Andoni Lubaki

Photo Reporter

lubaki.net

Last Colony Portraits

Location: Bilbao, Spain

Nationality: Spanish

Biography: Born in Urretxu in 1982, Andoni Lubaki is a photojournalist focused on documenting conflict areas and humanitarian crisis. After he completed a degree in Computer Science, he took his camera as an excuse to travel throughout África in an... read on

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Mohamed Yahdih (36) is a refugee from the occupied territories living in Basque Country. He lives in a town called Zumarraga due to the difficult conditions that Moroccoan Goverment puts to Saharan people to find a job in their own country in comparison to the Moroccoan settlers that are coming from the north.

In 1975 Spain abandoned the Western Sahara colony and Morocco and Mauritania invaded it starting a war until 1991, the year when Morocco and Polisario signed a ceasefire in order to hold a referendum. In 2018 Saharan people are still waiting to vote on this referendum that could finish the longest conflict in modern Africa and finish the colonialist era. Copyright: Spanish Photojournalist Andoni Lubaki

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Daha Bulahi (58) was born in Laaiune during Spanish colony. After the invasion of Morocco in 1975 he entered the Polisario Army and fighted in the Western Sahara war until 1991. In 1994 a Chinese landmine exploited when he was volunteering in a landmine deactivating team near Tifariti. He lost his left eye and 4 fingers in his right hand. He lives with his family in Auser refugee camp near Tindouf (Argelia).

In 1975 Spain abandoned the Western Sahara colony and Morocco and Mauritania invaded it starting a war until 1991, the year when Morocco and Polisario signed a ceasefire in order to hold a referendum. In 2018 Saharan people are still waiting to vote on this referendum that could finish the longest conflict in modern Africa and finish the colonialist era. Copyright: Spanish Photojournalist Andoni Lubaki

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Mulay Boibat (80) was one of the youngest chej (tribal leaders) during Spanish colony. After the invasion of Morocco in 1975 he refused to obey Morocco and started supporting the Polisario Army and helping in a political way from the refugee camps in Argelia till the end of the war in 1991. During the first years of Polisario he was the most important political counsellor for the Saharan against the Spanish government.

In 1975 Spain abandoned the Western Sahara colony and Morocco and Mauritania invaded it starting a war until 1991, the year when Morocco and Polisario signed a ceasefire in order to hold a referendum. In 2018 Saharan people are still waiting to vote on this referendum that could finish the longest conflict in modern Africa and finish the colonialist era. Copyright: Spanish Photojournalist Andoni Lubaki

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Hamdi el Hafed (46) is one of the most famous journalists in Western Sahara refugee camps in Argelia. He is the director of a magazine called 20th of May (the day of the first armed action of Polisario against the Spanish colonialists in 1973).

In 1975 Spain abandoned the Western Sahara colony and Morocco and Mauritania invaded it starting a war until 1991, the year when Morocco and Polisario signed a ceasefire in order to hold a referendum. In 2018 Saharan people are still waiting to vote on this referendum that could finish the longest conflict in modern Africa and finish the colonialist era. Copyright: Spanish Photojournalist Andoni Lubaki

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Saidi Salek (32) was tortured by the Moroccoan Gendarmerie (Police) in May 2006 during the first intifada against Moroccoan occupation. He was burned with gasoline in the central police station of Laaiun but the government did never start any kind of investigation about this.

In 1975 Spain abandoned the Western Sahara colony and Morocco and Mauritania invaded it starting a war until 1991, the year when Morocco and Polisario signed a ceasefire in order to hold a referendum. In 2018 Saharan people are still waiting to vote on this referendum that could finish the longest conflict in modern Africa and finish the colonialist era. Copyright: Spanish Photojournalist Andoni Lubaki

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Hama Salamah (56) is the political leader of Polisario Front and the most important person in the party after President Brahim Gali. He studied a military grade with Mohammed Gadafi in Libya until 1993 and was the first of his promotion in military strategy. Now he has retired from his military career. Most of the analyst think that he will be the next president dut to his popularity in Saharan society.

In 1975 Spain abandoned the Western Sahara colony and Morocco and Mauritania invaded it starting a war until 1991, the year when Morocco and Polisario signed a ceasefire in order to hold a referendum. In 2018 Saharan people are still waiting to vote on this referendum that could finish the longest conflict in modern Africa and finish the colonialist era. Copyright: Spanish Photojournalist Andoni Lubaki

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Ahmed Salem Lebsir (55) is a military chief in 2nd Region in Tifariti. He is one of the most important military leader that Polisario Front has. He is also the nephew of the first disappeared person in Western Sahara during Spanish colony, Basiri Lebsir, who disappeared in 1970 after demonstrations against the Spanish army.

In 1975 Spain abandoned the Western Sahara colony and Morocco and Mauritania invaded it starting a war until 1991, the year when Morocco and Polisario signed a ceasefire in order to hold a referendum. In 2018 Saharan people are still waiting to vote on this referendum that could finish the longest conflict in modern Africa and finish the colonialist era. Copyright: Spanish Photojournalist Andoni Lubaki

Public Story

Last Colony Portraits

Credits: andoni lubaki

Date of Work: 12/01/18 - Ongoing

Updated: 02/20/20

Location: Tindouf

Archived as: Polisario

In 1975 Spain abandoned the Western Sahara colony and Morocco and Mauritania invaded it starting a war until 1991, the year when Morocco and Polisario signed a ceasefire in order to hold a referendum. In 2018 Saharan people are still waiting to vote on this referendum that could finish the longest conflict in modern Africa and finish the colonialist era. This ongoing project shows some saharaui refugees from Tinduf and tell the story behind their faces and eyes. The project "Last Colony" is a long term project by the spanish photojournalist Andoni Lubaki.