VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRB #0395/01 0601030
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 011030Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5968
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS IMMEDIATE 4337
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 3238
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT IMMEDIATE 3433
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 4547
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS IMMEDIATE 9223
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA IMMEDIATE 2745

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000395 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2011 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV MO
SUBJECT: A "CULTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS" IN MOROCCO 
 
REF: A. 06 RABAT 00024 
 
     ¶B. 06 RABAT 00918 
     ¶C. RABAT 00256 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Craig Karp, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C)  Summary:  The Government of Morocco (GOM) wants to 
become known for its observance of human rights and has 
mounted what appears to be little more than a public 
relations campaign.  On February 26, Prime Minister Jettou 
and Driss Benzekri, the president of the Consultative Council 
on Human Rights (CCDH), and others presented the "National 
Action Plan for the Promotion of A Culture of Human Rights" 
to GOM officials, representatives of national and 
international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and 
members of the diplomatic corps. They highlighted improvement 
in the human rights environment in the past year, including 
the anti-torture law.  Amine Abdelhamid, president of the 
Moroccan Association of Human Rights (AMDH), also had a key 
role; he is among the activists boycotting the Mission. 
Speakers emphasized the importance of developing a culture of 
human rights, and the legal and political dimensions of human 
rights. The plan is one of the follow-up measures in the 2005 
final report of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission 
(IER).  As such, it has the commitment of the king and the 
GOM.  While the "plan" is still only generalities, the 
commitment itself is an important step.  End Summary. 
 
---------------- 
The Presentation 
---------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  On February 26, the Prime Minister, Driss Jettou, 
the Coordinator of the National Action Plan for the Promotion 
of a Culture of Human Rights, Amina Lemrini El Ouahabi, Driss 
Benzekri, president of the official but independent CCDH, and 
Amine Abedlhamid president of the AMDH introduced the action 
plan to members of the GOM, national and international NGOs, 
and members of the diplomatic corps, including Poloff. 
Participants received the plan in Arabic only; a French 
translation is to appear later.  (Note:  The two-hour 
presentation session was conducted in Arabic with French 
translation available.  End Note.) 
 
¶3.  (C)  Amina Lemrini El Ouahabi introduced the action plan 
and provided the history of the commission.  She stressed 
that a diverse group, including representatives of GOM 
ministries, NGOs, political parties, academic institutions 
and members of the media, devised the plan incorporating 
ideas and opinions from the Moroccan public; however, the 
CCDH guided the process.  Lemrini stressed that the purpose 
of the action plan is to guarantee human rights for all 
citizens, as stated in the constitution (reftel B), and to 
create and promote a culture of human rights.  The purpose of 
the educational aspects of the plan are to "change the 
mentality" of Moroccans and ensure that they have "respect 
for others."  She said that the five-year program will take 
"patience and perseverance" to implement. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Prime Minister Jettou said that the action plan 
creates a culture of human rights and consolidates "our" 
reform process.  The commission and the plan, according to 
Jettou, "turns the page," referring to the repression under 
the late King Hassan II.  Jettou identified changes the GOM 
made in the past year, e.g., the anti-torture law (amendment 
43.3 to the penal code), progress in enforcing women's 
rights, and the National Human Development Initiative (INDH). 
 Jettou called for "national institutions" to implement the 
plan and credited the late King Hassan II with beginning to 
move the country towards a culture of reform. 
 
¶5.  (C)  Benzekri highlighted the judicial and institutional 
mechanisms available to ensure a culture of human rights. 
Emphasizing that the public has authority, he connected the 
action plan to socio-economic development, but emphasized 
political development.  He warned against any premature 
judgments of the plan -- everyone should allow the plan to be 
implemented. 
 
¶6.  (C)  The last person to speak was Abdelhamid, president 
of the AMDH. (Note:  Since 2003, AMDH has boycotted any 
association with the USG because of the Iraq War, the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and, most recently, because of 
the 2006 Israeli war with the Hizballah in Lebanon.  End 
Note.)  Abdelhamid believes that the public needs to be 
better educated about human rights.  Unlike the others, 
however, he emphasized the importance of the law to preserve 
human rights.  He assured the audience that NGOs would be 
actively involved in the implementation of the plan. 
 
-------- 
The Plan 
-------- 
 
¶7.  (C)  The overall plan is contained in an eighty (80) page 
booklet in Arabic, which,  unfortunately, provides few 
details.  A sixteen (16) member committee is to be formed, 
led by the CCDH and comprised of representatives of 
ministries and civil society to develop a detailed plan.  No 
date was set for the completion of the plan.  The overall 
plan framework targets "poor neighborhoods" and youth. 
 
¶8.  (C)  The booklet states that there will be human rights 
training in the public schools, universities, civil society 
organizations, and, most importantly, training will be given 
to the Ministry of Justice and security officials.  The 
purpose of the training and a national public awareness 
campaign is to "ensure the future."  The committee will hold 
conferences, roundtables and use the media for the public 
awareness campaign. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶9.  (C)  The four speakers presented a powerful public 
relations image when news of the presentation appeared on the 
evening television broadcasts in Arabic and French.  One can 
imagine that many Moroccans, including those in the security 
services, may have come to understand that there is a real 
commitment, albeit nascent, to a culture of human rights. 
 
¶10.  (C)  While the plan follows through on the IER 
recommendations and may consolidate human rights with laws 
and within the framework of the constitution, the 
presentation and the booklet provided only generalities. 
School curriculum changes alone will take considerable 
expertise and time to implement. In press statements, Jettou 
has said that Morocco should be a leader in human rights.  In 
order for Morocco to assume that role, a detailed plan must 
be made public within a reasonable period of time and 
Moroccans must follow through on the plan.  The "national 
institutions" to which Jettou referred must also become 
transparent and cease ignoring violations of human rights 
throughout Morocco and the Western Sahara (reftel C). A 
visible commitment is, however, an important step.  End 
Comment. 
 
****************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat 
****************************************** 
 
Riley