Moroccan News Briefs #30

Moroccan News Briefs published in The View From Fez draw on open source material, contributions from readers, as well as material from Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP) and official Moroccan Government press releases.

Morocco expects large input from renewable energy

According to Mines and Energy Minister Mohamed Boutaleb, renewable energies are expected to contribute 10% to the national energy balance by 2012. At the moment renewables only contribute some 4%.

Speaking at a study day in Ifrane, the minister said that solar energy is expected to contribute 8% of the global rural electrification program. He said that the diversification of energy sources and the development of renewable energies are among the priorities of Morocco's energy strategy.

The minister underlined that the strategy includes new projects to produce electricity from solar and wind energies. The Plan aims to provide services of sustainable energy in the rural world, equip 150,000 houses, construct 1,000 energy houses, and efficiently manage energy consumption by the industrial sector.

At the same time Morocco's National Electricity Office (ONE) announced that it has won a $16.5m contract for electrification of 550 villages in northern Senegal. According to the concession contract ONE will distribute and manage electricity distribution for 25 years. The Moroccan company aims at reaching 24,000 electricity-service subscribers in three years.

230 sub-Saharan illegals captured

According to a report carried by Maghreb Arabe Press, local authorities of the Wilaya of Rabat on Saturday intercepted 238 illegal sub-Saharan migrants in raids throughout Rabat

Nine other people suspected of being human smugglers were also arrested. Other unconfirmed reports claim that the migrants were removed in six buses and transported to Oujda.

Moroccans protest rising cost of living

Several thousand Moroccans took to the streets of the capital Rabat yesterday for a demonstration to express growing anger over rising prices of transport, basic foodstuffs, water and electricity in the country. The demonstration was organised by left-wing and consumer-advocacy groups. The demonstrators chanted slogans such as "No to privatisation" and "Don't touch my bread" and carried banners saying: "Don't touch citizens' buying power".

The organisers - a group formed this year called the Alliance Against Price Increases - said 12,000 people turned out for the demonstration, but police said the number was no higher than 6,000.

Sporadic protests have erupted in recent months in Morocco's largest cities over increases in household bills. Protests against utilities company Lyonnaise des Eaux de Casablanca (Lydec) won a concession from the firm to trim prices for low-income consumers. Lydec is controlled by French utility company Suez and since 1997 has managed the water and electricity supplies for Casablanca.

The Moroccan government is clearly disturbed by the demonstrations and while it already subsidises fuel and many essential foodstuffs to make them more affordable for the population, has said it may reverse some of the recent price increases.

Peruvian Ambassador and his wife injured

According to police sources, the ambassador of Peru in Rabat and his wife were both injured in a road accident that occurred on Friday afternoon. The accident took place outside of Tangier when the diplomat's vehicle left the road and overturned in a four-meter-deep ravine. The Ambassador and his wife have been taken to a private clinic for treatment and there has been no information released as to their condition.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

To all our readers

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Nichane - the view from Beruit

Morocco and the Media - Mohamed Ashab, writing in the Lebanese daily Al-Hayat has a well-considered piece about the Nichane controversy.

Some conflicts take place behind closed doors, and involve politicians, army men, and economically influential people; while others reach the streets, giving rise to unrest, congestion and rancor. The most elegant of conflicts, however, take the press as its venue as the press, which operates in the shadowy and tabooed areas so long as there is not a law or norm that prohibits it. It's like a relation of mutual consent that does not spark any feud.

The reason for such talk is the escalating controversy over the Moroccan authorities' decision to ban a satirical weekly called Nichane.

While the move could be seen as an indication of a return to the drive to achieve political and social reconciliation against the backdrop of waning respect for the rules of the game, making it possible to talk about a tendency favoring the iron fist policy, facts driven from the history of Moroccan media suggest that the matter is no more than part of the bill of openness, which is never achieved for free.

One shouldn't be surprised when drastic actions, whether expected or not, are taken during the time of transformations. Throughout the exciting journey of openness in Morocco, the press has been in the foreground. This status, regardless of the different interpretations attached to it, would have never been achieved hadn't there been a dire need for the role the press plays in the process of political and intellectual change to develop. This role should lay the foundations for a new culture.

There remains a huge difference, however, between major or minor conflicts that stem from ideological and political convictions, and conflicts that only aim at suspense, and try to destroy rock-solid and widely accepted values. The noble role of the press entails a higher degree of balance in order to help the ship of moral values make its way without jeopardizing the lives of its passengers.

The controversy over such issue may be for pure Moroccan reasons, taking into consideration its scope and consequences on the reality of a nascent media.

The relation of this controversy, however, with the political experience of a country that seeks to establish post-transitional harmonies under conditions embraced by the most hard-line of opposition factions, and which further, succeeded in including the Islamic movements, who have emerged to command a qualitative and a quantitative impact on the political scene, strongly suggests that such controversy has become a part of this political experience.

Perhaps the more significant aspect of the issue is related to more serious implications on the image of Islam as it really is, and as it is seen by the Other, since the Moroccan authorities' reaction cannot be separated from the controversy over the offensive cartoons that depicted the Prophet of Islam and the statements by Pope Benedict XVI that prompted Morocco to recall its ambassador from the Vatican.

The Rabat government, which has always been steadfast in its resistance to attempts to demean Islam, was not expected to adopt a different stance. The attempts to demean Islam were basically based on a deceptive ideology that tries to confirm the selective nature of describing the putative terrorist enemy.

However, the banning of a newspaper could have serious impacts on the country's records regarding human rights, and freedom of expression. This raises serious problematic issues about the freedom of the press: where it starts and where it ends?

This is perhaps the essential reason for the exclusive authority delegated to the judiciary to decide on enacting measures for the protection of the societies' unwritten laws and customs. This means that the sanctity of free media from tutelage, domestication, and subjection, does not make it above the law. Also, in case of any violation, media cannot be reined in except through the power of law.

However, the banned weekly magazine's decision to apologize seems to imply admittance of wrongdoing, which is a precedent worthy of praise as the magazine accepted criticism.

While the press might be interested in portraying the reality as it is, a line must be drawn between reporting on reality and what is being circulated as jokes and oddities what has been preserved as tradition, and what is suitable for publication.

A deliberate intent to demean religious conventions and sentiments is unlikely to be the case here, since those involved were not championing a certain cause towards the promotion or the suppression of which they were forced to resort to linking Islam with terrorism or any other forms of backwardness or aggression.

Certain upstarts in the fields of journalism and creativity seem to be affected by the interest exhibited towards their eccentricities and destructive tendencies, in the same manner as adventurers seek glory even at the expense of morals and religious convictions.

The exciting aspects of the others' experiences might also be alluring, especially when related to attitudes towards religion or sex, and where the desire for profit and commercialism becomes dominant.

The task of journalism in particular, however, is to immunize societies, and consolidate the manifestations of this immunity against the temptations to surrender to sensationalism and instincts.

Provided it leads to no further implications by the virtue of abandoning its politicization by any of the parties, or by eyeing it as merely a minor traffic accident; the issue that has surfaced in Morocco may be no more than a tempest in a teapot.

The need has risen, however, to scrutinize the laws of driving, the engines of our vehicles and its mechanisms that are experiencing technical difficulties, nothing more, nothing less.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

There's one born every minute.

Local price for a hammam, between 6 and 12 dirhams. Price for British journalist, Catriona Irvine? 500 dirhams.

You have to wonder what planet people are on sometimes. Catriona Irvine from the UK Sunday Mirror was sent on a holiday to Morocco and did the whole gushing thing... BEDUIN & BREAKFAST - DISCOVER MOROCCO'S HIDDEN JEWELS ON A CAMEL TREK INTO THE SAHARA. And - although her room was only 18 pounds per night - she stumped up 30 for a hammam. Sounds unbelievable? Read about her adventures in Marrakech for yourself...

We ventured into the souks for some bartering. We got some leather slippers down from a crazy starting price of £60 to £6 and some large ceramic plates down from £42 to around £6 too. It helped that Jane spoke fluent French the main language after Arabic although many locals also speak English. And the further you walked away from the main square the cheaper everything became.

We had read Marrakesh is a good place to get clothes made up, so set our mind to designing some outfits.

As it was our last day, it would be a tough job to find someone, but we visited a material shop and they led us to a tailor.

He cancelled all other jobs for us and his workforce of five spent the afternoon making us three pairs of shorts and two dresses we had designed, for a total of £42.

After a little more bartering, it was time for a hammam, or Turkish bath. We found one in Derb Dabachi, just off the Place Djemma El Fina. It was pretty daunting as we stood there in our bikinis and were told to take our tops off.

We were rubbed in black salt and headed to the sauna, where we were scrubbed, covered in clay, showered off and then taken upstairs for our massage and facial for £30.

We wore our new outfits that night on a visit to Pacha Marrakesh (00 212 24388400, www.pachamarrakech.com), the latest superclub which is about a 10-minute cab ride from the central Medina.

We booked in for dinner at the Crystal Lounge, which was a stunning setting with tea lights welcoming us up the entrance path and a view over the swimming pool as we tucked into melon soup, sea bass, lamb cutlets and a delicious mango sorbet (three courses with wine, about £35).

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

OUR two-day trip into the desert was with Rediscover the World and cost £209pp (call 08707 406 306 or visit www.rediscover.co.uk). The company also arranged our Marrakesh accommodation - a night's B&B at Dar Anika costs from £30pp and the Riad El Borj has double rooms from £18pp. For flights go to www.easyjet.com

Tip for Catriona. Next time come to Fez and have a real hammam - Price 6 dirhams.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Moroccan food - An Indian perspective.

Javed Gaya, writing in Mumbai's DNA - Daily News & Analysis, explores Moroccan cuisine.

The world is full of gastronomic splendours, and with globalization there is an increasing cross fertilization of different cuisines, whether you call it fusion or merely organic development. But for me there are a few cuisines which remain special. Special because they evoke memories of the past, of times misspent, often gloriously so.

Recollection often impresses events with its own patina, like those old photographs in sepia. One of the cuisines which evoke those memories for me is Moroccan; perhaps because of its understated and subtle sophistication and richness. It was an evening at a restaurant in the Heritage hotel I was staying in, in the midst of the exquisite and timeless Medina of Fez, one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, full of medieval labyrinths recalling Ali Baba and the forty thieves.

I am not alone in my high regard for Moroccan cuisine; it has been pronounced as one of the most sophisticated of the Mediterranean cuisines, along with Italian. The more you discover it, the more you realize that it is a great deal more than just cous cous and tagines.

What does the cuisine have going for it? A Moroccan meal normally starts with a very lavish mezze consisting of a selection of salads, kofta and cold dishes. The salads include delights as the orange and carrot salad and the slightly piquant parsley onion and lemon salad.

They also include grilled vegetables such as the famous grilled red pepper and tomato salad. The dips do not just include the usual humus but purees such as carrot and pumpkin.

The most well known soup is the Harira, a Berber dish. Secondly, its tagines do something, which has long been forgotten in Europe, combining fruit with meat, and, uniquely, making use of preserved fruit like lemon as a flavoring for savory dishes. This is a very Persian thing, and in India the Parsi Jardalu Ghost is an example of this kind of cooking.

Thirdly, it uses its limited spices frugally but wisely and not in the overpowering and degenerate way which we in the Sub-continent do, particularly the egregious use of garam masala in everything. The Moroccan equivalent of garam masala is what is called “ras el hanout”, which comprises of at least 25 ingredients including aphrodisiacs. The most popular spices being, cumin, paprika, saffron, cinnamon, coriander and red chili, herbs are used sparingly and include coriander, parsley, mint but also aniseed (fenugreek), lavender and chermoula, which generally comprises of onion, coriander, garlic and chilies.

It also has a great pastry tradition with warka, which is far finer than filo pastry and forms the basis of the wholly delicious bastilla, a delicate flaky pigeon pie, wrapped and baked in warka with toasted almonds and eggs, garnished with cinnamon. Bastilla also has a sweet version, which you can get at the Souk restaurant at the Taj in Mumbai, with fresh cream in a saffron sauce. With the pastries come the perfumes such as the lingering Zhar, the orange flower water, which can also be used in the tagines. The Moroccan cuisine satisfies all the senses, including the olofactory, in that sense it is the most complete.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Fez - Capital of Islamic Culture 2007.

Fez will host an international academic seminar between January 8th and January 10th next year on the dialogue and co-existence of religions and civilisations. It is being organised by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in co-operation with the Al Zawiya Al Khadra Association for Education and Culture, and the University of Karaouine.

Photo credit: Zany

It is expected that the event will be the venue for the announcement that Fez has been awarded the title of ISESCO's "capital of Islamic culture 2007". There will be 25 academics representing Morocco from among 40 others from Arab, Muslim and European countries.

The seminar will underline the role of Arab Islamic culture can play in furthering religious dialogue and strengthening cultural diversity. Participants will issue "The Declaration of Fez" on religious and cultural dialogue, which will be submitted to the United Nations.

According to the organizers, the seminar, entitled "The University of Al Karaouine and the dialogue of religions and civilisations", will call for the activation of the role of modern Islamic universities in instilling values of cultural diversity, dialogue and mutual understanding.

Participants will particularly discuss the contributions of the University of Al Karaouine in its capacity as a centre of Islamic culture to the linking of civilisations and to religious dialogue.


Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Morocco's top ten jokes backfires.

A very well coordinated campaign by conservative forces has been pushing for the banning of the satirical journal Nichane. Disturbingly a number of journalist "fellow-travellers" decided to abandon ethics and principals and join the campaign. Freedom of the press should be a non-negotiable, but for some it appears that at the first sniff of trouble they opted for self-interest. Thus they fueled the traditionalist camp and gave no support to the government who found itself in a difficult position caught between the highly popular reforms on one hand and the rising tide of political Islam on the other.

It didn't take long for the government to go into damage control and move on the editors of Nichane. The satire magazine has now been banned for the article listing the top jokes that Moroccans laugh at. They are, as anywhere, jokes about religion, sex and politics. To an outsider this is going to appear like a massive over-reaction, but within Morocco, although a majority of people would have heard, told or laughed at the jokes, most would agree that publishing was going a bit far.

According to the Casablanca state prosecutor, the Nichane article represented an attack on Islam and went "against morals and customs". The prosecutor ordered an investigation into the article and began legal action against the editor Driss Ksikes and reporter Sanaa Al Aji for “damaging the Islamic religion and publishing of writings contrary to morals and ethics.” Sensing the mood, Prime Minister Driss Jettou was quick to move and issued an injunction banning the magazine from being distributed, sold or displayed on the streets.

Morocco has carried out a programme of liberal reforms since King Mohammed VI came to power in 1999, and foreign observers say its press is now one of the freest in the Arab world. Yet there are still limits and they have been regularly tested by Tel Quel and Nichane with articles that criticise government policy and attack corruption and nepotism.

This time the government's actions have caught the attention of the international watchdog Reporters Without Borders who were quick to point out that the Nichane ban was politically motivated. Hopefully the Moroccan media will find the backbone to stand up for the magazine and the principals of freedom of speech. "These measures ... arise from an electoral calculation ahead of polls which could be marked by a strong rise by the Islamist movement," the group said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Communications Minister Nabil Benabdallah said a new press code planned for next year would eliminate most prison sentences against journalists. Critics, however, say liberalisation has stalled in recent years on fears it could threaten the Alawite dynasty that has ruled the territory for almost five centuries.

Moroccan Islamic scholars, were quick to join the chorus of disapproval. The Higher Council of Ulemas and Rabita Mohammadia of Ulemas, in two separate press releases, backed up the government's decision to ban the magazine, deeming it a "sincere expression of the nation's conscience and feelings".

"The article crosses the red lines as it insults the sacred person of the Prophet and His Companions," claimed the Higher Council of Ulemas, adding that it harms the nation's sacred values and symbols as well.

Rabita Mohammadia of ulemas deemed this article "an odious act", noting that the decision to ban the weekly comes "at the appropriate time. Nobody can accept harming a whole nation and allow its beliefs to be subjected to irony under the cover of freedom of expression."

Speaking at a press briefing following the weekly cabinet meeting, government spokesman Nabil Benabdellah said the weekly will remain banned till a verdict in the trial against the weekly director and journalist.

The government deems that these writings "harm the fundamental values of the Moroccan society, all the more reason that these values constitute the basis of cohesion between the various components of the Moroccan people," the minister said.

The case will be examined before the court on January 8.

Banning a magazine over jokes that the population are laughing at may prove to be no laughing matter. See our previous story: No Laughing matter and our UPDATE ON THE TRIAL

In an ironical footnote, the issue in question is off the streets but has become a collectors' item with people offering a good prices for a copy. Only time will tell who has the last laugh.

Our latest story: Our readers reaction and world opinion.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Moroccan jokes - no laughing matter.

Back in September Tel Quel magazine launched an Arabic-language sister publication, under the title Nichane. Now, like its French sister, the Magazine is in hot water.

In the past Tel Quel got itself a certain notoriety with cover stories on the king's salary, the Western Sahara, homosexuality, and atheism. The problem for Tel Quel was it was playing to a "home crowd"- the French speaking "elite" who have long been pushing for a more liberal society. So Nichane was born to take satire and liberal ideas across the language divide to the Arabic-readers.

Now Nichane has sparked a minor storm amongst the traditionalists who are not quite ready to embrace freedom of expression. The magazine ran a story on the most popular jokes in Morocco. Sure, these are the jokes most people are laughing at in private - but to repeat them publicly crossed a boundary and presented the traditionalists with a target. It is worrying, that in a time when the West is calling for a greater voice for moderate Muslims, Morocco is caught in a bind. Analysts claim that the the kingdom is in danger of succumbing to a wave of political Islam imported from the Middle East that aims to unite Muslims under Sharia, or Islamic law, and reject western secular values.

As a recent widely published article put it: A visit to an average Moroccan town suggests the scarves worn by some young women are inspired by fashions further east, fitting tightly to the head and covering the neck completely and long beards, favoured by conservative Muslims, once hardly seen in the Maghreb, are a common sight in poor areas.

Prayers are broadcast in taxis, shops and banks. Newspapers speak of moral vigilantes patrolling beaches and upbraiding sunbathing couples. Office workers tell of pressure from colleagues to observe the fast at Ramadan.

According to a survey by the Sunergia Institute for L'Economiste newspaper this year, close to half of young Moroccans consider themselves religious conservatives and 42 percent of those agree religion should guide political parties.

The road ahead for Morocco is not an easy one - balancing between the urgent need to continue with the reforms on one side and the political realities of a rising Islamic vote on the other. Indeed, a recent poll by the U.S.-based international republican institute forecast the moderate opposition Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) could win parliamentary elections next year, posing a potential obstacle to King Mohammed's liberal reform programme.

The PJD says it will focus on fighting corruption and poverty rather than pushing a fundamentalist agenda, although some statements by party members are seized on by the liberal press as evidence of a strong reactionary undercurrent. For example, Telquel magazine quoted Ahmed Raissouni, a cleric regarded as being close to the PJD, as saying Moroccan music festivals introduced ''alcoholic drinks, drugs, dancing, adultery, homosexuality and sexual and intellectual perversion'' into society.

So, in this climate of uncertainty, is there a future for magazines like Nichane? There is certainly a need for them, but in the future they might be best to avoid Moroccan jokes - even if most people laugh at them.


Our latest story: Our readers reaction and world opinion.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Moroccan News Briefs #29

Moroccan News Briefs published in The View From Fez draw on open source material, contributions from readers, as well as material from Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP) and official Moroccan Government press releases.

Spain briefed on Polisario atrocities

Spanish Justice minister, Frenando Lopez Aguilar, has been briefed about Polisario atrocities against Sahrawis in a letter from Dahi Aguai, the President of the "Association des Portés disparus du Polisario" (APDP). In the letter he was urged to "take in charge" the file of the Sahrawis that were victims of Polisario tortures and disappearances since 1974".

The Algeria-backed "Polisario" had lured in the camps in the mid-seventies thousands of Sahrawis to shore up its claim to separate the Moroccan southern provinces, known as the Sahara, retrieved from Spain under the Madrid accords in 1975.

In the letter, the association also informed the Spanish minister about the case of five Spanish soldiers, who had joined the “Polisario” before being imprisoned and disappeared, in addition to the crew of the Spanish boat “Tago-mago”, which had been assaulted by the Polisario while sailing off the Canary Islands.

The letter was accompanied by supporting evidence including a booklet of photos of some disappeared Sahrawis and some of their torturers, as well as descriptions of the torture practices perpetrated by the Polisario.

The Spanish government has decided to compensate the family of Francisco
Jimenez Santana, a Spaniard that was victim to a terrorist attack of the Polisario in 1976.

According to the Spanish minister, the family members of Francisco Jimenez will receive, through the Spanish ministry of the interior, compensation of more than Euro 96,000.

Royal Air Maroc controversy continues.

Moroccan Transport Minister, Karim Ghellab who has been under pressure from Islamic groups, has once again denied allegations that the Morocco's national flag-carrier Royal Air Maroc had issued a notice preventing employees from performing prayers at RAM headquarters.

During the House of Advisors' question time on Tuesday he took the opportunity to point out that the notion that RAM instructions to staff "harms the religious beliefs, or can be perceived as meddling in people's freedoms are not true." He insisted that RAM provides the required conditions for its employees to perform the Friday prayers, in allusion to earlier allegations that the flag-carrier was denying such a service.

RAM has two prayer rooms where two Imams operate, he said, explaining that it is the line manager who, having taken stock of the impact of the absence of an employee, has the right to grant or deny such an absence.

On the veil, Ghellab refuted any claims the state-owned airline company tried to deliberately bother female employees wearing it, insisting, however, that the veil was “incompatible with the uniform.”

As to the fasting month of Ramadan, Ghellab pointed out that, in accordance with a Fatwa (religious ruling) that dates back to the 70s, pilots are called not to fast, bearing in mind the responsibility they should shoulder and the vigilance they need to show. The minister buttressed his argument with scientific studies, which concluded that fasting has negative impact on the aptitude of pilots.

Touching on alcohol consumption in the cabin during Ramadan, Ghellab underlined that RAM is required to respect the standards and principles governing the tourism sector, but it refrains from serving alcohol on board its airliners bound for an Arab or Islamic country.

Morocco pours 879 million dollars into telecoms

In Rabat on Tuesday the Moroccan government and Maroc-Telecom signed an investment agreement of 665.4 million euros ($879mn) for the installation of fixed and mobile telephone services, Internet and data transmission.

In January 2003, both parties signed their first telephone investment agreement for 700 million euros ($925mn), a move expected to create 300 direct jobs.

Maroc-Telecom, of which the French group Vivendi holds 51 percent shares, employs more than 11,000 people.

Maroc-Telecom, Meditel and Maroc Connect are the three telephone companies currently operating in Morocco.

Road accidents kill 12

Morocco's road toll continues to climb as twelve people were killed and 884 others injured, including 46 seriously, in 720 road accidents that occurred between December 11th and the 17th.

Authorities generally blame road accidents on pedestrians, inadvertence, speed excess and non-respect of road regulations.

During the last ten years, road accidents increased at a yearly basis of 3%, causing enormous economic losses. They cost the State about USD 1.2 billion a year, that is 2.5% of the GDP.

Medical insurance coverage for Moroccan artists reinstated.

In a new deal, some 700 artists will be covered by health insurance and it is envisaged that the scheme will expand to cover all professionals in the sector. Half of the beneficiaries are married and have children -- priority has been given to artists who make a living from their art and have no other insurance.

According to a report in Magharebia, the first beneficiaries started receiving insurance payouts last week. Health coverage will be available to artists in all spheres -- whether they belong to the Moroccan cultural coalition, other unions or associations, or have no affiliation. The cost of the operation is 4m dirhams, which has been funded by the culture ministry. Annual premiums will be paid by the artists.

The coverage will expand in the years ahead to allow non-insured artists to benefit from health coverage and life insurance. This requires all artists’ names and ages to be collected so that their enrollment form can be completed. Prime Minister Driss Jettou indicated that the government was working to make this scheme generally available as quickly as possible.

The implementation of the medical cover scheme for artists represents a recognition of the arts and creative activities and is intended to promote artistic production and cultural events and put a cultural industry in place.

Soccer hooliganism on the rise.

On Monday, participants in a Rabat meeting entitled "All for the Reconciliation of the Public and the Fight Against Violence in Soccer Stadiums", voiced concern over what they described as "the alarming increase" of this phenomenon in recent years in Morocco.

Experts warned against the fact that violence is no longer limited to soccer fields, where players, referees and supporters are victims of vandalism, but affects even persons and properties outside stadiums.

Researcher in sports economy,Mohamed Kaach, pointed out that hooliganism also undermines the financial situation of clubs, with loss of sponsorship as supporters desert stadiums for fear of being victim of violence.

For Mohamed El Guertili, from the national soccer league (GNF) the reasons that stir up hooliganism lie in inappropriate judgments by a referee, or the unappreciated behavior of a coach, a player or a manager of a club, adding that only 5% of the public commits such "infamous acts."

The GNF representative said the league held the meeting, in presence of the different stakeholders, to elaborate a strategy to fight violence based on awareness raising, through the media and for the creation of awards to encourage fair-play.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Morocco to build mosque in Beijing

Morocco has proposed the construction of a mosque in the Chinese capital in token of the friendship, understanding and of the distinguished relations between Beijing and Rabat.

The offer was made by the Moroccan Minister of Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Taoufiq during a meeting with visiting chairman of 10th commission of the political advisory conference of the Chinese people, Abdulahat Abu Drixit.


The mosque, according to the minister, is meant to help revive the symbolic dimension of the journey of famed Moroccan traveler, Ibn Battouta to China.

Taoufiq also highlighted the similarities between the two countries regarding the management of the religious realm, based on pluralism, cohabitation and tolerance.

Touching on the various ethnicities that co-exist in China, Abdulahat Abu Drixit explained that 10 of 56 ethnic groups living in his country are Muslims, that is about 20 million people, practicing their cult in over 30,000 mosques around the country.

The Chinese official recalled that the reforms adopted by his country 28 years ago affected also the religious field through the promotion of the freedom of cult, the protection of the display of religious beliefs in the places of cult, and the guarantee of the representativeness of religious communities in the State’s institutions, including the parliament.

Drixit had earlier met with the speakers of the House of Advisors (upper house) and of the House of Representatives, Mustapha Oukacha and Abdelouahad Radi, respectively, with whom he discussed ways of reinforcing bilateral relations.

Abdulahat Abu Drixit, who had also talks with Moroccan PM, Driss Jettou, had arrived in Rabat on Sunday on a three-day visit to Morocco.

Source: MAP

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

A journey through Fez.

Lord Patten has been on a journey to Fez and used The Spider's House by Paul Bowles as his guide. It makes fascinating reading. The original article appeared in The Financial Times.


Chronicle of terrorism foretold

By Chris Patten

As we advance with creaking joints through late middle age, my wife and I like to pretend that we are more adventurous on holiday than we were in our prime. So we reacted with initial scorn to the idea that we should employ an official guide to introduce us to medieval Fes.

Fortunately, I had begun reading on the outward flight Paul Bowles’s mid-1950s novel The Spider’s House, in which Fes has the starring role. The prologue records the return journey to his hotel across the Medina, guided by a barefooted Berber, of the book’s central character, an American writer called John Stenham; he is pretty contemp­tuous of the notion that he should be led home through the dark tunnels of the city. But the description of this ­nocturnal adventure was sufficiently dramatic to convince me to listen to advice. So we took a guide, a round-faced, dignified, orthodox Muslim school teacher, who introduced us to only one carpet seller. And, yes, we did buy a carpet.

Maybe it was Bowles who tipped the scales on a holiday to Fes over Marrakech. I had not read him before and certainly The ­Spider’s House is as good a political novel as, say, Mario Vargas Llosa’s The Feast of the Goat. So exploring Fes was even more interesting than Marrakech. It is not remotely a restful city and it lacks some of the elegant and louche charms of Marrakech.

In a way, we recovered from Fes in the Mamounia gardens, where in January the orange trees were in both fruit and blossom, squared off like Grenadiers at Waterloo by alleys of olive trees and iceberg roses. The Mamounia hotel itself, awaiting a face-lift that will not do irreparable damage I hope to its fading art deco, has a concierge with the authoritative touch of a very experienced foreign minister and a barman in the over-the-top Churchill bar who mixes cocktails that probably infringe the non-proliferation treaties.

Sipping mint tea at dusk on the roof terrace of one of the cafés surrounding the Jemaa El Fna in Marrakech provides a great theatrical experience. Smoke rises from the fires of the open-air cafes; Berber dancers whirl; acrobats tumble; snake charmers scare the tourists. January was clearly too cold for the young male hustlers, who are reckoned by Time Out to do business by credit card in these days of all sorts of package tourism.

We ate extremely well at Tobsil and not badly at the Marrakchi – despite the belly dancers – with great views over the Jemaa El Fna. Yves Saint Laurent’s gardens, the Majorelle, with their backdrop of cobalt blue buildings and walls, are a daring challenge to the more conventional gardeners among us, who regard a bit of colour in the herbaceous border as the furthest we are prepared to go.

We were driven on a cold and snowy day up into the High Atlas mountains to the crumbling Kasbah of Thami El Glaoui, a local warlord who used to rule the south of Morocco for the French protectorate. There were no other visitors but we shared his tajine with the owner of a local café, the Lion d’Or, watching French league football thanks to his satellite dish.

Fes, which duelled with Marrakech for centuries for primacy in the Arabic Morocco state, is less comfortable than its rival, which is not to say that our stay there was bereft of modest luxury. We put up in a splendid riad called La Maison Bleue in rooms hardly changed since the owner’s grandmother lived in them.

Dinner was served in the covered courtyard to the accompaniment of live Moroccan music. A dozen dishes of delicious cooked vegetables were typically followed by pastilla (the fish one even better than the pigeon) or couscous and then the ubiquitous tajine.

The local Moroccan wines were part of the deal: a drinkable Semillon and a better Cabernet du President; which president I never discovered.

In hotter weather this riad’s sister establishment, Maison Bleue Le Riad, may be a better bet; it has a spa and swimming pool and a great view over the walls of the old city up to the Merenid Tombs.

It is worth scrambling up to this landmark, or taking a taxi, to get a clear idea of the lie of the land in Fes. The medieval “citadel of fanaticism” (as it was called) is in front of you in the pear-shaped bowl of the Sebou valley; off to the right is the new quarter built by the French and beyond that the road to Casablanca where the young Arab Amar in Bowles’s novel is finally abandoned by the Americans who had discovered him with all his quaint and savage cultural traits.

Much of The Spider’s House follows Amar through the labyrinthine Fes as he hunts and is, in his turn, hunted.

That the city has been preserved owes much to the French resident- ­general Louis-Hurbert Lyautey in the last days of colonial rule there and subsequently to Unesco. Fes was saved from the fate of so many cities in developing countries where, in a paradoxical gesture of national independence, so much local architecture is demolished to be replaced by pastiche Western.

Exploring the narrow streets of Fes leaves lingering memories – the stink of horse and donkey piss, the perfect pyramids of ground spices (yellow, red, orange and blue), the butchers’ shops with lines of sheep heads giving you an understandably doleful look, the tanneries and leather shops with piles of yellow babouches, the occasional visit to a medersa – the colleges of the ancient university – with their intricate wood carvings and blue tiles, and the evening roost of storks and alpine swifts on their rooftops.

Fes is not dangerous but it does seem alien, and in January the cultural difference is enhanced by the sheep being led into the city to have their throats cut by every family that can afford to buy one for the feast of Aid El Kabir, commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac.

Bowles captures all this in a novel set in the dying days of French colonialism. Gertrude Stein described him as “a manufactured savage”.

Dwelling himself on the frontier between sophistication and barbarism, Bowles is the perfect eye-witness to the Hobbesian world that he believes we all inhabit whatever our imagined civilised superiority. As Francine Prose observes in her excellent introduction to the edition of The Spider’s House published by Ecco, Bowles’s fiction is “the last place you would go for hope, or even for faint reassurance that the world is anything but a horror show, a barbaric Darwinian battlefield.”

Bowles is far more relevant to today’s discussions about clashing civilisations and the roots of terrorism than others regularly cited, such as Joseph Conrad. One activist in the novel notes the efficiency of violence in gaining American attention. Amar himself contemplates the difference between political Islam and jihadism – “they saw . . .  factories and power plants rising from the fields . . . he saw skies of flame, the wings of avenging angels, and total destruction”.

He understands the terrorist’s grim compensations not of accomplishing a specific political aim but “of seeing others undergo the humiliation of suffering and dying . . . If you could not have freedom, you could still have vengeance, and that was all anyone really wanted now”.

Bowles clearly believed that we all – not just non-Moslems – live in the frail surroundings of a spider’s house and what others may take as his great insights into different cultures he clearly regards as so much nothingness. He presages the first part of his novel with the ‘Song of the Owl’ from The Thousand and One Nights: “I have understood that the world is a vast emptiness built upon emptiness . . . And so they call me the master of wisdom. Alas! Does anyone know what wisdom is?”

They think they do in Fes. And in Tehran, Rome and Washington. Maybe someone somewhere really does. But the answer seems to be pretty well disguised for the time being.

Lord Patten is chancellor of Oxford University and was the last British governor of Hong Kong. He is the author of “Not Quite the Diplomat: Home Truths about World Affairs” and “East and West”

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Moroccan Micro Credit Funds Assist Women.

Morocco boasts a dozen micro-credit associations, which have granted 2 million micro credits amounting to $655 million (USD). One very positive outcome is that 75% of the beneficiaries are women, and the reimbursement rate reaches 99%.

Now a cooperation between various international banks has created a new $11.5 million fund for micro-credit associations. Those involved are the Moroccan bank "Caisse de Dépôts et de Gestion" (CDG), the German bank "Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau" (KFW), the French "Caisse française des Dépôts et Consignations" (CDC) and the French Agency for Development (FAD). According to a CDG press release, this structure is meant to facilitate access of micro-credit associations to funds and to attract new private sources.

The fund also aims to promote cooperation between international backers in order to coordinate their activities and create a dialogue with the government so as to achieve structural development in the sector.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Morocco announces "Clean Beach Awards".

Stretching for 2,250 miles and straddling two seas, Morocco’s Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline is wide and diverse. The beauty of the country’s beaches has led to heavy human exploitation, which has taken its toll on the marine environment. The Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment has therefore begun trying to save the country’s beaches.

The awards are called Plages Propres 2006. The online journal, Maghrebia, reports:

According to Lahoucine Tijani, the vice president of the foundation, the awards given each year to local communities, organisations and businesses are intended to reward efforts to improve beach quality, with a view to phasing in a Blue Flag quality scheme for all the country’s beaches.

Plages Propres 2006 decided to give three types of award: for commitment, innovation and initiative.

The awards ceremony was presided over by Princess Lalla Hasnaa and took place on Wednesday (December 13th) at the royal palace of Skhirat.

Awards for commitment went to the National Airports Authority and the community of M’diq for the quality of their infrastructures and the effective management system put in place for the beach of M’diq. The same award was also given to the Sherif Bureau for Phosphates and the town of Lamaachat for their efforts to develop the image and facilities of the beach of Souira Lakdima.

Three awards were given for innovation. One was won by Maroc Telecom for the originality of the wooden facilities it installed on the beach of Achkar. Another went to the Red Crescent and Handicap Moteur Maroc for their work on the same beach to make it possible for disabled people to bathe there. The third was given to the Port Operations Authority for setting up a children’s playground, a creche and also an information centre on the beach of Essaouira.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Moroccan novelist wins Sultan Qaboos Prize.

The Sultan Qaboos Prize for Cultural Innovation (novel section) was shared between Moroccan novelist Mubarak Rabei and Lebanese novelist Alawiya A'subh. The announcement was made during ceremony organized on Saturday in a celebration marking "Muscat as Arab Culture Capital for 2006".

The prize comprised Literature and Arts categories. The Literature category contained poetry, novel, short-story writing and theatre text, while the Arts category consisted of: painting, photography, sculpture and light photography. The Omani Ministry of Heritage and Culture recently increased the prize amount to $130,000 (USD). Prizes handing out ceremony date will be announced later.

Born in 1940, Mubarak Rabei is the author of many novels, stories and essays, such as "Ayyam jabilia" (Mountain Days), the trilogy "Derb Sultan" (2000) and "Min Gharb li chark" (From West to East) issued in 2002.

The poetry prize was shared between Egyptian poet Hassan Ali Tulb and Oman’s poet Saif bin Nasser Al Rahbi. The Sultan Qaboos Prize for short-story was shared between Jordanian short-story writer Jumah Ajeel Al Lami and Egyptian writer Said Al Kafrawi.

In theatre text, the prize was shared between Iraqi writer Jawad Kadhim Al Assadi, and Egyptian writer Fikri Al Naqash.

In painting and photography, the prize went to Oman’s artist Saud bin Nasser Al Hanini for his artwork (peace) while the sculpture prize went to Osam Hamza Al Damrdash Zaghlool of Egypt for his artwork (Black and White).

Oman’s artist Abdul Rahman bin Ali Al Hinai won the Sultan Qaboos Prize for Cultural in light photography for his work (Man and Earth).

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

2007 - A boom year for Moroccan property?

For a long time the major interest in Moroccan property was from Spain and France. Now that is changing. According to many of the major players the Irish and English are rivaling the traditional markets.

There are some interesting patterns emerging. One is that the French seem particularly interested in the South of the country - Marrakech and the region around Essaouira. English interest appears to span the country with the market divided between those looking to purchase and restore houses in the Fez Medina or (to a far lesser extent) Marrakech and those with a lifestyle investment heading to the coastal areas including Asilah and the newer developments around Tangiers.

The Spanish buyers of Moroccan property are opting to save on travel expenses and remain close to the North, with areas such as Tangiers, Larache and Asilah being of particular interest.

As we have written in earlier articles, Tangiers in the process of revitalizing itself with a new marina, luxury hotels, beachfront residential developments, restaurants and nightclubs.

Where are the Americans?

For those whose prime objective is capital gain, 2007 would appear to be the year to get into the market. Yet, the Americans seem very slow to catch on to what is happening in Morocco. Although there are Americans getting involved, the numbers are far below that of the British, Irish, French or Spanish.

While distance and recent political events may go some way to explaining the American attitude, property experts also point to the generally low level of knowledge about Morocco amongst the American public. Yet further south, in South America, interest is growing.

In a recent press release, Mustapha Mezouri one of the directors of the English company, Property Borders said - "This year we have seen the market expand in the UK & overseas with buyers contacting us from as far afield as South America. We have also sold property to clients from China and Australia. As an Arabic/English speaking agency we have had much interest from Middle Eastern countries who are aware of the property boom in Morocco and have followed their respective governments who are heavily investing their oil wealth in this emerging nation."

When Property Borders launched the Alcudia Smir resort close to the prestigious Marina Smir area it had a phenomenal response from buyers with the first phase of properties selling out in under 2 months.

"The second phase will be released shortly" says Mezouri "and we are expecting just as much a frenzy as the first phase of Alcudia Smir was". The Paradise Golf and Beach Resort has proved very popular for investors and 2nd home buyers, it is located on the outskirts of Tangiers in a peaceful scenic environment. It is only 10 minutes from Tangier International Airport which is currently being extended in preparation for the surge of tourists & the expected arrival of the low cost carriers like Monarch Airlines and Easy Jet.

It would seem that 2007 may well be a boom year. How long it lasts is another question.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Motorcycle touring in Morocco

Our previous post about the Paris Dakar rally reminded us that we should mention how popular motorcycle touring in Morocco has become. With the advent of GPS navigation a lot more interesting routes around the country are getting some attention. In general the GPS info is accurate, although some bikers have mentioned that the odd Berber village appeared in the wrong place.

If the idea of touring in Morocco appeals to you, then check out some of the dedicated websites where the GS experts have gathered a lot of essential information. If you are not a biker, GS stands for Gelände-Strasse (German: Off-Road / On-Road; motorcycles).

So why Morocco?

Here is what the British website Morocco GS Knowledgebase has to say:

Morocco is the most exciting GS riding venue that's within relatively easy access of the UK. The roads are generally good quality and great fun, there's not much traffic, and the scenary is awe-inspiring. Accommodation and food are good value, a twin room is typically £10 to £30 per night. There is a wealth of well-documented tracks (pistes), the weather is fairly predicatable and it's a brilliant combination of safe, exciting and inexpensive.

Your options in getting to Algeciras are to either ride through France and Spain (1,400 miles from Calais, 1,250 from Caen), or to take one of the overnight ferries to northern Spain which means you then have 700 miles to ride to Algeciras. Brittany Ferries does an overnight from Plymouth to Santander which takes 18 hours. P&O Ferries has a 34-hour service (two nights on board) from Portsmouth to Bilbao. P&O is normally cheaper, but Brittany Ferries uses a higher quality 'mini cruise' ship and is quicker. A second player on the Portsmouth to Bilbao route is http://www.acciona.ferries.org/

WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO

Morocco has four main mountain ranges; from north to south these are the Rif Mountains, then the Middle Atlas, the High Atlas and the Anti-Atlas in the furthest south. The best bike roads in the mountains are probably the Middle and Anti Atlas; the High Atlas is something to ride over, rather than through, and the roads in the Rif are often less well surfaced.

To the east of the Middle Atlas and the south of the High/Anti Atlas lie the hamadas--stony desert with excellent pistes (tracks for 4WD cars and bikes). There's a small area of sand near Erfoud and another near Zagora.

The coastal plain to the west of the country is generally flat and uninteresting, however the coastline itself is often pretty.

WHEN TO GO

Morocco is an all-year-round destination, however in the winter the smaller mountain roads can be blocked by snow, and the summer months (mid-June to end August) are normally extremely hot. My personal preference is for April/May--the country is incredibly green and the days are much longer than September/October. Having experienced Morocco during Ramadan I suggest you try to avoid it (2007: 12 September to 11 October).

The quoted website is run by Tim Cullis and you will find it here: Morocco GS Knowledgebase

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Paris-Dakar Rally - Morocco, January 8-11 2007

The 29th Paris-Dakar Rally begins in Lisbon on January 6th and will pass through Morocco, Mauritania and end in Senegal on January 21st. You can check the daily results here: Day One. Day Two.

At a press conference in Casablanca, the organisers unveiled the three stages to be run in Morocco. The first is a 252 kilometre route from Nador to Errachidia. From there, the second stage will take the competitors from Errachidia to Ouarzazat, a distance of just over 400 kilometres. The final Moroccan stage is a 325 kilometre trip between Ouarzazat and Tan Tan.

Experts predict that the second stage between Errachidia and Ouarzazat is expected to be the most demanding, though, as the organisers pointed out, Morocco is considered overall to be the toughest part of the rally. In previous rallies, over 12% of motorbikes dropped out on the Moroccan stages.

This year competitors from 42 countries are expected to take part, with motorbikes making up the largest numbers (250), followed by cars (187) and trucks (88). The number of driving teams sits at 525.

The rally director, Etienne Lavigne, who fronted the Casablanca press conference, stressed that safety and accident prevention are a high priority, with a team dedicated to anticipating potential problems. "They will be there throughout the race, working with local law enforcement agencies, to enforce the rules and inform about hazards," Lavigne said.

He also pointed out that there is a huge tourism windfall for Morocco as the rally is covered by more than 200 television channels worldwide.



AID FOR FLOOD VICTIMS.

This year the rally will donate funds to the victims of the flooding in Merzouga near Errachdia, according to Lavigne, who added that he hoped to see the Paris-Dakar Rally being established as part of the national heritage of every countries it crosses.

According to the Maghrebia website: With the approximately 600 hours of programming planned for this year's rally on more than 75 channels in almost 180 countries, according to the race's website, millions of viewers will no doubt be able to see parts of the cultural heritage of the Sahara.

Daily highlights will be broadcast from the rally, through a 26-minute show produced by ASO and transmitted every evening from the bivouac. Arab and African channels covering the rally include: Lebanon's LBCI, Qatar's Al Jazeera Sport, Dubai's Dubai Sport Channel, the Pan Middle East TV 5 Moyen Orient, Pan Africa Supersport, Morocco's RTM, and Pan Africa TV 5 Afrique.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Moroccan Film Maker Faouzi Bensaidi's new film

What a Wonderful World.

Synopsis: A stone-faced assassin falls for a tough traffic cop in director Faouzi Bensaidi's inventive look at life in contemporary Casablanca. By day Kenza (Nezha Rahil) earns her keep by maintaining order on the streets, and by night she makes a few extra dollars by renting out her cell phone to neighbors who can't afford a mobile of their own. Kenza's best friend Souad (Fatima Attif) is a part-time prostitute whose best client is a lovelorn hit-man named Kamel (director Bensaidi) who receives his assignments via the internet. When his jobs are finished, Kamel calls Kenza's cell phone as a means of arranging a date with Souad, but he and Kenza have formed a warm bond over the course of their calls, and he soon finds himself falling for the self-assured cop. The stage is eventually set for tragedy when a tech-savvy hacker named Hicham (El Mehdi Elaaroubi) stumbles across Kamel's hit list and decides to make the trip to Rabat and see the trigger man's handiwork in person.

Faouzi Bensaidi's second feature film, a stylish thriller set in contemporary Casablanca, choreographs the incongruities of urban life with intimacy and elegance. The film was shown at the recent Marrakech festival where it was up against some stiff competition.

This report from Lebanon's Daily Star.

This year's Marrakech film festival pulled in a wildly international crowd, with films from the US and Europe to Iran and Southeast Asia competing for the Golden Star (which went to Graf), the jury prize (which went to Muntean) and awards for best male and female performance (won by Max Riemelt of "The Red Cockatoo" and Fatou N'Diaye of "A Sunday in Kigali," respectively).

The festival was woefully short, however, on films from the Arab world. "Wonderful World" was one of just two, both Moroccan. Apparently that in itself was a coup - usually only one local film is accepted into the competition.

Critics tend to lump Bensaidi in with the so-called new generation of Moroccan filmmakers - a generation as young as the film festival itself. Bensaidi bristles at the association.

"I'm a solitary man," he says on the sidelines of Marrakech. "I have a real problem with belonging. I can't belong to a group. I have an excellent rapport with the filmmakers of my generation, but I'm not sure we share the same choices or ideas or views on cinema. We are not the nouvelle vague [new wave] and in certain ways this is good. This is freedom. The new generation doesn't have a common direction and it's a plus because it brings lots of diversity."

"Wonderful World" is worlds away from Narjiss Nejjar's "Wake Up Morocco," which made its world premiere at Marrakech last week. A beautifully shot film about the dreams and disappointments at play among the residents of a small island off Casablanca, "Wake Up Morocco" veers sharply into well-intended but heavy-handed nationalist polemic.

While Nejjar seems hell-bent on speaking of and for her country, Bensaidi seems rakishly indifferent, or at least concerned with the intimacy of the urban over the sprawl of the nation.

For Bensaidi to beat Nejjar in competition would have caused a scandal. Beyond festival politics, it's pertinent to wonder: How Moroccan is "Wonderful World" - given that Bensaidi's vibe and visual language span from Los Angeles to Hong Kong, touching down on Casablanca in between?

The film features an assortment of characters whose lives intersect by choice or coincidence. Kamel (played by Bensaidi) takes his cues from signs he sees in the world around him, whether emblazoned onto a T-shirt or etched into the film stock of an old Bollywood movie.

He matches the signs to serial numbers listed in a little black book. Then he uses the serial numbers as passwords to log onto a secure Web site. From there, he gets his assignment - a name, a face, a location, a hit.

Kamel is a contract killer fine-tuned to the technological, decentralized age of the Internet. We never come to learn who he's working for, only that there are enough despised men in his orbit to keep him gainfully employed.

After each assassination, Kamel calls Souad (Fatima Attif), who works an assortment of odd jobs, including domestic and commercial service and occasional prostitution. Kamel - mysterious and handsome, tall and lithe, with light eyes and the crescent moons of insomnia chiseled beneath - is Souad's favorite client.

They meet in his rooftop apartment, which has a panoramic view of Casablanca - perpetually infused with deep blue, whether day or night, and lit by the orange glow of a sign advertising a brand of lemonade long off the market.

When their time is up, Kamel literally dumps Souad from his wire-framed bed. It's a rude and unceremonious goodbye, but still, she has a soft spot for him and continues to take his calls.

She does not, however, have her own mobile phone. Instead, she has Kenza (Nezha Rahil), her best friend who, in the off hours from her day job as a traffic cop, charges an assortment of friends and neighbors a small fee for the use of her cell.

The more Kamel calls Souad, the more he hears Kenza's voice. The more he hears her voice, the more he falls in love with her. Like Kamel, Kenza has deep grooves in her cheeks that make her look as if she has not slept in a hundred years.

Meanwhile, Hicham (El-Mehdi Elaaroubi) is an adolescent so desperate to emigrate that he becomes an adept at hacking into computer systems. Mostly he's trying to forge a letter of employment from an Italian company, any Italian company.

One day, he accidentally cracks the Web site from which Kamel receives his assignments. When an attempt to flee Morocco by sea goes wrong, Hicham exacts revenge on the man who took everything from him and his father by slotting his profile into Kamel's site.

Kamel senses a glitch in the system. He doesn't catch sight of the sign smoothly in the course of his day; Hicham slams it down on a cafe table in front of him. Kamel goes ahead with the hit anyway, albeit distracted by his pursuit of Kenza. It all ends in tragedy, one orchestrated to luscious visual perfection.

Bensaidi wrote, directed and starred in "Wonderful World." He also took care of the editing, in collaboration with Veronique Lange. He inserts himself into the film as a stoic character, around whom the action churns.

Like Elia Suleiman's characters in "Chronicles of a Disappearance" and "Divine Intervention," Kamel slides gracefully from one end of the frame to the other as all manner of incongruities erupt in between.

Throughout "Wonderful World" there are hints that all is not well in Morocco. Crime is rampant, and every character resorts to it to survive. Destitution and the absence of meaningful employment are evident. Demonstrations roll in and out of certain scenes like a travelling circus that hits the same small town over and over again.

Bensaidi plays up confrontations between throngs of young men and security services to hilarious effect. There are simply too many young men. With the right resolve, they overtake any emblem of authority.

In addition to the lights, the colors and the stylized set pieces, Bensaidi's strength lies in his exuberant flourishes of visual choreography.

The scenes of Kenza performing her duties as a traffic cop are arrestingly beautiful. From her perch in the middle of a huge roundabout, she turns congested urban traffic into a stunning kaleidoscope, imposing not just order but elegance with the slow rotation of her wrist or the elongated angle of her arm.

"I like ... to be the different one," says Bensaidi. "I think the film is a little bit like a turbulent child in a classroom. I never learned anything in cinema. I don't believe in experience or wisdom. I believe in freshness. I want to keep this look, this freshness, without any learning experience."

Bensaidi may not encapsulate the dreams of a nation in his film, but he does give a city room to breathe.

"Casablanca is like a character," he says. "I shoot Casablanca like an actress. She's like a star with a lot of capriciousness. Sometimes she doesn't want to work. Sometimes she doesn't want to give her face to the camera. Sometimes I feel I have to manage her. I feel I have a human relationship with the city."

Faouzi Bensaidi's "WWW: What a Wonderful World" has just been released in Morocco and will open in France on January 10

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FEZ RIADS

It is with great delight that Fez Riads celebrates its first birthday by announcing the start of two restoration projects in the Fez medina. Fez Riads finds holiday accommodation for tourists in the traditional houses of the medina. It was set up with the express intention of financing small restoration projects in a private capacity. With thanks to the guesthouses of Fez and the many clients who have supported Fez Riads, the first projects are now in progress:

Horses being washed in the fountain
FOUNTAIN PROJECT in Derb Jama El Hamiya

This beautiful fountain in the Chrabliyine district of the medina was identified as needing cleaning and restoration. It's situated in a small square near the ancient house, Dar Dmana, and a magnificent old mulberry tree. The fountain is fed by a natural spring and local people come to collect water and to wash their horses.

Fountain before cleaning

There are 4 steps to the project:
• Clearing the basin of rubbish and cleaning the calcification off the mosaics (zellij)
• Identifying and rectifying the drainage problem
• Repairing the zellij
• Identifying and rectifying the damp problem on the surrounding wall and repairing the medluk surface.

Fountain being cleaned

Step 1: Cleaning the zellij : As you can see in the picture, Si Mohamed and his helpers are hard at work draining the basin to clean it, and then cleaning the calcium off the zellij.

Fountain after cleaning

The after-picture shows an excellent job has been done.
The next steps are under way - watch this space!

GARDEN PROJECT in Kessariat Sanhaji, between Tala'a Kebira and Tala'a Seghira

Kessariat Sanhaji

This project is about to get under way (December 06). The small square has five concrete planters, but only one sad, struggling tree. The plan is to turn over and replenish the earth in the planters and fill them with hardy plants. The local shopkeepers are pleased with the idea, and Ahmed the Barber has volunteered to keep the plants watered in summer. His extra water bill will be financed by Fez Riads.

THANKS!
Fez Riads would like to thank the following guesthouses that have contributed a minimum of 2% of clients' accommodation costs to the restoration fund - Dar Bennis, Dar Roumana, Dar Serghini & Marrakech Riads, Riad Dar Dmana, Pension Dar Bouanania, Dar El Hana, Dar Seffarine, Riad Ibn Battouta, Riad au Vingt Jasmins, Dar Anebar, Riad Charqi, Dar Cordoba, Dar Aqiba, Riad Fès, Dar Jâd, Riad Lune et Soleil, Riad Jaouhara, Riad Les Oudayas, Fès Palais d'Hôtes and Riad Laaroussa.

Thanks also to The View from Fez for their constant support, to David Amster for his inspiration and practical help and to Lori Wood of Fes Medina.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

The Walls have Ears - Gossip from the Fez Medina.

There has been much discussion about the great bars in Meknes - well, Lumen fights back for Fez by testing out the Hotel Batha and picking up the goss at the same time.

HERE & BACK AGAIN

Hotel Batha has a really great bar. It comes into its own in the winter months, when two roaring fires invite you in. The service is good and friendly and it’s an excellent place to meet. A certain two Antipodean ladies are known to move the furniture around so that the sofas actually face the fire instead of having their backs to it.

And meet we did, a lot of us ex-pats, to say a sad but fond farewell to Dominic on Sunday night, as he prepared to spend three months in Tokyo. Making some money and seeing his girlfriend there have meant leaving not only his riad off Derb El Horra, but also the new house he’s bought down Laayoune way. We’ve enjoyed his company, but resigned ourselves to the fact that we wouldn’t see him again til March.


Coming into Fez are Hajra and Guillaume from Canada. A mixed-media artist and photographer respectively, they had spent a few fretful nights in a spare bed here and a pension there, not really knowing what would happen but trusting that something would. As indeed it did. They are the perfect couple to move in with the formidable Genghis at Riad Zany. They were exploring their new abode on Wednesday, when who should appear but Dominic … Was this an optical illusion? Was it wishful thinking? No, it was just a British Airways mistake – Dominic had not been allowed to board the plane to London and as a reward (?) had been put up in the Royal Mirage Hotel for another night in Fez. It was good to have him here and back again for another day.

Brightening up Riad Lumen is another arrival, Tamsin Ranger. Here for three weeks from London, Tamsin is making her third trip to Morocco and now feels quite at home in the Medina. She can even shrug off such alluring comments as, “Hello Spice Girl. You have beautiful eye”. Tamsin comes bearing gifts of books, good cheeses, and of course, Marmite. Her shopping list in Fez is quite long, but here’s hoping she’ll manage all of it in three weeks. Stops in Marrakech and Asilah seem on the cards …


Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Morocco Travel News - beyond "Open Skies".

Morocco joins Europe in the aviation field

The EU Presidency, Vice-President Jacques Barrot and Karim Ghellab, the Moroccan Minister of Transport, have signed a new type of aviation agreement between the European Union and Morocco. This innovative agreement replaces all the bilateral aviation agreements between the Member States and Morocco.

It is original in that it not only opens up markets but is also designed to approximate the legislation of the two parties. The agreement will stimulate the growth of traffic to Morocco, and new, additional and more varied scheduled services have already been announced.

Jacques Barrot, the European Commission Vice-President with special responsibility for transport, said that "the agreement between Europe and Morocco opens up new development prospects for Moroccan and European companies. We now have an innovative text which is far superior to the conventional open-skies agreements. This agreement will bring the respective countries closer together, and shows us what can be achieved in the context of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership".

The aim of the agreement is to open up the markets gradually and to approximate the legislation of the two parties. It goes beyond the conventional American concept of "open skies", since it comprises a number of fundamental market regulation objectives: flight safety and security will be enhanced, and the competition, state-aid and consumer protection rules will be harmonised. Cross-investment between European and Moroccan companies will be possible, which is not the case under conventional aviation agreements. The agreement also contains several important provisions concerning environmental protection. Lastly, the agreement provides for streamlining administrative procedures.

Passengers will also benefit from new routes, thus avoiding many of the connecting flights now needed. In Morocco, new companies have already been set up, and secondary airports (at present essentially dedicated to regional traffic) will receive international flights. All this will contribute to Morocco`s objective of attracting 10 million tourists by 2010.

The removal of all capacity restrictions between the EU and Morocco is already attracting new market entrants. Carriers have announced new services from Frankfurt, Marseille, the UK and Spain to Marrakesh, Fez and Oujda.

The agreement also breaks new ground in that it is the first time in its history that the European Community, acting as a regional group, has signed a complete aviation agreement with a non-European country. On the European side, the Finnish Presidency and representatives of the 25 Member States have signed the agreement.

The EU-Morocco agreement precedes by a few months another Community agreement that is in the pipeline with the USA. It replaces all the existing aviation agreements between the Member States and Morocco, some of which date back to the 1950s.

The text can serve as reference for any other neighbouring country which might wish to promote economic interdependence with Europe, since the Community wishes to create a common aviation area with all its neighbours by 2010. Contacts have already been established with a view to starting talks with other Mediterranean countries and Ukraine.

The agreement covers the populations of Morocco and the EU, representing 31 million and 450 million inhabitants respectively. The market is growing rapidly, by around 10 % per annum and more for some Member States.

Source: Travel Daily News.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Clarification about "building collapse"

Recently we posted about another building collapse in Fez, in which one person was injured and another killed when a prayer-room ceiling caved in. Many of us assumed that the building was in the Medina - but our correspondent David Amster was quick to point out...

I was a bit surprised to hear about this, since supposedly all buildings in the medina have had scaffolding put in them if there are any dangerous cracks. So today I spoke with some engineers in ADER (the agency for the dedensification and rehabilitation of the fes medina!) to see what happened. They said that the building was in the new town and was a newish building, and that the workers had not allowed the cement to set long enough, or something like that.

I guess it's my bias that when I read "Fez" I assumed it was in the medina!

Our thanks to the ever watchful David Amster.


Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

"Morocco: The Past and Present of Djemma el Fna"

The documentary Morocco: The Past and Present of Djemma el Fna, about the story tellers, musicians, acrobats and snake charmers of Marrakech's legendary public square, has been released to universities, public libraries and consumers in the DVD format.

The short documentary features travelers from the United States, Ireland and Japan, who encounter costumed monkeys dancing to wild drum beats, a storyteller surrounded by awed faces of children and a turbaned snake charmer coaxing a cobra from his basket with his flute-like instrument, the ghaita. The film was first presented at New York's Museum of Modern Art, and has received film festival awards in Chicago, Washington D.C., Houston and Atlanta.

Since its release in 1995, the documentary has been widely distributed in the United States; it has introduced Americans to one of Morocco's most historic locales, a site that has enchanted visitors for centuries. New York-based producer Steven Montgomery spent two weeks filming at the Place Djemma el Fna, and portrayed Marrakech's square as a venue for peaceful cultural exchange between Arabs and Westerners. His interview with snake charmer Belaid Farrouss and his children in their Marrakech home has become one of the most noted scenes of the documentary. The film features original music by Moroccan composer and singer Hassan Hakmoun.

Recently, Montgomery was honored to receive congratulations on the success of his film from André Azoulay, Counselor to the King of Morocco. Mr. Azoulay stated: "I am very pleased to see that your documentary is now being used at universities and libraries in 34 states. It is a real achievement and you can be proud of it. It is also a major breakthrough for Morocco in terms of knowledge and pedagogy in American universities and in the community of students."

Initially, when Montgomery proposed his project, he encountered resistance from wealthy potential investors in Marrakech, one of whom protested, "You will not make this film! We do not want our city represented by this dirty place of the poor!" However, Montgomery was fortunate to have found encouragement and support from many Moroccans, including the former Director of the Centre Cinématographique Marocain (CCM), Souheil Ben Barka, who stated in a letter: "I wish you much success in the making of your film. I am convinced that your documentary on the Place Djemma el Fna will bring wonderful publicity to our country."

The film was first presented at New York's Museum of Modern Art, and has received film festival awards in Chicago, Washington D.C., Houston and Atlanta. It has become one of the most widely distributed films for use in the field of Middle East Studies, and has been acquired by such noted institutions as Harvard University, Columbia University, Duke University and Georgetown University.

Montgomery commented on his experience in Morocco. "Moroccan people were so kind and generous to me as I was working on the documentary. Moroccan hospitality is a central theme of my film in which visitors from around the world visit the Place Djemma El Fna. I am pleased that through the wide distribution of my film, so many Americans have learned of this tradition of hospitality, which I experienced myself, as I was so warmly welcomed in the beautiful country of Morocco."

"Morocco: The Past and Present of Djemma el Fna" is available for purchase at the Web site: www.moroccofilm.com

Our view. We found the film interesting but feel that Steven Montgomery spending only two weeks filming, was too short a time and that a longer more in depth approach could result in a truly spectacular film that does not trade on orientalist fantasies. Also the film is now quite old and much has changed. A fresh film is just waiting to be made. That said, Montgomery is to be congratulated for the film and let us hope he returns to delve deeper with his obviously talented photographic eye.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news