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Virtual
Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review
May
7 2005
Hollywood Stars
Reach Out to Moroccan Women
Over 400,000 people enrolled in anti-illiteracy programs.
Biadillah discusses
care for AIDS patients.
Unemployment rate
drops to 8.10pc in Morocco.
Morocco considers
plan to ward off bird flu threat.
Asthma affects
over 2 million in Morocco.
Moroccan Red Crescent
Organizes Fight Against Blindness Campaign.
Canada grants Morocco
over CAD 13m to improve education.
Meeting in Brussels
discusses investment in Morocco.
Regression in human
rights despite breakthroughs in Morocco.
Brad Pitt and Cate
Blanchett in Morocco to shoot 'Babel'.
Jews' life in Morocco,
best example of tolerance, Jewish leader.
Moroccan cinema
to hold a pride of place at Cannes Festival.
Moroccan plastic
surgery competitiveness attracts foreigners, TV magazine.
Marrakech to roll
on Rock Festival.
Foreign Trade Council:
accompanying measures are crucial for Morocco-US FTA success.
Over 80% of rural
areas to get electricity this year.
Nuclear energy
becoming a must to Morocco.
Morocco's charity
Homes in crisis
Human Rights :
Gender considerations needed in international agreements
'Aicha des Gazelles'
women adventure ends in celebration.
Morocco Sheds Light
on Past Crimes.
Reporter without
Borders: Morocco - 2005 annual report.
Hollywood Stars
Reach Out to Moroccan Women.
Rabat, May 2
A group of Hollywood stars will conduct a goodwill trip to Morocco early next June in a mission to forge lasting bonds of friendship with women leaders in this Muslim nation that is experiencing a "smooth revolution" as a result of steps taken by HM King Mohammed VI to empower women in all walks of life. The group includes Jorja Fox, who plays Sara Sidle on the long-running American television hit series CSI (Crime Scene Investigation), and friend Cheri Shankar, board member of several non-profit organizations in Los Angeles, California, says the Friendship Caravan on its website.
The trip is coordinated by The Friendship Caravan -a non-profit organization- in cooperation with the Embassy of Morocco in Washington, and sponsored by the Moroccan National Tourism Office. The Friendship caravan president, Michael Kirtley, told "Aujourd'hui le Maroc" daily reporters will not miss the opportunity to give wide coverage to the trip and, therefore, to Morocco. The pair plans to propose the creation of a conference in 2006 celebrating women innovators from both nations, says the NGO.
The Friendship caravan which "aspires to bring Arabs and Americans together through events and educational programs, help to eliminate misconceptions and foster understanding", stresses that "Morocco is one of the most fascinating and culturally rich countries in the world.
In exotic locales such as Fez, Casablanca, Marrakech, and the Sahara Desert, Jorja and Cheri plan to offer ongoing support from American women to their Moroccan counterparts, particularly following the galvanizing impact of the progressive new family law called Moudwanna. They will meet numerous leaders and dignitaries in politics, government, social reform, education, business and the arts, and take time to enjoy Morocco's architecture, art, music, folklore, and natural beauty.
The caravan quotes
on its website Jorja Fox as saying: "Through this trip to Morocco I hope
to encourage other people to visit and to be more understanding of cultures that are different than their own. I also hope that
we will be able to spread this message by laying the groundwork with The Friendship Caravan and Moroccan partners for an annual 'America-Morocco
Friendship Conference of Women Innovators.'"
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box1/hollywood_stars_reac/view
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Over 400,000 people enrolled in anti-illiteracy programs.
Rabat, May.05
462,000 people are enrolled in anti-illiteracy programmes, said, here Thursday, secretary of State in charge of Literacy and Informal Education, Anis Birou. In an exposé presented during the government council, the minister indicated that women account for 80.3% of the people who attended the literacy courses and 56.2% are from the rural world.He said 33,000 children benefited from informal education courses, including 64% of girls.
Speaking at a press briefing following the weekly cabinet meeting, Moroccan
minister of Communication, Spokesman of the Government, Nabil Benabdallah said
Morocco is resolved to eradicate illiteracy through the illiteracy-eradication
national project that aims at eradicating illiteracy for 5 million Moroccans by 2010. The project also ambitions to reduce the illiteracy
rate for adult in the age group of 15-41 to 17% in 2010. The minister noted that 400,000 trainers and some MAD 1.9 billion (nearly US$
220 million) for a five-year period are needed to achieve these objectives.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box4/over_400000_people7551/view
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Biadillah discusses care for AIDS patients.
Minister of Health
Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah held Monday in Rabat a meeting with the delegation
of the GIP-Esther European network. The meeting dealt mainly with the financing
of health care to AIDS patients, the reinforcement of Moroccan networks for
psycho-social support and the establishment of South-South and North-South cooperation, indicated a communiqué
from the Ministry of Health.In 2002, the GIP-Esther network replaced the International
Therapeutic Solidarity Funds, originally created in 1996 by the French government
in the framework of its solidarity initiative for retroviral drugs. Morocco
became one of the first developing countries to benefit from the GIP-Esther
network when it signed a convention with the French Ministry of Health, reported
MAP.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/news/article.asp?id=6197
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Unemployment rate
drops to 8.10pc in Morocco.
Rabat, May 02
Unemployment rate in Morocco has fallen in 2004 to 8.10pc against 11.4pc in 2003, announced on Saturday Minister of Labor and Vocational training, Mustapha Mansouri, on the occasion of the Labor Day. In a televised speech, he said the government policy currently focuses on encouraging investments, improving working conditions of enterprises and supporting youth labor. To promote youth labor, Mansouri explained, the government has set up a program of complementary training that allowed 20,000 graduates in 2004 to join the labor market. He added that in the same year 730 enterprises were created, generating 2670 jobs.
The minister deemed
that the implementation of the Labor Code in June 2004 had a positive impact
especially on social dialogue, as the number of strikes dropped from 440 in 2000 to 2004. According to Mansouri, the living
conditions of workers have also improved thanks to the services provided by
the national social security fund (CNSS) to over 1.6 million workers, for a
total of MAD 6.6 billion (around USD 776 million) in 2004. He added that a strategic plan was adopted for 2004-2006 to cover 2 million
workers by the end of 2005 through the modernising of CNSS and its management methods.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_economy/unemployment_rate_dr/view
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Morocco considers
plan to ward off bird flu threat.
Rabat, Apr. 29
A strategic plan
to counter a potential bird flu pandemic will soon be devised by an ad hoc committee,
announced, here Friday, the director of the National Hygiene Institute (French
acronym INH). Rajae El Aouad said in a roundtable the threat of bird flu pandemic
is still in the wind on the global level, and Morocco, like other countries,
has, since 2003, taken several measures to ward off such a pandemic. Among these
measure, she explained, the strengthening of pandemic surveillance, the promotion
of vaccination and the creation of a response program. She went on that Morocco
has an efficacious surveillance program, which covers nine provinces, insisting,
however, on the need to have a communication and information policy with the
population to avoid panic and mayhem in case of pandemic. Since it appeared
in 2003 in Southeast Asia, the H5N1 virus has killed a total of 52 people in
Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. INH organized this meeting to celebrate its
75th anniversary. It is part of a campaign to prepare Moroccan health services against the potential occurrence
of a world pandemic.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/general/morocco_considers_pl/view
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Asthma affects
over 2 million in Morocco.
5/4/2005
Two to three million
individuals, mainly children aged between 11 and 14, suffer from asthma in Morocco,
said Fatima Dehbi, paediatrician and head of the Socio-cultural Complex Ibn
Al Khattab in Rabat. Dehbi was speaking at an open-door day organized at Ibn
Al Khattab complex on the occasion of the International Asthma Day under the
topic "Answering the non-satisfied needs of asthma," which aims to
sensitise citizens, especially those suffering from asthma, about the dangers of this disease and
the need for early consultations.This event, she went on, has mobilized a number
of physicians who agreed to take in charge individuals suffering from asthma,
and explain its symptoms (breathing difficulties, chest-wheezing, and coughing)
especially throughthe organization of training workshops.Dehbi also announced
the opening of the first peripheral centre for therapy education for asthma
suffering children, which will be housed at the Ibn Al Khattab Complex. According
to recent figures issued by the World Health Organization, about half a billion
people suffer from this disease worldwide.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/news/article.asp?id=6230
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Moroccan Red Crescent
Organizes Fight Against Blindness Campaign.
03/05/2005
The Moroccan Red
Crescent (MRC) is holding a national campaign to fight blindness during MRC
Week from 8-15 May, starting with World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day on 8
May. Association president Princess Lalla Malika will lead a campaign consisting
of free medical consultations and diagnoses on blindness and vision impairment
and provide around 20 cataract operations daily.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/homepage/
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Canada grants Morocco
over CAD 13m to improve education.
Rabat, May 4
Morocco and Canada
signed, here Tuesday, an agreement under which the Canadian government grants
Morocco CAD 13.5m (about Euro 8.35m) to reinforce the institutional capacities of the education system in implementing
decentralization and devolution. The agreement provides mainly for respecting
the Millennium Goals in the field of education, reducing disparities between
sexes and social groups, improving the performance the education system (SED)
incumbents. The agreement falls under the competence of the Moroccan Education
Ministry and the Canadian Agency of International Development.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/canada_grants_morocc/view
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Meeting in Brussels
discusses investment in Morocco.
01-05-2005
The Club of Moroccan Investors Abroad organized recently in Brussels a meeting concerning the business investment opportunities in Morocco and the administrative and fiscal services available to potential investors in the kingdom. The meeting, aimed at luring new investments into Morocco, was supported by the Walloon Agency for Export (AWEX) and jointly organized by the group of Banques Populaires, the World Council of Moroccans residing abroad and Bank Al-Amal.
Yabiladi reports that one of the key addresses in that meeting was of
the Moroccan Minister of Finance regarding the fiscal-tax, customs and banking services granted to investors and regarding the Regional Centers of
Investment (CRY). This address, by the Moroccan minister, was followed by an
address from Bank Al Amal and the AWEX organization, created only last July
in order to support Belgian exporters and investors abroad, and by two addresses
of two investors in Morocco, a Belgian and a Moroccan, residing abroad, who
reported on their experience in Morocco. © 2005 Mena Report
http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Morocco/182970
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Regression in human
rights despite breakthroughs in Morocco.
5/2/2005
Since the start of the 90s Morocco has achieved major breakthroughs in human rights promotion but has also recorded some regressions, according to the "Centre Marocain des Droits de l'Homme" (CMDH). The NGO, presenting its 2004 report at its general assembly held here over the weekend, noted "relapses" in public freedom and economic, social and cultural rights. "Despite the Moroccan constitution's provisions that provide for the respect of a set of public freedoms, mainly those related to movement, meetings, opinion, expression, creation of associations, membership of political parties and trade unions, these freedoms and rights are not applied appropriately," says a centre member.
The report also touched on the condition of women, explaining that despite huge efforts to improve their status, "women continue to experience precarious social conditions, worsened by poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, in addition to cultural obstacles that hinder their integration in society. "As far as the situation of children is concerned, the report notes the progression of ill treatment and sexual exploitation of children, ascribing this to poverty, poor methods to help and protect children and, particularly to the non-observance of international conventions on children's rights and protection.
The CMDH noted, however, progress
in human rights mentioning, such as the release of several political prisoners,
the creation of a set of institutions to protect human rights, such as Administrative
Courts, the Human Rights Consultative Council, Diwan Al Madhalim (ombudsman),
the Higher Council for the Audio-Visual Sector and the Justice and Reconciliation
Commission (IER). The NGO also cited the various laws adopted to broaden the
scope of rights and freedoms, including the new Criminal Law, the new Family
Code, the Labour Code, in addition to amendments seeking to consolidating the
rights of women and children. Concerning economic and social rights, the report
observes that except for some partial gains (compulsory health insurance, the
new family code and the labor code), economic and social rights have not evolved
due to the Moroccan economy's weak growth. The CMDH was set up in 1999 with the
initial aim of carrying out studies in human rights action. Two years later,
it became more involved in disseminating and protecting human rights.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=2&id=6168
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Brad Pitt and Cate
Blanchett in Morocco to shoot 'Babel'.
Ouarzazate, May 3
Cinema icon Brad
Pitt, Oscar winner Cate Blanchett and Gael Garcia Bernal are starring in Babel,
a drama directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and currently being shot in
Ouarzazate. The drama will reteam Inarritu with screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga.
The two also collaborated on 21 Grams and Amores Perros. Blanchett won a best
supporting actress Oscar for her performance in The Aviator. The drama, produced
by Paramount Pictures, is about thre interweaving stories taking place in Morocco,
Tunisia, Mexico and Japan. This is the first time that Blachett will be united
with "The Mexican" leading star, Pitt, who already had an opportunity
to shoot on a Morocco location in 2001 for Tony Scott's Spy Game.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box1/brad_pitt_and_cate_b/view
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Jews' life in Morocco,
best example of tolerance, Jewish leader.
Amsterdam, May 04
The head of the Israelite communities council in Moroccobelieves that the Moroccan experience in religion coexistence is an example that denies any supposed irremediable hostility between Arabs and Jews. "The fate of Jews in Morocco has always been better than elsewhere," Serge Berdugo said, here Tuesday, during a ceremony celebrating the Jewish feast of Mimouna. The ceremony organized in Amsterdam, he said, reinforces the efforts meant to consolidate understanding between the Moroccan community and its host country and to eliminate prejudices.
Moroccan Jews came from Morocco and several
European countries to attend Mimouna celebrations in the presence of Dutch figures
and members of the Moroccan community in the Netherlands. The Jewish feast perpetuates
the Jewish tradition that started in Morocco where Moslems used to bring food
to their Jewish neighbors after Passover. Organizers wanted to reflect the harmony
that has always marked coexistence between Morocco's Jews and Moslems, explained
secretary general of Moroccan-Jewish cultural Maïmoun heritage, Nadir Majid.
The ceremony was attended by Nina Pieters, a Dutch director who shot a documentary
in Morocco on the life of Jewish families in the cities of Casablanca and Marrakech.
Moroccan diplomats and members of the Moroccan Jewish community in Belgium were
also present at the ceremony. http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_social/jews__life_in_morocc/view
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Moroccan cinema
to hold a pride of place at Cannes Festival.
Rabat, May.03
Moroccan cinema will hold a pride of place at the Cannes Festival on May 14 in the Moroccan cinema day. Under the theme "All World Cinema", the Cannes Festival will dedicate a special day to Morocco along with seven other countries. Besides seven Moroccan short feature-length movies, the festival will screen three long feature-length movies: "Badis" of Mohamed Abderrahman Tazi, "Mémoire en detention" of Jilali Ferhati and "l'enfant endormi" of Yasmina Kassari.
The Cannes Film
Festival is one of the world's most prestigious film festivals, and was first
held from September 20 through October 5, 1946 in the resort town of Cannes, south of France. Since then, it has been held annually
in May with a few exceptions. The festival is attended by world movie stars
and is a popular venue for movie producers from all over the globe. The most
prestigious award given out at Cannes is the Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) for the
best film. The 2005 Cannes Film Festival will run May 11-22. Twenty movies from
13 countries have been selected to compete. The awards will be announced May
21.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/imp_culture/moroccan_cinema_to_h/view
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Moroccan plastic
surgery competitiveness attracts foreigners, TV magazine.
Casablanca, May 5
Plastic surgery is a promising market in Morocco attracting foreign customers, owing to its good quality and competitiveness, a TV magazine broadcast on Wednesday revealed. According to "Echoeco" which interviewed European women who came to Morocco to be operated on, this type of surgery knows a massive affluence of foreigners attracted by competitive package of services (EUR 2,000 instead of EUR 3,500 in France), good post-operation care, and competent practitioners.
There are 40 plastic
surgeons in Morocco, performing an annual average of 80 to 100 operations, and
80% of their patients are women reports the magazine. However, the operations
performed in Morocco are more of the "light" type which does not require
a long post-operation follow-up, such as mammoplasty, liposuction, lifting and
hair transplant. But, according to the program, posted on the net http://www.echoeco.com
,
for Moroccans, this kind of surgery remains a luxury, especially among Moroccan
men who are reluctant to use cosmetics and prefer the conventional body care
methods (sauna, hammam and massages) to manicures, pedicures. A new brand of
cosmetics exclusively designed for men will be launched this year to shore up
the weak market of men cosmetics.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box5/moroccan_plastic_sur/view
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Marrakech to roll
on Rock Festival.
Marrakech, May.05
A Rock Festival will be organised in the imperial city of Marrakech May 6-8, announced Friendship Festival association President, Abdelali Domou. Speaking at a press briefing, Domou said the festival will promote Marrakech destination and consolidate Morocco-American peoples relationship.
Renowned American Rock'n'Roll musical bands notably Out of Eden, Delerious Jeremy
Camp, Newsboys, Rock'n'roll worship circus, Joy Williams Band and Phil Keaggy
Band will participate in this event besides Morocco's Nass El Ghiwane, Jil Jilala,
Alwane, Hoba Hoba Spirit, Bakbou, Joudia, Karima Skali and Dakka Marrakchia.
The MAD 2 million festival, which will be performed in the mystic Bab Ighli
square, is open to the public to discover the artistic and tourist diversity
of the two nations.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box1/marrakech_to_roll_on/view
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Foreign Trade Council:
accompanying measures are crucial for Morocco-US FTA success.
Casablanca, May 05
Although the Morocco-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) offers considerable opportunities to Moroccan textile exporters and an outlet to some agricultural produces, accompanying measures are crucial to benefit the most of the accord, believes Mohamed Benayad, head of the National Council for Foreign Trade (CNCE). Morocco has to double the pace of the restructuring process and to identify the sectors that are able to compete and be of interest to American consumers, he said recently in Casablanca during the presentation of March edition of "Conjoncture" magazine, published by the Centre Marocain de Conjoncture (CMC).
Morocco, Benayad explained,
has undoubtedly competitive farm products destined to nearly 350 million Americans, but it should first address the challenge
of a market composed of 50 States, especially with the presence of two kinds
of legislations, state legislation and federal legislation. Comparing between
the FTA and the accord signed in 1995 with the European Union (EU), Benayad noted that the first one is a global accord comprising all
products, while the second one only concerns certain products. The FTA, signed on June 15, 2004, eliminates tariffs on 95 percent of all bilateral
trade between the United States and Morocco. All remaining tariffs are to be
eliminated within nine years.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/foreign_trade_counci/view
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Over 80% of rural
areas to get electricity this year.
Rabat, May 5
Over 80% of Moroccan
rural areas will be connected to electricity by end of this year, said Energy
and Mining Minister, Mohamed Boutaleb. The official told the House of Representatives'
question-time weekly session the rural electrification rate will go up from
a present 72% to over 80% by year end. He added that by 2007, the rural electrification program projects
to supply electricity to 13,558 villages. An additional phase of this program
to include 1,310 villages in the 2006-2007 period.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/social/over_80_of_rural_ar/view
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Nuclear energy
becoming a must to Morocco.
Economics, 5/6/2005
Morocco is now forced to walk the nuclear energy path, though the nuclear option "remains open for the time being, for there is no political decision, yet" on the matter, said Khalid El Mediouri.El Mediouri, Managing Director of the National Center for energy and nuclear science and techniques (CNESTEN), told "L'Economiste" daily the center is preparing "for a political decision that is favorable to the use of nuclear power" and conducted studies on a site to host a future nuclear power plant and chose a location for the site.
This energy technology is turning into a must
due to oil high prices, the Kyoto Protocol constraints and growing development
needs, El Mediouri said stressing the center abides in its activities by international
regulations.The State has substantially invested in the nuclear field by namely
outfitting the center with high-technology equipment, El Mediouri said stressing
the government will to enhance the legal framework in this respect.He, however,
said the MAD 40 million government subsidy, around 4 million euros, to the CNESTEN
is not enough, while highlighting the importance of the center's human resources
numbering 220 officers, including 60 researchers. The center ensures its operation
spending through providing services to the public and private sector, he went
on to say.
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/050506/2005050630.html
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Morocco's charity
Homes in crisis: Mohammedia's
Islamic charity Home residents ask for help Lobby group censored broadcasting
documentary on residents' situation.
By Karima Rhanem 5/6/2005 Morocco Times
It seems that the series of charitable residential homes' scandals in Morocco will last for a long time, and may be will turn to an ongoing Mexican soap opera. The scandal of the Ain Chock Islamic residential home burst out concerns among the government and the media about the deteriorating conditions of these Homes. Conditions of other charity accommodation was reported to the media including 'the Mohammedia Islamic Orphanage.
Some young journalists have shot a documentary on the bad conditions in which its residents live. However, some officials lobbied against broadcasting the video tape on the Moroccan National channel, TVM. If the Ain Chock Charity Home residents were relieved after the King's visit, the Mohammedia Orphanage residents are longing for another visit from the King to save them from their 'piggy' life.
Morocco Times went to the Mohammedia Orphanage and met with its desperate residents who constantly call on the government and the civil society to help them out. 'Seer Hta tabra aâd aji' It was 3 pm when we arrived at the orphanage in which 13 families and 70 residents live. We came across a little boy next to the orphanage. He seemed so sick and desperate. After talking to him, we knew that he was one of the Mohammedia Orphanage residents, but now he found himself on the street."I got sick and the Orphanage administration expelled me, clearly telling me 'Seer Hta tabra aâd aji' (warning me not to come back until I recover from my illness)," said the boy. What the little boy said was embarrassing, but what we saw inside the Charity Home was more shocking. 'Baraka âyeena min el blabla' We saw an old person smoking a cigarette, sitting next to the Orphanage door. We approached the man, trying to talk to him about the situation of elderly people in the Charity Home. However, he refused to talk to us telling us 'Baraka âyeena min el blabla' (enough please, we are tired of talking), adding that people come to talk, but nobody dare to change their situation.
Ahmed Naoual in his 70s was among the 5 old people who were recently transferred to the 'Tit Mellil' centre, stating they were mentally disabled. However, Ahmed preferred to come back to the Mohammedia 'piggy House' rather than enduring the horrors of that centre.
Orwellian Animal
Farm.
Residential Home, the first thing we had noticed is the absence of the administration
or any other official. The director's office was closed. Later, we knew from
the residents that the administration quit the Home one year ago. Since then,
there has been nobody to take care of them. Though the Home's conditions had
been in deterioration for years, the situation worsened when the administration
left.The place was closer to an animal farm than a Charity Residential Home.
Rubbish is everywhere; the squalid smell makes you feel nauseous; sewage is
running across the floor, which makes it difficult to walk.
We met with some
residents who told us about their journey with suffering. Jemila Hammou struggling
to find a job: 'Ouled El Khayriya' can't find himself out Jemila Hammou, 32,
has a BA in law and unemployed since 2000. He described the miserable conditions
in which he and friends live."We don't have the least necessary facilities
a residential home should have. The administration closed one year ago and left
us to struggle for our living on our own. We have no income, we are unemployed,
no sanitary and health facilities, and even the younger kids had to drop out
from school because they don't have money to go to school and to buy books,"
said Jemila. Jemila was desperate when telling Morocco Times he believed prisoners'
conditions were better than theirs. "At least in jail, the prisoners have
all the facilities from adequate accommodation to cultural facilities. The only
difference is that we are free, but it doesn't make a difference. We feel like
we are in a detention cell," he added. Jemila and other residents struggled
so hard to complete their higher education, but found no job opportunities as
for them they will still be "Ouled el Khayriya" (people of the Charity
Home). Jemila came in with his CV and dozens of his friends' degrees. He said
that the educated residents had to put another address in their CVs so that
they could increase their chances of finding a job. "What is frustrating
is that the director of the Home and other officials are trying to spread a
bad image about the residents as delinquents, which is not true," Jemila
said. The other residents couldn't wait until Jemila finished his speech. Their
hearts were broken. The residents wanted to speak and to tell everything about
their situation. They are dreaming of a David Copperfield's spell to take them
away from their hardships.
Touhami Zitouni and Abdel Haq Ramzi dreaming of Spain: "Hargo" more than 50 times. Touhami Zitouni, 27, came to the Home in 1984. He has a very poor background with a family living in one of the shanty towns of the city of Mohammedia, around 60 Km away from Rabat, Morocco's capital. He has a degree in tailoring and other degree in repairing office machines. He does informal jobs just to ensure his daily survival.Touhami told Morocco Times that the Home administration have been treating them as if they are coming from another planet."We have no value. These officials are stealing Orphans' money and let us live in this piggy Home, and now they accusing us of 'invading' the Home without legal documents. Most of us have been here for more than 15 years, and now they want to expel us from here. Where will we go?Touhami said hopelessly: "had el maseoulin taysâw bina" (these officials were exploiting us for years to get money from the state and donors. They got billions of dirhams, but you saw where we live)
Abdel Haq Ramzi, 24, came to the Charity Home in 1990. He said he tried to immigrate illegally to Europe more than 30 times, risking his life. Ramzi told us about his adventure with migration, about his friends who died either in the sea or in the Charity Home from disease or from hunger.
Charity Home's residents took refuge in clandestine migration Lack of future prospects, instability, poverty, and unemployment force dozens of charity Homes' residents to leave Morocco illegally, seeking a better life. Everyday, many of them attempt to reach Spain from Morocco's coasts, abroad makeshift boats. While some managed to achieve their dream in their "Alice au pays des merveilles", dozens others were intercepted on their way or arrested on the Spanish territory before being expelled.
Many Moroccans like Touhami and Abdel Haq want to cross the strait of Gibraltar to reach the land of promises and possibilities. They are resorting to the highly dangerous and inhuman alternative of clandestine migration, giving up their rights in exchange for a new, clandestine life. Most of them have an idealized picture of life abroad. They are strongly influenced by images conveyed by the media about a Europe where everything is possible, and by a set of stereotype stories told by people who have returned back home from host countries - often claiming to be living very comfortably. Their ignorance is certainly and skillfully used by expanding networks of smuggler for their own, considerable enrichment. These smugglers are encouraging immigration as they propose a "ready-made" new life, "proper" papers and promises of employment which, in most cases, mean undeclared work or prostitution. They go clandestine, stowing away on ships or lorries, or paying large sums to make the crossing in small boats called 'pateras' Touhami and Abdel Haq can't afford to pay sums to smugglers. So, they use their modest means to immigrate, usually using vans' tires. However, they never managed to reach their dreams. Abdel Haq said he doesn't understand how each time he came back alive. May be he was lucky to come across fishermen who brought him back to land.In turn, Touhami said he would try again and again until he would manage to reach the other side of the Atlantic. For him dying is no longer important, since his dreams were already killed in the Charity Home.
Hard Times and
Great Expectations
Everyone of these residents has a different story with suffering and hardship,
but has one common dream, a King's visit to the Home to see the miserable conditions in which they are living. All of them said at once "May
God protect the King, we hope that he comes to save us like what he did with
the Ain Chock Orphanage. We are confident that sooner or later the King will
come to rescue us".Their situation reminded us of Charles Dickens' Hard
Times when one of the novel's character, Stephen Blackpool, said with his worker's
strong accent "Look how we live, an' wheer we live, an' in what numbers,
an' by what chances, an' wi' what sameness; and look how the mills is awlus
a-goin', and how they never works us no nigher to onny distant object-'ceptin
awlus Death. Look how you considers of us, and writes of us, and talks of us,
and goes up wi' your deputations to Secretaries o' State 'bout us, and how yo
are awlus right, and how we are awlus wrong, and never had'n no reason in us sin ever we were born. Look how this ha' growen an' growen sir, bigger an' bigger,
broader an' broader, harder an' harder, fro year to year, fro generation unto generation. Who can look on't sir, and fairly tell a man 'tis
not a muddle?"
Complaints and
legal suit
The Home's residents told Morocco Times they were surprised to know that the
administration is suing them for 'invading' the Home, and that they have no
legal documents indicating they are residents.In turn, the residents resorted
to one of outstanding lawyers in Morocco, Abderahim Jamai to help them get out
of their horrible situation. They officially and publicly sued the director
of the Charity Home, the governor of Mohammedia, and the city's national cooperation
delegate.The residents told Morocco Times that they also called Abderahim Harouchi,
Minister of Social evelopment, Family and Solidarity, to explain their situation.
However, they got nothing but calls from his assistants warning the residents
to stop complaining. Harouchi said earlier last month that the Accountably Office
will audit, following the King's instructions, 250 charities to end the mismanagement
of funds, stating that the government has allocated MAD 14 million to improve
living conditions in charitable institutions. Lobby group censored broadcasting
documentary on residents' situation. The home residents tried to reach the media
to make people aware of their situation. The Moroccan National TV, TVM, shot
a documentary on the situation of the Home's residents. Soon after he first
broadcast of the first images on TV, the Home's officials stopped giving food
to the residents for one week, for having told the truth about their living
conditions. This forced some to go to the streets to beg to ensure their daily
meals. The Moroccan TV channel came back for the second time to shoot other
scenes of inhuman practices against the Home's residents. However, this time,
the 'sanction' was even ruder than the first one. Some close officials to the
Home's administration lobbied for banning the documentary from being broadcast
on TVM. That way, their cause won't be heard.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=6314
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Human Rights : Gender considerations needed in international agreements
Gender considerations should be included in exchange agreements between Mediterranean countries, demanded participants in a colloquium on women's rights, Saturday in Fez. Participants in the international colloquium "Mediterranean women and theirrights," organized in Fez on Apr. 28-30 by the Fez Saïss association, the Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah University and the Centre of studies and research on women, called Saturday for measures to be taken to improve the situation of women in the Mediterranean region.
Among their main remarks, participants stressed that the application of the new Moudawana in Morocco was mainly hindered by illiteracy and insufficient knowledge of religious texts. They added that women needed better education to defend their rights. They also insisted on the strategic role of judges and the need to train them to apply the new family code. Considering that the application of the law does not depend on the legal system only, the participants also stressed the need to raise the Moroccan society's consciousness over this issue, calling on filmmakers and the media in general to work at improving the public's knowledge of women's rights.
In addition, a network of women's NGOs should be created in
the Mediterranean region in order to develop exchanges between both coasts;
juridical and institutional mechanisms enabling the participation of women in
elections and public life in general should be established. The participants
also recommended that administrations be provided with mechanisms for the promotion
of women and their protection from violence and sexual harassment, and for reducing
disparities concerning their access to high responsibility jobs. They also required
the introduction of gender considerations in exchange agreements between Mediterranean
countries, and the establishment of equality as a principle determining the
rights and duties of all their male and female citizens.
http://www.moroccotimes.com/paper/article.asp?idr=11&id=6163
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'Aicha des Gazelles'
women adventure ends in celebration.
Essaouira, (South of Rabat) May.02
"Aïcha des Gazelles" 2,500-km journey through the Moroccan Sahara ended, here Saturday, in celebration. Essaouiris extend a warm welcome to participants in the 15th edition of the unique women-only race as Gnaoua band and Fantasia horsemen celebrated world gazelles in the typically Moroccan hospitality. The welcome was so soul-stirring that some gazelles burst into tears. "The rally is a magnificent event in a magnificent country", said the rally organiser, Dominique. winners of 4X4 category, Canadians Annie Lapointe and Brigitte Saucier were thrilled by the welcome the imperial city devoted to the rally gazelles and voiced willingness to take part in the future edition. On Saturday, The women's version of the Paris-Dakar Rally that is open to various motorised land vehicles notably motorbikes, quad bikes, 4WDs, trucks, buggies etc consecrated its winners. Organised under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, "Aicha des Gazelles" is a unique women-only race that involves driving off-road for nearly 2,800 km through the Moroccan Sahara natural spots.
Hundred of teams from over 14 different nationalities took part in the 15th edition including many world celebrities notably Honorary advisor to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Syndiély Wade who spearhead an initiative to involve youth and sports as part of a broad mobilization to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The daughter of Senegalese President, conducted a lobbying action with UNESCO to promote fighting AIDS.In addition to Wade, Miss France 2004, Laetitia Bléger and descent Olympic champion 2003 and world champion 2002, Carole Montillet and famous dress designer, Alejandra di Andia put pedals on the metal. World journalists and TV (over 10 channels) covered this unique endurance event.
Created in 1990,
the eight-day race is the ultimate test of navigation, endurance and driving
skills as the two-person teams drive across the desert using only a compass and military maps without any support of modern GPS devices.
Speed is not taken into account in the ranking of the event as competitors must
combine strategy, keen driving and a sharp sense of direction. The Cameroon
saxophonist, Manu Dibangu's tunes draw the curtain on this edition that took
place April 21 through 30.
http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/box5/aicha_des_gazelles4441/view
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Morocco Sheds Light
on Past Crimes.
By Victoria Clark The Epoch Times. May 03, 2005
Victims of Morocco's former leader, King Hassan II, will have another chance to reform the country, after their cases of abuse under the dictator's rule will go public this month. This is the first time that Morocco has attempted to reconcile with its past since the King's death in 1999. There are believed to be at least 22,000 applications by alleged victims of torture or unlawful abductions inflicted under Hassan's rule. The assaults happened after the North African country's independence in 1956 and continued until the king's death in 1999. Maria Sharaf, one of the victims, stated that she and her husband were arrested simply for holding opinions unpopular with the regime of King Hassan II. In prison, Maria listened to her husband's screams as he was tortured, reported the BBC. "Some days I didn't see him and I didn't hear him. The police told me he was in hospital, but three days after that, when I came back home, we had a telegram saying that he was dead."
The Commission
is also set up to compensate the victims and their families. Yet for Maria Sharaf
the $15,000 dollars she received was not enough to compensate herself and her
son for their loss. The Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER) has taken
the unusual approach of airing the victims' tales of torture live on state television.
The commission is the first to be set up in an Arab country but many human rights
activists are arguing that the current leader, King Mohammad VI, is still not
going far enough. "We have cases of people who have been tortured, kidnapped
and some of them killed for their political views, even last year," stated
the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, reported the BBC. Yet given the continual
steps the king has taken in releasing political prisoners and addressing the
state- sponsored terror inflicted on his people by his father it appears Morocco
is on the road to dealing with its past persecutions.
http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/5-5-3/28414.html
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Reporter without Borders: Morocco - 2005 annual report.
Press freedom had mixed fortunes in 2004. The blanket pardon of all journalists in jail for press offences or whose trial had not yet started was offset by the imprisonment of two more journalists. Some topics remained off-limits and the authorities deported several reporters.
Prime minister Driss Jettou said the country was now on a fast-track to democracy when he made an official visit to the United States in January 2004. King Mohammed VI also pledged, on the fifth anniversary of coming to the throne, that he would lead the country through an "irreversible" transition to democracy and said he favoured the growth of "professional, free and credible media." The state's broadcasting monopoly is expected to end in 2005 and the sector be opened to private ownership. A law to this effect was approved by parliament on 25 November 2004 after many months of delay. It changes the state radio and official TV stations RTM and 2M into companies open to private capital - a first for broadcasting in North Africa unless the government cheats on this test of democracy.
Non-governmental organisations and the Moroccan Press Association (SNPM) have criticised the make-up of the Supreme Broadcasting Authority (HACA) and the fact that any foreign media granted broadcasting licences must promise to "scrupulously respect the values of the monarchy and the kingdom's achievements in Islamic matters and territorial unity." Security measures have increased with a new anti-terrorist law passed quickly and unanimously in the wake of the May 2003 bomb attacks in Casablanca and led to prosecution of many journalists that year. Two journalists were jailed for libel in 2004. A survey by communications expert Said Mohamed, helped by the SNPM and Germany's Friedrich Ebert Foundation, showed 80% of journalists did not feel free to write about all topics and 56% did not like the press law.
The most sensitive topic cited was politics, especially concerning government members. "How can public policy be discussed if journalists cannot criticise what public figures do ?" the survey report asked. Privately-owned papers have to deal with biased police and courts, cannot criticise the person or wealth of the king and face imprisonment for press offences and loss of revenue through withdrawal of government advertising in the case of papers such as Le journal hebdomadaire and Tel Quel, as well as pressure on printing firms.
The media is also harassed by Islamist movements. A letter-bomb was sent to the offices of the national daily Al-Ahdath Al-Maghribia on 5 January 2004 in the form of New Year greetings. Senior editor Mohammed el-Brini said it had clearly come from Islamist militants and was an "extension" of the Casablanca bombings. The paper, which backs the Socialist Party, has been repeatedly threatened in letters and e-mails because of its anti-Islamist stand. The authorities closely monitored the activities and movements of journalists to block any independent reporting on the issue of Western Sahara. Two French freelance journalists, Catherine Graciet and Nadia Ferroukhi, and three journalists from the Norwegian daily Stavanger Aftenblad, Erik Hagen, Tor Dagfinn Dommersnes and Fredrik Refvem, were arrested by state security police and deported, even though they had journalist visas and permission to film.
Two journalists
imprisoned
Despite an encouraging start to the year with the release of two jailed journalists
and the pardoning of all journalists being prosecuted for press offences, imprisonment was again used by the authorities to stifle press freedom
and two journalists were jailed for libel. One of them, Anas Tadili, was still being held at the end of the year. The king pardoned journalists Ali
Lmrabet and Mohammad el-Hourd on 7 January. Lmrabet, editor of Demain Magazine
and Douman and local correspondent for Reporters Without Borders, had been given
a four-year sentence on 21 May 2003 by a Rabat court for "insulting"
the king, "undermining territorial unity" and "undermining the
monarchy." This had been reduced on appeal on 17 June to three years. He
was awarded the Reporters Without Borders - Fondation de France Prize on 10
December. El-Hourd, editor of the weekly Asharq (in the northeastern city of
Oujda), had been provisionally detained on 13 June 2003 and sentenced under
the anti-terrorist law on 4 August to three years in prison for "inciting
violence."
Anas Guennoun, editor of the weekly Al Ahali, was given a 10-month prison sentence for libelling a politician and imprisoned in Tangiers on 2 April 2004. He had written an article in 1999 about the private life of the governor of Tangiers. Guennoun was given a new sentence of eight months imprisonment on 21 April for libel. He was freed on bail on 4 August and went into hiding. A new libel case against him was heard on 9 November.
Anas Tadili, editor of the weekly Akhbar al-Ousbouaâ, was jailed after
being summoned to a Rabat police station in the middle of the night on 15 April,
officially for a civil matter dating back to 1994. In fact, his arrest was because
of a 9 April article about homosexuality among Moroccan politicians, including
the activities of a government minister at a northern seaside resort. The finance
ministry reportedly pressed the justice minister to imprison the journalist.
Tadili was questioned by the Rabat royal prosecutor on 19 April as part an enquiry
ordered by prime minister Jettou under a law allowing prosecution of those who
damage the reputation of a government minister. He was given a six-month prison
sentence on 1 June for libel, "insulting a government figure" and
"putting out false news." A dozen other complaints were filed against
him. He was sentenced on 29 September to a year in prison and fined 10,000 dirhams
(900 euros) for libelling a government minister. He was being held at the end
of the year at Kenitra prison, north of Rabat.
In 2004...
Interview
"Still much to be done"
Ahmed R. Benchemsi, 30, publishes an outspoken weekly paper, Tel Quel, founded
in September 2001, which tackles sensitive topics such as the monarchy's wealth, drug trafficking in the Rif region and sex in Moroccan society.
What's it like working as a journalist in Morocco ? Press freedom has improved
a lot since King Hassan II died and his son Mohammed VI took over. Working conditions
are very good in Casablanca and Rabat. But access to news is very difficult
in the provinces, where local media are more vulnerable to pressure due to being
far from the capital and from international contacts that would defend them
when attacked. French-language papers fare better than Arab-language ones because
they're better known to press freedom organisations. How can press freedom be
improved ? For me, the big event of 2004 was the release of Ali Lmrabet, which
set the tone for the new year. It was a great victory. But there's still much
to be done, especially as long as the press law includes prison sentences for
journalists and heavy fines. Some parts of the law have also become obsolete,
such as the ban on media outlets having foreign shareholders. The most "official"
daily, Le Matin, is now owned by a Saudi citizen. The authorities' lack of transparency
is still a problem, but officials are starting to be more open. That's good.
But at the level of the royal palace, there's still a complete blackout. Is
there still censorship ? Directly, hardly any. No newspapers were seized in 2004. But there's still widespread
self-censorship and many topics can't be mentioned. January 2005
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=13310
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