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C O N F I D E N T I A L CASABLANCA 000181 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, INR/NESA/NAP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2017 
TAGS: MO PGOV PINR PREL KDEM
SUBJECT: VOTE BUYING IN HAHA AND OTHER 
CAMPAIGN STORIES 
 
REF: A) Rabat 1274 
     B) Rabat 1248 
 
Classified By: Acting Principal Officer 
Charles Cole for Reasons 1.4 (b), (d). 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  During a recent visit to 
three coastal cities and numerous villages 
south of Casablanca, Poloff and PD FSN 
discovered a general lack of interest for 
the upcoming parliamentary elections, 
despite the fact that campaign season was 
in full swing.  The dearth of enthusiasm 
was blamed on the votersQlack of confidence 
in the candidates and parliament as a whole 
and a generalfeeling of helplessness. 
Corruption, all conceded, is still an issue 
and expected at some level throughout the 
country but nearly everyone we spoke to 
was convinced that this year the elections 
will be less corrupt than any in recent memory. 
 
¶2.  (C) Most Moroccans said observes were 
welcome in their region but questioned 
the actual benefit of having them present. 
We felt a little apprehension about the 
observers from a few campaigners who were 
uncertain about their actual role. 
Concerns also surrounded campaigning and 
election rules since very few candidates 
seemed to have a full grasp of what the 
law allows and what it does not. End Summary. 
 
-------------------- 
Summer in the Cities 
-------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C)  While visiting the coastal tourist 
city of Essaouira, we had the opportunity 
to follow one candidate, Asma Chaabi, while 
she visited a local slum to speak with 
residents.  First time Parliamentary candidate 
Chaabi, is currently the cityQs Mayor 
and a member of the Party of Progress and 
Socialism (PPS).  We sat with Chaabi in a 
room full of women in a very poor neighborhood 
while she fielded questions about jobs 
and medical care until a young local man battled 
his way in and began a verbal attack. 
He asked Chaabi where she had been since she 
became mayor and what she was going to do 
for him if she was elected to Parliament. 
Chaabi responded with a basic civics lesson 
on MoroccoQs government system and how it 
served the people.  She explained to us later 
that unlike other candidates she will not lie 
and make unrealistic promises in order to 
be elected and believes this strategy will win 
over the voters. 
 
¶4.  (C)  The question as to a candidateQs 
whereabouts since the last election was one 
we heard many times during our three day trip. 
Evidently, many citizens feel abandoned by their 
representatives after the elections.  As for Chaabi, 
while there were other candidates running in the 
region most people were certain that she and her 
father, also running in Essaouira, would win. 
Some we talked to, however, though that while 
the region needed.  A factor, according to a 
local journalist, that may lead to a surprise 
showing by the Party of the Unified Socialist Left. 
 
¶5.  (C) In the cities of Safi and El Jadida we were 
surprised to see the lack campaigning nearly halfway 
through the two week campaign season.  The absence of 
activity in El Jadida was explained away by a journalist 
as fear.  He said he had heard rumors that the candidates 
and party officials thought their phones were tapped and 
that their activities were being monitored. 
Although they denied any wrongdoing, they were overly cautious 
about taking any chances. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
Corruption rumored in Haha but Under Pressure Everywhere 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶6.  (C) The consensus during our trip was that while 
corruption and vote buying would always exist, it is far 
less prevalent this year than in the past.  According 
to several NGO leaders in the Berber region of Haha, 
however, rumors of corruption are widespread.  We heard 
that one candidate is reportedly getting unconventional 
support from his father, the president of the local 
commune.  Our contact claimed that the father is not 
charging the local residents for municipal water delivery 
in exchange for support for his son.  The contact was sure 
this was risky business since the GOM has switched from 
Qnegative neutrality to positive neutrality.Q  When asked 
what he meant by this he said, in the past the GOM stood by 
while candidates illegally misused government resources to 
further their campaigns.  Now, he said, the authorities are 
there watching, reporting and stopping corrupt practices. 
 
¶7.  (C) Still, not one person we spoke to believed that there 
was any way to stop vote buying.  Even the pasha of Safi, in 
charge of election oversight, seemed convince that there was 
no practicable way to end the practice of vote buying.  A local 
activist in Safi insinuated that while the GOM may be looking 
more closely into misappropriation of government resources they 
might turn a semi-blind eye on vote buying.  He hinted that if 
the government cracked down on the practice the percentage of 
citizens voting would be embarrassingly low. 
 
----------------- 
Anger in the Souk 
----------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) We found many Moroccans demonstrated apathy and total 
disinterest in the elections while others were livid at the GOM 
and elected officials.  At a large weekly market approximately 
65 kilometers outside of Safi, some let their anger be heard. 
We overhear one young man shouting at a campaigner saying, 
QI paid 3000 dirhams in taxes last year and got nothing.  We have 
no water, no road, nothing.  Bring the King here and I will tell 
him that myself.Q  Many other we talked to were disgusted or had 
lost hope in the government and refused to participate in the 
elections feeling it was a useless exercise. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
What Exactly are the Rules of the Game 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (C)  A prevailing problem throughout the region was the 
lack of clarity regarding campaign regulations.  In the Haha 
region, we were met with complaints about one candidate using 
Qillegal transportationQ to get his campaigners to weekly markets 
and rallies.  The illegal transport, some claimed, took work away 
from local taxis and the 300 dirhams that the non-professional 
drivers were paid for the service were considered by some to be a 
form of bribery.  As if to demonstratetheir point one of the 
locals complaining about the practice told us that a young men 
campaigning for a local candidate fell out of an Qillegal 
transportQ truck and died a few days before we arrived in the city. 
 
¶10.  (C) Paid supporters caused conflict in the region as well. 
There seemed to be no clear indication as to where to draw the 
line between who could be and could not be paid in the campaign. 
Hired guns, young men paid march for a candidate and distribute 
party information, were plentiful, a less then surprising situation in 
region were an unemployment rate of over 50 percent is not unusual at 
certain times of the year.  A number of campaigners we spoke to who 
were handing out brochures and sporting party tee shirts or baseball 
QIsnQt that the party program I just gave youQ said one of the few wome 
we saw out in the villages campaigning when asked for the document. 
When we replied it was not, she apologized and said she didnQt know 
because she was illiterate and was just paid to pass out the flyers. 
 
------------------ 
Observers, Why Not 
------------------ 
 
¶11.  (C) There was no objection to the presence of international or 
domestic observes during the elections and most thought it was an excel 
 
idea.  We spoke to one NGO leader who showed us a list of violations he 
had observed in his region in the week since campaigning began.  He was 
eager to meet with international observes to share his notes and 
Qassist the democratic process.Q  Another activist requested a contact 
number for NDI in order to talk about the observers and see what he cou 
do to get one in his community. 
 
------------------------- 
The PJD is Pretty Low Key 
------------------------- 
 
¶12.  (C) It was not until the second day of our trip that we saw eviden 
of a PJD campaign at all.  In the Essaouira region we were told by a lo 
journalist that there was one PJD candidate and that he was not expecte 
well.  The candidate, he said, had been a classmate and Qwas never real 
back then.Q  In the coastal city of Safi we met with two candidates at 
headquarters and witnessed a small rally in a middle-class neighborhood 
The party was well organized and emphasized their desire to see a clean 
corruption free election.  While Istiqlal is expected to retain its hol 
many people we spoke to in town though the PJD could have a strong show 
In El Jadida,  a PJD presence was only evident outside the Mosques 
after Friday prayers passing out pamphlets. 
 
--------------------------- 
The Word on Women and Youth 
--------------------------- 
 
¶13.  (C)  Getting women and youth out to vote has been a focus of the G 
of many NGOs throughout Morocco.  During our three day trip, however, w 
convinced that little progress has been made in that area.  The only yo 
we encountered who were excited about voting were those working for a c 
and many of them appeared to be more excited about having a job than co 
that their candidate was going to make any real changes.  NGO leaders d 
us that women in the area were changing and becoming more aware of thei 
However, in the small weekly markets we visited in poor Berber and Arab 
we saw very few women present to hear the campaign speeches. We were al 
that the illiteracy rate for the local women was extremely high prevent 
from reading about the party platforms.  Consequently, it appears that, 
the local village elders told us, women will vote but only as directed 
their husbands or family members. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶14.  (C) There is clearly a great deal of apathy in the regions we visi 
regarding the September 7 elections.  We saw very little evidence of ca 
just one week before the elections and almost no enthusiasm by the citi 
From what we were told, an big upset in any district would be highly un 
despite the dissatisfaction we heard from some about their current situ 
As a butcher at a local market day put it, QThose people in parliament 
rich they could tile this whole market and I donQt even 
have shoes for my donkey.  But what can we do?Q 
 
COLE