Morocco: Demanding for Faster Transition while Worrying about Terrorism

"On May 1, thousands of people, including trade union members, marched in Morocco’s cities demanding a faster transition toward democracy and decrying terrorism. Heavy rain kept the number of protesters down, as did the sense that the terrorist attack, believed by Moroccan authorities to be the work of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, had already created a sense of both vulnerability and national cohesion." (NYtimes.com)

Once again, the Moroccan people have risen up in protest for the Moroccan government to transition to a more democratic nation but this time it is also for the safety of the nation against Al-Qaeda. On April 28th, there was a bomb set off in the city of Marrakesh killing 16 people- noting that nearly all of the departed were foreigners and wounded almost two dozen more people. There is now a concern of "terrorism and the growing influence of radical Islam and Al Qaeda". Even with this concern comes criticism from the people about the issue hindering the progress of the reforms which were declared on March 9th on the constitution. King Mohammed VI gave a speech in which he promised that "in the future the Parliament, not the king, would chose the prime minister and that the courts would become more independent."

The issue with terrorism in Morocco has risen though and "a European security official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested a relatively new cooperation had emerged between members of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the older Moroccan Islamic Combatants Group, which was hatched in Afghanistan, wants a fundamentalist Islamic Morocco and was hit hard by arrests after [the bombing in Casablanca by several suicide bombers in] 2003".

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/world/africa/02morocco.html?_r=1&ref=morocco

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/morocco/index.html

Tunisia: Tunisians immigrating in masses to Italy and Europe

In the month since the revolution in January, many Tunisians have been illegally leaving the country for their own safety, many migrating to Italy. On February 13, Italy’s interior minister proposed that the country send armed forces to Tunisia to help the flow of illegal immigrants slow down. In the week proceeding, more than 3,000 Tunisians arrived in Italy illegally at the island of Lampedusa. Hundreds have been sleeping outside because of the lack of facilities available to such a large influx. The Interior Ministry reopened an immigrant-holding center on the island and has begun taking some of the immigrants to identification centers in Sicily. In order to make such a proposal a reality, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni will need to receive authorization from Tunisia’s foreign minister. Illegal immigration to Italy from North Africa has always been an issue because of the hard to patrol coastline of the nation but in recent months the problem has obviously increased with the dangerous living situation that is Tunisia. In 2009, an agreement between Italy and Tunisia was signed in which Italy pledged financial support for Tunisia’s pledge to make a greater effort to prevent illegal immigrants from leaving the ports. This agreement has obviously not been as easy to enforce with the increased turmoil in Tunisia past month. Interviewed Tunisians are not picky about where they could go in Europe, as long as it is not back to Tunisia.

Although the Tunisian revolution overthrew a corrupt dictator, the resulting climate is not stable. As a result, many Tunisians are trying to escape the chaos to Europe. Italy is the easiest country to reach and hence, many are moving in that direction. Those who have immigrated should be treated as refugees and taken in by Europe but when so many are arriving at one time, it is a burden on the states of Europe as well. It is a difficult issue to handle and Italy’s reaction is logical but the fate of those who are forced to stay in Tunisia is not very positive. Unless Tunisia is able to set up a more stable government system in the vacuum that has resulted since January, Tunisians will still do anything possible to immigrate to Europe even if Italy does get approval to send armed forces into the country.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/14/world/europe/14boats.html?ref=tunisia

Somali Pirates

The threat of the Somali pirates has increased to an ultimate high with President Obama having to order necessary action. A band of armed pirates tried to seize a U.S. flagged cargo ship that carried twenty Americans, and although they gained control of the ship the captain was still hostage. Somalia is viewed as a "lawless" state, and in 1993 when the U.S. tried to go in and instruct order the efforts failed. In March 2008 the Pentagon confirmed a raid on a suspected Somali terrorists. During the seizing of the ship when the captain was taken the other crew members managed to get the pirates off of the ship, and kept one of the pirates. As time went on they decided to let him go, but the captain was never returned.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-04-08-somali-pirates-us-sailors_N.htm

UAE Update

People calling for democratic reform within the United Arab Emirates has to be careful as to not upset the government since even more and more people are being arrested and detained for promoting and calling for democratic reform.

On April 6th, the country’s teachers association had joined together with other groups to sign a public appeal for increased democracy, and just days later government officials began detaining pro-democracy activists. On May 3rd, the leadership of the country’s teachers association was replaced with government officials.

UAE Social Affairs Minister Mariam Mohammed Khalfan Roumi stated that the group “violated the countrys law on associations, which bars nongovernmental organizations fro interfering “in politics or in matters that impair state security and its ruling regime.” And that they were arrested for “opposing the government system and insulting the vice president.”

Joe Stork of Human Rights Watch stated that “This attack on civil society is further proof that those in power in the UAE see anyone calling for reform as fair game, UAE authorities should immediately stop their hostile takeover of civil society and free the peaceful democracy activists.”


http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/05/uae-takeover-of-civil-society-organizations-continue-.html

Chad, Hissène Habré

After years of waiting, dealing with a one step forward two step back process, news that there is a plan that involves the trail of ex-dictator Hissène Habré. The African Union has come up with a plan and putting pressure on Senegal to proceed with a fair trial of Habré. After the killing and torture that he did while ruling Chad (1982-1990) he fled to Senegal where he has been in hiding since, with their government protecting him by refusing to hold a trial against them. They were told that if they were to refuse to do the trail then it would be sent to Belgium. Assane Dioma Ndiaye, Président of the Senegalese League for Human Rights Said “It would be a shame if Africa could not meet this challenge when everything is set for an African country to provide a fair trial for any crimes committed in Africa”. So after much waiting it seems as if that Chad will soon have peace from knowing that Hissène Habré will be tired.

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/03/22/senegal-accept-au-plan-hiss-ne-habr-case

Country Update

It has been a long while since I last posted. In the interim period, Israel illustrated their belief in the importance of human rights when they gave special attention to Holocaust Remembrance Day, on Monday, May 1, 2011. The article, “Israel Helps Set Up Database of Property Lost in Holocaust, by Isabel Kershner on May 2, 2011, explains how to commemorate the special day, and to pay special respects to those who perished in the Holocaust, the program Project Heart (a nonprofit campaign by the Jewish Agency for Israel) was announced as being launched in Brussels, Milwaukee and New York City. The project compiles what were historically forbidden documents and belongings and shows them to survivors and their families for the first time:

“Compiled from hundreds of European archives, including tax records and voter registries, it includes real estate and land, movable property like art and jewelry, and intangible personal property like stocks, bonds and savings accounts.”

The article notes how the involvement with Project Heart is the first time the Israeli government has gotten involved with “restitution,” or the giving back of property. Natan Sharansky, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel describes how the Holocaust, “was not only genocide, but it was also the greatest theft in history.” In saying this, he notes how not only were lives taken, which is a very large human rights violation, but also, victims lost their private property as well. I think it is a great thing that Israel is becoming involved in this project, because it pays national attention to the rights of Holocaust victims,

Update on Syria

In the past two months, Syria has been going through a time of protest and rebellion against its government. As of April 27th, Syria has sent over 30 tanks to its capital to crackdown on the Syrian governmental opponents. Deraa, a main city in Syria, has been sealed off, and troops search homes at night for Syrian citizens rebelling against the government. In a significant development because of these outrages and military action, over 200 members of the ruling Baath party have resigned in protest to the current actions. Resigning from the Baath party was unthinkable before these protests which started on March eighteenth. Security forces have also conducted arrests throughout other areas of Syria, along with Deraa.
Syrian military forces are torturing and killing its citizens daily, even if the people happen to be peaceful protesters. Last Sunday, in Deraa, Syrian military forces arrested 489 people in house arrests and raids. The raid occurred because of military forces seizing control of Deraa’s Omari mosque, which had become the center for anti-governmental protests. More than 70 Syrian citizens have been killed since Friday. Residents from age fifteen to forty were arrested, handcuffed, and sent to a detention center. Ten more citizens were also killed last Sunday. So far, the death toll in Syria is estimated to be at about 560. Currently, no foreign journalists are allowed inside the country. Currently, an American reporter Dorothy Parvaz, journalist for the Seattle post, has gone “missing” in Syria. She is supposed to be held by the Syrian government, although it can’t be confirmed. Local journalists have been prosecuted if writing anti-governmental documents.
The future of Syria is up in the air. We can only hope that its citizens will prevail and the dictatorship of Al-Hasaad will finally come to an end.