Meharrize

Mehaires محيرس Meharrize
Municipality and town
Mehaires Location in Western Sahara
Coordinates: 26°8′50″N 11°4′9″W / 26.14722°N 11.06917°WCoordinates: 26°8′50″N 11°4′9″W / 26.14722°N 11.06917°W
Country	Western Sahara
Claimed by	Kingdom of Morocco Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Controlled by	Sahrawi Republic
Government
• Type	Municipality[1]
Elevation	378 m (1,240 ft)

Meharrize (also transliterated Mheiriz, Mehaires; Arabic: محيرس) is an oasis located in Western Sahara. It is situated between Tifariti and Amgala, 93 km from Smara, to the east of the Moroccan Wall, and in the Polisario Front-held part of Western Sahara close to the Mauritanian border. It has a dispensary, a school, and a mosque. Also, it is the head of the 4th military region of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

Infrastructure

During late June 2012, the Sahrawi minister of Construction and Urbanization of the Liberated Territories visited the town to supervise the family farms project and the construction of a school, opened in 2013.^[2][3]

Politics

On June 17, 2007, the Polisario Front celebrated here the 37th anniversary of the Sahrawi uprising in 1970, the Zemla Intifada.^[4]

Culture

In August 2008, Mheiriz hosted the III edition of the Summer University, for the Sahrawi students abroad. The students visited the historical archaeological sites in the region and profited from many conferences and lectures on different themes, such as religion, culture and security, in addition to other activities such as film projections and expositions.^[5]

Twin towns - Sister cities

Berantevilla, Álava, Basque Country, Spain[6] Carranza, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain[7] Firenzuola, Florence, Tuscany, Italy[8] Lezama, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain[9] Markina, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain[10] Soria, Soria, Castilla y León, Spain (since May 8, 2008)[11]

References

1. "Allocating seats for the liberated territories in Parliament will be considered in the next election (Official)". Sahara Press Service. 2012-02-20. Retrieved 02-07-2012. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
2. "Establishment of new municipalities in Saharawi liberated territories". SPS. 01-07-2012. Retrieved 02-07-2012. Check date values in: |access-date=, |date= (help)
3. "Academic year 2012-2013 officially kicks off". SPS. 2012-09-16. Retrieved 10-03-2013. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
4. "POLISARIO Front will participate "with good faith" to the negotiations of Manhasset, the Saharawi President affirms.". SPS. 2007-06-17. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
5. "Opening of the Summer University in the liberated territory of Mheiriz". SPS. 2008-08-15. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
6. "Aytº de Berantevilla (Álava)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
7. "Aytº de Carranza (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
8. Gemellaggi e Patti di Amicizia Regione Toscana - Consiglio Regionale, 27 March 2010 (Italian)
9. "Aytº de Lezama (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
10. "Aytº de Markina (Bizkaia)" (in Spanish). Euskal Fondoa. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
11. Convenio de Hermanamiento entre el Ayuntamiento de Soria y la daira de Mheiriz. Soria. 2008. Lefrig.org, 13 May 2008 (Italian)