Glaoui's Atlas kasbah to be restored

The Kasbah of Telouet in the High Atlas mountains is being restored, writes Bojan Kveder for the BBC's website today.


This fortress belonging to the el Glaoui family was built around 100 years ago. After Moroccan independence in 1956, the head of the family, T'hami el Glaoui, fell out of favour and the family's assets across Morocco are crumbling.

Once known as 'the Lord of the Atlas', Glaoui had enormous power and instilled fear into all the inhabitants of the Telouet valley. He was also Pasha of Marrakech.

Bojan Kveder takes up the story:

LORD OF THE CASTLE
1893 - T'hami el-Glaoui rescues sultan, is rewarded with arms to consolidate local power
1912 - Helps French seize control, is appointed pasha, or local ruler
1930 - Independence movement is born
1953 - El-Glaoui and the French conspire to depose the sultan
1956 - Morocco gains independence, T'hami dies
He is considered a traitor to this day for siding with the French colonisers and helping to topple two sultans.

At the time of his death in 1956, the Lord of the Atlas was the most powerful man in Morocco and one of the wealthiest men in the world.

Now, the remote village of Telouet is only accessible by a side road branching off from the trans-Atlas highway running from Marrakech to Ouarzazate.

Getting there is a feat in itself. Before embarking on the journey from Marrakech, I combed the city for a travel agency organizing trips there, to no avail. Whoever I asked would respond with shrugging shoulders and a look of consternation mixed with embarrassment.

"Why Telouet? Tourists don't go there. You have so many attractive places to choose from," was the standard reaction.

Finally I managed to find a hole-in-the wall agency with two banged-up 4x4's through my hotel, but the bargaining went on for more than a day.

The road from Marrakech snakes through lush green valleys interspersed with brown mud-brick Berber villages that look exactly as they did centuries ago, except for a few satellite dishes on their flat roofs.

But as the altitude changes, the landscape becomes barren and forbidding - green is replaced by a uniform ochre and red. The ascent culminates in the Tizi-n-Tichka mountain pass, the highest in the Atlas at 2,500 metres, where the air is thin and people are nervous.

When you finally rattle to a stop in Telouet after innumerable hairpin bends, enormous potholes, and a mouthful of dust, what strikes you is the eerie stillness of the place, occasionally interrupted by the flapping of a vulture's wings.

entrance to the kasbah

The Kasbah still stands proudly, perched on top of hill like a latter-day Dracula's castle, exuding an air of both dilapidated elegance and deathly hopelessness.

Gone are the days when the severed heads of foes of the el Glaoui clan were displayed on spikes on the ramparts, or when the dungeon was brimming with real or imagined criminals waiting to be ransomed on barely life-sustaining rations.

But an air of faded glory, conspicuous wealth and savage brutality permeates the Kasbah's quarters like the incessant hot breeze blowing through their empty corridors.

What I did not expect to find was a group of workmen renovating part of the interior that has miraculously survived the decades of decrepitude and disgrace.

parts of the kasbah have been restored

The contrast between the near-rubble of one part of the castle and the elaborately renovated stucco pillars, mosaics, ceiling panels and Moorish doorways was stark. For the time-being only the central reception rooms have been refurbished, but the rest will soon follow.

I asked the guardian of the Kasbah who was footing the bill for the construction work. "T'hami's family", Hamid the guardian replied curtly, without wishing to delve into more detail.

I asked if I could visit the dungeon. "No, it's been filled with bricks and walled up," Hamid replied.

"Why? Too many unclaimed skeletons?"

"The ceiling might cave in," he answered dryly.

Others in the village outside were not willing to discuss the subject either.

"Oh yes, he was the great lord of this place," M'hamed the waiter at a nearby tea tent told me sarcastically. "Great lord of the south. But look at the place now, where's the great lord now? What's left?"

M'hamed, an indigo turban on his head, is dark skinned, like many people living in the little shanty town in the shadow of the Kasbah.

They are descendants of hundreds of el-Glaoui's slaves, who built their humble abodes around the castle after their master's fortunes declined.

I wondered what all this actually meant - is the Pasha of Marrakech being unofficially rehabilitated, more than 50 years since his demise and three kings later, by the grandson of the ruler he betrayed?

Because of T'hami el-Glaoui, French political jargon has become enriched by the verb glaouiser, which means "betray", and Moroccans know this all too well.

An El-Glaoui door (pic: Sandy McCutcheon)

Born in 1879 to the caid - or baron - of Telouet and his Ethiopian concubine, el-Glaoui's fortunes rose in 1893 when he and his brother saved the sultan from a blizzard and starvation after he got stuck in the mountains on a tax-gathering expedition.

As a token of appreciation the ruler presented the brothers with a 77-mm Krupp cannon, which was then used to subdue rival warlords in the area.

T'hami sided with the encroaching French at the start of the 20th Century, for which he was rewarded by being given a free hand in "pacifying" the south, as well as a sizable slice of the area's economic pie - the olive and saffron trade, salt and mineral mines.

He is also said to have had a cut in the income of Marrakech's "Quartier Reserve", or red light district.

El-Glaoui was Pasha of Marrakech from 1912, when the French protectorate was established, to 1956.

He also had a sprawling palace in Marrakech, the Dar el-Glaoui, where he held lavish banquets and entertained the likes of Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin.

In 1953 he attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Churchill's invitation, hoping to be knighted. He presented the new queen with spectacular gifts, which were refused.

The knighthood never happened.

That year el-Glaoui turned his attentions closer to home - he conspired with the French to overthrow Sultan Muhammad V and install an alternative less receptive to the growing independence movement.

The move cost him and his family dearly, as the sultan returned in 1955, when the French realized that Morocco was descending into chaos and granted it independence the next year.

The same year el-Glaoui died a broken man, betrayed by the French whose rule he propped up so meticulously.

Because of his opposition to the independence movement and role in overthrowing the reigning monarch, his property was seized by the state and his Kasbah fell into disrepair.

More than half a century later, I was followed around the Kasbah's terracotta paradise by the guardian's son Ahmed and his moth-eaten dog.

"Why did you bring the dog in?" I asked.

"Why not?"

I reminded him of the local saying: "When a dog enters a Moroccan house, the angels fly away."

"No angels here," Ahmed replied. "If ever there were any, they're long gone now".

Fabulous zelij tile work done by artisans from Fez. (pic Sandy McCutcheon)

The View from Fez recommends Gavin Maxwell's The Lords of the Atlas for the fascinating history of this family. If you'd like to see some el Glaoui splendour in Fez, the Glaoui Palace can be found in Ziat. For a tour, phone Abdou on 0667 366 828 to make an appointment. The estate has around 17 houses, stables, a mausoleum and cemetery, Qur'anic school, hammam, garages and two large gardens. The decoration in the main houses is well worth the visit, and the kitchen is huge enough to serve the entire complex.

King Mohammed VI turns on the power

Melloussa is thirty-five kilometres from Tangier and you could be forgiven if you have never heard of the place. It's not a tourist attraction, well that is it wasn't until not until Monday when HRH King Mohammed VI turned on the 250-million-euro (300 million dollar) wind farm - the biggest such enterprise in the entire African continent.

The new wind farm, which was partially financed by the European Bank to the tune of 80 million euros,  has 165 turbines, with a production capacity of 140 megawatts. According to officials, Spanish and German banks also contributed around 150 million euros.

Morocco's Minister of Energy and Mining, Yamsmina Benkhadra, said the wind farm "is part of a global project estimated at three billion dollars. It will be completed in 2020 and will involve building five wind farms to increase Morocco's wind generation capacity to 2,000 megawatts in 2020 from the approximate 280 megawatts it currently produces from small wind farms. the government had selected the other sites of the wind project in Tetouan, Taza, Layoune and Boujdour.

This would reduce Morocco's energy bill, Benkhadra said, and would "assure our energy security and a sustainable development."

A large wind farm in near Tetouan opened in 2000 with a 54-megawatt capacity.

Buying a donkey in Fez

One of the wonderful things about living in a car free environment like the Fez Medina, is that you can make alternative transport arrangements. The most common one is a donkey, or a mule. Now for a small family or a couple, a donkey is a reasonable investment. However, if you feel like charging up Jebel Zalagh, or you want to take the entire family from Ziat to Bab Guissa, then most people are advised to go the "full mule".

Today, our resident "donkey guru" Ibn Warraq, gives some advice on purchasing your first Medina donkey.

Ibn's favourite off-road donkey, "Ibn Batuta III"

A donkey is a very personal thing. Some like them short and rather hairy, others like the leaner but taller models. So before purchasing, head to the donkey souq and browse the various models on offer. Remember, just because you like the look of a short hairy donkey, doesn't mean that it is going to be cheap to run. The grain/grass/hay consumption of some of the smaller models will surprise you. Often, a taller model has a longer neck extension that allows advantageous snacking along the derbs and thus a reduction in running costs.

Do check you budget, because the initial purchasing price does not include, vacinations, stabling, outfitting with GPS and, of course, the fitting of special non-slip Medina shoes.

Here are some things to consider

Step 1
Determine why you need a donkey. Donkeys are used as pets, companions for other animals, guard animal, breeding, work, riding and showing. Know what you need a donkey for before looking at one to purchase. The use of donkeys as guard animals is increasingly popular and, fitted with reflective stripes and a fetching red flashing light, they can be quite scary.

Step 2
Find your special donkey by loitering around the donkey souqs. Take your time and consider all the models on offer. Remember buying a second hand donkey is fraught with dangers. Unscrupulous dealers often use boot polish to cover bald spots or add hair extension to tails.


Step 3
Visit the donkeys you think are suitable for your needs. Remember a donkey may have mood swings during the day. It is very upsetting to find the animal that was so happy in the morning has a fit of the grumps every afternoon and thows hissy fits at night. Don't bring a carossa with you the first time, as you may be tempted to bring home the animal even if it isn't exactly what you want or need.

Step 4
Get to know your intended donkey. Take it treats. Talk to it and show it photos of its future home. This bonding is essential as you will be spending a lot of time together. Remember, it is too late to change your mind after a couple of weeks as the resale price will have dropped considerably.


Step 5
It is important to speak the donkey's language. If he has been raised to understand French, then all your exhortations in Darija to "get on with it" will mean nothing. Few donkeys in Fez understand Modern Standard Arabic.


Feel free to write to me if you are having donkey problems. Next week, I'll discuss donkey training, reversing, how to do turn in a narrow street, the valuble art of creating handmade paper from your very own donkey dung and twenty must have fashion items to knit from donkey hair.

Sefrou buttons at International Museum of Folk Art, Santa Fe

The Women's Button Cooperative of Sefrou will be taking part in an exhibition entitled Empowering Women: Artisan Cooperatives that transform communities from 4 July at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.

Led by Amina Yabis (pictured above), the craft association was formed to market the hand-woven buttons women had been making in their homes for generations. Amina Yabis was a typical Moroccan housewife and mother of four boys, whose husband was a school teacher. With the support of her husband and family, she decided to break out of the narrow role defined for her by Moroccan society and help women play a part in the economic and political life of her community. Economic success led to a literacy campaign for women and as a result more economic opportunities.

In addition to the exhibit, Amina will participate in the 7th Annual Santa Fe International Folk Art Market from July 9-11. This will be her second trip to the market. Last year, Amina was invited to participate and received financial assistance for travel and lodging expenses, and was part of a three-day training. She is looking forward to the exhibit and to the market. The exhibit will be an opportunity to share her experience and to learn from others. The market is a great opportunity to raise some much needed capital for raw materials, equipment, and for the enhancement of their cooperative's workspace.

Marsha Bol, Director of the Museum of International Folk Art explains that, 'As the largest folk art museum in the world, we have a responsibility to create a forum to discuss current issues that folk artists are facing around the world. This ‘Gallery of Conscience’ will be devoted to the examination of issues that threaten the survival of the traditional arts, bringing them to the attention of our visitors.'

Focusing on ten cooperatives that illustrate how the power of such grassroots collaborations transform women’s lives, the exhibit brings together first person quotes, stellar photos, and stunning examples of the cooperatives’ handmade traditional arts to tell stories of how women folk artists are working cooperatively to improve their lives.

The featured cooperatives are drawn from three continents and ten countries including India, Nepal, Swaziland, South Africa, Rwanda, Kenya, Bolivia, Lao PDR, Peru and Morocco. Featured folk arts include embroidered story cloths, hand dyed sisal baskets, beaded neck collars, hand carded and dyed wool weavings, cultivated bromeliad bags, and folk paintings of village life.

Moroccan Olives - all you need to know!

The fact that the International Olive Oil Council met for four days in Essaouira may not sound important to most people. Yet, consider for a moment the value of olives to the Moroccan economy. According to the Moroccan newspaper L’Economiste, the olive industry already occupies roughly 700,000 hectares of Moroccan land and generates some 100,000 permanent jobs. The Moroccan Green Plan which outlines steps to modernize the olive oil sector will raise the production of olive oil in Morocco to some 340,000 tons yearly.

Olives are Morocco's most important fruit crop. They generate an annual production of 40 000 t of olive oil, 100 000 t of table olives and 180 000 t of dregs. In an effort to offset a national deficit in edible oil, Morocco has adopted an ambitious National Olive Growing Plan which, notably, provides for doubling the olive-tree production area.

Most of the nation's olive oil is produced on traditional units called "maâsras". Since these units have a low crushing capacity, the oil produced is of rather poor quality, the extraction provides a light yield and the resulting dregs, rather than being converted into something useful, are simply dumped and become a threat to the environment. New projects aim to improve the efficiency of existing technologies and methods, enhance the quality of olive oil, produce high-protein feed for livestock and develop a production technology for high value-added secondary metabolites to be used in various industries.

Researchers at Hassan II Agricultural and Veterinary Institute (Institut agronomique et vétérinaire Hassan II, IAV) conducted studies among olive growers to determine the optimum time for harvesting olives for the crushing industry. According to the results, olives should be harvested at the semi-black or black stage when they have a fairly high content of oil and phenolic compounds.

In collaboration with the growers, the teams established two mobile units for crushing olives and extracting oil. The mobile units were made available to cooperatives and also served for demonstration purposes. Several producers restructured their operations on the basis of the proposed model. However, this technology is beyond the reach of most traditional olive crushers (maasras), who must rely on animal traction and are dependent on family labor (men, women and children). The team therefore encouraged small crushers to improve their operations by stripping the leaves and washing the olives, reducing the time the olives spend in storage, storing the olives in thin layers, avoiding multiple crushings, and improving hygienic conditions on the site. These efforts had a significant impact on the quality of the olive oil, which was reflected in the price. Some crushers were able to sell their entire output to export-oriented industrial units.

But, back to the International Olive meeting - Olive Oil Times Contributor Daniel Williams | Reports from Barceloma

The International Olive Oil Council met this past week in Essaouira, Morocco for its 25th Extraordinary Reunion. During the four-day encounter, significant members of the international olive oil community including industry experts, producers, consumers, and agricultural scientists participated in lively debates surrounding the present value of olive oil to assess current prices as they stand against today’s consumer profiles.

This past Tuesday, June 22nd the economic committee met to share information about the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 harvests and discussed a real need to modify current internal and external prices throughout the world. The committee agreed to enact any necessary changes or price modifications in their upcoming November reunion. The economic committee also met in a group seminar setting that discussed issues surrounding the inclusion of an olive oil’s country or region of origin on bottle labels.

On Wednesday, the 23rd the specialized technical committees of advertising and finance presented a list of promotional activities which it has been actively developing since its meeting in Madrid last November. In a similar vein, various countries have already followed suit, launching major advertising campaigns to promote olive oil at home and abroad.

The following day, June 24th the presidents of 18 delegations represented by the IOOC met to debate the function of the position of Executive Secretary. Most importantly, these delegates participated in an assessment of the surrounding Moroccan region that hosted the event and discussed plans to further develop the olive oil industry in North Africa.

Moroccan Photography Competition #44

Photo from Rabat: photographer: A.J. Jamal

The photography competition winners will be announced at our birthday party in October, with some wonderful prizes, including a very generous accommodation package for two in Fez, donated by the good folks at Dar El Menia, a sumptuous meal for two at Cafe Clock as well as a luxury hammam and other goodies to be announced. We will accept entries until September 30th. So get your entry in !

Submit a photograph.

Send your photograph in jpeg or gif form to: theviewfromfez@gmail.com and please put the words "photo entry" in the subject line.

View all photographs in our photojournal.

Out and about in Casablanca and Fez

CASABLANCA: The Blue Parrot


The famous Rick's Cafe (see our review here) now has a new roof terrace bar and barbecue called The Blue Parrot (pictured above). Open for the summer months, the stylish bar overlooks the sea and has comfortable rattan furniture, baskets of flowers, sea breezes and, of course, blue parrots.

Serving drinks and a small menu of fresh salads and innovative barbecue dishes such as swordfish steak (Dh130) or a hamburger at Dh90, the Blue Parrot is open for lunch and dinner every day except Mondays.

The Blue Parrot is at Rick's Cafe, 248 Boulevard Sour Jdid, Casablanca Medina. Ph 0522 27 42 07/08.

FEZ: Maison Blanche

Maison Blanche (pictured above) is holding musical evenings every Wednesday, with a live band. This week (30 June), the degustation menu (Dh450 per person) will tickle your tastebuds with:

Amuse bouche of a light cauliflower and truffle mousse with smoked duck

Terrine of foie gras with pistachio sauce

Fillet of Saint-Pierre with risotto

Macaroon with Madagascar vanilla and caramelised pears

Maison Blanche is on Avenue Ahmed Chaouki opposite the Hotel Jnan Palace. Ph 0535 62 27 27.

International Whaling Commission meets in Agadir

The 88 countries of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) met in Agadir this week. On the agenda was a draft plan allowing Norway, Iceland and Japan to hunt whales legally near Antarctica and elsewhere for 10 years in exchange for a gradual drop in numbers killed, John Vidal reports for The Guardian.

But governments and campaign groups remain divided on the issue. The EU adopted a common negotiating position last weekend ruling against the resumption of commercial whaling. The US and New Zealand, however, have continued to back the package of measures proposed by the chair of the IWC.

Three of the world's largest international NGOs - Greenpeace, WWF and the Pew surprised the meeting saying that they were ready to see commercial whaling resume if six conditions were met. They are:

* an end to whaling in the Southern Ocean
* an end to trade in whale meat and products
* the elimination of unilaterally decided whaling quotas
* an end of hunts of endangered whale species
* putting science at the centre of IWC decisions
* prevention of objections or reservations by IWC members if the moratorium is lifted.

This package was immediately rejected by many other environment groups, including the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, who said they were not willing to accept any return to commercial whaling.

Whaling kills up to 2000 whales annually.

Les Dunes d'Or, Agadir, venue for the meeting

Anne Frank exhibition opens in Fez

In a first for the Arab world, Fez is to host an exhibition on the life of Anne Frank, the teenage Holocaust victim who would have been 81 this year, had she lived.

Anne Frank: A History of Today opens at the Fez Centre for Human Rights this week.

Marietje Peters of Radio Netherlands takes up the story:

Despite her famous diary, many Moroccans have never heard of Anne Frank. Now an exhibition about the teenage Holocaust victim is being premiered in the Arab world for the very first time, set against the backdrop of anger and frustration at ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

Anne Frank: A History of Today will open in Fez this week, after two days of training for young Moroccans who will act as guides during the event. A handful have heard of the Holocaust, but for most the story of the secret annex in an Amsterdam canal house - where the Frank family were in hiding - is new. Anne Frank's diary, in which she reflects on daily life during the Nazi occupation until her family was deported to a death camp, was only recently published in Arabic.

volunteers in training (photo: Ahmed Laghrissi)

Hafsa Aloui Lamrani (19) says she had been told millions of Jews were killed by the Nazis, but before the training, questioned whether it was true or not.

'Here in Morocco we're always shocked by what we see on television, the Palestinians, Iraq, Afghanistan', she said. 'We're always shocked, so this isn't something new. But we still experience this story of Anne Frank.... That there's nobody to help you, that you're all alone in the world and that you're always attacked. One’s race is like a terrible thing.'

CRIMES
The exhibition features 36 panels on the young Anne Frank and her family, as well as photos showing Jews being deported. There is also a focus on other crimes against humanity including the genocide in Rwanda and ethnic cleansing in former Yugoslavia. During the training, participants are shown video clips of anti-Jewish protests in Berlin, followed by a violent anti-Islam film, and are challenged on whether freedom of speech should apply to both examples.

It's a different way for these young people in Morocco to learn about a delicate topic that clearly provokes emotional reactions. As well as expressing scepticism about the aims of the organisers and concern about pro-Jewish propaganda, they ask why Anne Frank has been singled out from all the other victims of discrimination.

HISTORY
History lessons in Morocco focus little on World War II, and in the past have tended to skim over the subject of the Holocaust, according to teacher Hassan Moussaoui:

'The reason for this is primarily political, and secondly, religious', he explains. 'The Arab-Israeli conflict is a conflict Arabs feel is unfair. They're mistreated, they're marginalized. It's normal that there are negative repercussions. Of course we don't teach this history because the ministry of education is responsible for the curriculum .... It's not that they don't want to include it, but they're hiding from repercussions on the street, from parents.'

Amsterdam's Anne Frank Museum has already taken the exhibition to more than 60 countries, and works with local partners to adapt it where necessary - in this case, the Fez-based Moroccan Centre for Human Rights. Director Jamal Chadhi admits it was a difficult decision to become involved. There were calls for the project to be scrapped after the recent Israeli attacks on aid ships bound for Gaza in which people were killed.

Mr Chadhi expects criticism in the national press if, and when, it attracts more publicity. But he says the time is ripe for a dialogue on these kinds of issues in Morocco thanks to a change in the political climate in recent years:

'There's also work that needs to be done alongside this exhibition, education, work on improving knowledge of rights', says Mr Chadhi, 'to root out stereotypical images that exist in traditional culture. Because at the same time, we also have extremists who use sophisticated techniques and have more money... They are there to spread an anti-human rights culture, a discriminatory culture.'

SENSITIVE
Despite invitations from other Arab countries, this is the Anne Frank Museum's first experience of working in such a sensitive environment. 'If, out of a group of 16, three youngsters are more open to learning about the Holocaust and the complexity, then you've achieved something. And you hope that they will be kind of ambassadors,' says organiser Karen Polak.

The trainees say they've learned a lot from Anne Frank's story. Most importantly, says Hafsa, it is just one of many tales that needs to be told:

'There are also other children who haven't written anything', she says. 'There are always Anne Franks... in the past, in the present - I hope there won't be any in the future.'

Thirteenth Gnaoua Music Festival opens in Essaouira

The 13th Gnaoua Music Festival, held under the high patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, opened on Thursday in the Atlantic city of Essaouira. The festival runs until June 27.

The festival features performances by famous Gnaoua masters, known as Maalems, including Mohamed Kouyou and Saïd Kouyou, in addition to renowned world musicians such as Algerian Amazigh Kateb and Pakistani Faiz Ali Faiz.

Music lovers will also enjoy concerts by Georgian Ballet dancers and Armenian Navy Band.

Fifty-eight concerts and five conferences on Gnaoua music are scheduled during the festival, which brings together 300 artists.

The festival will first honour the gnaoua musicians with a new stage, which is dedicated to them at Bab Doukkala, allowing the ardent supporters of the Gnaoua rhythms to meet with the stars, from Hamid El Kasri to Abdelkébir Merchane, for 100 % Gnaoua concerts, as well as the traditional lilas in the exceptional Gnaoua Zaouia every evening at midnight for the purists.

World and jazz musicians will perform every evening on the stage of Bab Sebaa, offering a combination of the best current sounds: from the unexpected Trio Joubran, featuring three oud-playing brothers, to the English genius of bluesman Justin Adams, as well as the incredible Toumani Diabaté and the Korean traditional percussions of the Salmunori Group.

The Moulay Hassan stage will receive today’s most famous groups of very diverse styles, from the bubbling jazz of Eric Legnini to KyMani Marley’s reggae as well as the well-known jazzman Wayne Shorter and his quartet. Crowning this exceptional programme off: a concert by the National Orchestra of Barbès, a real ‘musical pot’, at the closing of the festival on Sunday. Moulay Hassan will also be the meeting place of Gnaoua and World music for fusion concerts, where new sounds arise from the meeting of the guembri and castanets with the finest instruments from all over the world: percussion, trumpet, saxophone, kora, piano …

On the smaller stages in the medina, the new generation of maâlems, embodied by Saïd Boulhimas who was sensational last year during the concert of the" Band of Gnaoua ", will accompany the established maâlems such as Allal Soudani, Saïd El Bourqui and Abdeslam Belghiti, to offer to the festival-goers the best Gnaoua music during both the day and evening concerts. Still in the same spirit of open dialogue established by the Festival, the Al Khayma place and the Marché des Grains will also be open to other traditional Moroccan musical genres - Ganga, Haddarates and the superb Hamadcha.

Moroccan Photography Competition #43

Kohl Eyes - photographer: Lynn Evans Davidson


The photography competition winners will be announced at our birthday party in October, with some wonderful prizes, including a very generous accommodation package for two in Fez, donated by the good folks at Dar El Menia, a sumptuous meal for two at Cafe Clock as well as a luxury hammam and other goodies to be announced. We will accept entries until September 30th. So get your entry in !

Submit a photograph.

Send your photograph in jpeg or gif form to: theviewfromfez@gmail.com and please put the words "photo entry" in the subject line.

View all photographs in our photojournal.

News Flash for Australian Expats.

Australia has a new Prime Minister - the first woman PM

Julia Gillard has been elected unopposed to the Labor leadership, seizing power in a bloodless Parliament House coup after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd decided not to contest this morning's leadership ballot. So, Julia Gillard is Australia's first-ever female Prime Minister, but will she end the unpopular policies of Kevin Rudd? It is expected that she will maintain the troops in Afghanistan and go on supporting the Israeli position against the Palestinians.



Her big challenges will be climate change, refugee policy and an unpopular mining tax.

The challange only emerged at 7pm yesterday and was over by 9.45 this morning. Initial response from the Liberal Party is one of caution as their own polling showed that Julia Gillard "would smash the Libs".

Emerging from this morning's meeting, Gillard said she felt "very honoured" and said she would be making a statement shortly.

Treasurer Wayne Swan now steps up as Deputy Prime Minister. He was also elected unopposed.

For more news check : ABC NEWS

Moroccan Photography Competition #42

The foothills near Tahanout (northern foothills of the High Atlas)

Photographer:

Angela Panther

Submit a photograph.

Send your photograph in jpeg or gif form to: theviewfromfez@gmail.com and please put the words "photo entry" in the subject line.

View all photographs in our photojournal.

Marrakech International Chess Tournament

The first ever Marrakech International Chess Tournament takes place from 25 June to 2 July. So far there are players from 23 countries registered, including 37 Grandmasters. Hungarian GM Judit Polgar (pictured below) looks a likely contender, and will play a simul on 20 boards on 2 July.


Nine rounds according to Swiss system will be played, with time control of 75 minutes per player. And there are some pretty good prizes: € 4,000 and the trophy to the winner, second place € 3,000, third place € 2,000 and so on, down to a prize of €200 for the person in 10th place. In addition, € 1,500 is allocated for special prizes for locals, women and seniors.

Top rated players are Evgeny Miroshnichenko (UKR 2684), Kiril Georgiev (BUL 2662), Sergey Fedorchuk (UKR 2646), Georg Meier (GER 2638), David Alberto (LUX 2631), Michal Krasenkow (POL 2628), Yuriy Kuzubov (UKR 2628), Sergey Volkov (RUS 2619), Andrey Sumets (UKR 2614), Victor Mikhalevski (ISR 2614), Rafal Antoniewski (POL 2607), Hichem Hamdouchi (FRA 2605), Gadir Guseinov (AZE 2602) and Eduardo Itturizaga (VEN 2599).

Death of interfaith leader, Sheikh Bukhari

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bukhari died on 31 May at the age of 61. Co-director of the
Jerusalem Peacemakers and founding member of the Abrahamic Reunion group of religious leaders, the Sheikh was invited on two occasions to participate at the Fez Encounters, part of the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music. He was a unique spiritual leader who dedicated his life promoting peace, harmony and unity in Jerusalem, in the Middle East and the world.


The Sheikh's first visit to Fez in 2005 was with Eliyahu McClean (pictured above, left). The two first met in the 1990s at interreligious conference in Uzbekistan, and launched Jerusalem Peacemakers, a non-profit partnership of interfaith religious leaders and grassroots activists, from Muslim, Druse, Christian and Jewish communities.

Sheikh Bukhari was head of the mystical Naqshabandi Sufi Order of the Holy Land. A longtime proponent of nonviolence and interfaith unity, Bukhari found his inspiration in Islamic law and tradition, as well as in the writings of Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.

Sheikh Bukhari, who also headed the Holy Land Uzbek community, was a direct descendent of the Sunni scholar Imam Muhammad Ismail al-Bukhari of Bukhara, the ninth-century author of the Hadith al-Bukhari, a collected oral tradition that contains guidance about Islamic tradition and religious law and practice.

The Bukhari family migrated from Bukhara to Jerusalem in 1616 and built their home on the Via Dolorosa in the Old City, where they have lived and taught until now. The family home also serves as a library of ancient, hand-written Islamic manuscripts and as the Uzbek cultural center for the estimated 3,000-4,000 Palestinians of Uzbek heritage in east Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Bukhari’s family played a role in the political history of Jerusalem during the Ottoman era, when they were charged with overseeing the Islamic holy places in the Holy Land, including in Lebanon.

“The stronger one is the one who can absorb the violence and anger from the other and change it to love and understanding. It is not easy; it is a lot of work. But this is the real jihad,” the Sheikh once told the Globaloneness Project in an interview.

photo: Lynn Evans Davidson

Moroccan Photography Competition #41

Toubkal South Ridge (in winter) - Photographer Des Clarke

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UAE to be guest of honour at Asilah Arts Festival

The United Arab Emirates is playing an active role in the events of the Morocco's Asilah Arts Festival in July 10-28.



The Asilah Arts Festival has been running since 1978.

The painters at the Morocco Asilah Arts Festival are given an entire wall at the Medina to be used as a canvas for their imagination. They paint a mural on it on any topic and it’s quite a treat to watch their brushes swishing and swirling to create interesting and intriguing designs. The Asilah Arts Festival, Morocco is probably the most important of the art festivals in Morocco but much more than this; it is a forum for the artists from all around the world to express their art and ideas.

ASILAH is a fortified town on the northwest tip of the Atlantic coast of Morocco, about 50 km from Tangier. Its ramparts remain fully intact. It is now a popular seaside resort, with modern holiday apartment complexes on the coast road leading to the town from Tangier. Its history dates back to 1500 B.C., when the Phoenicians used it as a base for trade.

The UAE has been chosen as the Festival's guest of honour by the organizers for experiencing a massive increase in its distinguished cultural and literary activities, both in the region and the world.

The Festival, whose slogan is "Renewable Energy - A Leap Towards Human Development", will witness the participation of more than forty-five countries from around the world. It is one of the most important art festivals in the Middle East and North Africa and seeks to promote cultural exchange and open a dialogue between different countries. Its ethos is to celebrate the values of peace and tolerance.

The participation of the UAE covers various events, including cultural, artistic, literary and folk events. Masdar, a leading Abu Dhabi investment and technology company, is participating in the Festival by holding an international conference on the importance of renewable energy. This will be held at the Festival for the first time since its conception.

The Festival honours the cultural history of the region with a rich program of events from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development. This includes the organization of UAE folklore concerts, exhibitions of Arabic calligraphy and UAE music. In addition to this a conference is held at the Festival on poetry in the UAE, including an evening of poetry reading and recitation and various intellectual and cultural activities.

Moroccan Blog hits the Million Mark !

Photo: Gerard Chemit

Regular readers of The View from Fez will be aware that in October this year we celebrate our 5th birthday. We had also been anticipating passing the one millionth page view at the same time. However, while our attention was firmly on the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, the milestone came a little early and passed us by, unnoticed. It is little wonder, when Google Analytics figures (below) for the festival period were so healthy and 317% higher than the internet benchmark. Although we post in English, it was interesting to note that during the festival our visitors came from all over the world and spoke 75 languages !

The number of visitors to our festival coverage was extraordinary

So today we would like to thank our readers for their loyalty (67% are returning visitors) and post a reminder that we will be having a big party in October. The photography competition winner will be announced at our birthday party with some wonderful prizes, including a very generous accommodation package donated by the good folks at Dar El Menia, a sumptuous meal for two at Cafe Clock as well as a luxury hammam and other goodies to be announced.

Moroccan Photography Competition #40

Sweets - photographer: Hella Jaschke

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Morocco to increase fight against corruption

Corruption has been described in the past a a part of Moroccan life. It has been a huge problem at every level from police throiugh to local officials accepting cash for favours, building permissions and access to public figures. Now, according to Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi, Morocco is set to forge ahead with moralizing public life and fighting corruption and economic crimes.

According to our sources, the fight against corruption has become a priority and that the Royal Palace is firmly behind a drive to wipe out the problem. It will not be an easy fight, but one that is essential.

Addressing a meeting of the ministerial commission in charge of updating and following up the governmental anti-corruption programme, El Fassi underlined the Kingdom's commitment to take the required measures at the legal and institutional levels with a view of ensuring transparence and laying the foundations of good governance.

Reiterating the government's attachment to the UN convention against corruption, the Prime Minister underlined that this social plight should be countered by advocating the principles of transparency, responsibility and control in addition to awareness raising and education.

At the end of the meeting, the commission adopted an action plan laying down measures preventing corruption and a national road map to implement the communication plan of the governmental anti-corruption programme.

The commission also tackled the preparations for the 4th conference of the parties to the UN convention against corruptions, to be held in Morocco in 2011.

The meeting was attended by the Ministers of the Interior, Justice and Communication in addition to several top officials.

Where to swim in Fez

With the mercury due to hit the high thirties later this week, The View from Fez has been looking at where to take a swim in the city.

There's only one pool in the medina that's open to non-guests, at Riad Alkantara (pictured above). It costs Dh150 for the day, but non-guest places are extremely limited so you must phone to book on 0535 740 292.

High above the medina is Hotel Les Merinides, where a dip also costs Dh150 per person per day. The Hotel Menzeh Zalagh near McDonald's is only Dh100; it's a smaller pool, but the garden has a lovely view over the medina.

Larger pools can be found at the Royal Mirage Hotel on Avenue des FAR at Dh200 per person. The nicest is probably the Jnan Palace, which also charges Dh200.

The Hotel Ibis, Hotel Batha and Hotel Palais Jamai all told us that non-guests are not welcome.

Al Jazeera - a little too greedy over World Cup rights

In the lead up to the World up in South Africa, Moroccans were understandably excited by the promise of a feast of football. Then it was announced that Al Jazeera was asking a huge broadcast fee to show the games in Morocco. Understandably, the Moroccan government declined to pay. The result is that a majority of Moroccans are viewing the World Cup in cafés rather than at home.

There has been widespread criticism of Al Jazeera Sports, which is based in Qatar, and holds the broadcast monopoly in North Africa and the Middle East. According to the Morocco Board News Service, Al Jazeera demanded $15 million to allow Moroccan public television to broadcast only 22 of the 64 matches. Communications Minister Khalid Naciri rejected the offer, calling it "unjustified".

"The Al Jazeera Sports channel offered us the less-exciting matches and excluded the matches of certain teams, such as Argentina, Spain, Brazil, France and Algeria," Naciri said.
"All the countries that complain about the astronomical increase in World Cup broadcast rights must mobilise to deal with this problem, which denies the fans their right to have fun and watch this major football event," he added.

Fez art exhibition

Fez photographer Taha Charkani el Hassani will be exhibiting at Fes et Gestes from 22 June to 22 July.

Entitled L’exquise ambiguïté (abstract beauty), the showing comprises 80cm x 80cm photographs of Fez at various times of day.

Fes et Gestes serves drinks and lunch in a beautiful garden setting. Find it at 39 Arsat El Hamoumi in Ziat, phone 0535 63 85 32.

Moroccan Photography Competition # 39

Pulling out the leather skins from the dye pool in the Fez tannery

Photographer: Chai, Yew Wei

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Morocco's Festival season

Now that the successful Fes Festival of World Sacred Music has come to an end, there are plenty of other festivals in Morocco coming up.

SEFROU'S CHERRY FESTIVAL

This festival, which finished today, attracted a lot of interest, as always, from the local population of the town and surrounding areas. The Craft Market had around 35 stalls of local artisans' work including weaving, woodcarving, honey, argan oil and arts and crafts. On Saturday there was a procession of some 15 floats and a marching band, as well as the Cherry Queen wearing a cherry-covered caftan. Evening concerts were well attended and featured Moroccan favourites such as Magazan and Naas el Ghiwan.

On the downside, the market was full of Chinese plastic junk, and some particularly nasty pottery. The rides looked as though they'd been resurrected from the 1950s, and had no safety features, but people enjoyed them.

Everyone loved the bumper cars

Also part of the event was a daily fantasia, which had groups of horsemen (and women) competing from all over the region. Although programmed for 10h00, they usually didn't start until around 16h30 which meant planning the day was difficult.

And the cherries? Stalls full of cherry jam, cherry pie, cherryade? Er, no. There were a couple of cherry sellers in the medina, with prices higher than the supermarket.

A nice touch was blown-up copies of artworks by local artists that were hung on the medina walls, much appreciated by residents.

Local art on medina walls

ESSAOUIRA'S GNAOUA FESTIVAL

Next on the agenda is this much-loved event, from 24-27 June in Essaouira.


Concerts held at Moulay Hassan, Bab Marrakech and the Meditel and Pepsi stages are all free of charge. Tickets must be purchased for the acoustic concerts at Dar Souiri and Chez Kebir as well as the traditional lilas at the two Zaouias, Gnaoua and Hmadcha.

Apart from the Gnaoua performances, the festival is billed as featuring 'world music'. Some of the artists are the Georgian National Ballet and the Armenian Navy Band, performing on the opening night.

For the full programme, see the festival's website.

MARRAKECH: THE FESTIVAL OF POPULAR ARTS

The National Festival of Popular Arts runs from 16-24 July. It kicks off with a parade of over 500 artists at 20h00 on Friday 16 July in Djemaa el Fna, the heart of Marrakech.

The 45th edition of this festival will take place all over the city, using such venues as Palais Badii, Bab Ighli, Douar Akioud, Place el Harti and the Theatre Royal. All shows start at 22h00. Tickets for shows at Palais Badii are Dh100, and at the Theatre Royal just Dh20; the rest are free of charge.

The festival pays tribute to all regions of Morocco through a wide-ranging artistic program reflecting the diversity of the kingdom’s musical heritage: traditional, Chaâbi, Moroccan song, Amazigh, the Aïta and new generation pop art. See more details at the Festival's website.

Festival of Amazigh Culture in Fez

The 6th Festival of Amazigh Culture will be held from 1-4 July at the Palais de Congres in Fez.

Organised by the Spirit of Fez Foundation in collaboration with the Fes-Saiss Association and the South North Centre, with support from the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture, the University of Fez and the BMCE Foundation, the festival has as its theme Migration and Hybridity: the Maghreb-Europe Paradigm. The Festival Director is Dr Moha Ennaji.

The word Amazigh is a collective name for the various Berber people living in the Maghreb.

the Amazigh flag, symbol of all the Amazigh peoples

Here is the programme:

THURSDAY 1 JULY

16h00: opening

17h00: tribute to El Houssain el Moujahid, Secretary General of the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture (RIAC)
17h45-19h50: talks by Gérard-François Dumont (Rector of the University of Paris-Sorbonne); Mohamed Taifi (University of Virginia); Fatima Boukhris (RIAC); Fatima Sadiqi (INLAC, Fez);

CONCERTS (ALL CONCERTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE)

20h00 at Boujloud Square

-Ahidous Ouyoun Oum Errabie
-Groupe Imazzalen

21h30 at Bab al Makina
-Ahidous Ouyoun Oum Errabie
-Charfadi (Italian group)
-Abdelaziz Ahouzar

FRIDAY 2 july

Morning talks from 09h00 by Tijani Boulaaouali (Netherlands); Abdelkader Benhamadi (University of Oran); Smaïn Laacher (France); Bashir El Kot (University Al Fateh); Hassan Id Belqacem (RIAC); Bennacer Azday (RIAC); El Houssain El Moujahid (RIAC); Didier Le Saout (University of Paris 8);

Afternoon talks from 15h00 by Nabil Cherni (University of Manouba, Tunisia); Alfonso de Toro (University of Leipzig); Khalid Zekri (University Moulay Ismail, Meknès); Amel Grami (University of Manouba, Tunisia); Charles Bonn (France); Zahia Salhi (University of Leeds, UK); Sanae Ghouati (Universit Ibn Tofail, Kénitra); Moha Ennaji (INLAC, Fès); Salim Jay (Moroccan writer, France)

CONCERTS

20h00 at Boujloud Square

- Oriental dance Alforja
- Singer Mourad Majid

21h30 at Bab al Makina
-Groupe Tagadda
-Fashion show of Moroccan Caftans (Couture Quatre Saisons)
-Singer Abdellah Daoudi

SATURDAY 3 JULY

Morning talks from 09h00 by Maati Kabbal (Institut du Monde Arabe); Jilali El Koudia (University of Fez); Jean-Marie Simon (French writer); Assia Belhabib (University Ibn Tofail, Kénitra); Mustapha Bencheikh (University Ibn Tofail, Kénitra); Aïcha Bouhjar (RIAC); Azelarabe Lahkim Bennani (University of Fez); Fouad Brigui (University of Fez).
Afternoon talks from 15h00: Abdelouahad Mabrour (University Chouaïb Doukkali, El Jadida); Abdelkrim Chiguer (University Moulay Ismail, Meknès); Khalid Bekkaoui (University of Fez); Michiel Leezenberg (University of Amsterdam).
16h30-17h00 Poetry readings from Mohamed Ouagrar, Asmae Belkasmi, Bassou Oujebbour, Abdellah Ahllal and Abid Himmich.
17h00-18h00: the stories of Jean-Marie Simon
18h00: Fashion show of Amazigh costumes (Hajiba Belghazi)

CONCERTS

20h00 at Boujloud Square
-Group Ahwash Tissant
-Group Fuzanarouz

21h30 at Bab al Makina
-Group Ahwash Tissant
-Group Tagrawla (Algeria)
-Singer Ammouri Mbarek

SUNDAY 4 JULY

17h00 at Complex al Houriya: Film screening Itto Titrit by Hicham Ayouch (producer Mohamed Abbazi)

CONCERTS

20h00 at Boujloud Square
-Group Tifraz
-Polish group Joculatores

Indian dance in Fez

Popular dancer Yona will be giving a performance of classical Kathak dance at 17h00 on Sunday 20 June at Riad al Bartal in Ziat.

The performance is entitled Song of the Ghunghroos - these are the ankle bells worn by Kathak dancers.

A donation of a minimum of Dh10 would be welcome.

Taxi rage in Casablanca!

It's a matter of course for petit taxi drivers in Fez to put the meter on as the car sets off ... why, then, are taxi drivers in Casablanca and Marrakech so very obstreperous?

a petit taxi in Fez - Casablanca's are also red

When The View from Fez team visited Casablanca recently, we had plenty of fights with local taxi drivers who simply refused to use their meter. In fact, on emerging from Casa Voyageurs station, we picked not the man who shouted 'taxi!', but the one who shouted 'meter!'.

This kindly man, Ibrahim, explained to us that the fares stipulated by the city are too low to make it economical. So drivers would rather not use their meter and charge as much as they can get, which can be quite a bit when their passengers are unknowing tourists. It seems to us that it would be better for the city to allow the drivers to put their fares up, if it means that meters will be used. Meanwhile, the drivers are giving Morocco a bad name.

Marrakech is even worse. But we can report that in Fez and in Tangier taxi drivers DO use their meters and are courteous and polite. It is to be hoped that the authorities crack down on the rude and arrogant Casa taxi drivers, for, as one American tourist told us - "To have to deal with a dishonest taxi driver on your first day in a country, leaves a very bad impression."

Cherry Festival in Sefrou, Morocco

The Cherry Festival takes place from 17-20 June in Sefrou. 2010 marks the 90th anniversary of the festival, making it one of the oldest in Morocco.

This year the festival, which celebrates the rich cherry harvest, has been timed so that it doesn't clash with the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music. The four-day gala of a festivities include a procession led by this year's Cherry Queen, (17h00 on Saturday), live music in the town's main square (22h00 Thursday, Friday and Saturday), a fantasia every morning, poetry, theatre, clowns for children and an exhibition of local associations' and craftpeople’s creations and activities.

seFest, Sefrou’s Association for Contemporary Arts, has gathered close to 40 images of visual artists' works from Sefrou or those who have been inspired by the ancient Berber/Jewish town. These representations have been printed on large-scale supports and placed on the buildings around the medina and new town in a tribute to the visual art that has derived from Sefrou.

Only 35km southeast of Fez, Sefrou is well worth a visit. Share a grand taxi from the stand just down the hill from McDonald's in the new city of Fez. Sefrou is a small town which stands at an altitude of nearly 1000m, has tree-lined streets and a cool breeze that tends to blow even in the summer. The town has a fascinating history as it was a major stopping point for traders making their way from the Mediterranean to the Sahara Desert. And the town was a melting pot of culture as Jewish Berber Moroccans and Algerians settled there from the 13th century.

The streets have been painted, gardens put into place, tents erected and the banners are flying high. And those cherries are certainly worth tasting!

Anti-Obama lobby throws Morocco to the wolves

The Morocco Board reports that in the US, House of Representatives Tom Lantos, Human Rights Commission, which is chaired by James McGovern (Democrat, Maryland) with ranking Republican congressman Frank Wolf (Republican, Virginia), will hold a hearing on human rights and religious freedom in Morocco on Thursday June 17th, 2010.

The hearing will be open to the press and the public. The reason for the hearings, according to the commission, is the deportation of approximately 40 American citizens and scores of other foreign nationals on charges of proselytism, thus “it has raised serious concerns about the status of religious freedom in Morocco”.

The individuals deported, according to a statement from the commission, ran a wide array of humanitarian organisations, which provided services vital to the community. One of the organisations targeted was the Village of Hope, an orphanage that takes in children that have been abandoned by their parents (see our story here).

A statement from the commission cited an article by Time Magazine that said, “The Village of Hope deportations are part of what appears to be a widespread crackdown on Christian aid workers in Morocco.”

Also cited as an example is the Freedom House’s annual Freedom in the World Report, which noted “a backsliding in Morocco on a host of other democracy and human rights issues over the course of the last year”.

Republican Frank Wolf spearheaded the hearings. He is a long time critic of Morocco and a proponent of Algeria-backed Western Sahara Separatists; he is also considered to be a friend of the Christian Fundamentalist lobby on the Hill.

According to local sources, congressman Frank Wolf has recently met with representatives of Morocco in Washington. During the meeting he became so irritated and furious that he shouted at the Moroccans who were taken aback by the intensity of the Congressman’s emotions. He also threatened, during the meeting, to work to cancel the US Morocco free trade agreement and he flatly stated that Morocco is “no friend of the US”.

Later on, when a fellow Christian fundamentalist leader and a friend of Morocco called on the congressman to inquire about the issue, the congressman was again furious and called the Christian leader a “traitor” for sympathizing with Morocco. The congressman subsequently called on US State Department Secretary Hillary Clinton to cancel Morocco’s Share of the $700m Millennium Fund.

The witnesses that are invited to speak on the hill are Katie Zoglin, senior program manager of Freedom House, 
Michael Cloud, president of Association Nichan, Herman Boonstra, leader of the Village of Hope in Ain Leuh , Morocco, 
Mr. & Mrs. Eddie and Lynn Padilla, foster parents at the Village of Hope and Dr. Sandra Bunn-Livingstone, executive director of Jus Cogens LLC.

The hearings will take place at the 2325 Rayburn House Office Building at 1-3 p.m. on June 17th, 2010.

Our politics correspondent, Ibn Warraq, has this to say about the hearings:

Morocco is an Islamic society, with the King as defender of the faith. When people of other faiths come to Morocco to work in NGOs or aid organisations, they sign a paper declaring that they will not proselytise. These Christians broke the law - it's as simple as that. Why doesn't the US hold a similar hearing for Saudi Arabia? I imagine they wouldn't be too keen on evangelising Christians, either.

By holding this hearing, the US risks alienating one of its few moderate Muslim allies and playing into the hands of the Islamists, who will use it as an example of how the Americans are trying to take over Morocco with Christianity and need to be actively resisted. It's a very stupid move.

It also does not seem fair that the hearing doesn't appear to include testimony from the Moroccan point of view.

A small incident with inflexible American missionaries knowingly violating Moroccan law should not overshadow more than 200 years of good relations between Morocco and America.

The United States should show respect for Morocco's Islamic religious beliefs, while recognizing that Morocco has long respected the rights of Christians and Jews to maintain and practise (but not proselytize) their religious beliefs.

Good relations with Morocco are essential to good relations with the Arab World.

Morocco is an essential ally in the "War on Terror."

Morocco has played an instrumental role in attempting to resolve the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

As a valued ally of the United States, Morocco should be subject to gentle persuasion from the United States on the issue of religious freedom, not condemnation. If the Congressman thinks that Morocco has not acted appropriately, he should approach the Moroccans from the point of view of a counselor to a dear but misguided friend, not as an enemy.

Let's take a look at this congressman Wolf. It is disturbing to think that someone in his position thinks he gains credibility when he says he supports groups such as the Algerian-backed Western Sahara Separatists. In addition, his links with Christian Fundamentalist lobby groups should immediately set alarm bells ringing. Let us all remember that fundamentalism of any kind, Islamic, Hindu, Jewish or Christian, is a problem we all need to deal with.

Freedom of speech is a right Congressman Wolf enjoys, but he needs to remember that with such a right comes responsibility to use that freedom wisely. Sadly there is no sign that he has an interest in anything other than destabilising Obama.