The Daily Princetonian - A prince of Morocco, now of Princeton
The Daily Princetonian has a very flattering portrait of Prince Moulay Hicham Benabdallah, third in line to the throne but persona non grata at the palace for his outspokenness regarding democratic reform.
Satirist spotlights rights record at Morocco festival|Reuters.com
Ahmed Snoussi is protesting censorship at the Marrakesh Film Festival, Reuters reports:
Ahmed Snoussi, known as Bziz, is popular with millions of Moroccans, even though he said the state had excluded him from its radio and television stations, and theatres, since 1988. The government says he is not banned or censored.
"I'm telling the festival guests that the event they are attending is a fake setting that is unable to veil the real plight of freedom of thought, opinion and press in Morocco," he told Reuters by telephone from the Marrakech Cinema Festival which opened on Friday.
The Moroccan Human Rights Association confirmed the existence of the restrictions on Bziz's performances.
Prisoners of Sex - New York Times
The New York Times has an article on an Arab crackdown on homosexual activity. Primarily dealing with Egypt, although Morocco is mentioned, the article argues that denunciation of homosexuality is perceived as an easy way to attack Western values. For the trope of the West imposing homosexuality on the Arab world, the author cites Mohammed Choukri:
There is a searing scene in the Moroccan writer Mohamed Choukri’s 1973 novel “For Bread Alone” in which a desperate young man, having recently moved from the country to the city in colonial Morocco, sells himself to an elderly Spaniard. The scene is explicit (they have oral sex in a car), and the novel, which has been banned or caused controversy in many Arab countries, serves as a stunning condemnation of the power disparities engendered by colonialism. Symbolism like Choukri’s is common in Arabic literature and cinema, providing for what the British writer Brian Whitaker has referred to as a “reverse Orientalism,” in which sex, and specifically homosexual sex, is presented as a foreign incursion, a tool of colonial domination.
The efforts of human rights organizations to condemn torture have damped down active persecution at the moment, but the article argues that militant Islam has given rise to a resurgence of anti-homosexual feeling that could result in renewed violent repression at any moment.
Matthew Shepard, of course, might remind us that such attitudes are not unique to the Arab world.
Plane Prayers - washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post is critical of U.S. Airways for its decision to force six imams from boarding an aircraft last week after they unrolled prayer rugs and said their prayers before boarding the aircraft. The Post concludes, correctly, that "America can't become a country so locked by fear that those who unfurl a prayer rug automatically become suspects."
The Post also notes that there are reports of other suspicious behavior by the imams that may have justified expelling them from the aircraft. In cases such as this, I believe the pilot ought to have near absolute discretion to decide who boards his airplane. However, if the imams were denied passage not because of suspicious behavior but because they prayed, or were Arabs, or were Muslims, then they should sue the airline blind. Discretion, yes; discrimination, no.
Thanks to Crossroads Arabia. See also BlackProf.com.
As Monarchy Falters, Islamism Rises - Jamai Aboubakr - PostGlobal
Aboubakr Jamai, publisher of Le Journal Hebdomadaire, has an analysis of forthcoming Moroccan legislative elections in the Washington Post. Jamai points out that while the Islamic Party of Justice and Development commands the allegiance of only a small number of voters committed to a party, it is the overwhelming choice undecided voters.
When first asked about the party they would vote for, Moroccans chose the socialist party with 13% in support. The Islamist PJD party ranked third with 9%. But more than 55% of the citizens polled claimed to be undecided. When those 55% were asked to make up their mind one way or the other, more than 66% chose the Islamist party. That gives the PJD a tremendous lead over the other parties.
Secular parties have proven to be neither honest nor efficient, according to Mr. Jamai, with the result that they are increasingly being squeezed between the all powerful monarchy and the surging Islamists. Real reform will only come with more freedom and accountability in the government.
Update: For French speakers, Larbi has a very interesting commentary on the Economist Intelligence Unit's assessment that Morocco is one of the more stringent dictatorships in the world. Larbi points out that, for good or ill, the fact that Islam is the state religion and the activities of other religions are circumscribed makes the country less "democratic" from the Western point of view of the Economist.
Association of Moroccan Professionals in America
I came across AMPA while I was reading about Moroccan events in the Washington, D.C., a number of which AMPA sponsors.
Yale Daily News - Anti-Muslim posters shatter cultural illusions
Yale junior Altaf Saadi reacts to caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad on the Yale Campus.
But the feelings of safety and comfort evaded me on the morning of Nov. 15, when, walking out of class, I was greeted by a hurried collage of blatantly racist, bigoted caricatures of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. It seemed, in those two seconds in which my mind went from the conjugation of the subjunctive in Espanol to the absolute shock of realizing that the tidal wave of anti-Muslim sentiment had hit home, that I was alone in a campus of thousands. Was this really happening? At Yale? Do I really live among and attend classes with students who think this? That a place as forward thinking as Yale would harbor such inconspicuously racist attitudes was appalling to me.
Saadi criticizes the posters not only for misrepresenting the Prophet, but also for their anonymous posting. In a refreshing reaction to the posting, the Muslim Students Association, which Saadi says stressses openness and inclusiveness on compus, is sponsoring an open forum to discuss the posters. Clearly, Saadi recognizes the fundamental truth that the answer to offensive speech is not suppresssion or censorship but more speech. And yes, I think the Daily News should have run a picture of the offending posters so that its readings could (a) see what kind of material was being posted on their campus, and (b) judge for themselves the degree of its offensiveness.
As I was reading a post about the election of Keith Ellison, America's first Muslim Congressman, the following anonymous comment at Refusenik raised a number of questions in my mind:
He's also an ardent supporter of Gay rights and gay marriage and legislation (including full rights for domestic gay partnerships)...which is fine if that's your thing...but as a Muslim?
Apparently the anonymous commenter does not think that Muslims can support, for example. gay rights. It seems to me that questions of religion, sexuality, and politics are always more complex than that.
Ellison's possible dilemma as a Muslim has long been faced by American Catholics, culminating in the election of John F. Kennedy, who was quite explicit about the fact that as President of the United States, he answered to the American people, all of them, not to the Pope. Mr. Ellison is not primarily elected for his private beliefs, but as the representative of his constituents. However, the anonymous commenter also raised questions for me about how Muslims should confront sexuality and individual rights in a modern Islamic country such as Morocco.
My knowledge of sexuality in Morocco is spotty at best. I know that I was a bit surprised at the degree of rural prostitution. I had friends who were involved in straight relationships with Moroccans and friends who were involved in gay relationships with Moroccans. I am aware that homosexual activity is a criminal offense, and it is my understanding that there is a significant problem with sex trafficking in Morocco. America's most famous expatriate novelist living in Morocco, Paul Bowles, was but one of a number of prominent gay Americans who spent time in Morocco. Tahar ben Jelloun, at least in Le Dernier Ami, is quite frank about premarital Moroccan sexual relationships. And yet there is a strict requirement that women be virgins upon marriage. But there are always rumors of ways to cheat.
One might ask whether it is necessary, or important, or decent to pry into such questions. I think that it probably is, however uncomfortable people may find it, because sexual orientation and sexual practices are too often used to marginalize, victimize, or oppress people. Whether it is women or gays who choose to express or acknowledge their sexuality, doing so puts them at peril, not just in Islamic societies such as Morocco, but also in the United States.
SeeGay Morocco — Myths and Realities (contains some offensive references to "swarthiness"); What Is Going on in Morocco? Middle East Gay Journal (July 2006); Tahar Ben Jelloun, Le Dernier Ami
By the way, the Islamist-Marxist divide on university campuses in Morocco ensures that student debate there remains mired in stupidity, with the two ideologies in a perpetual shouting match.
I remember being astonished when I was told that these were the two main intellectual currents at universities almost twenty years ago.
I have only just started reading eatbees, but it seems to be to me one of the most exciting things to happen to the English language Moroccan blogosphere in a long time.
I'm on my way to Connecticut for Thanksgiving, so there will not be much action here for the next few days.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving Saida!
On Faith: Salman Ahmad: Grapes By Any Other Name
The Washington Post is hosting a rather interesting debate on communication among different faiths. I was particularly struck by Salman Ahmad's parable of the grapes, which he begins with the observation that "Wine is a commonly used metaphor for truth and knowledge in Muslim Sufi poetry and folklore." Ahmad continues by recounting a story in which members of different faiths and nationalities are seeking the same "wine" in different guises.
Ahmad is South Asian, from Pakistan, but Sufi mystical traditions have played an important role throughout the Islamic world, including Morocco. I have only scratched the surface, but I am persuaded that it is a tradition that would repay further study.
The following story was flagged on my Google Alert for Morocco. Intrigued, I immediately clicked on the the link, only to find that Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP) had, ahem, apparently pulled the story, perhaps out of embarrassment at Morocco's low ranking. Thanks to the miracle of Google, however, the story is also available here.
Morocco ranks 123rd in UNDP HDI, report
Rabat, Nov. 15 - Morocco ranked 123rd out of 177 countries in Human Development Index (HDI), according to the 2006 Report of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Human Development.
Morocco is 8th at the level of Africa and 4th among Maghreb countries, revealed, here Tuesday, the report that was officially presented at a conference by UNDP representative, Mourad Wahba.
Each year since 1990 the UNDP report publishes a Human Development Index that looks beyond GDP at a broader definition of well-being.
The HDI provides a composite measure of three dimensions of human development: living a long and healthy life (measured by life expectancy), being educated (measured by adult literacy and enrolment at the primary, secondary and tertiary level) and having a decent standard of living (measured by purchasing power parity -PPP- and income).
Morocco lags behind Seychelles (47th rank), Libya (64th), Tunisia (87th), Algeria (102th), Cape Verde (106th), Egypt (111th) and South Africa (121st).
However, the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), launched last year by king Mohammed VI to fight poverty and social exclusion, forecasts a clear improvement of Morocco’s ranking in the years to come, reads a summary of the UNDP report. Norway tops the HDI while Niger brings up the rear.
Last modification 11/16/2006 09:17 AM.
©MAP-All right reserve
The full report is online.
THE VIEW FROM FEZ: Morocco Times closes down
The View from Fez writes an obit for the Morocco Times.
C�rdoba Adds to Its Allure - New York Times
With the establishment of a new hotel and better tourist infrastructure, the ancient capital of the Andalusian Caliphate — once the largest metropolis in Europe and the continent's intellectual center — has attracted new interest.
Clifford Geertz; Altered Foundation of Anthropology - washingtonpost.com
Clifford Geertz, an anthropologist known in part for his field work in Morocco, died October 30, 2006.
13 Nations Meet on Nuclear Containment - New York Times
Morocco has joined 12 other nations, including the United States, in signing an agreement to cooperate in keeping nuclear materials out of tthe hands of terrorists:
The initiative aims to provide guidelines for keeping track of radioactive materials, ensuring the safety of nuclear facilities, and combating illicit trafficking that could deliver nuclear materials into the hands of terrorists.
I am guessing that Morocco's presence on the list of nations signing the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism has as much to do with its recent concerns over domestic terrorism as with its specific concerns over nuclear proliferation. Nevertheless, it is encouraging to see Morocco taking a laudable stand on this issue. Whether there is any substance to the initiative — particularly in light of participants Russia, China, and the United States' differences over North Korea and Iran — remains to be seen.
One of the first things I did on my first arrival in Morocco was to climb Mount Toubkal, the second highest mountain in Africa. In some ways, this feat is less impressive than it sounds, since the ascent is for the most part little more than a strenuous walk. It is quite high, however. According to the New York Times, the people of Imlil, at the foot of the mountain, are now offering a few more amenities, proceeds from which go to finance improvements in the town. From the Times' description, it sounds like a nice balance between preserving the character of the countryside and generating tourist revenue for the people.
The Holocaust's Arab Heroes - washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post reports on Arab resistance to the Nazi occupation of North Africa and the role of Arab rescuers in saving Jews from the Nazis.
Arabs welcomed Jews into their homes, guarded Jews' valuables so Germans could not confiscate them, shared with Jews their meager rations and warned Jewish leaders of coming SS raids. The sultan of Morocco and the bey of Tunis provided moral support and, at times, practical help to Jewish subjects. In Vichy-controlled Algiers, mosque preachers gave Friday sermons forbidding believers from serving as conservators of confiscated Jewish property. In the words of Yaacov Zrivy, from a small town near Sfax, Tunisia, "The Arabs watched over the Jews."
Peaktalk - A MODERATE MUSLIM’S DESPAIR
A very pessimistic view of the plight of Moroccan immigrants in the Netherlands.
Turkish, Surinam, Moluccan and Somali communities do not produce as many radical and hateful youngsters compared to the Morrocans. Why that is? I have noticed that in many Moroccan families boys are treated harshly, without any love. They are being raised to survive. They need to grow up quickly, if necessary harshly. They see how their mother is abused. If their father walks into the door, they walk out. That is a feeding ground for aggression.
Link from Andrew Sullivan. If this is the case, I would be very curious to know the explanation why such a comparatively moderate and progressive country as Morocco would produce such a depth of bitterness among its emigrants.
THE VIEW FROM FEZ: The Jews of Morocco - a lesson in coexistence.
Legend has it that Moroccan Jews have been here since the days of King David. In the south of Morocco, three days journey from Sousse - there is a boulder on which is engraved -“Joab, son of Zeriah, drove the Philistines to this point.” Joab ben Zeriah was one of King David’s captains. And so it has been concluded that Moroccan Jews have been in this North African country since the day of King David.
The View from Fez discusses the troubled history of Jews in Morocco and latter day efforts to protect a much diminished community.