As the 13th Polisario Congress draws near, Senior executives, from the leadership of the Sahrawi movement for independence, start shaking. The Polisario leaders at their head, their chief Mohamed Abdelaziz, have probably insomnia since the kidnapping of the three European humanitarian workers, in the highly controlled Rabouni camps, not far from their general quarters. This affair has created great tensions between the Polisario leadership and the Algerian army commands and intelligence services, says a former official in the movement who was kept apart after the discovery of his attempt to escape to Morocco. The tension has increased with the near holding of the 13th Polisario congress planned from the 15 to 19 December 2011. A great number of senior Sahrawi leaders are in the sight of Algerian military authorities. The latter reproach them indiscretions which have sullied the sending of their fighters to Libya to support the loyal troops of Mouammar Kadhafi. But what has made the situation of these leader worse, adds the same source, is the clear complicity of their security services in the kidnapping of last 23rd October.
Following these two media covered affairs, explains the same source, Mohamed Abdelaziz and his team mate are afraid to be kicked out from their posts on order of the held for life patron of the Security and intelligence services (DRS – Algerian Military intelligence service), major general Mohamed Lamine Mediène, called Taoufik, and general Mohamed Lamari, Chief of the army HQ. The latter, specifies our contact in Tindouf, have, it seems, already given their instructions so that deep changes be operated at the head of the Polisario leadership. In the camps, we hear that many important persons will surely fall during the 13th Congress. This ousting is, moreover, claimed with insistence, by the young Sahrawis, completely idle and jobless who talk of having no more trust in their leadership. According to the former Sahrawi official, Mohamed Abdelaziz, suffering from cancer for a long time, is more and more contested by a large part of the population. He has even lost a great part of his popularity and his charisma since the revelations by the press of his wife and his defense Minister’s involvement in the affair of humanitarian aids misappropriation, an affair which has highly destabilized him vis-à-vis the Algerian authorities. In any case, the redemption inside the present Polisario leadership is well expected by the dissident part which is very active behind the scene in Tindouf camps.
