Morocco:Allegiance Pledge Ceremony;Act Of Loyalty Or Humiliation?

NABIL ARRACH, Ph.D,

08/24/12

Washington / Morocco News Board---Tuesday August 21, 2012, Moroccan officials and representatives from 16 regions and 40 provinces bowed down before the King Mohamed VI, and chanted: "May God protect our King", a yearly ceremony that signifies loyalty and allegiance to the King Mohamed VI.

A year ago, such news would have passed unnoticed; however, after the meltdown of many Arab dictatorships, and the growing social ills in Morocco, many citizens expressed their disapproval of this outdated royal protocol, describing it as degrading to human dignity!
A number of media outlets reported this story and public debates were held to discuss the abolishment or modification of the allegiance ceremony. In a recent televised debate, the head of the government Mr. Ben Kiran said that no one is obliged to kiss the King’s hand and that most people do it at will.
Rare even within the most conservative monarchies of the GCC region, this form of allegiance took place for the first time in 1934 when Morocco was still a French colony.  Today, eight decades later, in the era of Arab Spring, Globalization, Internet and Social Media, someone within the royal cabinet in Morocco still thinks that gathering government officials to bow before the King is somehow beneficial to the image and stability of the kingdom!
On March 9, 2011, the King Mohamed IV responded to the February 20th Movement by proposing a new constitution followed by a speedy referendum. The King renounced his sacred character (article 23, 1996), promised to delegate some of his powers to the new government, and protect human rights and freedoms. However, in practical terms, the new government was merely upgraded from being the “secretary for the royal cabinet” (government of Allal el Fassi) to holding managerial responsibility (PJD). The real powers remain in the palace, and the monarch continues to switch hats from the head of the military, to the head of state, the business man, and the ultimate religious figure.
 

Add comment

While Morocco News Board encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. MoroccoBoard.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments. This is a moderated forum. Comments deemed abusive, offensive, or those containing profanity may not be published. Please Read Site's Terms of Use

To post Video, images and links please use appropriate button

Name (required)

Title

Send

Cancel

Comments (5)  

 

-8 #1 RE: Morocco:Allegia nce Pledge Ceremony;Act Of Loyalty Or Humiliation? — Morcelli 2012-08-24 12:40

Since before the king M6 became a king he had always and still lean forward with his shoulder and never lays his hand to be kissed as his father did before him, He perhaps himself thought that kissing a hand of another man is lowest of the low thing to do. Unfortunately the majority of Moroccans who get to be near him cannot help but jump on his hand and drool on it.
We need to remember that the king has advisers who worked with his father before him, they must have advised him that as a sacred Human and a commander of the faithful coming from the primogeniture of the prophet Mohammed, he needed to keep this habit however degrading it might be, alive to keep getting the respect and the fear of the Moroccan population.
In Morocco we grow up kissing hands, we kissed the hands of our father , mother, uncle, aunt, basically everyone. and why not the king, He is a king after all. Growing up, other than my parents, I did not kiss anyone's hand and I did not care if everyone does it, I guess I was the black sheep or so I was told.
I really think that they king will respect more those who do not kiss his hands, He's not dumb, he knows how degrading a grown man bending to kiss another man's hand, but when you have the majority of his elites and his ministers cannot wait to get to his hands, he is not going to ask them to stop because he knows and most likely advised to keep the bad habit and that Moroccans working for him have no dignity and will be happy to kiss his hands.

Quote | Report

 

 

-1 #2 DR — Abdelkrim Rif 2012-08-24 14:55

this is medieval and feodal system. Nothing to do with Islam or culture.
We Riffians bow for nobody except Allah or God.If its a french invention it should be the first thing to abolish after independance! These people who bow for other human are only thieves thats all!!

Quote | Report

 

 

-1 #3 BDS — sahrane 2012-08-25 16:19

Well it’s loyalty to humiliation,Mor occans are grown with that sentiment,and we deseve it, and we’ll continue on taking that crap,cause we’re i**ots no dignity and scared sh*t,what we’re doing about it?nothing talk is cheap.instead of putting the pressure on the regime,by shaming it in the forums and the media,and exposing it for what it’s all about and liking it to the colonial practices,to curb it’s behavior ,guess what we’re the ones keeping the regime thriving.
By Sending hard currency to line the corrupt regime pockets,if for one year we halt the transfert ,you’ll see the regime on it’s knees,behaving like a civilized bunch.so in my opinion the only peaceful solution is a BDS(Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions).

Quote | Report

 

 

-2 #4 RE: Morocco:Allegia nce Pledge Ceremony;Act Of Loyalty Or Humiliation? — mbt 2012-08-26 15:38

Morcelli it is not the people who bow before him that we should feel sorry for, it is the man sitting on the horse whose acceptance of the bows is unforgivable.

It makes him feel the king all this bowing.

Quote | Report

 

 

0 #5 Disney Land — Riz1 2012-09-02 22:59

You not only kiss his hand, you also kiss the hand of his young son. You bow and kiss his hand like he is a GOD. You have his pictures hanging all over the place. In Islam, we do not hang pictures like this, we do not depict people as prophets. This is why we do not depict our Prophert Mohammad (PBUH). You have no shame at all. You disgrace Islam by saying that you kiss the hand of your father and mother so why not of a king. No one is born a KING. You made him a king. This King of yours has $2 billion of your money. He has an interest in all sectors of the economy. He is your KING, your Law maker, your Judge, your Business department etc. Wake up and get rid of him. get that $2b and build some hospitals instead of palaces.

Quote | Report

 

Refresh comments list
RSS feed for comments to this post

JComments