VZCZCXYZ0024
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #2562/01 3571542
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231542Z DEC 05
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2352
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS PRIORITY 3621
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2701
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 5295
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 2907
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 3926
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 8530
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 1002
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RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS RABAT 002562 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCO POLITICAL HIGHLIGHTS 
 
REF: RABAT 1842 
 
¶1.  (U) Contents 
 
--Moroccan Press Under Pressure? 
--Frustrated Unemployed Graduates Turn to Self-Burning 
--2005 National Solidarity Campaign Raises $28 Million 
--Kings OIC Speech Zeroes in on Terrorism 
--King Orders Monument at Tazmamart Prison Site 
--Morocco and Libya Increasing Bilateral Cooperation 
--Morocco to Host Euro-African Conference on Migration in May 
 
------------------------------ 
Moroccan Press Under Pressure? 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (U) The Casablanca prosecutor's office on December 22 
accused Noureddine Meftah, publisher of the Casablanca-based 
Arabic weekly Al Ayyam, and Meyriem Moukrim, journalist for 
Al Ayyam, of "distributing false information" and 
"publication of photos of the Royal family without 
authorization" relating to the November 6 publication in Al 
Ayyam of an article entitled, "Secrets of the Royal Harem 
among Three Kings."  The trial of Meftah and Moukrim is 
scheduled for January 23, 2006 in Casablanca where they face 
a possible sentence of one month to one year in prison and a 
fine of up to 100,000 dirhams (approximately $11,000). 
Similarly, Al Ahdath Al Maghribiya, an independent Arabic 
daily, reported November 25 that Meftah was interrogated for 
four hours by Casablanca authorities  about the sources of 
the article in question and whether he intended to harm the 
reputation of the King when he published the article. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
Frustrated Unemployed Graduates Turn to Self-Immolation 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶3.  (U) On December 15, approximately twenty members of the 
National Independent Group of Unemployed Degree Holders 
attempted to commit a collective self-immolation in front of 
the Ministry of Health in Rabat.  All survived.  Five members 
of the group were admitted to Ibn Sina hospital with third 
degree burns and others suffered less serious injuries.  The 
individuals, all of whom reportedly held letters written by 
King Mohammed when he was Crown Prince promising them a job, 
decided to set themselves on fire to demonstrate their 
frustration with their inability to find employment. 
According to various Moroccan press outlets, the group 
intended to demonstrate at the Ministry of Labor, but were 
stopped by police near the Ministry of Health where they set 
themselves on fire. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
2005 National Solidarity Campaign Raises $28 Million 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶4.  (U) Between November 7-22, the Palace-affiliated Mohammed 
V Foundation for Solidarity raised 215.85 million dirhams 
(approximately $24 million) and secured pledges of future 
contributions totaling 40 million dirhams (approximately $4.3 
million) during its eighth annual national solidarity 
campaign against poverty, according to a foundation press 
release.  Established in 1999 to fight poverty, the 
foundation distributes food and clothes, and provides health 
care and shelter, to underprivileged Moroccans (reftel). 
This year's campaign differed from years past in that King 
Mohammed VI instructed the foundation to feature 
beneficiaries of its program in its national ad campaign 
rather than well-known national or international celebrities. 
 According to the Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP), the foundation 
has provided some 2 billion dirhams (approximately $217 
million) toward social development priorities since its 
inception in 1999. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
Kings OIC Speech Zeroes in on Terrorism 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) In a speech at the third special summit of the 
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Mecca on December 
7, King Mohammed VI urged Muslim countries to adopt a 
comprehensive approach to uproot terrorism.  The King also 
 
reiterated Morocco's "clear position which rejects all forms 
of terrorism, whatever their origin or devious 
justifications, for they are in contradiction with the 
tolerant teachings of Islam."  He expressed his support to 
Saudi King Abdullah's proposal to establish an international 
center against terrorism.  In his role as Chairman of the 
Al-Quds Committee, the King asked the international community 
to face its full responsibility to stop the desecration of 
the holy places and ensure respect for the legal status of 
"Al-Quds al-Sharif." 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
King Orders Monument at Tazmamart Prison Site 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) To honor Moroccans who lost their lives at the 
notorious Tazmamart secret prison, King Mohammed VI issued a 
royal decree ordering that the site be converted into a 
memorial, according to both French- and Arabic-language 
Moroccan press.  According to the Arabic daily Assabah, 
Mohammed VI visited Tazmamart, located in Errachidia province 
and home to a military barracks, several months ago and 
instructed the military to evacuate the site.  Assabah 
reported, however, that army officials did not immediately 
carry out the King's wish because it was made orally, and not 
in writing.  In related news, Morocco's Equity and 
Reconciliation Committee (IER) proposed in its final report 
that the prison be turned into a monument. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Morocco and Libya Increasing Bilateral Cooperation 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶7.  (U) At the conclusion of the seventh session of the 
Moroccan-Libyan Joint Higher Committee held on December 2 in 
Rabat, Prime Minister Driss Jettou and Shukri Ghanim, his 
Libyan counterpart, signed an executive program to promote 
cooperation in their tourism industries.  According to MAP, 
in addition to praising the warm relationship the two 
countries enjoy, Jettou and Ghanim inked four cooperation 
agreements in the fields of justice, higher education, sea 
fishing, and manufacturing.  The previous Committee session 
was held last February in Tripoli. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
Morocco to Host Euro-African Migration Conference in May 2006 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) Morocco announced that it will host a Euro-African 
ministerial conference on migration in May 2006, according to 
MAP.  Co-sponsored by Morocco and Spain, and with additional 
backing from France, the conference will be the first of its 
kind as it seeks to bring together European and African 
countries to discuss ways to tackle illegal immigration. 
Post will provide more details as they become available. 
Bush