King Mohammed calls for optimizing women's assets
Morocco, Culture, 9/5/2001

Morocco's King Mohammed VI has called for optimizing women's assets, noting that Moroccan women have nothing much to envy their male compatriots in terms of competence and ambitions.

The king who was interviewed by French Le Figaro daily, underlined that for him the women's issue bypasses the Islamist and non-Islamist label.

He recalled that the women delegation that requested him to amend the Moudawwana (civil status law) included women bearing the Islamic veil.

"The Moroccan woman has nothing much to envy her male compatriot in terms of competence and ambitions.Women should be given the opportunity to optimize their assets," he said.

The king likewise voiced rejection of any system of quotas that automatically dooms women to a minority status. "Selection should be made according to competence and not according to sexist demagogy," he said.

Asked on a possible radicalization threat in Morocco, the king ruled out such a threat saying Morocco is well anchored in its traditions.

"In Iran and in Algeria, there was a lapse of time when religion was no longer part of everyday life. Here in Morocco, religion is lived out everyday. Besides, the King enjoys a religious legitimacy, as he is the commander of the faithful," King Mohammed VI said.

"I have to guarantee the freedom of worship. not only for Muslims. The three religions: Islam, Judaism and Christianity have to express themselves freely and in total security and serenity," he said, adding "I am Islamist, if Islamism means the respect of religion. But I am not fundamentalist. Conversely, it is stupid to accept the topless swimsuit or the miniskirt and at the same time pinpoint the veiled women."

King Mohammed VI also touched on the Berbers issue, noting that the Berbers' claims in Morocco are not the same as those of the Kabyls (in Algeria).

"In Morocco, The Amazigh rather than the Berber sensibility, is integrationist. I am Moroccan before saying I am Berber or Arab. There are Moroccans who are Berber and others who are of Arab, African or Andalusian origin. My father was of Arab descent, while my mother is Berber." "This reality expresses the Moroccan genius," King Mohammed VI said.

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