On Tuesday, July 16, Human Rights Watch called on Moroccan authorities to free Abdassamad Haydour, a university student from Taza (110 km east Fez) convicted of offending the dignity of the king. Human Rights Watch said that Moroccan authorities should release the student to comply with the spirit of the new constitution which enshrines the freedom of speech, stressing that Morocco should repeal the repressive laws that put Abdassamad behind bars.

“If Morocco really intends to implement the guarantees of freedom of expression provided by the new constitution, it must get rid of laws that send people to jail for insulting the head of state, even if what they say may seem rude,” said Joe Stork, acting  director for the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch.

“Haydour’s attack against the king may seem rude and disrespectful to some people, but as long as he is in jail for speaking thus, no Moroccan really has the right to speak freely of the king,” he added.

The human rights organization added that Abdassamad Haydour, 24, has already served half of his three-year sentence for a YouTube video considered offensive to the king and that the period he spent is the longest for a crime of this type during the past few years.

Abdassamad Haydour was sentenced by the court of Taza on February 13, 2012 to three years in prison and a fine of MAD10,000 for “insulting the king,” in accordance with Article 179 of the Penal Code and Article 41 of press code.

By Erin Geneva

Morocco World News

Rabat, July 17, 2013

When visiting a new country, immersing yourself in a new language, culture and environment, it is inevitable to make a few cultural faux pas. Of course you will be ignorant of local customs, and when you try to use any new words you have learned in the local language, you are bound to make some mistakes.

And indeed all of this is part of the adventure of traveling to a new place. It is also, what makes receiving tourists in one’s own country enjoyable. You have the chance to guide a foreigner through a new experience, and discover that parts of your life that you find dull and mundane, are exotic and interesting to somebody who is not used to them. You have an opportunity to observe your own life through an outside perspective. Traveling to new places and meeting foreigners in your own country also provides a unique opportunity for appreciating what is special about your own culture and home.

Now while in a new environment, where there are different ways of greeting, eating, speaking and of showing respect to others, most of us will make a few mistakes. Often we may mildly offend others in the process. But usually, people are understanding, and often they will patiently explain how to correct such behaviors. Above all, cultural faux pas are generally a result of ignorance.

I don’t believe that it’s necessary to become an expert on a different country before you decide to pay a visit. Actually, having a few surprises after you arrive, and learning new things about a country during your visit is what makes up half the fun of traveling. And indeed some of the mistakes you make will likely be a source of light hearted amusement for locals.

But, it is certainly necessary to learn a few basic things about the country that you plan to visit. You can likely do this by a quick google search and skimming through Wikipedia and a few other articles you will undoubtedly come across. It is also always prudent to consult your nation’s travel advisory.

And doing all of this should take you….a whopping 15-20 minutes. Maybe a half hour. Let’s face it, you can probably do that on your Iphone while waiting at the passport office or even while waiting to board your plane. Basically, I don’t think there’s any excuse for not making sure you know the basic facts about the country you are planning to visit. And even this small effort, will likely prevent you from making any disastrous mistakes once you arrive.

However, while in every country I have visited- I have seen tourists do some appalling things, which were not only rude but completely disrespectful of the country which tolerated their presence. I would like to assume that this is a result of ignorance, and not a total disregard for the culture they are visiting. I’m not totally sure. All I can say is that at times tourists can be obnoxious and disrespectful of their host country. As a foreigner in Morocco, and as somebody who loves traveling and plans to do much more of it in the future, this annoys me.

A few afternoons ago, I saw what was actually the worst example of obnoxious tourist’s behavior that I have ever seen. A woman who I will assume is North American by her appearance (perhaps incorrectly) came out of a McDonald’s wearing clothes that would be considered tastelessly revealing even by North American standards and proceeded to walk down the street stuffing her face with ice cream.

Perhaps she was unaware it is Ramadan…although I think this is highly unlikely. This is what drove me stop walking and stare open mouthed at this woman as she walked by me. I was not the only person in the vicinity to do this.

As a Canadian, but also a North American (by North American here I mean Canada and the US) in Morocco, I have two reactions to this incident, and others like it. The first, is that I am completely humiliated by this behavior by someone who shares my continent of origin and undoubtedly had access to the information that would inform her of her wrongdoings. This embarrasses me because there will certainly be people who observe this woman’s behavior and view it as representative of all North Americans.

My second reaction to this is that I would like to sincerely apologize for the behavior of many North Americans abroad who have given all of us a bad name. The vast majority of us enjoy access to education and internet. Those few unfortunate Canadians and Americans  who do not have access to these things, are also without the means to travel, so they are not the ones making fools of themselves while abroad.

Due to my appearance and accent (I am Canadian) I am generally assumed to be an American while traveling abroad. Unlike many Canadians, I’m not offended by this. Canada has a tiny population, while the US has a massive one. So demographically speaking, meeting an American is simply more probable. What does make me feel a bit sad, is that when I correct people and say “ no I’m actually from Canada” they tend to smile broadly and become much friendlier, and even may go on a rant about hating Americans.

Now I will agree that American leaders have made some bad choices in regards to foreign policy and there do exist Americans who are fat, loud, gun-loving obnoxious racists. But they are no more representative of the entire American population than are the small number of Canadians still living a traditional lifestyle in the Arctic. And not every American voted for George Bush.

So I will conclude here by making two suggestions, one to North Americans, and one to people residing in all countries that North Americans visit. I will ask fellow North Americans to be more cognizant of their foreign surroundings. I will also thank residents of host countries when they do not judge us all, by our worst specimens.

Erin MacDonald, is a Canadian MA candidate.  She grew up in Halifax Nova Scotia where she earned an Honours degree in Religious Studies from St. Mary’s University. She is now earning an MA in Dispute Resolution from the University of Victoria, British Columbia. She is currently fulfilling the internship requirement of her MA degree, working at La Voix de la Femme Amazighe in Rabat Morocco.

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By Mourad El Hanafi

Morocco World News

Tinghir, July 16, 2013

As the clock strikes the outset of Ramadan, the ninth and the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, Muslims all over the globe get ready to receive this month warmly. They are overwhelmed by a unique zeal to live every single moment of Ramadan yearning to please the Almighty Allah. They all pledge to solely do good. Those who are not praying are now managing to stand in congregational prayers among worshipers in mosques.

The chances of smokers are minimized and those involved in promiscuity are given an opportunity to refrain from such practices, at least during the day of fasting. Vulgar words, lying, lewd jokes, hurtful words, gossiping, arguing, backbiting, swearing, and forged speech are replaced by rewarding hymns and good deeds during Ramadan.

Inspired by the noble messages of Ramadan, national and international associations and organizations are launching campaigns to share Ramadan with others, even those who are adherents of different religions. Likewise, they partake in events extending their hands to the needy and bring smiles to the anemic faces of the poor. By fasting and enduring hunger and heat, we think of the poor who are always in lack of food and shelter over the year and we feel that we are all equal. Ramadan is not just abstaining from food, drink, smoking, and marital relationships from dawn to dusk. It is a gift from our benevolent Creator to rejuvenate our faith and burn off the sins we committed throughout the year, inadvertently or intentionally.

All that I mentioned so far is ideal. It’s all good if Muslims cling to such messages. But what I see in our Moroccan community during Ramadan is really odd. People are considerably distracted by their bellies and the mania for exaggerated consumption. You can see some Moroccan families giving much importance to multicolor tables of miscellaneous kinds of food and sweets. Thus, it’s not surprising that Moroccans’ expenditures in this month skyrocket. The Moroccan high commissariat for planning reveals that Moroccans expend MAD2.5 million to MAD7.5 million in Ramadan; more than MAD1500 is added to our casual expenditures during Ramadan.

We give bad representations about this holy month. We act as though we are deprived from food during the rest of the year. Worse still, many don’t eat all that they prepare and they are not ashamed to throw it within a heap of rubbish. Ramadan is not about the art and the competences of being able to prepare and present fancy tables. It is about the competence of being able to be engrossed in spiritual activities such as voluntary prayers, reviewing the holy Qur’an, to name but a few. Ramadan is a number one chance to learn modesty.

How can women, who spend considerable time preparing those tables, live in the Ramadan spiritual moments as it should be? They spend their time going shopping and perspiring in the heat of the kitchen. Is that what Ramadan is for? Wasting much ado on secondary things? Still, what is striking is that diabetes and digestive diseases appear in Ramadan more than any other time. We sometimes intentionally serve food toxins in our Ramadan tables, according to doctors. Unfortunately, we miss the ultimate goal of this holy month; only socioeconomic questions are brought to the surface.

Ramadan is the zenith of the year, and not the rock bottom. Unfortunately, that’s what you would feel when you go to the greengrocer or any market to get some milk or dates. In some areas, the price of milk rises during Ramadan. Corporate greed increases during Ramadan. In my opinion, it is a shame to seize people’s dire need of milk during Ramadan to get some extra money. It should be the opposite.

Higher prices are also an issue at cafes and restaurants. Enduring the hunger and the thirst during the daylong fast, you have no choice other than to sit there and consume whatever they present to you. I cannot forget when I paid MAD2O ($2, 5) for few dates and a small cup of milk.

Our visual media also tempts us during the holy month of Ramadan. It doubles its efforts to distract people to get closer to TV. It launches unprecedented sitcoms and soap operas. What if sitcoms were replaced with religious programs? Of course, we would get more knowledgeable about Ramadan and fasting so that we could take advantage of this short month to be closer to the Almighty.

As known in the Sunnah, the Prophet Muhammad PBUH used to tighten his waist belt in the last ten days of Ramadan and prayed all night, even keeping his family awake for prayers (Al-Bukhari). In every Ramadan, many people prove the opposite. As Ramadan draws to a close, their energy goes down. There are also people who get distracted by the preparations for Eid and waste their time in malls and markets.

It’s high time to revisit our practices in this holy month. It’s time that we ask ourselves firm questions: Are we really responding to the purpose of Ramadan? Are we always taking into consideration that Ramadan goes away for eleven lunar months? Ramadan is a special moment of its kind. The Creator sends us this beautiful month every year as an open “invitation” to go running back to Him in humility and repentance.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy

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Mohamed Amine Qasseras

Morocco World News

Kenitra, July 18, 2013

More than a hundred associations and civil and educational institutions across the Kingdom signed a popular petition calling for the establishment of the Mohammed VI Academy for Arabic language. Petitioners, further, demanded that this academy be provided with the necessary materials, equipment and human resources to be able to perform its duties and carry out its roles within the scope of the new constitution.

The petition aims at overcoming the imbalances and violations that block the standardization and the enabling of the Arabic language in the fields of management, economics, entrepreneurship and public life. The petition, which was outlined by the National Coalition for the Arabic Language in coordination with associations and institutions located in 28 Moroccan cities, references articles of the Constitution, especially Chapter V, that emphasize the role of the state in protecting the Arabic language and enabling it in the main sectors of society. It also reminds the government of its promise to establish Mohammed VI Academy of the Arabic language and provide it with the necessary resources to be effective.

Fouad Bou Ali, President of the National Coalition for the Arabic language, said that the Academy will contribute to achieving solutions to linguistic problems in Morocco, and will be an academic reference for the Arabic language, stressing that Morocco is in what he called "a linguistic mess".

The popular petition for enabling Arabic language in the main sectors of Moroccan society was addressed the following officials: The Head of Government, The President of the House of Representatives, The President of the House of Councilors, The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Training, The Minister of National Education and the Minister of Culture and Communications, the government spokesman and Minister of Public Services, team leaders of parliamentary and public authorities concerned, in coordination with associations and institutions

By Larbi Arbaoui

Morocco World News

Tinejdad, July 18, 2013

According to radio Sawa, Muslim immigrants are performing Taraweeh prayers, a set of prayers performed collectively by Muslims after Isha prayer, (5th prayer) during Ramadan in a church in the city of York, USA.

On the occasion of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fast, the church of the city Burke, a small town north Virginia, opened its chapel for Muslims to pray Taraweeh.

In an act of tolerance and mutual respect, the church administration removed pews from the chapel to accommodate Islamic prayers.

Members of the Muslim community expressed their great appreciation for the initiative, and church leaders consider this initiative a letter of peace, tolerance, coexistence and respect for the world’s religions.

The sound of the church bell has been replaced with Athan, the Christian hymns with Islamic prayer in the chapel and the imam instead of the church priest during Ramadan.

It is worth mentioning that this initiative is not the first of its kind. St John's Episcopal Church in the Scottish city Aberdeen opened its doors to Muslims for Friday prayers.

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By Mustapha Ait kharouach

Morocco World News

Rabat, July 19, 2013

At the moment, the Arab political scene is in chaos and no one can predict how things will begin to look, especially in such homogenous societies marked by socio-cultural, ethnic and religious diversities and in a region where authoritarian regimes have been ruling with an iron fist for decades of social violence and totalitarianism. The region is also characterized by its central interest in the agendas of the international community due to the process of establishing a peaceful acceptance of Israel, an aim that has still not been achieved.

The moment of explosion, which began from the invasion of US to Iraq until the rise of the Arab Spring,  has actually re-distributed the power and the roles of historical supporters and at the same time has driven the region to turmoil. While nationalism featured as a threat to the political stability in particular to Israel, its second face was colored in red due to the bloodshed and dictatorship against individuals and anti-regime political groups. However, all of those ethnic, political and religious differences have been vanished by force in favor of that common enemy defined by those regimes as a threat to national identity and revealed them as strugglers and warriors; the talk here is about Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Yemen and Libya.

The collapse of the Arab nation state, as described by many thinkers and pundits following the Arab spring, highlights the subject of ethnic and religious minorities and their future within the new states being formed and whether democracy could help really preserve their rights. Consider the Kurds, Shia, Doreuse, Christians, Amazigh and other ethnic or religious groups who suffered under the nationalism ideology. Will the Arab revolution satisfy their demands and rights? Or should we experience the same scenario of Yugoslavia after the World War II that caused Yugoslavia to split into seven small states following the bloodiest fighting In Europe. Avoiding cynical views, I would say that the task is very complicated and the violent fighting and wars that are still happening in Syria and Iraq highlight the worst scenario. Sudan’s split into North and South Sudan after deadly civil wars is an example.

Revolution as a process of changing the political order and its social and economic proxy is always a historic crossroad that affects the lives of people and states, as well as the nations in connection. This is why the interveners in defining the future image of peoples in revolution could be as numerous as the number of beneficiaries of the old systems. In the case of Syria, which has turned tragically into a bloody battlefield only when people had woke up and started protesting peacefully against dictatorship for the sake of liberty and democracy. Unfortunately, democracy and freedom here is not compatible with the strategic purposes of the historic allies. Russia is playing an important role in the Syrian war, along with its Iran and Hizb Allah movement, so as to maintain the regime of Allassad from collapsing. Whereas in the other side, the US and Israel along with their Arabian allies are fighting to secure Israel and dwarfing the expansion of Iran in the region.

I believe in freedom and democracy efficiency and in non-violent struggle toward the realization of those values. This is why dictatorships always fear from the inner peaceful revolutions and prefer indeed dealing with an armed enemy, in the sense that the tactics of non-violent protests are more effective than those of the armed groups. But who will believe in these theoretical and abstract hallucinations especially in these days of extreme violence and hatred? Only those human and rational individuals and groups will do that. The very remarkable example is a group of Syrians who formed a non-violent movement trying to work on the other side of war, such as preserving children rights to food and study, and lately they published their numeric activity map along the country.

We must, indeed, extract lessons from history and revolutions all over the world, because there is always something in common and maybe the Arab revolution learned more from ancient experiences, though there are obvious differences in political backgrounds. The events happening recently in Egypt, the army coup against the brotherhood government democratically voted by people, highlights again the unwillingness of the army institution and their allies to leave people design their future for better wellbeing development. Whether the brotherhood had breached the democratic mechanisms or not, but at least it is the duty of the civil anti-government to reveal that and fight with the legal tools against the amplifying of the state.

Democratization of the Arab world after the post-revolutionary period needs hard work not only from the political parties but also from the civil community whom is the first concerned and the most benefited. However, obstacles still exist -and always actually- against the changing of the well protected political order. The so-called, “Opposite revolution” revealed the protesters as a destroyers of the social and economic order and tried fueling the sedition between religious and ethnic groups so that to revive the sectarian conflict and block the path to success of the revolution.

I do agree that revolution is not panacea as well as democracy is, but they are of extreme importance in societies as we live in. What we need now in this transitional period is a national agreement to collaborate all together between all political activists to form a national unity government, avoiding all political sensitiveness and building new societies of strong institutions, liberties and human rights.

Edited by Allison Kraemer

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy

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One of the major roles assigned to teachers is to mediate between learners and knowledge. Surprisingly enough, laptops, PCs, tablets and ‘smart-phones’ can perfectly assume this role; provided of course that an Internet connection is available and accessible within the area. In other words, is it not possible that one day Technology-based Communication and Information will make the majority of teachers, among them Moroccan ones, obsolete? That is, they could become ‘unnecessary’ or simply ‘unemployed’, particularly at the secondary and tertiary levels of the Moroccan educational system. This is indeed a legitimate question to ask since many analysts believe that, thanks to Google’s omniscience and omnipresence, I.C.T. (Information and Communication Technology) will inevitably take over teachers’ professional position.

It is said that Google, the spearhead of I.C.T., is both ‘omniscient’ and ‘omnipresent’. Omniscient means, ‘having infinite insight and knowledge’. This is exactly what Google is. Log in and type any imaginable word, idea, phrase or concept, related to whatever domain of human knowledge, be it Physics, Art, Human Sciences, History of Morocco or even the Super-Natural, and dozens of links will open up; all that remains to do, for any given Moroccan student, is to be adequately selective. And being selective is definitely achievable with appropriate guidance. In this case, the ‘poor human teacher’ seems obsolete before this gigantic ghoul that is Google! Indeed, hardly ever would you find a teacher knowledgeable enough in more than two or three disciplines beyond his or her field of specialization.

Omnipresent, on the other hand, means ‘being present everywhere at all time’. Google is available 24/7/365 wherever you are in the world; again, with the assumption that the Internet is available. Conversely, teachers are hardly reachable beyond their working hours, even within the confines of the school they are appointed to, let alone during nights, weekends or holidays.

Let us now consider a more concrete example: an imaginary average-achiever Baccalauréat student from, say, the scientific stream, decided to stay home during a school day, but instead resolved to attend his or her whole day classes of Mathematics, Physics, Philosophy and English online! Is it feasible? Is it economical? Is it more efficient in terms of teaching and learning quality? Theoretically, all these questions seem to have positive answers: Yes, it is possible to attend Math classes, Physics, Philosophy, English, or any other discipline for that matter, only by interacting with a PC screen. Specialized and very powerful sites displaying live and comprehensive lessons abound on the Internet; ‘Arabmaths’, ‘Madariss’ and ‘Khan Academy’ are three Maths sites worth mentioning in this regard. Our imaginary student then is not even required to travel from home to school, at seven o’clock in the morning; he or she can start working at nine or even ten, rather than eight; bullying and subsequent disciplinary measures become anachronistic; and more importantly, the student can play and replay any lesson hundreds of times, had he or she not understood part or the whole lesson.

The tedious compulsory seven-hour school attendance per day could be compressed or extended at student’s whim! Moroccan teachers in their bulk however, are not that patient to repeat explanation and illustration for each and every detail during the lesson. Not only does the success story of our imaginary student undermine the very presence of teachers in school buildings, but it also makes these buildings an endangered entity as well. Indeed, even schools appear to be within the ‘firing line’ of I.C.T. Schools and teachers will come to the student’s home, but not the reverse! Twenty years ago, this schooling situation was science fiction; but now, it seems at our doorsteps.

All the above arguments seem to demonstrate that the war opposing the Moroccan human teacher to Google, the knight of I.C.T. par excellence, is but a ‘David versus Goliath’ confrontation. Yet, a light of hope appears at the end of the tunnel. Teachers may, and can resist the I.C.T tsunami; the reason why lies in the following simple fact: Larry Page and Sergey Brin themselves, the cofounders of Google, created the whole concept of this phenomenal Information Search Engine while they were attending a genuine and traditional University, with flesh-and-blood teachers. The institution is Stanford University located in California.

Edited by Allison Kraemer

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy

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By Larbi Arbaoui

Morocco World News

Tinejdad, July 19, 2013

The Ministry of National Education on Friday announced the results of baccalaureate resit exams, and the number of students who passed the exams reached 47,193 out of 337,801 candidates.

According to a press release by the Ministry of National Education, the success rate in the resit session reached 31.63%, bringing the total number of students who successfully passed this year’s baccalaureate exams to 194, 221 with an overall success rate of 51.48 %.

In the regular session, females outperformed males, at the national level, in the baccalaureate exams and the percentage of success in their ranks reached 51%.

The students of scientific and technique disciplines outperformed their peers in arts and linguistics with a success rate of 57.67%, and 43.47% respectively.

According to a press release by Ministry of National Education, the total number of enrolled candidates, comparing to last year, increased by 8%, with an increase of 6.73 % for girls and 9% for boys compared to June 2012.

The number of students who passed the two sessions of baccalaureate exams reached 210,531 students last year, according to the same source.

By Youssef Sourgo

Morocco World News

Casablanca, July 19, 2013

According to the Moroccan High Commission for Planning (HCP), living costs in the kingdom rose by 2.3% in June 2013 compared to the same month last year, noted daily La Vie Eco today.

 This rise can be explained by the increase in the Index of foodstuff by 3.2% and that of non-groceries by 1.5%.

In an information note from its consumer price index (ICP) for June, HCP said that the variations recorded for non-food products fluctuated between a decrease of 0.3% for "communication" and an increase of 6.1% for "education" sectors.

As for food products, increases recorded between May and June 2013 show that price of fish and seafood increased by 1. 6%, prices in category of "milk, cheese and eggs" by 0.9% and the price of meat by 0.5%.

The only recorded decrease in prices pertain to the category of fruits, which witnessed a decrease of 4.5%.

According to the same source, HCP’s inflation indicator, which excludes expensive products, shows that living costs in June 2013 increased by 0.2% compared to the last month (May 2013) and an by of 2.5% compared to June 2012.

By Omar Bihmidine

Morocco World News

Tangier, July 20, 2013

Alvin Tan Jye Yee and his partner Vivian Lee May Ling, A Malaysian couple, posted on Facebook a photo where they appeared drinking pork soup with the halal logo and describing the meal as "delicious and mouth-watering".

According to some Muslim Malaysians, posting such as photo during the holy month of Ramadan is a way of making a mockery of Islam and Muslims.

Since pork is forbidden in Islam, some Muslims accused the couple of provoking the Muslim community not only in Malaysia but throughout the Muslim world, especially as the offense comes during Ramadan.

"Islam is mocked everywhere, unfortunately, even in Malaysia where the majority of the populations are Muslim, " Talibi Tayib, a professor of Islamic studies from Morocco, told MWN.

After the uproar caused by their move, the couple apologized for posting the photo and added that they did not mean to offend the Muslim community.

"We were only joking; Muslims must not take it personally," the couple was quoted as saying.

According to the International Business Times, the couple has been charged with three counts under Malaysian Laws.

It is worth noting that around 61 per cent of Malaysia's population are Muslims, while the rest of the population is made up of Buddhists, Christians and Hindus.

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By Larbi Arbaoui

Morocco World News

Tinejdad, July 20, 2013

According to Sun-sentinel.com, a Moroccan woman told Palm Beach County deputies that her husband kept her locked inside home in Wellington for three years, threatening to kill her if she ever goes outside.

The woman, whose family lives in Morocco, told the deputies on Wednesday that she was subject of mal-treatment since she first came to the country three years ago by her husband Qasem Alabed, 42, from Pakistan, who is now behind bars facing a slew of charges, including aggravated battery on a pregnant woman.

According to the same source, the victim told deputies "that she has not been let out of the house in the past three years that she has been here in the USA."

The Pakistani husband was beating his wife with a television remote control and swatting her with a cable whenever she runs for safety.

The beating continued even after she became pregnant, she told deputies.

"Be brave and leave and find the police," a family friend told her, according to the report.

The Moroccan mother managed to escape with her three year old son and found her way to the Wellington City Hall, only few blocks where her husband locked her, and the deputy recorded her statement and took pictures of the welts on her body.

"We do see cases where someone may be held for a couple of days, especially if they have been battered," said Alexcia Cox, an assistant state attorney in Palm Beach County who heads the office's domestic violence unit, according to the same source.

"I've never seen as much as three years, but several days to a week," she said.

As for the tactics that the alleged abuser used to keep his wife indoors, Jennifer Rey, at Aid to Victims of Domestic Violence in Delray Beach, said “abusers employ any method to maintain control that they believe will work, often couching their behavior in logical explanations", “Their goal is power and control," she said, as quoted by the sun-sentinel.com.

The Moroccan mother and her little son were moved to a safe location.

By Loubna Flah

Morocco World News

Casablanca, July 20, 2013

Despite all efforts to set men and women on equal footing at the political and the legislative levels, Morocco still ranks very low in terms of gender equality.

According to Global Gender Gap Report published by the World Economic Forum, Morocco ranks 129 in 2012 in a ranking that included 132.

According to the Global Gender Report, Morocco has not been able to narrow significantly the gap existing between men and women in regards to economic participation, educational attainment, health and political empowerment.

Iceland ranks first in the 2012 Global Gender Gap Index report followed by a number of Nordic countries like Finland, Norway, and Sweden.

Ireland preserves it’s ranking in the fifth position from last year report while the United Kingdom which ranks 18. The United States ranks 22 followed by the Mozambique which ranks 23.

The UAE, the first Arab country on the list, ranks 107 followed by Kuwait and Bahrain come rank in the 109 and 111th position respectively.

Through the Global Gender Gap Report series, the World Economic Forum has been quantifying the magnitude of gender bias in the world.

By providing a comprehensive framework for benchmarking global gender gaps, the Report reveals those countries that are role models in sharing their resources equitably between women and men, regardless of the overall level of those resources.

The aim of the report is to focus on whether the gap between women and men in the chosen variables has declined, rather than whether women are “winning” the “battle of the sexes”.

The regional performance on the Global Gender Gap 2012 shows that the Middle East and Africa were not able to narrow the gap between genders whereas Europe, central Asia and North America have reduced considerably the existing differences between men and women.

Concerning the political empowerment of women, all the aforementioned regions failed to score high compared to other criteria such as health and educational attainment. In this category also, the Middle East and North Africa have the lowest scores.

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By Youssef El Kaidi

Morocco World News

Fez, July 21, 2013

Death took away one of the most powerful voices who spoke truth to power and strongly opposed the United States foreign policy. At age 92, Helen Thomas passed away on Saturday in her apartment in Washington DC. The journalist who brandished her pen in face of the American presidents since John F. Kennedy to Obama surrendered to her long illness after a long life of commitment to truth, justice and peace in the world.

Born to Lebanese immigrants, the seventh of nine children, Helen Thomas chose the career of journalism as a job that would quench her thirst for knowledge and sate her boundless curiosity. For 57 years, Helen Thomas was hired by United Press International before spending her last decade as a columnist for Heart Newspapers. After attending several presidential press conferences and proving her sharp insight by asking blunt questions, she was promoted to the position of White House correspondent in 1970. In 2010, Helen Thomas was forced to retire following her backlash against Israel.

Asked to comment on Israel, Helen Thomas replied: “Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine. Remember, these people are occupied and it’s their land, not Germany’s, not Poland’s.” When asked where the Jews should go she replied: “Go home; Germany, Poland, America and everywhere else.” These comments were interpreted as anti-Semitic but Helen Thomas never regretted saying the “truth.” “I paid a price but it’s worth it to speak the truth,” she told the Joy Behar Show presenter on HLN TV.

Helen Thomas was one of the most tenacious detractors of the US war on Afghanistan and Iraq believing that “Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11” and that “George W. Bush is the worst president ever. He is the worst president in all of American history,” she once told CNN.

Traditionally, Helen Thomas had a seat in the first row and asked the first question during White House press conferences, but because of her blunt and honest questions that challengeed mainstream journalism, Thomas was moved to the back row during the Bush administration.

“She covered every White House since President Kennedy’s, and during that time she never failed to keep presidents — myself included — on their toes,” president Obama once said about her.

By Loubna Flah

Morocco World News

Casablanca, July 21, 2013

Morocco’s central bank, Bank al Maghrib, launched a new procedure aimed at boosting the commercial banks‘s potential to deliver loans for small and medium sized businesses.

The second phase of the project will be launched next September to support the banks that raised considerably their financing potential.

Mounir Rizki, the director of the financial operations for Bank al Maghrib explains that the new procedure which replaces the old one operates through a system of three installments offered to the commercial banks to enable them to fund small and medium sized companies.

Bank Al Maghrib is committed to offer MAD 15 million to commercial banks to fund small and medium sized companies and MAD 2 million to fund very small businesses.

The equipment sector is more likely to benefit from these loans. In the second phase of the project, Bank Al Maghrib is committed to offer 10 % of the loan value. The rate interest will not exceed 3%.

The commercial banks that are committed to reinvigorate the small and medium sized sector will be rewarded by Bank al Marghrib and will benefit from more subsidies.

For the commercial banks whose performance was rather sluggish , Bank al Maghrib will have their interest rate soar to 4,5% and the initial price rise by 1,5%.

Mr. Said al Hmoumi, the president of the small and medium sized companies’ federation asserts that this new project “is designed to meet the demands of small and medium size companies and to encourage commercial banks to support them.”

“That said, the commercial banks should be geared to work within the framework of partnership rather than the obsession with guarantees,” he noted.

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By Omar Bihmidine

Morocco World News

Tangier, July 21, 2013

According to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Southern California, fasting for a short period of time makes cancer treatment more effective and helps in destroying cancer cells.

The study conducted on mice has shown that fasting, hibernation for animals, forces cancer cells to grow, divide and then self-destroy.

"The cancer cells try to compensate for the substances missing in the bloodstream after fasting," Valter Longo, lead author of the study, said in an interview.

Fasting, the author added, particularly cures breast, urinary tract and ovarian cancers by exterminating cancer cells in the bloodstream.

"Starvation induces a protective shield around healthy cells, allowing them to tolerate a much higher dose of chemotherapy,” the study suggests.

In most of the cases covered by the study, the effect of fasting on combating cancers has proved effective.

While doctors and researchers have hailed the efficacy of fasting in treating a number of illnesses, further research is need to confirm the study and prescribe fasting as a cure to cancer.

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By Youssef Sourgo

Morocco World News

Casablanca, July 21, 2013

Rahma, one of Casablanca’s densely populated areas, witnessed an outrage on Saturday after a female driver knocked down many pedestrians with her car, 2 hours before the Maghrib call to prayer.

The woman, who had reportedly just obtained her driving license, knocked down two pedestrians (a man and a woman) with her Suzuki car. These were allegedly her first victims.

The man was severely injured and needed urgent hospitalization. While some passer-by took care of him, others attempted to get the woman out of her car by force.

Daunted by the sight of the outrageous crowd, the young woman attempted to drive away, consequently hurting more people that got in her way.

The terrified woman’s next victims were a man and his child who were riding a motorcycle. The child, who was barely 1.5 years old, was severely wounded in his face, according to Goud.

At the sight of the havoc the young woman was arbitrarily causing, furiousness escalated among the crowd of people who initially attempted to get her out of her car. This time, some of them broke the glass of her car in an attempt to get her out of it.

Taken by fear and panic, the young woman drove away to knock down another civilian, before she eventually crashed her car against a truck, right next to a traffic police officer.

According to Goud, two furious young men guided the crowd of people towards her car inciting violence against the young woman: “Her blood is Halal (killing her is now permissible),” said the two young men according to Goud.

The traffic police officer called for backup as he took the young woman away from the crowd. After a while, a police car arrived. The woman was handcuffed and taking to the nearest police station.

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By Ahmed EL Jechtimi

Morocco World News

Rabat,  July 22, 2013

Attempts at creating a strong economic bloc in the Maghreb can be traced back to the creation of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) in 1989 by the five countries of the region. The AMU was designed to achieve a customs union by 1995, as well as a common economic market by 2000. Yet, none of these major goals was materialized due to different political reasons.

The AMU was expected to help the countries of the region to better face the challenges of economic development and to create a large open market. It was also meant to enable the countries of the region to negotiate with the EU in a better position than it would have been if they had to negotiate bilaterally.

Each year the Five Maghreban countries celebrate the anniversary of the AMU without taking concrete steps to reinvigorating their integration. The fact that the last summit of the five countries’ heads of states took place in 1994 is indicative of a stalemate in regional cooperation.

Numerous unfavorable political conditions, internal conflicts and rivalry between the countries of the region resulted in AMU’s falling short of achieving its objectives to establish economic integration between the countries in the region and intra-Maghreb trade remained at a low level not exceeding 3% of total Maghreb trade [1].

Despite their economic complementarities and their shared historical, linguistic and human ties, the Maghreb region remains one of the least integrated in the world partly due to the closed borders between Morocco and Algeria since 1994.

Apart from the exchange of visits at the high level between Morocco and Algeria, no considerable development was witnessed in Maghreb integration save the creation in January 2013 of the Arab Maghreb Union Investment Bank with a capital of 100 million dollars which will help finance infrastructure projects in the region[2].

Trade between Maghreb countries does not exceed 1.3% of their total foreign trade, one of the lowest regional rates in the world[3]. A report by the World Bank[4] considers high tariff barriers to be among the main constraints to economic integration in the region.  The document goes on to say that tariffs in the Maghreb countries are almost double the world average[5]. To this adds the lack of adequate transport infrastructure, notes the report, adding that Morocco is the sole country in the region to have an open skies policy. At the level of railway and motorways, the closed borders between Morocco and Algeria have undermined cross-border transit and in consequence led to the flourishing of contraband.

The lack of regional integration in the Maghreb also led to excessive reliance of the five North African countries on Europe. In the case of Morocco’s and Tunisia’s exports, the European Union receives 75% and 60% respectively[6].

Several analysts estimate the non-Maghreb to cost 2.5 points of GDP growth[7]  of each state, which deprives the region of 220,000 job opportunities annually[8]. This will further undermine the efforts of the region’s government to absorb the increasing demand on employment, which can be met according to the World Bank by creating 8 million job opportunities between 2010 and 2020[9], a goal that seems hard to achieve given the status-quo in Maghreb cooperation. The lack of integration in the region is also detrimental to attracting FDIs, which are necessary for job creation.

Prospects for economic Integration in the Maghreb

The complementarity between the economies of Maghreb countries, the spillovers of the effects of the economic and financial crisis from Europe, as well as the similar socio-economic ambitions of the populations of the region are all factors in favor of a deep economic integration in the Maghreb. However, Algeria’s hostile stance regarding Morocco’s territorial integrity through its generous support for the Polisario separatist militia have hindered all efforts towards integration leading to a deep lack of confidence and consequently the non-achievement of the economic potential of the region.

The idea of prioritizing economic cooperation, following the example of the European Union in the 1950s, is increasingly gaining ground among analysts as a way-out to achieve the long-sought-for integration between the five Maghreban countries and overcome political hindrances to cooperation.

In this regard, following the example of France and Germany, a possible scenario for paving the way towards an effective cooperation in the Maghreb would go through a genuine partnership between Morocco and Algeria, the largest countries in the region with over three-quarters of the Maghreb’s population and two-thirds of its GDP[10]. Morocco has half the world’s reserves of phosphates[11] while Algeria is rich in gas and oil along with sulphor and ammonia, which are all key to making fertilizers.

Several economists suggest that a genuine Maghreb economic integration can start by establishing a partnership between Morocco’s state-owned phosphates company (OCP) and Algeria’s oil company Sonatrach. This would enable the Maghreb to be the world leader in fertilizer production key to achieving food security. This would lead to lay the basis for a strong economic cooperation that would help attract foreign direct investments and create jobs.

A close economic cooperation between Morocco and Algeria would serve as a catalyst for deep economic integration in the whole region. Economic integration that surpasses political obstacles would also create a climate propitious for cooperation and diplomacy, which would, in turn, lead to a drastic reduction in military expenditures by Morocco and Algeria. Such a reduction would yield an additional GDP growth estimated at 2% to 3%[12].

There are other priority areas for integration such as energy, trade, finance, which all would boost cooperation in other economic areas with a view to create economies of scale and strong competition.

Economic integration in the Maghreb hinges upon the economic players in the region, especially in Morocco and Algeria. The beginning of economic integration in Europe is an example to follow in the Maghreb. First of all, the term Arab should be dropped in favor of another appellation, such as “the Greater Maghreb,” which reflects the ethnic and linguistic diversity of the region. On the other hand, economic elites and the private sector are called upon to capitalize on common projects that would yield mutual benefits. This would put more pressure on politicians to take concrete steps towards an economic integration in the Maghreb that would help to address the common challenges of reducing unemployment and boosting growth.

By Youssef Sourgo

Morocco World News

Casablanca, July 22, 2013

It is well known that travelling helps us explore the world’s wonders. It gives us the chance to familiarize ourselves with cultures and ways of life previously unfamiliar to us and to cement friendships everywhere we go. However, the things you learn and see and the people you meet depend on your style of travel, ranging from flights, sailing on boats, in cars, on bikes or motorcycles, or, as adventurous as it may sound, on one’s own feet.

Hussein Kheras, a Moroccan explorer, chose to travel across the Arab world on his feet for the most ennobled cause one could set for his or her journey. Kheras chose “peace promotion” asymbolic aim to his adventurous on-feet journey throughout the Arab World. He thus chose to name his journey “Peace, Tolerance and solidarity among Arab Nations.” For this selflesscause, the Moroccan Kheras has chosen to embark on this journey as an impetus for change, defying all geographical and political demarcations separating the Arab nations to disseminate values of acceptance, coexistence and tolerance among Arabs. Kheras’ on-feet journey also aims at sprawling the values of the International exploratory project “Peace Messengers,” launched by Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, and adopted by the World Scout Foundation. After his journey kicked-off in Egypt, Kheras arrived in Mecca, which is his second destination in his exploratory journey between Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Turkey, Mauritania, Algeria and Sudan.

Kheras expressed his delight at arriving in holy Mecca, where he hailed the efforts of the Peace Messengers Center in assistance to the pilgrims and fasters there, reported daily pan-Arab newspaper Al-Hayat.

By Abderrazzak Belbouah

Morocco World News

Rabat, July 22, 2013

If there is any worthy lesson to extract from the recent Military soft coup in Egypt, it must be the unrealistic reality that there are peoples who are able to coexist with authoritarianism for tens of years, but cannot stand democracy for a single year.  It is within the limit, considering the time and the available tools, as well as the challenges to overcome, of one year that the Egyptian newly elected president is judged to be unable to pull the country out of all the imbroglios it has been undergoing. Not only this, but the president is blamed for concentrating, oftentimes planning to concentrate, all powers in his hands instead of working in harmonious concurrency with all the political players of the nation regardless of what ideology they are. Nevertheless, the mostly pertinent query, if neutrally approached, as to whether the opposition’s upraise to oust Morsi emanates from righteously noble urges or merely antagonistic motives should, and only can, have one response: Morsi’s presidency was doomed.

A premiere argument the opposition leaders would reiterate questions the legitimacy of a democratically elected president when faced by street protestations. One of them points out, “Democracy is not just the ballot box” but also the commitment of the elected leader to the soul and heart of democratic practices that dictate working for and towards the civil rights of all people. After all, another ironically argued, even Adolf Hitler had been elected president democratically only to end up putting on the devil’s pajamas; if the Germans had courageously marched against his imperialistic fantasies, the world might not have endured the apocalyptic devastation of World War II. Though, the dissemblance between Morsi and Hitler is as large as life.

According to a number of leading protestors, Examples of infringement include (1) the writing of the constitution without engaging the opposition, (2) the concentration of all powers in the hands of the president and members of the Muslim Brotherhood, and (3) the inability of the government to convalesce the living conditions and the induction of social justice as promised during the presidential electoral campaign. The bottom line is that the wheels of Egypt were flying off and the president had to throw the towel for capable leaders to steer the nation through the marring challenges of the incessant merciless strikes of time.

However, the scenario the anti-Morsi movement connived and contrived to carry out, reveals how radical, fundamental, abnegating, and specially, astigmatic the recent rise has been.  A pyramid analogy does, ergo, absorb and reflect the whole status quo, for the army, the civil opposition and the media together constitute the angles while the judicial system stretches its octopuslike arms through its area. In their article In Egypt, the Deep State Rises Again, Charles Levinson and Matt Bradley of The Wall Street Journal points out, “Egypt’s opposition and Mubarak-era officials began to mend in November…Some meetings took place at the Navy Officer’s Club, where the generals said that if enough Egyptians joined public protests, the military would have little choice but to intervene.”  The military ultimatum after the opposition took out to the Squares was so clear and so vague; for the opposition, it only signified the end of Morsi and his government as concurrently planned. Yet, the brotherhood, and all those who thought Egypt was at last a democracy, the clarity of the ultimatum was blurred by their trust and inability to calculate the development of events accurately.

Mike Giglio on the Daily Beast has revealed, “although they pretended to be neutral, the Egyptian Army played a role in planning the ouster of President Morsi.” He highlights how the Tamarod leaders were in regular contact with a group of retired military officers,” who “promised to protect the protestors” and “said they were reaching out on behalf of the Army’s current commanders.” Amazingly, at the time the Army and the Police were protecting the anti-Morsi protestations, the Muslim Brotherhood’s headquarters were being bulldozed since police officers paraded along civil protestors in reckless infringement of duty. They justified their inappropriate acts by not having to work for “the benefit of a certain political party,” as reported by Ahmad Tarnah of the Egypt Independent. The alike of this policing logic could only emanate from, a bleared and blearing vision of the intersection between rights and obligation, a handicapped interpretation of the private interest and the common good, and, above all, a misunderstanding of where democracy starts and where it does actually end.

To limit the size and slow the speed of any reverberations the toppling of the president might instigate, the army abruptly and without a legal warrant closed down all media outlets that voice out the opinion of the Brotherhood and their sympathizers; they have closed all opposing local channels and distorted the foreign ones; an act that has hit the heart of the freedom of speech the revolution of January 25 had gloriously achieved.  There is actually no sound interpretive reading that might not condemn the closure of local T.V. stations prior to any legal warrant, and worse still, the arrest of tens of journalists.  It is, henceforth, quite safe to claim that the media exclusive despotism in the Egypt of today is of no-alike throughout the modern history of the nation. What logic could explicate how and why all the currently allowed operating channels are not only all-out partisans of the Tamarod Movement but also deeply hostile to opinions that flow along the Islamic stream.

The Army, with the benediction of the opposition, has launched a series of arrests against the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood immediately after the ousting of the president. During one week, the number of members of the Freedom and Justice Party arrested rose to almost 300, and no state official has yet offered any credibly dependable account for this very condemned act. Such a condemnation should stem and node from no sympathy for the Muslim Brotherhood, whatsoever, but simply, not simplistically though, from the universal legal and ethical concurrency that political belonging is the right of all citizens as long as it does constitute no domestic and/ or interstate threat.

It is in Egypt where the president of yesterday is the prisoner of today, where the legitimacy of the righteous falls apart in the chasm of the unrighteous, where opposers oppose just for the sake of opposing, where chaos roams the heart of consequential order, where the spears of pervasive pertinacity are chucked into the wheels of the nation’s future, where Western democracy divides a Southern nation, and where two presidents are in arrest.

After all, democracy does not happen. It is human made, and so is unfortunate chaos. Underdeveloped nations do not starve because of lack of rain or an excess of it. Whilst, the welfare of and in developed states is not thanks to regulated precipitation or a blessing of it. The difference is that while some people have experienced, known, valued and stuck to democracy, others, when the window of opportunity has reached their doorstep, have cruised deeper than deep. There, they are beyond democracy.

Only Egyptians can lead Egypt through the current marring political and economic imbroglios facing the country; nevertheless, that could never be securely reached if not all parties are willingly prepared to re-mould, reevaluate and reprioritize their interests towards the welfare of the nation as a whole.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”.  Yet, the question to wonder about is what Gandhi would say in comment on the only nation in modern, and may be all through, human history that has dared to imprison two presidents at the same time.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy

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