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.
TECTONIC: Moroccan fisheries escapes proprietary net
The Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Sea Fisheries (MARDSF), has signed a deal with Liberty Tech to migrate all its servers to Mandriva Linux. The move makes it one of the first Moroccan government departments to take advantage of free software.
I am curious how widespread LInux is elsewhere in Morocco. Apparently the Ministry is also considering using LInux on its desktop machines. In terms of cost savings and independence from foreign corporations, this might make a lot of sense.
I take it as a positive sign for the Moroccan economy that the country now has its own "monster.com" style job board. After I encountered the board, ReKrute.com, the other day, I contacted the owner, Philippe Montant, and asked him about his board and what it meant for Morocco. Montant replied:
In fact ReKrute.com is the first professional jobboard here in Morocco and we have spent a lot of time evangelising the recruiters here in Morocco and convince them to go online to recuit. It have been created by 2 partners with the purpose of developing the online recruitment market in North Africa and French speaking countries in Africa.
The situation regarding Internet here in Morocco is exploding since 12 months now in Casablanca. To-date, there are approximately 6 to 8M web-users, and also 50000 new ADSL subscribers each month (total ADSL is around 700 000 units now). No need to say that for the level of development and the size of the population, this is huge.
The board is in French and most of the entries seem to be weighted toward technical occupations, but there is a wide variety of listings. I am hoping that ReKrute.com succeeds, and that its success bodes well for the Moroccan technical sector.
The Morocco Foundation is making new efforts to aid children with Down's Syndrome. In addition to providing material aid, board members are acting as Big Brothers and Big Sisters to the children.
Sins of the Father: Reform in Rabat
The Bush administration may have as much to learn from the Moroccan experience as do the autocracies of the Middle East.
The Washington Post's Jim Hoagland writes about Morocco's unique path toward reform.
Feud With King Tests Freedoms In Morocco
Since ascending the throne in 1999, Mohammed has transformed his country by approving parliamentary elections, a robust press and equal rights for women, giving Moroccans more freedom than most of their Arab neighbors in North Africa and the Middle East. Those changes have also given new life to long-suppressed opposition groups that are demanding more concessions from the king but do not necessarily believe in a Western-style democracy.
The Washington Post has run a major story on the challenge of Islamic radicals to the legitimacy of the monarchy, and the monarchy's subsequent prosecution of Islamist spokeswoman Nadia Yassine. Yassine's prosecution raises the question whether democratic reforms can survive Islamic radicalism, which poses the dual threat of provoking a backlash from the monarchy or taking power and extinguishing liberty.
Due East of Augusta has reflections on a year spent in Morocco, followed by pictures.
The High Atlas Foundation held its annual meeting and announced a number of new initiatives to further development in Morocco.
The Rock Star's Burden - New York Times
Paul Theroux suggests that the history of Ireland is instructive on the path to development in Africa. "Ireland may be the model for an answer. After centuries of wishing themselves onto other countries, the Irish found that education, rational government, people staying put, and simple diligence could turn Ireland from an economic basket case into a prosperous nation." See also Blackprof.com.
The Morocco Foundation has announced that it has been granted tax exempt status by the IRS, and gifts are now fully tax deductible.
Slate describes the history of the Spanish enclaves, Spain's illogical insistence on maintaining them, and the immigration headache they cause the European Union.
The Union Internationale des Avocats (The International Union of Lawyers) just concluded its 49th annual conference in Fez. In addition to exploring a number of topics of international scope, the sessions at the conference also included a discussion of Moroccan Family Law. It sounds as though it was a very interesting conference, and the UIA could not have chosen a more inviting location.
Wafin.com has a story (registration required) on the efforts of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers to make a continuing contribution to development in Morocco through the High Atlas Foundation, which is holding a reception and fundraiser in New York City on September 15, 2005.
Since the expiration of global quotas in textiles, the surge in Chinese production of textiles has had a devastating impact on the Moroccan textile industry:
North African countries have also not been spared the consequences of Chinese competition. Following the expiration of the Agreement on Clothing and Textiles in January 2005, Morocco's textile exports fell by 33%. The sector is significant for Morocco's economy as the textile industry represents a third of its manufactured exports and employs 200,000 people.
The United States Department of States' Post Report on Morocco.
The Morocco Foundation describes itself as an organization dedicated to sending donations of clothing, shoes, and toys to Moroccan children. It is hard to imagine a more worthwhile goal.
Joshua Haynes is planning a project to assist a local Moroccan orphanage. I have a little experience with orphanages in Morocco, so I know that anything that can be done to help will be needed and appreciated. Joshua is planning to post a website outlining the orphanage's needs.
The Third Goal of the Peace Corps as enunciated in the Peace Corps Act is to create "a better understanding of other peoples on the part of the American people."
Today's Peace Corps Volunteers are doing this in a way that would have been unimaginable to me when I was in Outat El Haj in the late 80's. Joshua Haynes' Moroccan Emprise is but one example of the weblogs created by Volunteers currently serving in Morocco. Additional Volunteer sites listed by Haynes include Dougie's Daily, Due East of Augusta and "I could have sworn they said 'Monaco'". These sites offer compelling combinations of pictures and narrative that vividly evoke the American experience in Morocco. It is hard to imagine a more vital and heartening use of 21st century technology to promote knowledge and understanding.
Joshua Haynes feels frozen out on Eid el Kebir. I remember feeling a little bit the same way when it seemed everyone in town had been invited to a wedding except me. I did not have too much trouble getting over it, however, because people made such an effort to include me on so many other occasions.
Joshua Haynes' A Moroccan Emprise, chronicling his experiences as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco, has made a welcome return after a brief hiatus. I still find it amazing that Morocco has progressed so much in the fourteen years since I was there that a Peace Corps Volunteer is able to maintain a web site.