Link
April 22, 2013
2 notes
Beyond the Western Saharan Debate
Following the French military intervention in Mali earlier this year in January, and the hostage crisis in Algeria that soon followed, major world powers briefly oriented their regional focus towards the Maghreb and Sahel regions. In the midst of the escalating conflict in Mali, pundits pointed to Morocco’s geopolitical position as an ally of France and the United States for a source of stability in the Maghreb and its neighboring regions.

Conveniently omitted from this argument is Morocco’s role in one of Africa’s longest lasting territorial disputes: that of the Western Sahara. Additionally, in light of the United Nations Security Council vote on the renewal of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), there has been a revival of the debate on the Western Sahara.

Interesting to go past discussions of the sovereignty referendum, and onto the less-discussed issues:

  • how Morocco uses “war on terror” narrative to fund oppression of the Western Sahara;
  • how the longest-running colonial conflict is basically unchallenged by other Arab countries;
  • how the Polisario Front is starting to be viewed like the Palestinian Authority (as benefiters from the occupation rather than warriors for its end)

Tags: Western Sahara Morocco occupation colonialism Polisario Front Sahrawi

Link
April 17, 2013
U.S. proposes U.N. Western Sahara rights monitor; Morocco warns of "missteps"
UNITED NATIONS/RABAT (Reuters) - The United States has proposed that the U.N. peace-keeping mission in the disputed territory of Western Sahara help monitor human rights there, U.N. diplomats said on Tuesday, an idea that has prompted an expression of regret from Morocco.

The UN has been in the Western Sahara for ages now, but has never been given a mandate to monitor human rights abuses (mainly because it didn’t have enough money to).

This would be great!

Tags: Western Sahara Morocco human rights UN united nations Minurso Sahrawi

Link
February 21, 2013
4 notes
Sentencing 24 Saharawi activists by a Moroccan military tribunal is a travesty of justice

The sentencing of 24 Saharawi activists by a Moroccan military tribunal last weekend is a travesty of justice. The defendants, most of whom received sentences ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment, were involved in setting-up the Gdeim Izik protest camp in Western Sahara in 2010, widely regarded as the first spark of the Arab spring. Amnesty International has described their trial as flawed from the outset, in violation of international standards for fair trials. While in detention, the defendants claim to have been coerced into signing confessions. Any trial of the defendants, many of whom are prominent human rights activists, should have been in a civilian court. It should not have been delayed by over two years and allegations of torture should have been fully and independently investigated. This appears to have been a politically motivated show trial. We urge the international community to speak out against these sentences and support our call for independent human rights monitoring in Western Sahara.

Tags: Western Sahara morocco Sahrawi Saharawi amnesty detention prison prisoners

Photo
November 08, 2012
3 notes
Javier Bardem supports jailed Western Sahara activists Activists in London today took part in an international day of protest marking the second anniversary of the detention without trial of 23 Saharawis from Western Sahara. They are demanding the immediate release of the prisoners who were arrested following the violent dismantling of the Gdeim Izik protest camp by Moroccan police in 2010. The prisoners have been held ever since in Rabat’s notorious Sale jail awaiting a military trial which has been rescheduled twice in the last two years.  Regarded by some as the first spark of the Arab Spring, the Gdeim Izik camp was set up by thousands of Saharawis calling for an improvement in their living conditions and demanding the long-overdue, UN-backed right to a referendum on independence. Its destruction on 8th November 2010 resulted in dozens of deaths, imprisonments, injuries and forced disappearances. Cathy Jamieson MP, Vice Chair of the All Party Parliament Group on Western Sahara said today: For two years 23 Saharawis who were involved in the Gdeim Izik protesters have held in prison without trial. Numerous human rights organisations have expressed concerns over both their treatment and the fact that it is an abuse of process to try civilians in a military court. We call on the Moroccan authorities to release them without delay. Javier Bardem, whose Sahara documentary, Sons of the Clouds, will have its UK premiere in London this Saturday said today: This demonstration in London is part of an every growing international clamour for justice for the Saharawi imprisoned without trial in Moroccan jails, the Saharawi subjugated by unlawful occupation in Western Sahara and the Saharawi exiled for 37 years in desert refugee camps.

Javier Bardem supports jailed Western Sahara activists

Activists in London today took part in an international day of protest marking the second anniversary of the detention without trial of 23 Saharawis from Western Sahara.

They are demanding the immediate release of the prisoners who were arrested following the violent dismantling of the Gdeim Izik protest camp by Moroccan police in 2010. The prisoners have been held ever since in Rabat’s notorious Sale jail awaiting a military trial which has been rescheduled twice in the last two years. 

Regarded by some as the first spark of the Arab Spring, the Gdeim Izik camp was set up by thousands of Saharawis calling for an improvement in their living conditions and demanding the long-overdue, UN-backed right to a referendum on independence. Its destruction on 8th November 2010 resulted in dozens of deaths, imprisonments, injuries and forced disappearances.

Cathy Jamieson MP, Vice Chair of the All Party Parliament Group on Western Sahara said today:

For two years 23 Saharawis who were involved in the Gdeim Izik protesters have held in prison without trial. Numerous human rights organisations have expressed concerns over both their treatment and the fact that it is an abuse of process to try civilians in a military court. We call on the Moroccan authorities to release them without delay.

Javier Bardem, whose Sahara documentary, Sons of the Clouds, will have its UK premiere in London this Saturday said today:

This demonstration in London is part of an every growing international clamour for justice for the Saharawi imprisoned without trial in Moroccan jails, the Saharawi subjugated by unlawful occupation in Western Sahara and the Saharawi exiled for 37 years in desert refugee camps.

Tags: Sahrawi SADR Western Sahara newsblogging protest Saharawi Gdeim Izik morocco

Video
September 29, 2012
31 notes

realniggajesus:

Berber Exploitation (Morocco) 

This documentary says it all. I hate the Moroccan government so much so i’m glad they made this doc. This is a perfect documentary for all you uneducated Moroccans (Africans).

Video cut out half-way through, but still worth the watch! great example of how the Moroccan government uses Amazigh culture as a site to further repress Morocco’s indigenous inhabitants

(Source: thecouscousking, via escapefromcrete)

Tags: Morocco Amazigh berber documentary

Text
September 09, 2012
14 notes

sharquaouia:

Mamfakinch | An Account of Young Political Prisoners: Rape and Torture in Police Custody

Following the July 22 protest against the high cost of living and the increase in prices, which was violently repressed and disbursed by riot police, 6 activists from the February 20th Movement were arrested. Their names are: Samir Bradelly, Abderrahman Assal, Tarek Rouchdi, Youssef Oubella, Nour Essalam Kartachi, and Laïla Nassimi (Laila is on temporary release).

The prisoners are now « officially » being accused of non-authorized assembly, insulting a public officer, assault and battery: accusations of guilt without evidence in order to conceal a political trial.

During their hearing before the judge on August 31, they confirmed that they were subjected to very serious physical and moral aggression. Through their eye-witness accounts, the prisoners took us back to a black era in Morocco’s history: a time of political trials, admissions of guilt signed under torture, rape with objects inserted into the anus, insults, humiliations, fingernails eyelashes pulled out…a history that would cause all proud Moroccans to blush with infinite shame.

Read more

In the face of such awful torture and treatment, they still affirm:

  • Reaffirm our commitment to all claims that led us to join the February 20th Movement in the first place.
  • Demand our immediate and unconditional freedom.
  • Affirm our unconditional solidarity with all prisoners of conscience.
  • Acknowledge with gratitude, those who supported us or expressed solidarity with us
  • Invite all free activists to remain faithful to and continue protesting on the streets, and to challenge this tightening noose of repression that is suffocating the masses in this country.

such BAMFs I can’t even describe <3

(via rapeculturerealities)

Tags: policing torture Morocco feb20 political prisoners prisoners of conscience

Photo
September 08, 2012
28 notes
sharquaouia: thetravelingmoccasins: Lunch in Morocco is like having teatime with Queen of England. It holds prestige and is almost sacred. You are on your best behavior with the best tangine you could possible imagine in front of you. Lunch in Morocco is a magical thing that one just has to experience.  …or it’s just lunch with good food. replace the words with English words and this would be a great post for the &#8220;exotic white people&#8221; blog &#8220;Lunch in England is like having teatime with the Queen of England. It holds prestige and is almost sacred. You are on your best behavior with the best cucumber sandwiches you could possible imagine in front of you. Lunch in England is a magical thing that one just has to experience.&#8221; yup

sharquaouia:

thetravelingmoccasins:

Lunch in Morocco is like having teatime with Queen of England. It holds prestige and is almost sacred. You are on your best behavior with the best tangine you could possible imagine in front of you. Lunch in Morocco is a magical thing that one just has to experience. 

…or it’s just lunch with good food.

replace the words with English words and this would be a great post for the “exotic white people” blog

“Lunch in England is like having teatime with the Queen of England. It holds prestige and is almost sacred. You are on your best behavior with the best cucumber sandwiches you could possible imagine in front of you. Lunch in England is a magical thing that one just has to experience.”

yup

(via sharquaouia-deactivated20121015)

Tags: Morocco exoticwhitegirls

Photo
August 13, 2012
50 notes
thepeoplesrecord: Anti-government protests staged in MoroccoAugust 12, 2012 Hundreds of Morrocans have taken to the streets across the country to protest against corruption, high cost of living and other causes of discontent. About 1,000 people, who were chanting anti-corruption slogans, denouncing the sharp hike in prices, and calling for the release of imprisoned activists, held a demonstration late on Saturday in Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city. In Rabat, the capital, some 300 people gathered and chanted slogans against Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane and King Mohammed VI. The protesters also held anti-government banners. “Free the activists… Stop the repression of the people!” one banner read. Activists of the pro-reform February 20 movement have been jailed for participating in the so-called unauthorized protests. According to witnesses, hundreds of people also held anti-government demonstrations in the central city of Marrakesh and in Tangier, the port city on Morocco’s north coast. The demonstrations were called by rights groups, trade unionists and the February 20 movement.  Source

thepeoplesrecord:

Anti-government protests staged in Morocco
August 12, 2012

Hundreds of Morrocans have taken to the streets across the country to protest against corruption, high cost of living and other causes of discontent.

About 1,000 people, who were chanting anti-corruption slogans, denouncing the sharp hike in prices, and calling for the release of imprisoned activists, held a demonstration late on Saturday in Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city. 

In Rabat, the capital, some 300 people gathered and chanted slogans against Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane and King Mohammed VI. 

The protesters also held anti-government banners. “Free the activists… Stop the repression of the people!” one banner read. 

Activists of the pro-reform February 20 movement have been jailed for participating in the so-called unauthorized protests. 

According to witnesses, hundreds of people also held anti-government demonstrations in the central city of Marrakesh and in Tangier, the port city on Morocco’s north coast.

The demonstrations were called by rights groups, trade unionists and the February 20 movement. 

Source

Tags: Morocco protest feb20 newblogging anti-government

Photo
August 10, 2012
56 notes
globalvoices: In July, a group of Moroccan students launched a Facebook page called “The Union of Moroccan Students to Change the Education System” (French acronym: UECSE). The group is a gathering of young Moroccans whose aim is to “act, and discuss concrete solutions to improve the education system”. In less than a month, the Facebook page attracted well over 10,000 members and a lot of support on social media. The momentum seems to have been fueled by news that the government may be planning to toughen the tuition policy at public universities. The group called for a nationwide demonstration on Sunday, August 6, 2012, to “encourage civil society and the Moroccan political elite to open a national debate on measures to reform the system.” See more photos and videos from the protest and read about Moroccan students demanding education reform on Global Voices.

globalvoices:

In July, a group of Moroccan students launched a Facebook page called “The Union of Moroccan Students to Change the Education System” (French acronym: UECSE). The group is a gathering of young Moroccans whose aim is to “act, and discuss concrete solutions to improve the education system”. In less than a month, the Facebook page attracted well over 10,000 members and a lot of support on social media.

The momentum seems to have been fueled by news that the government may be planning to toughen the tuition policy at public universities. The group called for a nationwide demonstration on Sunday, August 6, 2012, to “encourage civil society and the Moroccan political elite to open a national debate on measures to reform the system.”

See more photos and videos from the protest and read about Moroccan students demanding education reform on Global Voices.

(via sharquaouia-deactivated20121015)

Tags: Morocco student movement education protest

Link
August 06, 2012
3 notes
The Reality of Western Sahara

a really good (and pretty short) intro article to the situation in Western Sahara

read it, yeah?

Tags: Western Sahara Morocco self-determination occupation MENA sahrawi