Tens of thousands march peacefully in Morocco for political reform

Tens of thousands march peacefully in Morocco for political reform

www.latimes.com

The mass rally was aimed at expanding democratic rights in Morocco, a nation that is a hereditary monarchy and at times has been oppressive.

(visit the link for the full news article)


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www.bbc.co.uk

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Well, add Morocco to the list. They like their king (according to the video report) but want some changes. But they are speaking out. And being linked in the media to Tunisia and Egypt.



The BBC (additional news link) reported it this way:

Thousands of people have marched in Moroccan cities to demand that King Mohammed VI give up some of his powers.

In the capital, Rabat, police allowed protesters to approach parliament, chanting slogans like "The people reject a constitution made for slaves!"

A separate protest is under way in the country's biggest city, Casablanca, and another was planned in Marrakesh.

Bet the U.S. State Department is tweeting away!

www.latimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I was just about to come on here and say that Moroccans generally like their king, little argument in those regards. However like can turn to hate if he mismanages the situation. So far from what I have read there are police monitoring the situation but peacefully and non-threateningly from a distance and even some police dressed in casual attire within the crowds with pencil and paper taking down notes and talking to protesters. No signs have said anything negative about the king but they do want the Prime Minister deposed of and the introduction of a new constitution.

If the King agrees to sit down responsibly with protesters and come to an honest agreement, he will be one of the few respected and admired leaders left in power in the Arab world after these revolutions finally come to a close. But if he mismanages the situation and protesters start getting killed or there is a crackdown then his time will end and he will be dethroned. I think he understands this as well.

Morocco may not be a very democratic nation but it does allow pretty free and fair elections to take place for their parliament, the only real democratic restrictions is that the king can dissolve parliament and has a say on who can be Prime Minister, thus the King wields the highest power in the land. Also Morocco has one of the best human rights records in the Middle East, is relatively liberal and open without suppressing Islam, allows for a generally free press and media, so the chances of things turning violent in Morocco is quite slim.

But the way things are going in this world right now I would not rule anything out.

reply to post by Misoir

Thanks for the insights. It seems like the king is going to listen, and this one will likely stay peaceful, inlike Libya and Iran. So many uprisings—it's getting harder and harder to keep track. And all with the same patterns. Interesting times.

Hope that it continues to go peacefully.. Too much loss of life and bloodshed in other areas in the region...

Fears of Chaos Temper Calls for Change in Morocco

CASABLANCA, Morocco — For Morocco, a kingdom on the western edge of North Africa, the calls for change sweeping the region are muted by a fear of chaos, a prevalent security apparatus and genuine respect for the king, Mohammed VI. Since he took the throne in 1999, the king, who is only 47, has done much to soften the harsh and often brutal rule of his father, Hassan II.

As in Jordan, demands for the resignation of the government have not touched the king, who is considered by many to be a reformer on the side of the poor. But the demands in Morocco include a desire for a more legitimate democracy, with limits on the power of Mohammed VI, who together with his close advisers controls most of the real power in the country.

Egypt’s Revolution-Creative Destruction For A ‘Greater Middle East’?

The G8 Map of Washington’s Greater Middle East extends right to the borders of China and Russia and West to Morocco

As real as the factors are that are driving millions into the streets across North Africa and the Middle East, what cannot be ignored is the fact that Washington is deciding the timing and as they see it, trying to shape the ultimate outcome of comprehensive regime change destabilizations across the Islamic world. The day of the remarkably well-coordinated popular demonstrations demanding Mubarak step down, key members of the Egyptian military command including Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Sami Hafez Enan were all in Washington as guests of the Pentagon. That conveniently neutralized the decisive force of the Army to stop the anti-Mubarak protests from growing in the critical early days.[2]

The strategy had been in various State Department and Pentagon files since at least a decade or longer. After George W. Bush declared a War on Terror in 2001 it was called the Greater Middle East Project. Today it is known as the less threatening-sounding “New Middle East” project. It is a strategy to break open the states of the region from Morocco to Afghanistan, the region defined by David Rockefeller's friend Samuel Huntington in his infamous Clash of Civilizations essay in Foreign Affairs.

reply to post by Misoir

That is a nice picture you paint and might have a lot of points going for it, but it could be that you are seeing the projected reality. That is exactly what the (kings) love, is a nice kind of Disney land scenario, that everybody is apparently happy with. What spices are added to this Disney world, depends on the culture a pinch of this religion, a slice of this science, or a chunk of this anarchy. This is how we do things in this land and in my other kingdoms I do things in such and such way. The question boils down to the following simple question, are the people really happy with their everyday reality? or are they just brainwashed to believe its great. Ideally it would always be something that would be evolving and readjusting steadily in that manner.I see many countries that are stagnant and those who are in power are very comfortable with this stagnancy.On an individual level that is what each human at least should attempt, to overcome their past and work in the present for a better life full of the things that are more beneficial.Its a good moment for us all to realize this and do our best at achieving it, starting with our own view.

Report: Thousands march for reform in Morocco

(CNN) -- Protests sweeping through the Middle East and North Africa have spread to Morocco, where thousands demonstrated Sunday to call for political reform, according to a human rights organization.

Police stayed away from the marches and demonstrations, most of which were peaceful, Human Rights Watch reported.

A government spokesman told a Russian television station on Sunday that protests in Morocco are not unusual, according to the Moroccan state news agency, Agence Maghreb Arabe Presse.

"Unlike most Arab countries, rallies and protests are common in Morocco," said Khalid Naciri, communication minister and government spokesman.

Morocco Joins in, Defying Predictions Morocco Joins in, Defying Predictions

Five people died as a result of looting that accompanied demonstrations demanding changes to the constitution in Morocco, the country's interior minister said Monday, as the thousand year old North African monarchy became the latest government subject to demands for greater democracy that are sweeping the region.

The protests attracted 37,000 people around the country Sunday and were generally peaceful, Interior Minister M. Taieb Cherqaoui said at a press conference. He said looters had damaged more than 100 buildings, including a bank in the port town of Al Hoceima, where five people died in a fire. He also said 128 people were wounded, mostly police. It wasn't possible to verify those figures independently Monday.

It is a time of great change in the Middle East / Arabian countries which may lead to better or worse times ahead depending upon your point of view.........

My question is this.........

How many demonstrators would it take to overthrow the UK monarchy or Government ??
I mean how long would it be deemed acceptable for the minority to shout holler complain and demonstrate before the Government of the day took action to change the ruling power ???

It does seem to me that maybe NOT a Majority ??


Oh and before anyone starts charging me with inciting treason... I DO SUPPORT having a British Monarchy and would protest in favour of it !! (just in case the SS are watching :-) )
PDUK

Morocco protests: Five dead in fire [Video]

The Moroccan Interior Ministry has said that dozens of banks and government buildings were attacked in violence on Sunday following widespread protests calling for constitutional reform.

Five charred bodies are reported to have been discovered in a building in the Northern city of Al Hoceima.

John Sudworth is in the port city of Tangier where there have also been disturbances. His report contains footage from YouTube which the BBC cannot verify.