Too Much Noise for Nothing

By Jamal Elabiad

Most Moroccans received with relief the reforms king Mohamed VI promised to bring about in his speech delivered after Moroccans took to the streets to call for profound political reforms. But what happened on March 13, May15, and May 22 contradicted the king's promises of reforms.

The common denominator between those dates is the fact that Moroccan authorities suppressed pro-democracy activists peacefully demonstrating against corruption and nepotism, and for an independent judiciary, transparent elections, and a king that reigns, but doesn't rule.

Four days after the king's speech, peaceful demonstrators in Casablanca were harshly beaten by anti-riot police. On May 15, the Moroccan authorities broke up violently a protest picnic organized by the February 20 movement to "Guantemara", a secret detention in Temera on the outskirts of the capital. On May 22, many demonstrations of the February 20 movement were violently dispersed and a large number of protesters were arrested.

Many domestic and foreign political analysts commented on the king's speech. It marked, for them, the start of a Morocco totally different from what it was a few years ago: a Morocco of liberties, human rights, free elections, and equality before the law, a Morocco where everyone can ask for his/her rights without being chased by anti-riot police, and a Morocco where all Moroccans are equal, and where no Moroccans are more equal than others.

I am quite sure that those political analysts were shocked to notice that the Moroccan interior ministry did not respect the king's speech while dealing with peaceful pro-reform demonstrations across the country. And I am sorry to say that several of them did change their opinions on the speech 360 degrees. The reason? The Moroccan interior ministry disregarded the king's "historical" speech. Therefore, it's the interior ministry to blame if Moroccans shout anti-regime slogans!

In closing, it's worth mentioning that many Moroccans have been sent to prison after being accused of disrespecting the monarchy. The interior minister, however, has not been brought to trial though his violence against peaceful demonstrations was disrespectful of the king's March speech. This is among the reasons why the birth of a new Morocco sounds like too much noise for nothing.