Morocco probes orgy claims against ex-French minister

Luc Ferry has been questioned by French officials over the allegations

Morocco has launched an inquiry into allegations that a French ex-minister was caught in an orgy with young boys on its territory.

Prosecutors in the city of Marrakesh are to investigate the claims, made by former French Education Minister Luc Ferry during a recent TV debate.

He refused to give any names.

Meanwhile a Moroccan child protection association has lodged a complaint in France for both "exploitation of minors" and "non-denunciation".

A lawyer for the association, Don't Touch My Child, said the complaint would be handled by Paris prosecutors, who are also investigating the case.

'High sources'

Mr Ferry, a philosopher who served as education minister from 2002 to 2004, made the allegation during a TV debate on privacy, sex and French politics on 30 May.

He said the unnamed former minister had been "caught in Marrakesh in an orgy with small boys".

He added that the information had been given to him by the "highest authorities of the state", including a former prime minister.

Last week prosecutors in Paris opened a preliminary inquiry to determine whether criminal proceedings could be launched. Mr Ferry was questioned.

France - which has strong privacy laws and a press tradition of respect for private life - had been rocked by recent sex claims against politicians.

Senior socialist Dominique Strauss-Kahn stood down as head of the International Monetary Fund last month after being charged with attempted rape in New York.

A conservative junior minister, Georges Tron, has resigned from the government following allegations of sexual harassment.

Both he and Mr Strauss-Kahn deny any wrongdoing.

Source BBC News 8 June 2011 Last updated at 22:38

Bouteflika said to be calling for the opening of the border with Morocco, and to sever ties with the Polisario

‘Without doubt there is a strong desire for the majority of the people of the tow countries  to re-link the bonds of brotherhood and solidarity between the Algerian and Moroccan brothers, but, in contrast, I could see clearly that the initiatives to achieve this noble goal come from one side is Morocco,.. These were the words of Jamal Eddine Habbi, in an interview published by the «Almasse» earlier. Habibi, who is one who made of the most prominent faces of the Algerian resistance during the French colonialism, stressed out that the President Bouteflika hase been always pushing his entourage and his associates to make the situation worse unlike of what have been said about the Army that refuses to open the border with Morocco. Jamal Eddine Habbi, who was head of the party «Popular Unity», added that «the problem or thorn of the Sahara is the reason that holds renaissance of Unified Maghereb» and that he, personally, was calling, always, to sever ties with the Polisario Front «because I was and I will refuse to built small states in the Maghreb »

Morocco's Islamists say not pushing for religious state

The main Islamist movement in Morocco defended itself Wednesday against allegations it was manipulating pro-reform protests, saying it was not pushing for the establishment of a religious state.

Moroccan authorities accuse the Justice and Charity group and the radical left of manipulating the February 20 Movement behind a series of protests demanding political reform and a limit to King Mohammed VI's powers.

"We can say loud and clear that the Justice and Charity movement is not calling for the installation of a religious state and that it is in favour of a civil state," one of its leaders, Nadia Yassine, said.

The Islamist movement is officially banned but tolerated.

"It is the first time that we are saying this in such an explicit manner because the context, linked notably to the emergence of the February 20 Movement, demands it," Yassine said.

Yassine said it was "listening" to the demands of the youth leading the protests. Asked about the group's position on state secularism, she said that would require debate.

Authorities say the movement has up to 40,000 members but its own estimates are closer to 200,000, political analyst Mohamed Darif said.

The protests, inspired by a popular uprising that overthrew Tunisia's Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January, have drawn thousands of people onto the streets, prompting the king to announce plans in March for major reforms.

Moroccans mourn fallen protestor

magharebia.com
By Mawassi Lahcen for Magharebia in Casablanca – 07/06/11
In the latest wave of pro-reform rallies across Morocco, demonstrators on Sunday (June 5th) marched in honour of February 20 Movement protestor Kamal Amari.

Marchers at the front of the rallies held up large portraits of Amari, who died in Safi on Thursday (June 2nd), allegedly at the hands of police. Protestors demanded that the police involved in his death be punished. Contrary to the previous two weeks, security forces did not confront the demonstrators.

Following Amari's death, Safi witnessed massive demonstrations on Sunday, with people calling for political reforms, an end to corruption and a democratic constitution with credible elections. Meanwhile in Rabat, thousands marched in defiance of a protest ban. Casablanca, Fez, Tangier, Marrakech and other cities also saw reform rallies.
Demonstrators held up black flags and banners to express their grief. Some also carried coffins to symbolise Amari's funeral. Others chanted slogans demanding the trial of his alleged killers, while condemning authorities for using violence against peaceful protestors.

However, local authorities in Safi denied that Amari died after being attacked by security forces, claiming that his death was due to an illness in his lungs, resulting in suffocation and cardiac arrest.

The official version of events contrasted with claims by eyewitnesses and members of Amari's family, who insist that he died after being beaten by security forces during the May 29th reform protests in Safi.

"Seven security men stopped my brother after demonstrations had ended and battered him severely all over his body, resulting in several wounds, the most serious of which was one at the back of his head," Kamal's brother, Abdul Nabi Amari, told Magharebia. "Worried he might be arrested and tortured again, Kamal did not go to Mohammed V Hospital, and preferred to seek treatment in a private clinic."

"However, his condition deteriorated and was eventually transferred to Mohammed V Hospital, where he died in much pain. The family keeps pictures and videos showing the wounds and bruises sustained by Kamal which resulted in his death," his brother added.

The National Council for Human Rights, appointed by King Mohammed VI last April, announced the formation of a commission to investigate the causes of Amari's death.
Additionally, the public prosecutor in Safi appointed medical examiners to run a forensic autopsy on Amari's body and determine the cause of his death. Their report concluded that the cause of death was "extensive pneumopathy with the brain receiving no oxygen", according to a press release from the prosecutor.

The statement added that lung disease "exacerbated the effect of a non-complex chest bruising, and led to death in the absence of early and appropriate treatment". Following the release of the coroner's report, the public prosecutor asked the judiciary police to conduct an investigation.

"The autopsy report included an explicit recognition that the cause of death was an assault against Kamal Amari, though it tried to circumvent the issue by claiming that the lung disease exacerbated the blows received by Amari on his chest," commented Hassan Benajeh, a spokesperson for the Justice and Charity Association, of which Amari was a member.

"We, the February 20th Movement, have enough evidence, pictures and videos, and certificates, which we put at the disposal of independent human rights associations, and which clearly show the attack on Kamal that led to his death," Benajeh said.

Gaddafi's son allegedly involved in the attempt to blow up the airport in Geneva

Based in story published by Almasse newspaper (popular Moroccan newspaper) on 07^th June 2011; An Algerian national, was arrested by Algerian security services, admitted that Hannibal, son of Muammar Gaddafi, tried to employ him to carry out terrorist bombings in Switzerland.

The informed sources mentioned in this context that Hannibal, the spoiled child of the Libyan leader, had assigned to the Algerian citizen, named Alexander, to carry out multiple bombings in Switzerland, including the bombing of the airport in Geneva.

And trace the detail of this incident to 2008, the year that witnessed a major diplomatic crisis between Tripoli and Geneva, following the arrest of Gaddafi’s son by the Swiss authorities. He was alleged to have tortured his Moroccan employee.

Will Moroccans trust the government in a constitutional monarchy?

When King Mohammed VI announced broad changes to Morocco’s constitution in March, he signalled a shift from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy. The new, elected government that results from these changes will be accountable to parliament, have an independent judiciary, offer a more decentralized governance system, provide broader individual liberties and offer women the same chance of winning elected office as men.

His changes came suddenly. Before massive protests erupted in Morocco on Feb. 20 — part of the upheaval that has swept across North Africa and elsewhere in the Middle East — the political scene seemed stagnant; no political party was pressing for constitutional changes.

On that day, however, protesters in more than 50 Moroccan cities called to set boundaries on the king’s powers and hand over the executive prerogatives to an elected government that voters can hold accountable. The king apparently received the message, although he did not make any explicit reference to the protests in his speech.

The announced constitutional reforms open new opportunities for political life in Morocco. Seven significant suggested changes included in the reforms would do the following:

Shift executive power from the king to the prime minister. The prime minister will serve as the head of the executive branch and is fully responsible for the government, the civil service and the implementation of the government’s agenda.

In the current constitution, the prime minister is responsible only for coordinating activities among the ministers of government. With the prime minister selected from the political party that enjoys a majority in parliament, parties will need to develop their economic and social platforms.

Shift power from the king to electors. The revisions will change the process of naming the prime minister, who under the current constitution is appointed by the king regardless of election results.

Expand the scope of the legislative domain and provide parliament with new powers. The legislative domain is explicitly restricted in the current constitution. Any legal issue not explicitly mentioned as being part of the domain of law belongs to the regulatory field, and can be handled by governmental decrees.

The legislative process grants dominance to the executive branch over parliament. The government controls the agenda of parliament and gives priority to bills it submits to parliament over those initiated by members of parliament. Finally, the government can legislate between regular parliamentary sessions. As such, the constitution has allowed the parliament to delegate its legislative power to the government.

Strengthen the judiciary and guarantee its independence. Morocco’s constitution sets out the principle of judicial independence. In practice, however, the judiciary is subject to executive influence.

The king serves as chairman of the Judiciary Supreme Council that is mandated to manage judges’ careers (nomination, promotion, mobility and disciplinary sanctions). In addition, the Ministry of Justice sets the agenda for the council’s quarterly meetings and submits the council’s recommendations to the king, who issues final decisions.

Shift power and resources from the centre to the regions. The revisions will empower regional councils that are directly elected by voters instead of regional representatives of the executive (mainly the Ministry of Interior).

Promote participation by women in managing public affairs and promote their political rights. The new constitution is expected to favour equal access by men and women to elected office. It would likely include mechanisms to promote women’s representation in parliament and on local councils, and to guarantee a certain number of seats for women in parliament.

Strengthen the rule of law, expand personal freedoms and ensure human rights in political, economic, social and cultural areas. The preamble of the constitution is expected to explicitly affirm Morocco’s commitment to human rights as universally recognized. Morocco’s Amazigh identity will also be mentioned in the constitution and the Amazigh language will be made an official national language in addition to Arabic.

The planned changes will not lead to a parliamentary constitution in Morocco, but they will introduce the separation of powers and reduce the king’s all-powerful role in government. As a result, political parties and civil society should remain vigilant about the changes and seize the opportunity of regional upheaval to push for additional reforms.

Political parties play a pivotal role in any well-functioning constitutional democracy. They should allow a new generation of political leaders to emerge and open their doors to youth who no longer trust politics or parties. Compared to those of other countries in the region, Morocco’s political system has become much more open over the last decade, but political leaders lacked a strategic vision and adopted a purely opportunistic behavior, trading requests for political reforms for ministerial portfolios and other private benefits. They cannot blame the regime for all of their woes.

Now that youth outside the political parties have pushed for constitutional changes, political parties must heed the message. No effective democracy can be achieved with closed, archaic and fragmented political parties. It’s time for them to change along with Morocco’s constitution.

Up to 60,000 protesters march in Morocco

RABAT, Morocco, June 6 (UPI) -- Up to 60,000 people took part in anti-government protests in Morocco, with large crowds gathering in Casablanca and Rabat, officials said.

Marchers carried signs and chanted, "The people want to overthrow tyranny, The people want to overthrow corruption," the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

Unlike in the recent past, no riot police showed up.

"These protests are taking place today at the same time the [Moroccan regime is] launching a campaign of unprecedented defamation and disinformation against the movement," a blogger wrote. "The demonstrators are marching now to Parliament … no intervention by police, who merely regulate the marchers."

Moroccan officials appeared to be taking a milder stance dealing with protesters than in recent weeks when police in riot gear allegedly beat demonstrators with batons, the report said.

Observers said the lack of action by authorities could be an attempt to limit broadening support for activists in mounting an "Arab Spring" uprising similar to those in Tunisia and Egypt.

Anti-government demonstrators said online the lack of violence by riot police shouldn't be confused with a lack of repression.

Protesters in Casablanca and Rabat carried posters of Kamal Amari, who died Thursday from wounds he suffered during clashes with police on May 29 in Safi, about 200 miles south of Rabat. Today there has been establishment in UK of coordinating committee of the protests of February 20 and a creating of their own page in Facebook of Kamal Amari’s memory: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=10000231960393