Desert exile
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An estimated 150,000 Saharawis are refugees in one of the most hostile desert environments in the world – the Sahara’s Hamada, in SW Algeria, where there is almost no rain, no vegetation and temperatures are extreme, soaring above 50ºC in summer and dipping below freezing in winter. The refugee population is organised into five large camps, named after the main cities in Western Sahara – Al Aaiun, Smara, Ausserd, Dakhla and Boujdour. These camps are run by the Polisario and are seat to the Saharawi government in exile. |
Throughout the years, the Saharawi refugees have shown a remarkable ability to manage their own affairs, despite being completely reliant on international aid to survive. Through an emphasis on self-reliance, they have achieved impressive results in the realms of health, education, administration, political awareness, and culture.
View of the wider region where the refugee camps are located (in the Algerian region of Tindouf)
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Google Earth view of Smara refugee camp, one of the five residential Saharawi refugee camps
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WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LIFE IN THE REFUGEE CAMPS? Watch the documentary Refugee Tourism, an account of the presence of foreigners in the refugee camps and the importance of the internationalisation of the Saharawi cause done by 3 UK journalists - Sarah Clark, Fernande Van Tets and Guilia Zuzic - who felt compelled to contribute to raising awareness about the Saharawi plight during their participation in the Run the Sahara 2012 edition. |
