| Morocco loses a beacon of freedom |
The Guardian  About six or seven years ago, I began returning regularly to my birthplace of Morocco, a country I left as a child in 1989.  The Morocco of my childhood was an isolated, quasi-feudal dictatorship in which the regime of the late King Hassan II brooked no dissent. During the 1990s, in the face of global changes after the fall of the Soviet Union and a greater concern for human rights among the governments and publics of Morocco's western allies, King Hassan began a slow transformation of his ossified regime. By the time he died in 1999, he handed over to his son a political system that had the long-shunned opposition in government, a much-improved human rights record, clearer economic governance and one of the freest press in the Arab world.I had missed out on all these developments, and was astounded at the difference a little over a decade had made. For a while, like many Moroccans, I was optimistic that the new king, Muhammad VI, would continue his father's reform process. The early years of his reign seemed to bear this out, with landmark reforms of human rights, the region's only truth and reconciliation commission over past human rights abuses, and a focus on addressing poverty that earned him the monicker "king of the poor". However, it was Le Journal Hebdomadaire, an irreverent and audacious magazine, that seemed to me – perhaps because I was editing a like-minded publication in Egypt at the time – to most embody the changes that had taken place. Le Journal gave me hope that the new Morocco was real, and that the new king would allow a gradual and peaceful transition to democracy. Read Full Article
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Comments (2)
Jawad
said:
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hile MoroccoBoard.com encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. MoroccoBoard.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments. This is a moderated forum. Comments deemed abusive, offensive, or those containing profanity may not be published.
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DG Oui! D'accord! Mais ça montre que la Justice peut être efficace! Ensuite, parmi vos Actionnaires, il y suffisamment d'argent pour parer aux dettes envers l'Etat et le Privé, et continuer le Titre.... Alors? |
Zaki
said:
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... Good personal story, but as far as political analysis of the situation, I leave it alone. Have you always wondered why Freedom in Morocco, never reaches its peak? It starts, there is hope, excitement then everything starts to unfold...Culture of patron-ism and entrenched symbolic domination. Think about it? The monarchy, the foundation of the Cherifian empire itself is at stake, if full blown democracy is instituted. What role would it play in a democracy- a figure head like Spanish king Don Carlos or Nowergian king "Igor the unknown"? Democracy (and even its aspirations) is a joke, not only for Morocco, but all Arabs countries. Stick current regulated fake democracy, and do not try to get ahead of yourself. |
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