Why Was I There?
In late 1994 I was selected to represent the United States as a military observer with the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), monitoring a bi-lateral cease fire agreement between Morocco and the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), also known as the Frente POLISARIO. Morocco and the SADR disputed the possession and control of the territory formerly known as Spanish Sahara and now called Western Sahara. Between approximately 1975 and 1991, the two sides engaged in military conflict over the territory. In 1991, the two sides agreed to a cease fire and asked the UN to monitor the peace.
I arrived in Western Sahara in February 1995 and was assigned to the Northern Sector Headquarters at Smara (also sometimes spelled Semara or Esemara), about 100 miles east of the coastal city of El Aaiun (sometimes also spelled Layoune). Interestingly, Smara is listed in the tables in the back of the ARRL Operating Manual. I remained in the mission area until early August 1995.
To learn more about Western Sahara, click on the links below.