Thursday, 17 May 2012
 
 

Paint The Town Moroccan


B'net Houariyat @ Kennedy Cntr

Morocco-US: Visa Talk

Hamid Kachmar's "Intricacies"
Constitution Referendum TV Debate


Moroccan Vocalist in Detroit  1  2

Polisario In Washington


Kids:    "My Morocco"

 

Submit classified free
Fallouts of Algeria Egypt Soccer Confrontation PDF Print
HASSAN MASIKY
Baltimore MD, Dec.09- Finally! The Algerian people have had a chance to witness the true feelings of millions of Moroccans harbor toward their neighbors to the east.  Moroccans’ celebrations of the historic win of the Algerian soccer team against Egypt were heartwarming. The spontaneous explosions of joy by thousands of Moroccans celebrating a well deserving Algerian team were unprecedented considering the tense relations between Rabat and Algiers over the Western Sahara conflict. Moroccans, holding Algerian flags, streamed into the streets of several Moroccan cities including Casablanca, Rabat, and the border town of Oujda rejoicing along with the Algerian public across the “closed” borders.
In the last thirty years, the Algerian people were subjected to several rigorous anti-Morocco campaigns conducted by the Algerian Military establishment. To reinforce their grip on power, some in the Algerian  demonized Morocco, making it a favorite punching.  Events such as the Sands war, the Moroccan Green March, the mass expulsion of thousands of Moroccans by the Algerian government, and Morocco’s impulsive and one sided closure of Morocco-Algeria borders in 1994 led to a progressive worsening the relations between the two peoples and re-enforced the “evil” image of“suspicious” Morocco in the eyes of millions of Algerians.

For Moroccans, the Algerian society is the closest culture to the Moroccan way of life. In terms of language, history and habits, Moroccans and Algerians traditions are grossly similar. Beyond the constants, Moroccans view Algerian as partners if not brothers and sisters. As evident from the Joyful celebration in the aftermath of Algeria’s recent soccer win, the majority of Moroccans harbor goodwill for Algeria and take pride in the achievements of their neighbors.

Morocco’s benevolence toward their neighbors extends beyond a soccer team to other domains. Algerian individual achievements bring gratification and pride to the heart of Moroccans, since it is viewed as an achievement by a brother that would make the whole family proud. In supporting the Algerian team in a game against and a team from a friendly country, Egypt, Moroccans were cheering for a brother playing a cousin.

Numerous Algerians were completely surprised by the significant level of support and the intensity of the Moroccan ecstasy before, during and after the Algeria- Egypt World Cup qualifier game. Algerians, who have grown to second guess the intentions of Moroccans, were taken back by the honesty and candor of the Moroccan public. Algerians could never imagine themselves running down the streets of Algiers burnishing the Moroccan flag in celebration of a Moroccan win. However, the average Moroccan have always differentiate between the politics of the Algerian government and the feelings of an Algerian society that greatly suffered and awfully endured under a brutal French occupation.

Withstanding the long simmering political animosity between The Moroccans and the Algerian government, the outpouring support of the Moroccans was sincere and without a hidden agenda. Since the Moroccan national soccer team was out of the World Cup qualifying completion, the Algerian team became the natural and obvious favorite squadron in the eyes of the Moroccan public.

Ironically, the Algerian government, usually quick to attack Morocco’s political overtures, was slow in responding to Egypt’s fierce diplomatic provocations. The Algerian press has been complaining about the passive mannerism of their government foreign policy establishment in defending Algerian’s behavior in Sudan; and Egypt accusation of attacks by the Algerian fans against the Egyptians in Khartoum. Various Algerian news outlets, used to an aggressive foreign policy when it comes to Morocco, are dismayed to the silence of the Bouteflika government in light of the continued spat with the Egyptians.  In a sign of a possible breakthrough in the relations between Moroccans and Algerians, at the non-official level, the Algerian blog sphere have been less anti-Moroccan since Moroccan’s  celebrations of Algeria’s win became public. Would an official change of position follow suit? That remains to be seen.

 In fact, by staying calm during the crisis with Egypt, the Algerian government is adopting a smart diplomatic policy. Could this new approach be the future of the relations with Rabat? With the new posture of the Algerian public toward Moroccans, the Algerian military may be forced to reconsider its relations with Morocco. The Hassan II-Boumediene game ended a long time ago; it is time for a new game in town.


{sidebar id=3 align=left}


 

While 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.

 
Trackback(0)
Comments (11)add comment
feedSubscribe to this comment's feed

algeriian said:

...
ALGERIA MAROCCO TUNISIA = MAGHREB UNITED INCHALLAH (l)
01/23/10

NJ said:

Brothers
In the circles of Eastern Morocco, particularly in Oujda, everyone refers to Alegrians as "Khawa" meaning "Brothers". The same is shared accross the border on the Algerian side. That alone speaks volume for who we are as Maghariba. Unfortunately for both, the Governments that control both sides are illegitime and have worked hard to keep us apart. I think the true referendum needed is the one providing both sides an opportunity to choose how we live and who leads us. When that true version of democracy is realized then the both sides working together will make a better future for its people. We share the culture, the language, and the religion. It can't be any better !
12/15/09

dziri said:

Easy does it
There is no question people from Algeria and Morocco are made of the same stock. We share the same character inherited from our geography, the same perspective on life because of common history, the same languages because of common genetics and because of our "Din" and we are organically rooted in our land irrespective of where we live. The fact that our governments don't see eye to eye is in fact an anomaly that ultimately will resolve itself because no force can stop in the long term the will of people. Keep the faith we are the people of the land where the sun sets nothing else. We are not egyptians and we are not arabs because "al Shami Shami wal Baghdadi Baghdadi). Salam to my brothers and sisters in Morrocco.
12/15/09

Omar said:

...
Honestly,I really dont care much about what this goverment are doing to eachother,we the citizen of Algeria and Morroco are paying for it...It's said and petatic,The truth is that Morrocans and Algerians will always brothers no matter what,Dont listen to the propaganda from this both liars cheats goverments,We have eachother and we'll always will.
After the match against Egypt,My love for the Morrocan people and Morroco has become bigger and stronger,What i would say to this two goverments is ,You can close the border or separate us,but you can never turn us against eachother......Maghreb forever!!
12/11/09

3amid said:

...
blame it all on Algeria, like morocco is the paradise...now if Algeria closed the boarders on you, so we are equal now, isn't it? and that what it seems like it...now can anyone tell me how is it morocco is crying for Algeria to reoppen it again?
12/10/09

Latif said:

Correction
It's unfortunately Algeria not Motrocco who closed the frontier in 1994, by reaction to imposing the visa by Morocco to Algerians after the terrorist attack in Atlas-Asni hotel in Marrakech in August 1994, during which 2 spanish tourists were killed by a group of 4 among them 2 xhere franco-algerians. The golden rule in diplomacy is the Reciprocity: You imposed a visa on my citizens ! I also impose one on yours. That's it. But the algerian regime was too "proud" and wanted to punish Morocco: it closed the frontiers. In fact, it punishes the moroccan and algerian people.
12/10/09

mimi Hamoudi said:

Thank you
I always loved Morocco , Moroccans, are were and they will always be my brothers .I think we should unite Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria to be one BIG NATION .
12/10/09

Morcelli said:

...
Mr Hassan said " Would an official change of position follow suit?" My response is: not in your and my lifetime.
"Could this new approach be the future of the relations with Rabat?", don't count on it in your and my lifetime.

You may think that I am negative, maybe I am, but the facts are there for us to see. Algeria see Morocco as a threat to their false sens of pride. They would hate to see a prosperous Morocco. Look for yourself, Morocco has no natural resources ( no oil) and it is doing much much better than Algeria. Can you imagine if Morocco was as well resourced as Algeria?
We do not have the billions that Algeria has but we do have a leader who does what he can with what he has and he does it well. Algeria instead is still living in the past, in Bouteflika's era, you can't help it but feel sorry for the Algerian people. Algeria has nothing to be proud of when its people are still dying in the ocean to cross to Europe. Algerian people need to realize that it is time for a change. They do see Bouteflika as someone who helped reducing terrorism in their country and I give him prop for that, but it is time to step aside and let others who are willing to work for the Algerian people first and for the Maghreb Unity in general.
Algerian people could build him a little statue in Algiers square and thank him good bye.

Until that happens, don't get too optimistic.

Morocco need to be bit more creative, they have been doing the same thing over and over, I am not sure if we can still afford the status quo and the ping pong matches that we played against Algeria. There has to come time to deliver the knockout punch and that is to reach out to the Sahraoui people.
We can use the inhabitants of Laayoon, smara and boujdoor as the messengers of peace and goodwill. If these people tell the people of Tindouf that they are better off in Morocco and that Morocco is better than living in tent under the mercy of Algerian leftovers, there won't be any more Polisario left in Tindouf, right now all they hear is imprisonment of their brothers and siters, madame hidora...etc. Algeria is winning the propaganda war but for how long?
12/10/09

Mourad002 said:

Warm thanks to our brother in Morocco
Thanks to our brothers in Morocco. We in Algeria we were all hoping also that morocco will win and join us but the reality went different, never-mind next time i am sure morocco will be much more better.
vive Maghreb united.
12/10/09

Aksil said:

I would agree 100%
The problem is that moroccan and algerian governments are both illegitimate. Future generations may build a true democracy by the people and for the people. Then, greatness will sprout. Today none of the governments - not just northern Africans but European and Americans as well- wants us good to "we the People", except General DeGaulle who tried once, but failed. While India, Brazil, and some countries from the former USSR are moving away from poverty to development, we stay still if not on the verge of becoming poorer and poorer.
Let's bridge-up the two great Nations: Algeria and Morocco! Let's build a strong Economy and Education policies based on pragmatism Science and technology rather than theocracy and frightening Sovereinty wich DO NOT provide a daily meal to each of us and to future generations. The facts lay under the fake stains keeping the current ideology based on propaganda alive. We, as the same People, are NOT made of wood, but steel.
Let's get U-N-I-T-E-D!
Respectfully,
12/09/09

Yacine said:

Brothers
As Algerian, I always considered Moroccan as our closest brothers. No mater what the governments on both sides say. Actually, Algerians in general don't have any animosity toward their Moroccan and Tunisian neighbors. To me we are the same people with shared history. Algerian, never felt close to Egypt, we are so different in many ways. We will be so strong if the three countries work together.
12/09/09

Write comment

busy