Djema'a facts for kids
The word Djema'a (say "jeh-MAH-ah") means "Congregation" or "Gathering" in Arabic. In Western Sahara, it can mean two different things.
It can refer to the traditional leaders of a Sahrawi tribe. It can also mean a special council created by the Spanish rulers. Let's learn more about both!
Contents
The Djema'a: Tribal Leaders
The Djema'a was the main group of leaders in a Sahrawi tribe. It was made up of older, wise people and chosen leaders. This group helped organize many things for the tribe.
They planned war efforts and raiding parties. They also made laws and handled diplomacy (talking with other groups). The Djema'a also helped solve disagreements between people in the tribe. Sometimes, a bigger meeting called the Ait Arbein (Council of Forty) would happen. This council included elders from many tribes. They would meet to protect the community from outside attacks or other big problems.
The way each Djema'a was set up could be a little different. It usually mixed old Berber customs with Arab traditions. Their practices were also based on Islamic law. In some Sahrawi tribes, women were also part of the Djema'a.
How Tribal Djema'a Changed
Tribalism (living in tribes) had been a strong way of life for the Sahrawis for a very long time. It started when they first came to the area in the Middle Ages. But over time, two things slowly weakened it: colonization and modern ways of life.
After Spain and France took over the territory in 1884, the Djema'as were still very active. However, as the Spanish Army gained more control, they fought against the tribes. Djema'a leaders who resisted were killed or put in jail. Others were forced or paid to work with the Spanish rulers.
The Ma al-Aynayn uprising in the early 1900s was a big fight. It was like a last stand for the old tribal society against the colonizers. By the 1950s, tribal power was fading. This was because more people were moving to cities and new ways of life were appearing.
Spain took harsh actions after the Ifni War. This included forcing people to settle in one place. This made the decline of tribal power happen even faster. By 1967, Sahrawi people started to organize their politics in a new way. They formed a modern political party called the Harakat Tahrir.
Even today, tribal traditions are still important in Sahrawi society. However, the formal system of the Djema'a has mostly disappeared. This is because modern states have taken its place.
Governments and Tribalism
The Polisario Front (a group fighting for Sahrawi independence) generally did not like tribalism. They believed it was an old and unfair way of governing. They actively worked against tribalism in the Tindouf refugee camps. They also worked against it in the parts of Western Sahara ruled by the Sahrawi republic.
Morocco, on the other hand, was happy to get support from tribal elders in areas it controlled. Otherwise, Morocco mostly ignored tribalism. In Mauritania, the Sahrawi-Moorish communities are still strongly organized by tribes.
The Djema'a: Spanish Council
The Djema'a was also a ruling council of Sahrawi elders. The Spanish authorities in Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) created it in May 1967. The officials of this Djema'a were elected. However, the colonial authorities controlled the elections. They basically chose who could run.
The first elections were held between July 14 and August 20, 1967. The Djema'a officially started on September 11 in El Aaiún. A second Djema'a was elected in January 1971. This was the last one, as the Polisario Front uprising began in 1973.
The members of this Spanish Djema'a often had some status within their tribes. But the tribe members did not always see them as true representatives. This Djema'a had very little real power. The Spanish military governors would sometimes ask for their advice. They were also allowed to send people to Madrid. Its main job was to make the Spanish rule look legal to the Sahrawi people. It used the idea of the traditional tribal Djema'a and the Ait Arbein to do this.
What Happened to the Spanish Djema'a?
In 1974–75, the Spanish Djema'a became less important. Spain created a new group to support its policies. This was the Sahrawi National Union Party (PUNS). Many Djema'a members joined PUNS, and PUNS took over most of its political jobs.
Spain's leader, Francisco Franco, said he would give up the territory. Without Spanish support, many Djema'a members quickly joined the Polisario Front. This was a rebel group fighting a growing guerrilla war against Spain. A smaller number of members also went to Morocco. They supported Morocco's claim that Western Sahara was part of its country. A few went to Mauritania to support Mauritanian rule.
After Morocco and Mauritania invaded Western Sahara in late 1975, the Djema'a broke apart. This happened during the large movement of refugees.
Who Was the Real Djema'a?
Most of the Djema'a members (67 out of 102) voted on October 12, 1975. This happened at a meeting in Ain Ben Tili (Mauritania) supported by Polisario. They voted to speak out against the Moroccan invasion. They also declared support for Polisario and decided to dissolve (officially end) the Djema'a. This was so no one could use the group for political reasons.
However, later that year, the Moroccan government held a meeting of Djema'a members in Morocco. These members declared support for Morocco taking over the territory. Polisario argued against this, saying:
- Not enough members were present. Less than half of the total members were there, so there was no quorum (minimum number needed for a valid vote).
- Even if there had been enough members, the Djema'a had already been dissolved by a majority vote. So, the Moroccan meeting of Djema'a members had no real political power.
On February 27, 1976, the independence movement in Western Sahara, Polisario, announced the creation of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic. This new republic was meant to replace the Djema'a as the Sahrawi ruling body.
Both Polisario and Morocco had said the Djema'a was just a puppet of Spain when it was active. But now, both sides still use these past claims of Djema'a support. They use them as arguments for independence or for taking over the territory in the ongoing Western Sahara conflict.
See also
In Spanish: Djema'a para niños
- Sahrawi nationalism
