Morocco and WikiLeaks: Royal Corruption and Balanced Reactions

Image from MoroccoBoard.com

With the release of over 1,000 cables so far, no nation is immune to the WikiLeaks phenomenon. So far, cables related to Morocco discuss the state of the military, corruption amongst Moroccan officials, and royal involvement in business decisions, among other things. Moroccan bloggers opine on the cables, offering a variety of thoughts on the meaning and influence of WikiLeaks in the Maghreb.

Maghreb Blog offers an introduction of sorts, with a promise to provide more in-depth analysis on specific cables related to Morocco and the Western Sahara:

As in various regions of the world, the Maghreb has not been immune to Wikileaks. The leaked cables provide some empirical insight into the politics of the region and the interplay of power between different states of the Maghreb.

On the Wandida blog, Lbadikho doesn't believe that WikiLeaks will effect change in the Middle East and North Africa. He writes:

Now let’s try to speak seriously : Why wikileaks will not produce change in the MENA region?

As I previously defended it on Talk Morocco with some scientific-like arguments, my viewpoint is: what internet and especially social media can do in the region is still insignificant. The average Joe takes his news from mainstream media -mainly television –  moreover, those who get the latest news from the net have left the off-line-on-the-ground events to more comfortable “intelligent-debating-platforms”, discussing with each other and having the illusion to buzz and change the world… Expecting change by social media in the MENA region is just like El Baradei expecting to be Egyptian president, with his Teletubies-like tweets which I find funnier than the sarcastic website ElBaradei Quote Generator .

In a later post, the blogger summarizes mainstream media reactions to WikiLeaks.

Analysis of the latest developments from a blogger at The View from Fez shows a balanced response from the Moroccan street. The blogger writes:

On the street, Moroccans are generally supportive of Wikileaks because of the insight the cables have given into the behind the scenes attitude of American diplomats. Most revelations caused little surprise to Moroccans here in Rabat, especially the WikiLeaks cables that portray Saudi Arabia as a cash machine for terrorists and in another cable that claims al-Jazeera changed coverage to suit Qatari foreign policy.

For their part, the Americans are in damage control mode and not reacted in the most sensible way. Calls for attacks on Wikileaks and its founders are beginning to backfire. Foaming at the mouth, calling for the killing of Mr Assange and choking his bank account have proved internationally unpopular. Shooting the messenger is not the best response. Instead, the Americans should look to their own cyber security. Their blustering attacks have turned Wikileaks and its founder Mr Assange into a modern folk hero. Thankfully, the public response from Morocco has been dignified silence.

For more news on Morocco-related leaks, follow @WikiLeaksMOR on Twitter. For more in-depth analysis, check out blogger Larbi‘s short tour [FR] of Morocco-related WikiLeaks cables.

7 comments

  • siham

    Pour que wikileaks ait de la crédibilité il faudrait d’abord qu’elle transmette de l’information vraie.
    Déjà le Sahara marocain est réellement marocain. Il n’existe pas de sahara occidentale.
    Et rien pour cette qualification qui relève du fantasme de plusieurs, moi je ne suis pas prête de croire à ce que vous communiquez comme information.
    Wikileaks a toutes les allures d’un groupe de marginaux. Et on ne peut pas gouverner, ou juger des gouvernements en étant soi même à la marge de la légalité.
    En ce qui concerne la vocation non lucrative, et bien je n’y crois pas non plus. Et enfin nous ne sommes pas dupes. Ces rapports divulgués ne sont pas plus pas moins qu’une mise en scène.
    En ces temps de fêtes je vous souhaite plus de maturité, et moins de pigeons

  • To be honest, this has not provided any New secrects for us Moroccans , we know the corruption is running from the palace down the the smallest court clerck , and a street policeman.
    The only shock was the fact that many Moroccans views the King mohammed 6th as a good man , and the king of the poor , for this to happend under his watch , reveals a different kind of King ,he is no different that the rest , like father like son , only difference , he dressed himself as a good man , but the fact , he is as corrupt as the rest of the arab regime,
    When you have a nation where only 56% can read , and only 22% have access to the internet , and the recent secrects have not been mentioned in the TV , Or national radio, the vast majority of the Moroccans will never hear about the corruptions from the palace down..there is a forbiden line in Morocco , moroccans have learned to never cross , the King is not subject to any critics. he is amir almouminin , he is above the rest , and any bad words toward the guy is enough to put you behind bars for the rest of your life………..
    It is that time again for the people of Morocco to ask the hard questions, are we given the same chances ? or there is a few we always have to pay before we even think of a project? for how long the palace and the aids of the palace will hold our desire to be a normal nation , without fair. without being subject to harsh penalties for speaking our mind , the future hold too many questions , and one the questions ,for how long this abuse of power have to stay in affect…………….we shall see

  • sam

    my parents are from morocco I think things will never change in morocco this is a county that has gone baclwards and not forwards i dont see any change what so ever .

  • Manus McManus

    @Siham

    I think Siham is deluding herself into not believing that her beloved king is a corrupt common thief. There is plenty of evidence to corroborate these facts and that without the intervation of wikileaks. Not only he is a thief but also an authocratic dictator that is amassing a vast fourtune before his eventual planned exit.

  • Joseph

    Why there are no Wikileaks cables about ISRAEL?
    All Moroccans know what’s going in their country and do you know what? I really don’t give a rat about the contents of that cable.The most corrupt country in the world actually is USA.Corruptions there take many faces.My blindness and believe in USA democracy system costs me 7 years in maximum security prison, and to be exact in the solitary confinment. in matter of fact I was facing 185 years in prison.I got cleared and released after 7 years in struggle and toil with their court system.As you might guess they accused me of terrorism charges….
    Are there any Wikileaks about ISREAL???????????????? NO, SIR ( Bullshit )

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