King Mohammed: Decision on new Family Code to be announced soon
Morocco, Politics, 8/21/2003

Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Wednesday said that his decision on the amended draft for a new family code will be announced shortly.

"As Amir Al Muminin (Commander of the Faithful), and as supreme representative of the nation, I will soon inform you, my loyal subjects, of my decision in connection with the amended draft for a new Family Code," said the king in a speech aired on the Moroccan TV and Radio stations on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People.

The anniversary marks the revolution sparked by a decision of the French occupiers to exile the Late King Mohammed V, Grand Father of King Mohammed VI, and the Royal Family. The move marked a decisive turning point on the struggle of the Moroccan people, under the leadership of the Late king, for Independence, a noble and cherished goal attained in 1956 after 44 years of French occupation.

n his speech, King Mohammed VI said "I thought that on the occasion of this jubilee, the best way to express commitment to the spirit of the Revolution of the King and the People, and to keep that spirit alive, for ever, would be to take concrete steps which reflect and materialize my firm determination to do justice to Moroccan women. They should be truly honoured and freed from all the injustices they are enduring; otherwise democracy and human rights would be meaningless."

He recalled that he had instructed the Commission in charge of revising the Mudawana Code to complete its work and submit its conclusions to him next September.

The king noted that at a turning point where certainties have become questionable and landmarks and references blurred, "an arduous battle is awaiting us." "We are to wage it against ourselves in order to avoid taking the easy way out by eluding difficult questions and making more and more promises for demagogical purposes," he said, stressing the need for "efforts to implement difficult reforms, through an innovative, gradual approach."

But, the king underlined that in this undertaking Morocco must Çremain committed to the immutable values of the nation that are a source from which the Moroccan identity derives its strength and specificity."

Part of Morocco's endeavors to continuously consolidate human rights, King Mohammed VI said that he instructed "the Government, mainly the minister of education, to ensure that our children and young people are provided with courses in which special emphasis is put on civics and an ethical values similar to those inculcated in my generation, especially with respect to commitment to the nation's sacred institutions and dedication to the protection of its reputation."

The king made of the perfection of Morocco's territorial integrity and the defense of democracy two faces of the same coin.

"Let us see to it that the time left before the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of independence, is devoted to initiating vigorous, sustainable actions with a view to mobilizing young people, for what is at stake is the defense of our territorial integrity and our democratic achievements," he said.

"We want to make up for lost time in the implementation of certain development projects, and to enhance Morocco's standing in its regional and international environment," he added.

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