Moroccan blogger Mohammed Raji is behind bars in his country for speaking his mind. Following is a translation of the post [Ar], which will cost the blogger two years of his freedom.
رج الملك كما يفعل عادة للتجول بسيارته في شوارع المدينة ، وكان معه داخل السيارة ابنه البكر ، الذي هو ولي العهد . في ملتقى الطرق سيتوقف الملك أمام شرطي المرور الذي ينظم حركة السير ، والتفت إلى ابنه الصغير ذو الخمس سنوات يسأله إن كان يرغب أن يصبح شرطيا عندما يكبر ، وعوض أن يجيب الصغير أخذ الشرطي المبادرة وأجاب الملك بأنه يتمنى أن يرى ولي العهد الصغير جالسا على عرش أسلافه في أحد الأيام ، وأضاف كلمات يثني فيها على الملك . الملك بطبيعة الحال أعجبه ما سمع من فم الشرطي ، وقبل أن ينصرف كافأه على الفور ب “كريما” ! للإشارة فالملك الذي كان بطلا لهذه الواقعة ليس ملكا آخر غير محمد السادس!
إذا صح هذا الخبر الذي أوردته “الجريدة الأولى” في عددها التسعين ، فعلى المغاربة أن يقتنعوا بأن المغرب لن يتغير كما نتمنى حتى في عهد الحسن الثالث !
As is his tradition, the King went for a drive in his car, along with his eldest son, who is the Crown Prince. At a junction, he stopped in front of a traffic policeman, who was regulating traffic. He turned to his five-year-old son and asked him is he wanted to become a policeman when he grew up. Instead of waiting for the little boy to respond, the policeman took the initiative, and told the King that he hopes that the young Crown Prince will one day ascend the throne of his forefathers. He continued to praise the King. At usual, the King enjoyed what came out of the policeman's mouth, and before leaving bestowed the title of ‘Noble' on him. The King who is the hero of this story is no other than Mohammad the Sixth!
And if this story which appeared in the First Newspaper's 90th edition is true, then Moroccans have to remain convinced that Morocco will never change as they wish even in the reign of Hassan the Third!
يجب علينا أن نعترف بأن الذي أهلك بلدنا وأوصله إلى هذه الرتبة المخجلة التي يحتلها على الصعيد العالمي في كل المجالات هو اقتصاد الريع ، الذي ينتفع به المحظوظون دون غيرهم من أبناء وبنات الشعب ، وطبعا فلسنا بحاجة إلى استعمال المصطلحات الكبيرة التي يستعملها السياسيون كي نفهم ما هو “الريع” ، فمعناه بكل بساطة هو أن تأخذ حق الآخرين بدون وجه حق ! ورخص النقل أو “الكريمات” التي يوزعها الملك على المواطنين الذين يمدون إليه رسائل الاستعطاف التي يكتبونها بنفس العبارات التي ينطق بها المتسولون عندما يمدون أيديهم إلى الناس على أرصفة الشوارع تدخل بدورها في إطار الريع . فالدول التي تحترم مواطنيها لا تجعل منهم شحاذين يتسولون الأعتاب الشريفة ، بل تصنع لهم المعامل والمصانع كي يشتغلوا ويكسبوا لقمة عيشهم بعزة وكرامة ، وحتى لو افترضنا أن هذه الكريمات لا يتم إعطاؤها إلا لمن يستحقها من ذوي الاحتياجات الخاصة والفقراء والمعوزين ، وهذا أمر مستبعد بطبيعة الحال ، فهذا لا يشرف المواطن المغربي على الاطلاق ، فالشغل والتطبيب والتعليم حق يمنحه لنا الدستور ، لذلك يجب على الدولة أن توفر لمواطنيها سبل العيش الكريم عوض إهانتهم بهذه الطريقة المذلة
We need to admit that what has destroyed our country and made it plummet to this embarrassing level in all international rankings, is this economy of dispersing gratuities, which benefits the lucky sons and daughters of this country and overlooks the rest. Of course, we don't need to use the larger than life terms used by politicians to understand what this means. It simply means that some people can take the rights of others unjustly! Transportation licenses* and nobility titles which the King distributes on citizens who send him letters, written using the same phrases used by beggars lining sidewalks, fall under this category of gratuities. Countries which respect their citizens do not turn them into beggars under the feet of nobility. Instead, they develop factories and workshops for them to work in and earn their living with dignity. Even if we assume that such gratuities are only dispersed to deserving citizens such as the special needs and poor, which is impossible at any rate, this isn't anything that makes Moroccan citizens proud. The right to work, health care and education are granted by the Constitution. Therefore, the state should provide decent means of living for its citizens - other than humiliating them in this shameless manner.
* NOTE: The licenses are permits given by the state to taxi drivers and boat owners and are a main source of discontent because they are mainly handed out as returns for favors and nepotism.
وعندما يرى ولي العهد الصغير الذي سيتولى الحكم في يوم من الأيام كيف أن والده يوزع الهبات والاكراميات والكريمات على الناس بمجرد سماع كلمة إطراء أو مدح ، فلا شك أنه سيتصرف بنفس “المنطق” عندما يحكم ، لذلك فما علينا سوى أن نؤجل أحلامنا بمغرب المساواة وتكافؤ الفرص لغاية حكم الملك محمد السابع الذي سيأتي بعد الحسن الثالث اللي هو ولي العهد حاليا!
When the young Crown Prince, who will become the Ruler one day, witnesses how his father distributes honours, gratuities and gifts to people upon hearing compliments and praise, there is no doubt that he will act based on the same logic, when he rules. This is why we should delay our dreams of a Morocco of equality and equal opportunities until the reign of Mohammad the Seventh, which will follow after that of Hassan the Third, who is the Crown Prince at present.
More information on this story is available on Global Voices Advocacy and here. A petition is also available here for those interested to sign, which calls for the bloggers release. A Facebook group has also been set up here.
Photo credit: Hespress
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[...] press law prohibits criticizing of the monarchy; In Raji’s article, which has been translated here by Amira al Hussaini, he claims that the King’s charity toward his people encourages them to [...]
First of all Thank you Amira for taking the time and translating the essay written by Mr.s Erraji may God be with him.
It’s a shame to read this morning about what happen to Mr. Erraji. Actually I read what hye wrote last week, and I was impressed since he hit the nail. He had the courage to write what Millions of Moroccans feel. I agree with everything he says; Morocco is nothing but a corrupt Country run by corrupt individuals who try to convey a rosy picture that exists only in our imagination.
I hope that Millions of People sign the petition and also boycott Morocco until he is liberated asap
c est triste et inadmissible de punir un citoyen juste parcequ il a dit la verite toute la verite!
Pauvre peuple du maroc tu as encore des siecles a souffrir avant d aquerir ta dignite bafouee par ces tyrans!
SHAME ON MOROCCAN GOVERNORS!
[...] uma cobertura do assunto: “Blogueiro Preso e Sentenciado Imediatamente” [En], “O Post que Levou Mohammed Raji para a Cadeia” [...]
[...] لقراءة المقال مترجما للإنجليزية اضغط هنا [...]
[...] trouverez l’objet du délit en version arabe ici, en version anglaise ici, et en version française [...]
[...] Hespress and echoed by a number of fellow bloggers, but has yet to be corroborated. Mohamed’s article (translated to English by Amira Al Hussaini), written in Arabic and titled “The [...]
[...] “الملك يشجع الشعب على الاتكال“ (traduit ici en français, et ici en anglais), un plaidoyer contre les privilèges et “cadeaux” en tous genre que le roi octroie [...]
[...] Voices Online bietet eine Übersetzung des Textes ins Englische, der zu der Verurteilung [...]
I believe the government did the right thing to legally pursue and sentence this blogger to incarceration. I really sympathize with him as a human. However, this person transgressed his right of freedom of speech and sarcastically defined the King of Morocco as a bad example to his son and also blamed him for what 30 million of moroccans are responsible for, underdevelopment.
What this blogger is convicted of is called “Defamation” and this law serves not only the monarch but any moroccan citizen who feels he was subject to such language.
Believe me, if he was in the shoes of that policeman, he would not be thinking of writing the blog.
Merci pour la traduction anglaise mais on aurait pû faire mieux… Que veut dire le mot “Noble” en anglais? Ceci ne donne pas une bonne impression sur notre journalisme et donne raison à ses détracteurs…Dommage!
Is this 2008 or 1509????????????????????????????????????????
to so what:
freedom of speech, you either have it or you don’t. In Morocco, it does not exist. say anything bad about the king even if TRUE, and you will be punished. very simple. The king and any other corrupt governing individual and there’s lots of those in Morocco, can do as they wish with you even make you disappear and no one would notice. All this with the blessing of the US and other western so-called developed nations.
Have a look at Forbes magazine and see how much money has the king amassed. All using corruption, privileges and pure theft. Have a look at Amnesty Int. report on Morocco and see for yourself the freedoms the Moroccans have. Have a look and compare the current king with his predecessors - all are self-centered. Have a look at what happened in a city called Sidi Ifni just recently. Have a look at what happened to those from Guantanamo Bay that were transfered to Rabat and tortured with the blessing of the US.
To Mansur:
Noble in English is Noble in French and it means the same thing.
USA said to Iraqis people that it will get worst before it gets better for your freedom and democracy…well to all my fellows moroccans..let’s do the same regardless of what will happens we need new regime and new government and no need to this dog king and his family and the dirty corrupt makhzen…let’s have a real fight to get it as well, so they have done for Iraq and let’s have a new Islamic Republic of Morocco…Freedom to Erraji Mohamed….p.s the system of this dirty king to all moroccans is this…”make the dogs hungry so they will follow you” Amen ya Rabbi el 3alamin
Thanks for the translation. I red the article a week ago i found it very intersting and there is some truth in it. I have been reading for a while to this young blogger. I do not agree with his approch the subjects. But I support and stand for his right to speak his mind. I do not see any insults to the person of the King in this article but a pure critisim of the king’s social policies. If Morocco is a real Democracy as they clam, Mohamed Arrajy should be granted a fair trail and sent free to finish the rest of this Holly Ramadan with his family. Free Raji and Free him Now.
wow you guys sounds like polisario
[...] Artikel von Mohamed Erraji kann im arabischen Original und englischer Übersetzung nachgelesen werden, [...]
[...] Sur Global Voices - The Post that led Mohamed Erraji to Jail [...]
Ali is right. And don’t forget that freedom of speech includes basic issues such as freedom of conscience and freedom of belief. This means that a person must be able to voice his/her opinions, with exception, without fear of reprisal.
The problem with the Arab / Muslim world is that it wants democracy and freedom - but with restrictions. You cannot be free if you cannot voice your opinions about basic moral issues. If you cannot reject, question or criticize something considered “sacred” or “off limits” than you are not free, and never will be. In fact, you don’t deserve freedom. You are a slave to your ignorance and fear.
This is true for people, leaders and religion. Consider the case of Abdul Kareem Nabeel Suleiman (Kareem Amer) in Egypt. His crime? Having an opinion, and expressing it.
http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/03/12/egypt-blogger-sentence-upheld/
What I see in the Middle East is a lot of people, including bloggers, wanting some freedom but only a limited, restricted, partial freedom.
Well, it doesn’t work that way. Either people are free to think and speak or they are not free.
Kactuz
Utterly disgusting …
layn3alikomm jaaaaaad
[...] of an article entitled “The King Encourages His Subject’s Dependency” (English translation.) He was sentenced 72 hours later, in an expedited trial without assitance from a [...]
[...] news site Hespress.com of an article entitled “The King Encourages His Subject’s Dependency” (English translation) He was sentenced 72 hours later, in an expedited trial without assistance from a lawyer, to two [...]
[...] legge marocchina sulla libertà di stampa proibisce ogni critica della monarchia. Nel suo articolo, qui [in] tradotto da Amira al Hussaini, Raji sostiene che la beneficenza elargita dal re incoraggerebbe [...]
Some time it is very interesting and better to read to story from it end to get thing right. This defamation that a regular citizen in the word can sue him for it through court of law.
If you read at the end after all his negative opinion with respect to the issue of those licenses and other matters, were based on “IF it is true”, I mean the story of the policeman , the kind and his son.
I don’t buy the story and how it was build up to start with. The policeman heard the king in his car talking to his son. Bullshit, and for bushtit a prosecution is needed as it is granted in all the free democratic when someone does defamation.
Go to the USA and say that 9/11 story is a bushtit and you will not even have the honor to go jail’ been feeded and housed but you will rejected and no one will deal with you, you will be a homeless good for nothing.
Now what is need in Morocco are project and development and I am sure they are a work in progress, it need people to be positive not to build stories like this and do not participate.
It is true that HM donate from his own to people who seek help from him and couldn’t get it from the Gov, what is wrong with this. Free speech in a family designed society has some legitimate limit.
Who this gentleman respect his Parent. I advice him that we have a higher authority build up on a parental/kingdoomship and deserve some respect when the free speech is granted, if you speak to your parent this way they will ask you to go, and I am sure this gentleman respect his parent as all Moroccan and regular people do in the word relatively. We were spread a civil war and it is something some got poverty, dictatorship and civil wars etc. some think they got the freedom and material gain in life and it is just in their imagination if you do arithmetic math you will discover they got nothing.
Get real people and go after those in the government who are doing wrong and the fight is together association with the king.
Thank you
[...] news site Hespress.com of an article entitled “The King Encourages His Subject’s Dependency” (English) He was sentenced 72 hours later, in an expedited trial without assitance from a lawyer, to two [...]
I can’t beleive this man, he wants change no a click of a finger, in the internet, it’s either you do it for a cause or for your self. what happen to Rajji is that he put himself in the mouth of the lion, none of us would be stupid to write such blog under his real name or identification unless he was expecting a miracle of change happening.
simple equation: you beleive it’s not right in this country, then you should beleive it when you are caught.
other than that, the law is not by his side definitely.
God help you and if you are that lucky this ramadan, maybe you will be acquainted.
[...] to journalists, bloggers, general public and their freedom of speech as well, as in the case of Morocco and [...]
what this raji said in his so-called “article” is utter nonsense, foolishness and frivolity.
[...] raison des opinions politiques exprimées sur son blog (traduction française ici et anglaise ici), nous appelons tous les bloggeurs, marocains et étrangers, qui souhaitent protester contre cette [...]
IT IS VERY SAD TO HEAR SAD NEWS AS THIS FROM MOROCCO, BUT IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS NOTHING BUT ATROCITIES FRO THE KINGDOM. THE SIYUATION IS DESPERATE AND THERE IS NO LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. SADLY, MANY PEOPLE HAD LEFT AND MANY OTHERS ARE WAITING TO LEAVE, AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TRIED TO GO BACK MOST OF THE TIME END UP RETURNIG TO EUOPE OR THE STATES OR ELSEWHRE. THE SITUATION IS CATASTROPHIC, ERRAJI IS NOT THE FIRST AND HE SURELY WILL NOT BE THE LAST. WE HAVE TO TACKLE THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM, BOTH YOU AND I KNOW WHAT I AM REFERING TO.
I have been to Morocco several times. In some areas it seems really bad. It does seem the king does not share the wealth with the general population. Over there, some of the girls run around half naked and this guy can’t say what’s on his mind without being arrested? I think he is brave for stating what he thought. No wonder all the young people hope to get out of Morocco. Most young dream of America. In Morocco, no jobs, many beggers, a lot of dirty areas. The poor are just as poor as the rich are rich. The King should take care of those that made him filfthy rich and make his country a better place in Morocco’s sight and all over the world. His picture is in evryone’s store, on billboards on many corners of the street. This is an arrogant way to ensure that everyone knows he is king. A very beautiful but very sad place to be. I had a problem with an item I shipped to Morocco and there was a delay and excessive charge for storage. When we got a freight forwarder over there and the customs tried to be corrupt so they could change the amount. They drug their feet and in the end, we lost $4000 due to their wanna be corrupters and the actual amount asked for. Their lack of fast moving on this issue was highly expensive for me but they didn’t even care a bit. Be most are not legitimate and honest. We are going to watch what happens to Erraji in the court tomorrow and comment after that. Have a good night.
Firstly, I would like to thank Cindy for the accurate and honest description of the state of affairs in Morocco. Morocco is a place of many contrasts where corruption, prostitution, drugs, abuse of power, injustice, are very common.
However, many countries have these problems, so what makes Morocco different than any country in the world?
To answer this question one needs to understand the nature of the Moroccan regime and the Moroccan Monarchy in particular.
Morocco remains one of the most unequal, if not feudal, societies in the world. Mohammed VI alone owns a reported quarter of the country’s agricultural land and under Moroccan law, discussion of the royal purse is illegal, but the country’s phosphate mines - the largest exporter in the world - remain a royal or Cherifian company. Also, through the biggest Economical Group in Morocco ONA they totally control the every aspect of the economy. Literally the Moroccan Monarchy owns the country.
But the economy is not enough; the Sultan in Morocco took his legitimacy from God. He is the country’s religious mentor - the Commander of the Faithful and head of the Maliki school of Islam. He is technically the most sacred living entity in the universe. Of course, after God himself.
The truth of the matter as described by many international institutions:
“Eighty percent of villages are still without electricity or running water, and the UN ranks Morocco 126th on its league of developed states. A third of the country’s 30 million population live below the poverty line - many in squalid shanty towns which hug the major cities. Fifty-two years after the French withdrew, Morocco_s people remain for the most part illiterate.”
I think to talk about freedom of speech in Morocco is not only misleading; it is a gross distortion of the truth, and any human been with an iota of decency and integrity should not support this last relic of human degradation.
very pleased lovely update me morething from throat and brainteaser is me cheer’s any question relax and update me i will opose
[...] crime? Posting this article, part of which is translated here into English, on Hespress [Ar], in which he describes how the Moroccan King's charity and [...]
[...] Original-Artikel von Mohamed Erraji [...]
[...] in his online magazine, Hespress, it was through the efforts of other bloggers (like the writers at GlobalVoicesOnline) and people using applications like Twitter that his story made international news. The added [...]
[...] in his online magazine, Hespress, it was through the efforts of other bloggers (like the writers at GlobalVoicesOnline) and people using applications like Twitter that his story made international news. The added [...]
[...] nombreux blogeurs (ainsi que de beaucoup d’utilisateurs de Twitter, sans oublier le magazine GlobalVoicesOnline) ont attiré l’attention de la communauté internationale sur son sort. L’effet [...]
[...] gjennom gaver”, som ble publisert i Hespress. Blogginnlegget er oversatt til engelsk av Global Voices Online. Her kritiserte han den kongelige tradisjonen kalt ”grima”, som innebærer at kongen gir [...]
[...] nombreux blogeurs (ainsi que de beaucoup d’utilisateurs de Twitter, sans oublier le magazine GlobalVoicesOnline) ont attiré l’attention de la communauté internationale sur son sort. L’effet [...]
I am a Christian, but I hate when people are not allowed to speak freely.
When in the history of human kind the government has abridged the rights of the governed, action must be taken.
First I would like to say that my heart goes out to the poor blogger that lost his freedom because of his honesty. Honesty that is not only encouraged by any society in the world, but mainly trusted upon us as Muslims.
Second, since I have moved to the united state I came to understand that morocco and many other 3rd world countries live in a society lead by an educated few and others that just like the throne, the power was passed down to them just like a used car. As Moroccan; we do have rights on paper but no one to impose them or lay the “law”, we became in the habit of buying our way to anything, if you need a birth certificate for example you know that the fee is 20 Moroccan Dirhams and another 20 for the guy that stamps the form. If you get pooled over for what ever the reason may be, to get out of it you either got to have a strong last name; that is well known in the society witch links you to one of the few; or another 100 M.D. same goes for doctor visits at the public hospital or any form that requests the government approval.
Third and last I just hope and pray that one day our leaders back home will have a sence of pride and responsibility as we the “ordinary” people do.
And to try and resolve our problems we have to work from the inside out by first educating our people, build more schools make education mandatory up until a certain age, impose the law on all with no exception and go back to that rebuild and change mentality we started with after our independence.
To finish this sad story with a smile I hope no Moroccan ever gets in a fender bender in his way to get a birth certificate and gets taking to a hospital…it will cost him :)(