Thursday, 21 April 2011
Moroccans are planning a mass protest for April 24 to demand more freedoms. (File Photo)
Several youth members of Morocco’s pro-democracy “February 20 Movement” surprised television viewers when they held up placards referring to planned mass protests on April 24 during a live broadcast on state TV.
The program presenter appeared puzzled, uneasy, and became distracted by the placards.
The February 20 movement has called for renewed mass protests after what it said was a lackluster response on part of the regime to its previous demands.
The program presenter appeared puzzled, uneasy, and became distracted by the placards.
The February 20 movement has called for renewed mass protests after what it said was a lackluster response on part of the regime to its previous demands.
The movement recently released a video on its main Facebook page, which received 46,900 “likes,” showing several people expressing their demands and their reasons for planning to take to the streets on April 24.
“I am Moroccan, I came out on February 20, and I came out on March 20 and I will come out on April 24 to demand the prosecution of those involved in political and economic crimes,” one young man said. “No one should have impunity.”
A second man who identified himself as a student from Fes said, “We are part of the people and we will come out on April 24 to say enough, we can't take it any more and to demand that every thief and every criminal who thrives on blood be held accountable and prosecuted.”
A third young man who identified himself as Khalid Tizlin said he was a student from the city of Beni Mellal and had no political affiliation. He said he would take part in the planned protests to call for a democratic and independent press.
“We want our TV channels to show what is happening in the country without lies,” he said.
Over the last month, several sit-ins have been organized by members of the youth movement in front of two main national TV channels’ headquarters in Rabat and Casablanca.
The youth movement accuses the TV channels of not adequately reporting on protests, downplaying the number of protesters and of promoting official stories about the developments in the country.
The reformist movement has released a statement announcing plans to sue Morocco’s 2M TV for its reporting of false information on the March 20 protests that demanded an end to corruption and expressed discontent with King Muhammed VI’s reform pledges.
The statement also accused the official state TV 1 of twisting the reasons behind the rallies. The TV allegedly reported that the reason behind the March 20 protests was to call for an expedition into the implementation of the reforms highlighted in a royal speech on March 9 following nationwide rallies on February 20.
“The truth is that the protests were staged to express reservations on the King’s speech especially the fact that the King is still being treated as a sacred figure,” said a release of the movement.
In his March 9 speech, King Mohammad VI pledged a comprehensive reform of the constitution and formed a committee, which has begun talks with political parties, syndicates and other civil society groups to obtain their suggestions.
But the February 20 youth movement criticized the speech and demanded concrete and immediate steps for reform, including the dissolution of the government and parliament as well as the prosecution of the corrupt.
Morocco has a population of about 32 million people, an estimated GDP of $154 billion, and a per capita income of about $5,000.
(Mustapha Ajbaili of Al Arabiya can be reached at: Mustapha.ajbaili@mbc.net)
“I am Moroccan, I came out on February 20, and I came out on March 20 and I will come out on April 24 to demand the prosecution of those involved in political and economic crimes,” one young man said. “No one should have impunity.”
A second man who identified himself as a student from Fes said, “We are part of the people and we will come out on April 24 to say enough, we can't take it any more and to demand that every thief and every criminal who thrives on blood be held accountable and prosecuted.”
A third young man who identified himself as Khalid Tizlin said he was a student from the city of Beni Mellal and had no political affiliation. He said he would take part in the planned protests to call for a democratic and independent press.
“We want our TV channels to show what is happening in the country without lies,” he said.
Over the last month, several sit-ins have been organized by members of the youth movement in front of two main national TV channels’ headquarters in Rabat and Casablanca.
The youth movement accuses the TV channels of not adequately reporting on protests, downplaying the number of protesters and of promoting official stories about the developments in the country.
The reformist movement has released a statement announcing plans to sue Morocco’s 2M TV for its reporting of false information on the March 20 protests that demanded an end to corruption and expressed discontent with King Muhammed VI’s reform pledges.
The statement also accused the official state TV 1 of twisting the reasons behind the rallies. The TV allegedly reported that the reason behind the March 20 protests was to call for an expedition into the implementation of the reforms highlighted in a royal speech on March 9 following nationwide rallies on February 20.
“The truth is that the protests were staged to express reservations on the King’s speech especially the fact that the King is still being treated as a sacred figure,” said a release of the movement.
In his March 9 speech, King Mohammad VI pledged a comprehensive reform of the constitution and formed a committee, which has begun talks with political parties, syndicates and other civil society groups to obtain their suggestions.
But the February 20 youth movement criticized the speech and demanded concrete and immediate steps for reform, including the dissolution of the government and parliament as well as the prosecution of the corrupt.
Morocco has a population of about 32 million people, an estimated GDP of $154 billion, and a per capita income of about $5,000.
(Mustapha Ajbaili of Al Arabiya can be reached at: Mustapha.ajbaili@mbc.net)
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