|
VIEWPOINT -
JAMAL LAOUDI
|
 The phenomenon of accusing citizens of “breach of due respect to the king” in Morocco is getting out of hand. After Mohamed Erraji’s episode, where he was accused of such breach and which ended in his release, we now have a case of an 18 year old kid from Marrakech named Yassine Beleassel, who has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for the same reason.
Let us not talk about some aspects of Yassine’s case such us the beatings he took, the fact that his trial moved faster than the speed of light, and that he was stripped of many of his basic rights including the right of representation by a council. This breach came, this time, in a form of his altering the last words of the national anthem from “God, Country, King” to “God, Country, Barca”, an expression he wrote on a wall. Barca refers to the Spanish soccer team named FC Barcelona who is considered one of the biggest teams in soccer history and who enjoys a huge popularity in Morocco and worldwide.
With the political reform Morocco is trying to implement led by the king himself, this will be considered a step backwards as opposed to forward. Errahji’s release is an indication that the king does not tolerate unfairness, something he has demonstrated on numerous occasions. We cannot of course deny the impact of international pressure on Erraji’s affair.
I think many misunderstand the context in which “breach of due respect to the king” is to be put. It has to do with national security. If there is a real threat to the country or to the personality of the king, then I will strongly demand for action to be taken against any culpable party and even go beyond that. But for it to be used by some in the authorities to advance themselves and their careers at the expense of innocent citizens is something I strongly oppose and condemn. I guarantee you if Yassine Beleassel were a son of an official, he would not have been bothered in any way, shape, or form.
We are in dire need of reform of mentalities especially of some judges. We should expect much from them. They should be an example. A body should actively verify that anyone in any powerful position does indeed qualify not just in terms of education but also in moral and ethical terms. The term education should also be reformed so that not only it means that one can prove or disprove Einstein’s theory of relativity but that one is open-minded, knows how to listen, and cares to respect all laws, implicit and explicit.
Having learnt a bit of the basics of the political system in the US, at least at the level of the constitution and what the fore fathers intended, I find myself obliged to expect much from my fellow expatriates residing in the US. When events such as Yassine’s arise, I automatically hope to see a unified effort to address such issues. I think that we all want change and want to see Morocco succeed but no one wants to pay the price. Someone has to sacrifice. If this generation does not want to pay for it, then the next one will have to. If not, then the one after. Only after sacrifice is made will we see the change we all want for Morocco.
It is difficult for any one person to micro-manage a country. It is heavy enough of a load to macro- manage it. In sports terms, it does not matter how great of a coach you have, if the players are not up to par, it is going to be difficult to win.
|
'Let Gaza Live' Jan. 10 National March on Washington
