]
In July 2014, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry brought the topic up again, urging Algeria to conduct a re-examination of the exodus.
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