In response to the United Nations Security Council’s decision to renew the mandate of the MINURSO mission and affirm Morocco’s autonomy proposal as a basis for future solutions, the Justice and Spirituality Movement welcomed this step, while simultaneously calling for a democratic project for all Moroccans.
### A Positive Step Towards a Solution: Conditional Appreciation of International Efforts
The movement praised the maintenance of the ceasefire, deeming the renewal of the UN mission’s mandate a pressing necessity to avoid escalation that could lead to armed conflict. They described the decision as “an important step towards a reasonable solution” to a prolonged issue that has drained Morocco’s resources, both people and state.
The movement asserted that Morocco’s strength lies in its territorial and social cohesion, arguing that any attempt at fragmentation serves the interests of enemies of the Arab and Islamic nations. They view the autonomy proposal as a genuine opportunity for progress, provided it is implemented democratically and fairly, ensuring good governance and full transparency.
Justice and Spirituality stated that this proposal is a means to develop the southern regions, offering their residents extensive powers in managing local affairs, thus resolving an “artificial problem” that has become a burden for everyone, locally and internationally.
### No Unity Without Democracy and Social Justice
However, the statement does not limit itself to diplomatic support; it also includes a sharp critique of the internal handling of the issue. The movement rejects what it describes as the “unilateral approach” that has prevailed from the outset, which has deprived Moroccans of full participation in resolving their national issue. It accuses what it terms the “Makhzen regime” of using the Sahara as a smokescreen for the economic, social, political, and human rights crises facing the country, turning the issue into a tool for narrow political exploitation.
In a comprehensive vision, the movement links territorial unity with democracy, stating that “it is unjust to separate the issue of unity from the issues of democracy and social justice.”
Any genuine autonomy, according to the statement, must be part of a broader democratic project that ensures justice, freedom, and actual participation for all Moroccans. It emphasized that national sovereignty over the southern regions cannot be discussed without genuine popular sovereignty over political decision-making through free and transparent elections.
Source
