Comments on: Opportunities for Decentralization in Morocco http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/10/opportunities-for-decentralization-in-morocco/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:07:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Syassator http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/10/opportunities-for-decentralization-in-morocco/#comment-58371 Syassator Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:20:26 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=11538#comment-58371 I do not believe the Makhzen would allow itself to give away some of its power. Decentralization would mean a Federal monarchy, a constitutional shake-up, etc... all kind of democratic, progressist and liberal stuff our beloved rulers won't implement just because of the Sahara problem, they do not want to. We are still suffering from the awful mix of French centralism and bureaucracy, and our historical makhzen hegemony, which was given the unique opportunity to control the entire country, something it could do beforte the French protectorate. The King will certainly not discuss decentralization in his speech, for the simple reason that no constitutional reform is on the agenda. I do not believe the Makhzen would allow itself to give away some of its power. Decentralization would mean a Federal monarchy, a constitutional shake-up, etc… all kind of democratic, progressist and liberal stuff our beloved rulers won’t implement just because of the Sahara problem, they do not want to.
We are still suffering from the awful mix of French centralism and bureaucracy, and our historical makhzen hegemony, which was given the unique opportunity to control the entire country, something it could do beforte the French protectorate.

The King will certainly not discuss decentralization in his speech, for the simple reason that no constitutional reform is on the agenda.

]]> By: Charles Liebling http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/10/opportunities-for-decentralization-in-morocco/#comment-58056 Charles Liebling Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:24:44 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=11538#comment-58056 It seems that every six month or so Yossef Ben Meir comes out with an article pushing his decentralization plan for the Western Sahara. For two very basic reasons his ideas on all this are not desirable or workable. First, the Western Sahara is not Morocco's to decentralize. The Western Sahara is classified by the UN as a non-self-governing territory with the right to self-determination and not one country on earth officially recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over the territory. Second, NGOs such as Freedom House and Human Rights Watch have amply documented Morocco's totalitarian police rule in the Western Sahara, and any Moroccan attempt at decentralizing would almost certainly result in a an insurrection by the Western Saharans. The refusal of Morocco to allow a referendum on self-determination tells me that Rabat knows all too well that the Western Saharans would vote overwhelmingly for independence. As long the the local inhabitants prefer independence to decentralization, Mr. Ben Meir's plan would undoubtedly lead to war not development. Forcing decentralization down a peoples' throats has as far as I can tell never worked. It seems that every six month or so Yossef Ben Meir comes out with an article pushing his decentralization plan for the Western Sahara. For two very basic reasons his ideas on all this are not desirable or workable.

First, the Western Sahara is not Morocco’s to decentralize. The Western Sahara is classified by the UN as a non-self-governing territory with the right to self-determination and not one country on earth officially recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over the territory.

Second, NGOs such as Freedom House and Human Rights Watch have amply documented Morocco’s totalitarian police rule in the Western Sahara, and any Moroccan attempt at decentralizing would almost certainly result in a an insurrection by the Western Saharans.

The refusal of Morocco to allow a referendum on self-determination tells me that Rabat knows all too well that the Western Saharans would vote overwhelmingly for independence. As long the the local inhabitants prefer independence to decentralization, Mr. Ben Meir’s plan would undoubtedly lead to war not development.

Forcing decentralization down a peoples’ throats has as far as I can tell never worked.

]]> By: Rehmat http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/10/opportunities-for-decentralization-in-morocco/#comment-58038 Rehmat Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:26:06 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=11538#comment-58038 It's just another propaganda stuff to fool the Moroccan and the world. A dynasty which was restablished by the West to look after its interests in North Africa and Israel in the Muslim world - cannot be expected to change so peacefully. Morocco: Ruled via “baraka” http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2009/03/15/morocco-ruled-via-baraka/ It’s just another propaganda stuff to fool the Moroccan and the world. A dynasty which was restablished by the West to look after its interests in North Africa and Israel in the Muslim world – cannot be expected to change so peacefully.

Morocco: Ruled via “baraka”
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2009/03/15/morocco-ruled-via-baraka/

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