| | | | The 09/11 terrorist attack, a shock to the entire world |
The 09/11 terrorist attack shocked the entire world. People couldn’t believe this kind of horror that used to be seen only in the fantasy world of movie studios. Thousands of innocent people were killed mercilessly and pitilessly, just because they happened to be in a place targeted by terrosits.
This horrible act led to the creation of several counter-terrorism public policies worldwide, making people go through security procedures that are often annoying. Many countries enacted anti-terrorism laws that human rights movements considered as a constraint on freedoms and human rights. People’s thinking has changed; they often fear and suspect each other now, especially in airports, train stations and other places where people gather.
Terrorism hit Morocco during the quiet night of May 16, 2003, when a group of youngsters sneaked in the darkness to a number of quiet places in Casablanca to kill and destroy. A few days after this unprecedented tragic incident for Moroccans, I boarded a train heading to Rabat, and a person carrying a bag sat next to me. After a while, he left without taking his bag with him, so I was terrified and couldn’t regain my cool until he returned to his place. Then I realized that the danger of terrorism doesn’t consist only of the murders it causes, but also of the constant fear and suspicion it spreads among people.
I was invited earlier this year to participate in an international conference in Dighton, USA. As soon as I arrived to the US Consulate in Casablanca to obtain a visa, I felt the negative repercussions of the 09/11 events on people who want to visit the USA. I often passed by the American consulate before; it used to be a beautiful building surrounded by a green carpet of grass, and visible through the fence. Today, the US consulate is a real castle, looking more like a barrack than a diplomatic headquarters, and only showing thick doors, barriers and guards everywhere. Whoever passes nearby is overwhelmed by a feeling of awe before entering the consulate.
However, the excellent treatment I received there reminded me of the kindness of the American people, and the respect they hold for academia and academics. When I arrived to JFK Airport, the police took my fingerprints and a picture of me, like all non-Americans visitors, which annoyed me. Thankfully, the atmosphere of discussion and hospitality made me forget that. On my way back, security measures were tighter, and inspection was unbearable. Before leaving the USA, I realized that people there had witnessed an unprecedented tragedy, and that they are constantly having the same feeling I had when I was in the train.
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| The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Arab Network for the Study of Democracy | | |
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