VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0736/01 1111201
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211201Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3489
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 3943
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2915
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 3145
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4168
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 8825
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA 1612

UNCLAS RABAT 000736 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, DRL/PHD, NEA/PI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM MO
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS CLINICS IN MOROCCO -- SPENDING MONEY 
WISELY 
 
REF: RABAT 00357 
 
¶1.  (U)  This cable is sensitive but unclassified.  Please 
treat accordingly. 
 
¶2.  (U)  This is an action request.  See paragraphs 3 and 4. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Summary:  On April 18, Poloff and Laboff visited 
the Human Rights Clinical Legal Education program at Hassan 
II University in Mohammedia, located between Casablanca and 
Rabat.  The program, one of the American Bar Association 
(ABA) initiatives, received a DRL grant which ended March 31. 
 A two-month no-cost extension has meant the program will 
continue through May.  The continued funding of the program 
is still in question (reftel).  This successful program is a 
"first" in Morocco:  law students have "hands-on" clinical 
training and experience prior to joining firms.  Meeting with 
 
the ABA developers, university administrators, the 
supervisory lawyer and primarily the students was an 
exhilarating experience.  This effort is the only on-going 
programmatic link the USG has with a university in Morocco, 
and the importance of positive interaction with Moroccan 
students cannot be overstated.  Continued DRL-funding of this 
ABA project is integral to the Mission's reform strategy 
relating to the "rule of law."  End Summary. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  As noted reftel, the Mission strongly supports 
this ABA project and requests, while recognizing that 
Department funds are limited, that the program be funded for 
at least another year.  The program has successfully brought 
together Moroccan human rights lawyers and advocates, 
university faculty and US legal experts to develop a human 
rights clinical legal education program.  This program is the 
first of its kind in Morocco and is having a direct impact on 
shaping how the next generation of lawyers approach human 
rights violations in Morocco. 
 
---------- 
The Clinic 
---------- 
 
¶3.  (U)  Poloff and Laboff visited the Human Rights Clinical 
Legal Education program at Hassan II University in Mohammedia 
on April 18.  This initiative is one of the ABA programs 
being conducted in Morocco.  Twenty-two students participate 
in the program -- there are eleven women and eleven men. 
Students work in teams of two on each of the cases.  At the 
time of the visit, there were ten cases with more expected. 
While the original plans were to work on women's labor cases, 
the Fez Center for People's Rights (reftel) required more 
organizational time.  The cases are referred to the clinic by 
two unions:  the Democratic Federation of Workers (FDT) and 
the Democratic Confederation of Workers (CDT).  The cases 
cover the textile and transport sectors.  Most of the cases 
relate to the change in the Labor Code which shortened the 
work week from forty-eight to forty-four hours per week. 
Employers are, however, requiring employees to remain on the 
old schedule without paying them overtime. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Students, under the direction of a supervisory 
Moroccan lawyer, interview clients, review cases, research 
the legal issues and prepare briefs on the cases.  The 
supervisory lawyer works with students individually, as 
teams, and in one large group.  The students, however, work 
alone with the clients.  The ABA is using a system as close 
as possible to legal clinics in US law schools.  As this 
system is new to Morocco, the university law faculty is 
watching the students' progress and the relationship they 
have with the supervisory lawyer with great interest.  The 
clinic recently received permission for the Mohammedia labor 
delegate to present their cases to local labor inspectors. 
Pleading the cases will provide the students with another 
important training experience. 
 
------------ 
The Students 
------------ 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The students eagerly discussed their cases with 
Missionoffs.  Several of the students live in Casablanca, 
others live in villages traveling many hours to get to the 
university.  All seemed dedicated to the clinic and talked 
knowledgeably about human rights in general and labor issues 
 
specifically.  One group of students wanted Poloff to know 
that labor issues have an impact on all segments of society 
and these issues form the core of many of Morocco's problems. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The program has a policy of accepting qualified 
students on the basis of their grades and future interests. 
There is no requirement that the students speak both French 
and Arabic and in fact there are two students from Cameroon 
in the program, neither of whom speak Arabic, to demonstrate 
that point. Since most of the current clients speak only 
Arabic an outside translator is required but does not seem to 
hinder the progress of the teams.  Many of the students were 
excited that ABA seemed eager to expand the program to 
include women and children,s labor issues addressing the 
problems of those they deemed most vulnerable.  Some related 
personal stories of friends and family members in these two 
groups who currently feel they have little or no recourse for 
their complaints and nowhere to turn. 
 
---------- 
The Future 
---------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  In order for the clinic to be an integral part of 
the students' training, it must function as close to a "real" 
legal office as possible; consequently, year-round activities 
are necessary.  Applications will be solicited from students 
before the end of the current semester (June 20) to work in 
the clinic full time (40 hours per week).  Three to five 
students will be accepted; they will not receive salaries. 
The students will work closely with the supervisory lawyer, 
carry a significant caseload, and gain invaluable experience. 
 The summer experience will also allow for unresolved cases 
to be completed, and, the development of "know your legal 
rights" classes for workers.  If the program continues to 
receive DRL funding, the summer program will be expanded to 
include more students, and, training sessions for students 
who have completed the two semester program. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  With additional funding, the clinic will extend 
its services to other labor unions, form partnerships with 
nongovernmental organizations and conduct extensive training 
sessions on labor rights.  Because of the success of the 
program and the enthusiasm the students have generated, the 
university administration expects 500 students to apply for 
the program for the next academic year. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  The law faculty and administration remain strongly 
supportive of the program.  In fact, it appears that the 
teaching techniques and the "hands-on" experience may have a 
broader impact than originally expected.  In discussing the 
future of the program, an agreement has been reached that the 
clinic will continue to concentrate on labor issues, 
including women and child labor.  The university will assume 
the cost of the program administrator during the summer, 
another in-kind financial contribution (reftel).  Without 
continued funding, however, this exceptional program will not 
be able to continue, nor will it be possible for the 
university to devise and implement its program for sustaining 
the clinic (reftel). 
 
 
****************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat 
****************************************** 
 
Riley