Story of the Day

THE VIEW FROM FEZ: Women dumped in Morocco?

The View from Fez carries a chilling story about women who are abandoned in Morocco when their husbands or fathers return to Europe. About 20 or 30 women are abandoned each year.

One thing that is particularly interesting about this story is that it crosses the fault lines between Europe and North Africa, since the story suggests that the practice is mainly perpetrated by Moroccan immigrants to Holland (or possibly other European countries).

The story cries out for a broader analysis of the treatment of women in immigrant communities, in Europe, and in North Africa. It raises unanswered questions about whether the practice is unique to Morocco or fits in with a wider pattern of abuse of women. Perhaps that is asking too much of a single news story, but in light of common assumptions about how women are treated in the West versus Muslim countries, some serious analysis is called for.

The most disappointing part of the story is that the Dutch authorities have apparently washed their hands of the women who have already been abandoned and are confining their efforts to preventing future abandonments.

Zero Tolerance

Morocco Arrests 44 Terrorist Suspects - New York Times

RABAT, Morocco (AP) -- Moroccan security services have arrested 44 suspected terrorists and dismantled a network allegedly planning attacks in the North African country, the state news agency reported Monday.

The article also notes that human rights organizations have raised concern that the Moroccan government has arrested and tortured innocent civilians in the course of its crackdown on terrorists.

Truth Commission Reports

The Washington Post reports that Morocco's Truth Commission announced yesterday the disappearances of 600 people and the deaths of 500 more over the four decades from 1956 to 1999 colloquially referred to as a the "years of lead."

Human Rights Concerns Continue in Western Sahara

THE VIEW FROM F�S: Human rights defenders on trial

The View from Fes reports that Amnesty international is sending a delegate to observe the trial of seven advocates for human rights in the Western Sahara:

Amnesty International announced today that it is sending a delegate to observe the trial this week of seven human rights defenders from Western Sahara who the organization believes may be prisoners of conscience. They are standing trial together with seven other accused who are being prosecuted for participating in demonstrations against Moroccan rule.

In addition, Amnesty remains concerned about the fate of activist Brahim Dahane, who was also mentioned in testimony at a hearing before a subcommittee of the the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Easy Way Out Is No Solution

France Says It Will Deport Foreigners for Rioting - New York Times

The expulsion measure, which affects even those foreigners living in France legally, was greeted with applause when it was announced at the National Assembly today by Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, a spokesman for the minister said. It appeared to be aimed primarily at youths of North African and sub-Saharan African descent who have been involved in nearly two weeks of disturbances across France.

Expelling rioters seems like a shortsighted solution to the problems that caused the riots.

The Migrant Mess

Spain/Morocco: The authorities must be held accountable for the violation of migrants' rights - news.amnesty - Amnesty International

Amnesty International has condemned the Spanish and Moroccan governments' treatment of African migrants attempting to cross the border from Morocco to Spain at Melilla and Ceuta. In addition to describing the injuries inflicted on migrants at the border crossings, Amnesty documents the practice of abandoning them in the desert.

Al Jinane (fr) reports that the Moroccan government has denounced Amnesty's criticisms. A commenter points out that Europe bears a heavy responsibility for creating the conditions that have led to the current immigration crisis. Amnesty acknowledges this responsibility, but does not condone the actions of the Spanish or Moroccan governments.

Left to Die

Morocco Said to Abandon Hundreds of Migrants in Desert - New York Times

ALGIERS, Oct 14 (AFP) - The separatist Polisario Front movement said Friday it has located hundreds of African migrants abandoned in the Western Sahara desert by Moroccan security forces driving them out of the country.

"Since Wednesday, we have located four groups of clandestine emigrants cast into the desert on orders from the Moroccan government in several parts of the liberated zones of the Sahrawi Republic," the movement's leadership stated.

The UN refugee agency and a UN peacekeeping mission in the Western Sahara on Thursday said they were worried and seeking west Africans left to fend without water and food in the territory, disputed between Morocco and Polisario, at the start of the week.

The source may be dubious, but the story is horrific.

Hope for the Future, Regret for the Past

In Morocco, a Rights Movement, at the King's Pace - New York Times

In an interview in his Casablanca law office, the walls decorated with Koranic sayings engraved in brass, [Member of Parliament Mustafa] Rameed said the only opinion that really mattered was that of the king. "The political path is determined by the mood of the king and not the mood of the people. We have left the authoritarian years behind us, but we are not yet a democracy."

Mr. Rameed and many other people active politically hope to restructure the Constitution to strengthen the role of Parliament and the political parties while defining the monarchy within a framework of laws.

Human Rights a Casualty of the War on Terror?

Human Rights Watch expresses concern over the government's crackdown on criminal defendants in the wake of the Casablanca bombings. In particular, Human Rights Watch notes that defendants can be detained for up to 10 days without being allowed to see a lawyer, and for up to 12 days before being brought before a judge. On a positive note, the Report discusses the Equity and Reconciliation Commission established to address human rights abuses under Hassan II, although it suggests the Commission's powers do not extend far enough. Human Rights Watch's summary links to a full 70-page report.