MOROCCO. Near Tarfaya. October 1975. Following the Hague's World Court "consultive opinion" that the Spanish Sahara should be free of Spanish colonial rule, King HASSAN II of Morocco announced the organization of a peace march of 350.000 volunteers (the "Green March" ), of which 10% to be women, to the Spanish Sahara in order to reclaim their rights to sovereignty over the territory. King HASSAN II provided transport, food and shelter for the march.
During the march, high-level diplomatic discussions were taking place between Rabat, Madrid and Algiers in a rush to avoid violent confrontation. The marchers were armed only with the Koran.