Finally, They Have Registred My Son's Name!

Thanks to all people who sympathized with me in this humiliation. Actually, the experience of being refused one’s newborn’s name by the Civil Registry services in one's own homeland is indescribable, especially when you find out that a citizen like you has just registered his newborn (Saàd) meanwhile yours is rejected. Therefore you feel that you are not like the others (who chose an Arab names). You understand that your status is lower than that of other citizens, you feel like the lowest and the most wretched creature on earth. I am not the first or the last to endure this absurd banning.

Therefore, it is clearer and clearer that the process of discrimination, marginalisation and systematic cultural erasing is still going on in spite of sweet political speeches which we have been accustomed to hear since the so called “Independence” in 1956.
To illustrate this I start with the Moroccan constitution which does not recognize Amazigh identity as it is stated in its preamble: “An Islamic and fully sovereign state whose official language is Arabic, the Kingdom of Morocco constitutes a part of Great Arab Maghreb”.

So according to this constitution Imazighen don’t exist although the historical, archeological, anthropological, linguistic and social studies have shown and confirmed that the population of North Africa in general and of Morocco in particular is mainly Amazigh.

Moreover, the translators into Tamazight have been disappeared in the Moroccan administrations since (courts, hospitals…) since 1956.
The High Institute of Amazigh Studies hasn’t seen light up to now. Unfair detention of Amazigh association members in 1994 because they protested on Labour Day (May 1st) and claimed the official recognition of Tamazight.
Systematic marginalisation of Amazigh speaking regions (Rif, Atlas, the South East…). Promulgating laws in order to ban Amazigh names in the name of protecting “Moroccan identity”, so many Amazigh names have been banned and considered either strange or bring shame to the public morality! Or menace the national unity! Many Amazigh toponyms have been arabized.
Another scandalous aspect of humiliation is that of the 2M TV that broadcasts only 15 mn of Amazigh news but the presenters are behind the veil, they are ashamed to appear to the viewers! Al uwla TV also broadcasts only15 mn of Amazigh news in spite of the fact that Imazighen, the majority, pay taxes on TV and Radio( Note that Amazigh radio programs are not captured in high lands where Tamazight still stands firm against arabization and extremism).

However, Israel, the first enemy as the Arabs see it, does not prohibit Arab names, and Arabic is recognised as a second official language in the Israeli constitution. In our sweet homeland Tamazight is not recognized at all in the Moroccan constitution( as mentioned above), even in the king’s speech in Ajdir in 2001 he used the word Taàabir which means in Arabic expressions. Tifinagh script is banned in the public life as it happened in Nador.

If you meditate a little bit on these factors you conclude that the Moroccan authorities treat Imazighen as colonized unwanted natives that put obstacles in front of the" national unity" and the Arab unity as a whole.
It's up to Imazighen to struggle and strive to incarnate their existence as the American Civil Right movement leader Martin Luther King Jr puts it : "Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent."
He adds:"One who breaks an unjust law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.
Mbarek Oulemda
Beni Mellal
Morocco

Finally they registered my son with the name Ayyur Adam, but after a long process of humiliation.M.L.K says again " A right delayed is a right denied"

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Anefgu said:

Laz
to Hamidouna! I know that you live in some big Moroccan cities nd everything is all right for you there.You might be living in what is called" Good or useful Morocco" that is the golden tringle Rabar- Casa - Fes. this is only a small part of Morocco.Please would you travel to the Atlases and the Riff... you will certainly find another Morocco. What is said in the article is just a tiny things about our reality.I know you don't know that in our Morocco,unhappily, people die of cold und hunger(Anfgou and Azillal) Please update your memory about Morocco.

08/17/09

Hamidona said:

London, UK
I don't know how old this article is. There is NO law in Morocco that forbids amazigh names. Morocco has a law forbiding non muslim names like Christopher, Julie etc or places names like AlQuds, Syria etc. There was however a list of names distributed to some consulats but the list was not official even though it was created during Dris AlBasri era. I am a berber who speaks berber and who has NEVER felt like a second class citizen in Morocco. This article is way exaggerated and hides lots of "psychological knots" as we call them in morocco. The fact that it refers to "extremism" and the so-called State of Israel says volumes about the author. If you don't like life in Morocco suggest you try Gaza or even Jerusalem! Good luck.

08/12/09

Simo (Mohmmad) said:

Things are not THAT bad..
First of all, I would like to point out that I am Moroccan and I am Berber, both at the same time, fully balanced identities with no complex at all. I grew up in a Morocco, where people made fun of every race, be it Berber, jewish, Fassi, Shamali aarouubi or nssrani and it made our culture that more interesting to all of us. We could laugh at ourselves and each other, and still be together and that made us that much stronger as well. I just read the article and went through the comments made by some and would like to add that as a Berber in Morocco I never really felt like I was a second citizen at all, even though I could site many jokes always made about Shleuh when I am around, and that in itself cracks me up till today. However, I think that the fact that some Berbers were denied to choose the names of their choice for their kids was a bit dramatic, and the fact that this issue is behind us now and in the hope that some more issues will get resolved in the future we should all be glad that things are moving forward. I bet you if you ask any other Moroccan racial group they could come up with their own list of mischief as well and that is just how it is.
All in all, Berber or not, if you are Moroccan enjoy it and love your fellow Moroccans no matter their accent or name or how much money they have. The beauty of our country and our culture is in its diversity. Any color is beautiful, but I bet you there is nothing more beautifull than a rainbow of colors..:)

Simo
Austin, Texas

07/16/09

Yeewass nat Tmazert said:

Bring it on
I always felt that Amazighia is part of every Moroccan’s life not just those who happened to speak it. I listened to people like you talk about how Chleuh were oppressed, their land taken, their heritage dismissed, how true berber names are denied ….etc which actually is an sneaky, implicit claim to some territorial independence.
My observation is that most of you that hold this type of thinking live in the western world and picked up on the westerners’ struggle to affirm their elusive identity, very common in America, and is mostly a symptom of a life spent in seclusion devoid of any family life, segregation, white that claim racial supremacy, blacks to be direct lineage of the pharos….all kind of fantasies that now I see raised by our own,
In your ill-emancipation and efforts to associate you believe that you are from some kind of ancient stock as the historical first inhabitant of Morocco, and perhaps you feel the need, because of your pure blood line, to be granted some sort of privileges or maybe some honorific title or be called by some ancient name, Queen Sheiba perhaps. Agreed that you are entitled to the freedom to name your dog any name you want but when it comes to real person that you intend for to be a Moroccan it should be Moroccan names according our norms and Islamic heritage. Chleuh have always championed the cause of a true Islam and they are honored for that. (And please don’t go fetch your ideas in westerners colonial books about the history of Tamazight or morocco in general, just learn it from the people you grow up with if you happen to have lived in Morocco. Just know that many of us love being Moroccan from the north to the south, with no distinction but our faith.)
You need to be very careful with these slurring comments of yours if you are a Moroccan, as I can be exactly sitting on the other side and promote exactly the same exclusive message against your kind.
In my family circle that includes Swassa, Saharoua, Riafa, I never heard anyone questioning our cultural unity or using uncommon Moroccan names. I would love guys like you to pursue their little propaganda and start a nice little civil war in our homeland, because make no mistake this will be the ultimate outcome. I can assure you that some will have no problem with that; money can be made in war times same as in peace times. Spain, Algeria and your Israeli compadres would be thrilled.
Maybe you should be using true African names, I mean black Africans for they might be the real first inhabitant of morocco. Trust me they will agree if you asked them, so that will probably make you of European ancestry and then what…I guess your European bothers will receive with open arms.

What gets me is that you invoke Israel as a f….. pro-arab democracy, just for this sort of disgusting and lowlife type of thinking , I wish for you to get a taste of the what our Palestinians brothers are enduring in their occupied land, just for saying that you should be denied Moroccan citizenship.

06/14/09

Mohamed_00007 said:

s****d arabezid anaimals
naibilo, Arabs names are not Islamic names.
Kahlid, soufian and hind didn't change there names when became Muslim. They kept there name's even before they where Muslims they where worshiping stone's and the devils him self.

06/02/09

Ayyur azegwagh said:

Ayyur azegwagh
Nabilino
What do you mean by hebba qebba? The writter's exagerating?! I don't think so.Refusing one 's name is hebba!!!!Refusing Amazigh names in Morocco is like the small part of the Iceberg that appears over water.Denying on's right to register his newborn with whatever name he wants is a "hebba"(grain)?
I believe that you are racist and baised to Araboislamist ideology.You said as "Muslims and Moroccans" here you try to impose Islam on Moroccans, it's not necessary that all Moroccans are muslims.it's better to talk about yourself and your family and your neighbours, but about all moroccans you are exagerating.
We are in 21st century, and you want to read in front of restaurants "No Amazigh Allowed"? Do you think that the moroccan authorities are stupid like you?
In America there is now a black president, what about Morocco?The muslims you have called them!Do they have an Amazigh King?or Amazigh president?Does the king speak Amazigh language? Do Imazighen understand their king's speeches?
Imazighen have contributed alot to Islamic civilisation, and now they have no right to register their newborns with amazigh names.this is what Imazighen merrit.
You said Moroccans are a mixed of ethnicities cultures, so why they claim Morocco is an Arab islamic country? Why the constitution doesn't recognise this plurality and this melting pot? Don't you see yourself in contradiction?
"a right delayed is a right denied"

05/31/09

nabilino said:

...
Dear writer,

I think you think or want to live like a savior or hero. Amazigh people are not treated as Blacks during the civil rights mov't. For crying out loud man, do you just want to create from the "hebba" "kebba"?

Second class citizen, ya 3ibad llah... Do you see in the restaurants front..."No Amazigh Allowed"? or "For Arabs Only"?

What I'm trying to say is... As Muslims and Moroccans we shouldn't have a tendency to prioritize our heritage to take over and be dominant whether we're this or that.

Moroccans have a great mix in them from all ethnicities and colors so if you think that your "kind" is somewhat superior then you're definently creating devisions.

Sure, you can name your boy whatever you want, but when you start giving the speech of " I have a dream " then you're probably exaggerating some.

05/30/09

majid berkani said:

...
nabilano, are you serious? how can you claim the author is trying to create division?
what is written in this article is pretty much the reality in morocco! imazighen faces a lot of obstacles when it comes to human rights. i'm not saying morocco is a racist country and where imazighen have no chance to achieve anything, that would be wrong to say. but the fact of the matter is, an amazigh will not achieve anything in the moroccan society unless he follows the panarabist policies, that morocco has. morocco identifies it self as an arab country, what about the amazigh people - are they aliens in their own country? even the state of israel which many arabs consider as a rascist country, the arabs here have more rights than we imazighen have in morocco. i have never heard of an arab being denied to name his kid an arab name, have you?

05/26/09

Azegwagh said:

Azgwagh
Nabilino may be you are an ignorant person sorry to say that.Read a little bit about what happens in Morocco.Come back to your homeland and live in it. Get out from other people's countries who know what are human rights, what is identity, what is dignity.....If you don't know this go and live with animals, they eat and sleep and have sex they are all akay.

05/26/09

nabilino said:

sickness man
You people think that you have "Del3a zayda" just because you're Amazigh. All are Moroccans PERIOD. Get over your imperfections and live normally like the rest of 3ibad llah.

Talk about second class citizen and crap like that. We all know that does not exist in Morocco..If you are moroccan, the only thing that can me a difference is probably how much money you have.

People like you should be ashamed to create division among Moroccans...
Grow up!

05/24/09

Yabdas said:

Ayyur

Congratulations to you!!! Let Ayyur shine with all his light over us.The truth will always find a way out from the darkness.

Long live Imazighen!!!

05/22/09

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