Jatri Uld Said Uld Yumani facts for kids

Jatri Uld Said Uld Yumani was an important Sahrawi politician born in Smara, Spanish Sahara, in 1921. He was also a professional animal herder. He served as a representative in the Spanish parliament, called the Cortes Españolas, and was the president of the Djema'a, a special assembly for the Sahara region. He passed away in Rabat, Morocco, on December 21, 1993.

The Uprising and the Djema'a

In 1967, Jatri Uld Said Uld Yumani led a rebellion against Spanish rule. The local army supported him in this uprising. Corporal Merebbih of the Reguibat tribe was the military leader of this revolution.

Because of this uprising, the Spanish government created the Djema'a, also known as the General Assembly of the Sahara. This was the first time the Sahrawi people had their own representative body. It gave them their first chance to have some control over their own affairs within the Spanish Empire.

A Member of Parliament

Jatri Uld Said Uld Yumani was first chosen to be a representative, or "Procurator," in the Cortes Españolas (the Spanish parliament) on July 13, 1963. He was elected by people from the Provincial Assembly of the Sahara.

He was re-elected in 1964 but left his position on December 20, 1965. Another person, Seila Uld Abeida Uld Ahmed, took his place. His official swearing-in ceremony was a private event, respecting his Muslim faith.

He was elected again for terms from 1967 to 1971 and was named a "Head of State." He left this role on March 4, 1975, before his term officially ended.

Family and Tribe

Jatri Uld Said Uld Yumani was a leader of one of the most important groups within the Reguibat tribe. This tribe is unique because its territory is split across four different countries: Western Sahara, Morocco, Mauritania, and Algeria.

He worked to keep the political balance of his tribe, which was divided into three large sections by these country borders. He was also the leader, or chej, of Le Boihat, a powerful group of Reguibat nomads from the western part of their land.

A Major Change

On November 5, 1975, Jatri Uld Said Uld Yumani, as President of the Djema'a, declared his loyalty to King Hassan II of Morocco. King Hassan II saw him as the true representative of the Sahrawi people.

This act was very surprising because Jatri had previously been a strong supporter of the Sahrawi people deciding their own future and becoming independent. Just a month before, on October 12, 67 out of 102 members of the Djema'a had met in Ain Ben Tili, Mauritania. They had agreed to close down the Djema'a, saying that the Polisario Front was now the only rightful representative of the Sahrawi people.

After attending a meeting of the Cortes in Madrid, Jatri Uld Said Uld Yumani traveled to Morocco. He was joined by other Sahrawis, Feidul Ali Derham and Ahmed Derhem. In a ceremony at the Royal Palace of Agadir, he pledged his loyalty to King Hassan II of Morocco on behalf of the Djema'a. He asked for talks to begin between Spain and Morocco to return the Sahara to the Kingdom of Morocco.

After this, Hassan Dirham, who was the head of the Dirham family group, became the president of the remaining Djema'a members.

Interestingly, one of Jatri Uld Said Uld Yumani's children is now a member of the Parliament of Morocco, while another child is a leader in the Polisario Front.

See also

In Spanish: Jatri uld Said uld Yumani para niños