Tuesday, March 15, 2011

RABAT: The February 20 Movement, which is pushing for democratic reforms in Morocco, “strongly condemned” Monday the crackdown on a demonstration in Casablanca in which dozens of people were hurt.

The largely youthful movement also called for further demonstrations to go ahead as planned on March 20 in several cities to press for sweeping political changes.
“The [king’s] speech of March 9 was a first gain for the Moroccan people because he announced new constitutional reforms,” the movement said in a statement.

“But it was followed by a process of repression against our movement which we strongly condemn,” it added.
Dozens of people were wounded, some of them seriously, in Casablanca Sunday, when police tried to storm the headquarters of a left-wing political party and cracked down violently on a demonstration for change called by the February 20 Movement.

In a landmark speech last Wednesday, King Mohammad VI announced major democratic reforms and “the enlargement of individual freedoms.” It was his first address to the nation since demonstrations took place Feb. 20 to call for more democracy and less graft.

“This speech included ambiguous terms that lead us to doubt the will for change and incite us to maintain the date of March 20 for new demonstrations in Morocco,” the communique said.

The February 20 Movement added: “We demand a new constitution guaranteeing a genuine separation of powers and an independent justice system, as well as the removal of constitutional provisions that enshrine the sacred nature of centralized political power.”

The demonstrations across Morocco on Feb. 20 were largely organized by young people using Facebook to call for urgent political reforms and a curbing of the powers of the king.
The Moroccan press has widely hailed the speech by Mohammad VI as “historic” in its implications, while wondering about the political future of some of the King’s aides.

King Mohammad announced Wednesday that he had appointed a committee to draft a reform of the Constitution widening the prerogatives of elected officials, and ensuring officials are accountable and the judiciary independent.
Leftist opposition parties and the banned Justice and Charity Islamist opposition group have said the proposal falls short of their expectations.
They demand that the 47-year-old monarch reign without ruling, dismiss the Moroccan government and dissolve Parliament.

Most analysts say that Morocco, with its reformist monarch and an approach to dissent that is tolerant by regional standards, is among the countries least likely to be hit by the wave of unrest sweeping the Arab world. – AFP, Reuters