Moroccans Leave on Hajj Pilgrimage

It is the season of the Hajj - the pilgrimage to Mecca and this year over 14 thousand pilgrims will leave Morocco and travel to Mecca for the annual Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam

Royal Air Maroc, the Moroccan national airline, is operating 50 flights to Jeddah and Medina on Tuesday. The transport phase will end on September 17th and the return flights have been scheduled from September 27th to October 16th.

The flights will depart from eight airports: Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Tangiers, Oujda, Nador, Agadir and Marrakech, with special transport dedicated to those travelling from the south of the country, the region of Laâyounne and Errachidia.

Aid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice, will also be celebrated in Morocco, on September 24, while in Egypt and the Arab Emirates it will fall on September 23, according to the lunar calendar.

Flights departing from Morocco to the Holy Places, from the early hours of Tuesday, September 8, will go directly to Mecca, said the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs.

The first flight to Mecca is scheduled early Tuesday, September 8 at 1:10am departing from Casablanca airport.

However, not all is going smoothly. More than 78 Hajjis (pilgrims) from different cities and towns of the province of Errachidia were stranded on Sunday morning for more than seven hours at the Airport of Errachidia due to a flight delay caused by Royal Air Maroc (RAM).

After seven hours waiting at Moulay Ali Cherif Airport in Errachidia, where they slept outside on the grass, the Hajjis got stuck again, this time at Mohammed V International Airport. The plane that was supposed to fly them out of Casablanca took off at 7 a.m. with their luggage, but without them.

Even though the airline offered to take them to a hotel to rest until the time of their flights, the authorities did not allow them to leave the airport claiming “their visas have already been stamped in Moulay Ali Cherif Airport in Errachidia.” Passengers complained that RAM made the accommodation offer knowing it was impossible.

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) previously said they will operate 100 flights to accommodate Haj pilgrims from eight Moroccan cities – Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Tangier, Oujda, Nador, Agadir and Marrakech.

the annual pilgrimage will see more than 2 million Muslims travelling to Mecca

Just one month before the beginning of the hajj,  an outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in Saudi Arabia’s capital of Riyadh has sparked fears that the country could become the epicentre for a global health crisis. In the span of a week, Riyadh has seen more than 40 cases of the disease, 15 of them affecting health workers. Three people have died, and the outbreak has forced the closure of the emergency ward at King Abdulaziz Medical City, one of the country’s largest medical facilities.

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Unusual Airline Collision ~ RAM v Saudi!

An unusual collision occurred at dawn on Thursday between a RAM (Royal Air Maroc) service vehicle and a Saudi airliner. Fortunately both were on the ground at the time. The incident took place at the King Abdulaziz international airport in Jeddah

The accident occurred around 3.14 am, when the unit was crossing an area reserved for aircraft to access the maintenance hangar. No passengers were on board the aircraft at the time.

The Moroccan driver of the vehicle was slightly injured and was evacuated to a clinic, said the spokesman of the Saudi civil aviation authority. The RAM car struck the right engine of the aircraft, causing considerable damage.

The Saudi Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation has launched an investigation.

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Moroccan News Briefs #121

Morocco in solidarity with Ebola affected countries

With the suspension of Air France flights to Sierra Leone, Morocco is being praised for being the last country to provide flights to the three main countries affected by the outbreak of Ebola.

On Thursday, after the decision by Air France, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it was "vital" that airlines would resume flights as soon as possible so as not cut  Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea-Conakry off from the rest of the world.

Only the national carrier Royal Air Morocco (RAM) continues to operate 12 scheduled flights a week into these three countries.

"We are in a supportive and non-mercantilist approach that echoes the ongoing commitment of the kingdom to Africa," said RAM spokesman Challot Hakim,. He also noted that the current profitability of these destinations was zero, with flights in and out of Casablanca being at no more than 10% capacity .

Along with this decision the government ensures that all health safeguards have been taken.

The Ebola virus continues to spread in a "fast fashion" according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO review released on Thursday, 28 August  identifies 1552 deaths and 3,069 patients. For comparison, a week earlier, the figures were 1,427 fatalities and 2,615 patients. WHO now predicts that the Ebola virus will affect at least 20,000 people. And will likely more than 10,000 deaths. According to the UN agency, "more than 40% of the total number of cases occurred in the last three weeks" .

Dr. David Nabarro, the UN coordinator appointed against the Ebola virus, and Dr. Keiji Fukuda, deputy director of WHO's health security, have estimated it would take at least six months to stop the epidemic of qualified '"uncontrollable" by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

"The international health community has been slow to react," wrote Anja Wolz, MSF emergency coordinator in Sierra Leone, in the New England Journal of Medicine .


Casa - Fez train derailment "due to human error"

The derailment last Wednesday at Zenata of the Casablanca-Fez train, "was due to human error," said  the Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF), stating that "the driver and the conductor of train did not comply with "the protection signals "and that the employee who died" had no responsibility for the accident."

The investigation by a commission of experts from ONCF revealed that "a freight train from Ain Sebaa was normally proceeding on a service line at Zenata. Thus, the signaling system automatically put the protection signal in the stop position".

"The driver and the conductor of train did not comply with this signal and crossed at high speed despite the action of the emergency brake. This caused the derailment of the train and due to its momentum it slid about 300m and hit a contributor and an empty car parked on adjacent tracks, "the statement said.


North Africans prefer a beer

The World Health Organisation has published its latest report on worldwide consumption of alcohol. Viewed from an  international perspective, the figures for the Maghreb are not alarming. 

In North Africa the figures put Tunisia in top spot where consumption has grown from 1.4 litre per person in 2003-2005 to 1.5 litres in 2008-2010. Algeria is in second place an annual average of with 1 litre of alcohol per person on average. This figure remains the same as it was back in 2003. The most surprising thing about the Algerian figures is that it is now the country with the highest alcohol consumption in the Maghreb.

Morocco comes in in third place with a slight increase (0.9%) on the figures from 2003-2005 to 1.5 litres in 2008-2010. The figure is suspect as some Moroccan information is missing.  Morocco does not release statistics or information concerning tax revenue on spirits, wine and beer.

An interesting statistic that emerges from the WHO figures is just how much the three Maghreb countries in the survey like their beer.  Tunisian beer consumption accounts for 68% of all alcohol consumed. In Algeria it is 63% and and finally 44% in Morocco.

The differences between the countries are more stark when it comes to wine. While not being as popular as it is in France (56%) Moroccans take top spot with 36% followed closely by Algeria where wine accounts for 35% of alcohol consumption and Tunisia on 38%.

The least consumed alcohol in all three countries remains spirits - Morocco 20%, Tunisia 4% and Algeria below 2%.

In comparison to the rest of the world the inhabitants of the Maghreb are very moderate drinkers. The religious aspect of Muslims drinking is explained by Moroccans as an understanding that the Holy Koran does not specifically forbid the consumption of alcohol but rather it forbids becoming intoxicated.


Contemporary art exhibition in Asilah

The MAC EXPO 2014 International Symposium of Contemporary Art in Asilah continues until September 20. Organized by the Association for Art and Culture (APAC), this exhibition brings together painters and contemporary sculptors from different cities of Morocco and from around the World.

Of particular note is the House of Contemporary Art located on the beach at Briech (6 km on the road to Tangiers). The MAC Expo helps strengthen exchanges between artists and intellectuals and artists from both sides of the Mediterranean and Middle East. Among the artists exhibiting include Mohammad Al Jaloos (Jordan), Mohamed Abou El Nagua (Egypt), Sami Ben Ameur (Tunisia), Christine Kertz (Austria), Nadira Mahmoud (Oman), Enzo Marino (Italy), Ali Rashid (Netherlands / Iraq), Diego Moya (Spain) and Moroccans Bouragba Omar, Ahmed Jaride, Tawfiq Chichani, Ahlam Lemseffer and Abdelkrim Ouazzani.

The House Contemporary Art is a cultural arts center that features a gallery and artists residence. For more Asilah Information: 0661.460648

Dates for Moroccan school year

The 2014-2015 school year is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, September 10 for primary schools and Thursday, September 11 for college and high schools.

The school year for students in the second year of preparatory classes at higher technician certificate (BTS) is also scheduled for September 11 while students in the first year of the BTS preparatory classes begin the school year Monday, September 15, 2014 and preparatory classes will begin Monday, September 8.

Back to school for teaching and administrative staff is set, meanwhile, for the first Monday in September, while for teachers, it is scheduled for Tuesday, September 2.


Tourism growth in Marrakech

Tourism in Marrakech is booming again. According to a report from the CRT (Regional Tourism Centre) the city has seen over 1 million arrivals in the first seven months or 2014

CRT Statistics indicate that the 1,084,305 arrivals is an increase of 9.06% over the same period the previous year.

The number of bed nights sits at 3,093,065 an increase of 11% and the occupancy rate of hotels has risen to 53% with an attendance rate that reaches 84%.

The 14 main clubs and entertainment centres in Marrakech are showing a variable occupancy rate between 60% to 90%.

Forecasts until December indicate a good year for tourism establishments in Marrakech with no fewer than 35 conferences, international events and festivals planned in the next five months.

As the top tourist destination in Morocco, Marrakech has 175 registered hotels and 980 guest houses. Marrakech represents 48% of the capacity of national accommodation and 42% of overnight stays at a national level.

~ SUNDAY OPINION ~

THE BURKA AND BURKINI ARE NOT MOROCCAN!

The New Tribune (La Nouvelle Tribune) has created something of a storm with its discussion about the burka in Moroccan society

New Tribune recently conducted a photo shoot on the beaches of Morocco that appeared to show a resurgence of full burkas and in some cases "burkinis" (female "Islamic" bathing costumes invented in Australia - see story here).

The news site says that after publishing its findings on social networks they received a drubbing in comments from Internet users who accused them of being "mentally ill infidels" and asked the question "Why do you condemn the burka which is Moroccan and Muslim normality?"

The New Tribune responded with an opinion piece by Zouhair Yata in which he points out that Moroccan women are free to wear what they want but notes that the burka and Burkini are not the characteristics of Moroccan Islam. Instead they are concrete evidence of a behavioral disruption of those in Moroccan society influenced by Saudi Wahhabism, which according to Mr Yata is promoted specifically by the explosion of satellite TV programmes in Morocco over the last twenty years.

The journal goes on to say that Morocco has a strong Muslim tradition, as expressed by our commitment to the Sunnah in the Maliki rite and "Tarika ashaarîa." In addition, they point out that the King is not only the Head of State but also Commander of the Faithful and that in the public sphere, including the highest levels of the state including the Royal Family, the burka has never been adopted. Even the Islamist PJD does not require its female executives or spouses of its male executives to wear a hijab.

The New Tribune article concludes that it time to choose sides. "Either we defend a Morocco steeped in our traditions and our vision of Islam, or we choose to be sheep who copy imported practices that do not fit us."

 We must defend the achievements of the Kingdom because its openness means job creation and growth. We should rejoice in Morocco's tolerance and singularity because the alternative is to fall into the same chaos as Libya, Egypt, Syria, and Iraq with their very different set of values, traditions and a different vision of Islam.- New Tribune

Stereotypes anyone? Why Gulf Men Are Obsessed with Moroccan Women

Aziz Allilou, writing for Morocco World News, reports that a Saudi author has revealed in an article that Gulf men prefer Moroccan women rather than Middle Eastern women, due to the special charm they hold, saying Gulf women are themselves to blame rather than faulting the Gulf men for favoring Moroccans.

In the Middle East, the majority of women believe in the stereotypes that label Moroccan women as scheming witches plotting to ensnare rich Kuwaiti husbands by casting spells on them.

These stereotypes were even promoted on Arab Gulf TV channels, such as Kuwait’s Al Watan. The latter broadcasted the animated comedy series Bu Qatada and Bu Nabeel that portrayed Moroccan women using sorcery and witchcraft to seduce and lure Kuwaiti youngsters for marriage.

Saudi author Ghazi Abdul Aziz

However, Saudi author Ghazi Abdul Aziz explained that the truth is far from these myths. He said that Gulf men’s obsession by Moroccan beauties can be explained by the two unbearable powers they hold: their “dazzling beauty and rich culture.”

“Gulf women’s culture is a blend of the desert’s customs and traditions, Eastern Islam teaching, luxury communities plus a lot of Indian and American spices, whereas the Moroccan women’s culture is of such a different power,” Ghazi Abdul Aziz wrote.

“It consists of the Amazigh customs and traditions, pride, the Arab Islam’s teaching plus some French spices… this makes the Moroccan women very different than the Middle Eastern women,” he continues.


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"No Woman No Drive" - Satire On Saudi Driving Prohibition Goes Viral in Morocco

Ibn Warraq reports from Casablanca that a musical satire on YouTube has tickled the funny bone of local Moroccans 

The video - No Woman No Drive - by Hisham Fageeh takes a Bob Marley song and with a change of lyrics makes it the perfect response to the Saudi prohibition on women driving. He also manages to get in a line mocking the Saudi Imam who has been ridiculed around the world for saying driving would effect women's ovaries!

Walking past cafes in Casa you can hear the song and the chuckles as people watch it on their phones or iPads. The Marley song has been a Moroccan favourite for years especially with the Gnawa. It seems that the new lyrics may catch on.

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women are not allowed to drive. The ban is informal, rather than enshrined in law.

Activist and writer Tamador Alyami said clarification was needed from the authorities: “They are giving us confusing messages. There’s nothing clear about it, no clear law, no clear punishment, so the message is not clear and that’s why we’re fighting for it.”

The campaign has sparked a wider debate in Saudi society over how women are treated. Social activist and comedian Hisham Fageeh's ironic video, ‘No Woman, No Drive’ was posted ion YouTube on the day of the protest.

Fageeh’s unique twist on Bob Marley’s ‘No Woman, No Cry’ had been viewed more than 140,000 times within hours of being posted online.

While Morocco enjoys good diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, there is a view amongst young Moroccans that Saudi society is repressive and behind the times - especially with its treatment of women. The campaign to allow women to drive in KSA is gaining ground and in the recent protest some 60 women drove in public. Sixteen of them are reported to have been fined around $80. This is a far cry from a few years ago when a woman was jailed for driving.

As part of the latest campaign, dozens of women have posted online videos of themselves driving in different Saudi cities. No-one has been arrested.

The activists behind the campaign believe the public mood is changing, with many more people - including an increasing number of men - publicly supporting the lifting of the ban.



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2012 Hajj and Eid Dates Announced

The dates for this year's Islamic Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca) have been known for some time, but now the High Court of Saudi Arabia has made it official. The Islamic hajj pilgrimage will begin on Thursday, October the 25th. It is expected that three million Muslims from around the world will take part in the pilgrimage that is one of the five pillars of Islam and is required to be undertaken by all able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime.


The kingdom’s High Court, comprised of religious scholars who serve as judges, also announced yesterday that Eid al-Adha celebrations coinciding with the pilgrimage will start a day later, on October the 26th.

News reports from Saudi Arabia suggest that some 1.4 million people from 160 countries have already arrived in Mecca. According to Islamic belief, the Hajj retraces the steps of prophets such as Muhammad, Abraham and Ishmael.

Many Moroccans have already left for Saudi Arabia and at airports around the country red carpets have been rolled out for pilgrims.

For Muslims Hajj is a spiritual experience aimed at fostering closeness to God, the cleansing of sins and a sense of unity and equality.

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Morocco must investigate Saudi "maid-trade"

Back in early September, the recruitment committee of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry announced that recruitment companies would be established and will be licensed to bring in housemaids from Morocco, East Asia and South Africa. The move has caused outrage in unusual places. Ibn Warraq reports for The View from Fez.

The reason for this recruitment move, according to a Saudi chamber official, was that they were turning to Morocco and other countries to get its domestic workers following a dispute with the Philippines and Indonesia, the largest suppliers of housemaids to the Gulf countries. The dispute has centred on pay and conditions, but Indonesia had earlier this year also criticised the Saudi government for beheading an Indonesian maid. Of the 1.2 million Indonesians working in Saudi Arabia, over 70% are domestic helpers.

The ban on maids from Indonesia and the Philippines hit Saudi households hard, causing many to resort to hiring illegal maids over Ramadan. The Saudis are reliant on foreign workers to perform their household tasks for them and very few Saudi women will work in such menial positions despite high unemployment, as they would be looked down on by other Saudis.

The ban came into effect following the two countries attempts to introduce regulations for the work conditions of their nationals. Trade Arabia said both countries demanded better working conditions for their employees. Saudi walked away from the negotiations abruptly and decided to look for domestic employees from countries such as Morocco who they perceive as not as concerned about imposing regulations to protect their workers. It also became clear that lower rates of pay could be offered to other nationals.

Right from the beginning the scheme ran into problems in respect to recruiting maids from Morocco. The recruitment committee said that the immediate employment of Moroccan maids could prove an issue as there were no official recruitment offices in Morocco to process the papers of prospective domestic helps. It was suggested that there could be a way around the problem with Saudi citizens being given work visas to bring housemaids from Morocco on their own.

The whole issue of Saudi maids has been at the centre of international protests for years, especially in regard to exploitation, sexual harrassment and torturing of foreign housemaids. The notion that indvidual Saudi's could fly to Morocco and find a young woman and take her back to Saudi, is truly worrying and will, no doubt, offend our readers.

The chairman of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, warned Saudi citizens against contacting any offices claiming to be able to send housemaids from Morocco to the Kingdom. "They are all fake. You should not heed the false claims of these fake offices." he warned prospective employers.

The spokesman of the Labor Ministry, Hattab Al-Anzi, said the recruitment offices would grant citizens work visas for housemaids from Morocco. "It is now the responsibility of the citizen to look for authorized private recruitment offices to bring workers from Morocco," he said.

Then, suddenly, the plan to import maids from Morocco ran into even more problems. Those fighting to stop the "maid-trade" got support from an umlikely source - Saudi women. They objected to the importing of Moroccan girls, not because they didn't think they would work hard, or that they were against the exploitation of young foreign women. No - it was because they thought the Moroccan women were too beautiful. At first it sounded like a sick joke, but the Saudi women were serious.

"Many Saudi woman have objected to plans to import domestic workers from Morocco…they say the Moroccan women are beautiful and this will cause continuous anxiety and concern in Saudi families,” - 'Sharq' Daily

It is a relatively rare for the voices of Saudi women to be raised in protest. This year there have been notable exceptions as some women protested for the right to drive, whilst others demanded the right to vote. Now they have another common cause - to ban female domestic maids from Morocco. It started slowly, but over a few days the protests grew to the point where the Saudi women innundated the government with complaints that Moroccan women are just too beautiful and may lure their husbands away. According to the website Emirates 24 the Shura Council was “deluged by demands from Saudi women”

"Moroccan women are so attractive that their husbands could easily fall for them…others said Moroccans are good at magic and sorcery and that this could enable them to lure their husbands.” - 'Sharq' Daily

Saudi women protest against Moroccan maids

If the women of Saudi Arabia fail to stop this "maid-trade" then it is imperative that the Moroccan government scrutinise the contracts and conditions of every maid taken to Saudi. They should also take steps to educate Saudi women to understand that while Moroccan women may be beautiful, they are not dangerous.