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February 21, 2011
Et on Morocco
The violence that broke out in the Moroccan demonstrations seems to me to be connected with two things.
First, copy-catism among some of the "Youth"(teenagers) who've been watching this stuff on TV and it sees fun.
Second, Endemic hooliganism among the Bidonville (slums) youth, who are always dangerous as the full-out deployment of police and military every time there is a major football match indicates.
Morocco riots leave five dead | World news | guardian.co.uk
Protest organisers condemned the rioting and looting that followed the demonstrations, blaming it on thugs and football hooligans returning from matches....
While the mostly middle-class pro-democracy protesters had pledged to remain peaceful, there were warnings before the marches that the real tinderbox in Morocco lay in the poverty-stricken outer suburbs of the cities, where many of Sunday's rioters are thought to live.
Interior minister Taeib Cherqaoui said 128 people had been injured on Sunday, mostly police officers. A further 120 people were detained. He said "troublemakers" had vandalised dozens of public buildings, shops and banks.It is no surprise the main violence is in these particularly disfavoured cities (ex Marrakech which is not disfavoured, but which has become insanely expensive and oulad el bled - the locals - feel marginalised / squeezed out by chichi Euros buying properties, etc)., The Moroccan government seems to be taking a very smart and adult line on this.
Tangier, Larache, Marrakech, Sefrou, Tetouan and Guelmim suffered the worst violence, with a total of 33 public buildings being attacked or set on fire.
Cherqaoui said the demonstrations themselves had been peaceful, calling them an example of "the healthy practise of the freedom of expression".
There is need for reform to political process and addressing equality of opportunity (attacking Oligarchism) in the near term, but I don't see Morocco as a tinderbox. Hopefully the Gov will use this as an excuse to reactivate lagging political and economic liberalization.
Posted by The Lounsbury at February 21, 2011 11:49 AM
Filed Under: Maghreb
, Political Development
, The MENA '48
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