Morocco’s opposition youth group beaten in Rabat, protests in other cities

 For the first time in Morocco, protesters call for regime change

MUSTAPHA AJBAILI

Activists of a Moroccan pro-democracy youth group were broken up in the capital Rabat on Sunday as they prepared to hold a protest march against a draft constitution unveiled by King Mohammad VI two days ago, two members of the group from Rabat said in a telephone interview with Al Arabiya.

The security forces and dozens of “recruited thugs” attacked members of the February 20 movement who had gathered in Taqaddom neighborhood in Rabat to protest against the draft constitution in which the King seemed to have relinquished some of his executive and legislative powers, Najib Shawki said.

Mr. Shawki added that after 40 members of the group were wounded, the activists decided to withdraw in order to avoid more casualties.

Another activist, Jalal Al Makhfi, said the security forces have used “thugs” for the first time to clamp down on demonstrations organized by the youth group. “Agents and servants of the interior ministry have recruited thugs and paid them money for the first time to attack our demonstrations throughout the country,” he said.
But a security source who refused to be named denied the government recruited people to attack protesters or to demonstrate in support of the draft constitution. He added that “ordinary residents may have chased away those who want to cause unrest in their neighborhood.”

Mr. Makhfi said protesters in the cities of Casablanca, Fes, Asfi and Tangier were also subject to similar harassment but that in those cities the youth activists were able to hold on and continue their rallies.

The groups said in Facebook page that about 25,000 people had joined the protest in the country’s biggest city, Casablanca.

All government officials—including senior ministers—and virtually political parties of this country of about 32 million people have voiced support for the new draft constitution, which will be put to referendum on July 1. (Morocco’s GDP is about $154 billion, and the per capita income is about $5,000.)

Under the new draft constitution, the king would remain head of state and the military and still appoint ambassadors and diplomats, while retaining the right to name top officials of unspecified “strategic” administrations.

The prime minister, now to be called the “president of the government,” will have the power to dissolve parliament, hitherto the monarch’s prerogative.
Mohammed VI also pledged an independent judiciary.

The 47-year-old monarch, who took over the Arab world’s longest-serving dynasty in 1999, currently holds virtually all power in the Muslim North African country, and he is also its top religious authority as the Commander of the Faithful.

(Published in English.alarabiya.net on June 19)