History
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, an exiled government seated in Tindouf, Algeria, administers it as the temporary capital of the SADR, as long as the Sahrawi capital of El-Aaiun is under Moroccan control. For example, it had been the scenario of reunions of SADR's National Secretariat. This is also from where the republic's existence was proclaimed over radio on the night of February 27, 1976, by its first president, El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed. Some sources list also Bir Lehlou as El-Ouali's birthplace.
Today's "Radio Nacional de la Republica Árabe Saharaui Democrática" (National Radio of the SADR) keeps broadcasting from there on both medium and short wave, webcasting the programming in Hassaniya Arabic, and also some hours in Spanish.
On May 20, 2005, coinciding with the 32nd anniversary of the beginning of the armed struggle of the Polisario Front, a primary school was inaugurated in Bir Lehlou. The school was named "José Ramón Diego Aguirre" (Spanish colonel and historian, first foreigner to be awarded with the Sahrawi honorific nationality) in his honour.
On February 27, 2010, Bir Lehlou hosted the 34th anniversary of the proclamation of the SADR, with the presence of several African and South American ambassadors.
On October 12, 2011, during the 36th National Unity Day celebrations, commander of the Sahrawi 5th militar region Hama Salama inaugurated an ampliation of the town's school, as well as a mosque.
Read more about this topic: Bir Lehlou
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