Ombudsman Office, A Tool to Incite administration Respect Rule of Law
Morocco, Politics, 4/16/2004

Morocco's Prime minister, Driss Jettou, chaired this Thursday a ceremony to present the Diwan Al-Madhalim (Ombudsman), an institution set in December 2001 as a mediation between the citizen and the administration.

When sealing the Royal Dahir setting up the institution on December 9, 2001, on the occasion of the world human rights day, the sovereign had stressed that the Diwan Al-Madhalim is designed "to correct iniquities, uphold rights and safeguard freedoms.

This mission was confirmed by Moulay Slimane El Alaoui, Wali (ombudsman) Al-Madhalim, who said the institution seeks to act as "a practical extra-judiciary mechanism for individuals and groups to ask that injustice, inequity and abuse of power be repaired." The official also said the institution will be a proposal force, submitting to the government recommendations to ease red tape, improve the efficiency of administrative bodies, upgrade public services and help in reforming the legal framework regulating the action of various public services.

He went that Diwan Al-Madhalim means to promote "conciliation and intermediation between citizens and their administration, as part of relationships based on transparence, the respect of rights and freedoms and the enforcement of a proximity policy."

Moulay Slimane Alaoui explained that the institution, whose rules of procedures were outlined by the constituent royal dahir and by its internal statute, will be represented at the prime minister's office and other ministries and in various regions nationwide.

Although, the ombudsman institution does not have any compelling means, he went on, the efficiency of its action lies in the annual reports it will refer to the king, to the prime minister and to the human rights advisory council. He further insisted that the report submitted to the sovereign will be published in the official gazette, which is a very important pressure means. In the same vein, the Diwan may refer to the prime minister a report when an administration deliberately fails to carry out judiciary decisions or when an official impedes the investigation or refuses to cooperate with the Diwan. He cited as other compelling means deadlines set for the administration to move to enforce the Wali's proposals and recommendations.

On the institution's independence, he said guarantees in this regard consist in the fact that it reports to the king and that it enjoys total financial and administrative autonomy vis-a-vis the government.

Previous Stories:
  King Mohammed underlines compatibility between Islamic ideals and universal human rights standards   (2/28/2004)
  Moroccan human tights minister meets head of UN HR commission   (9/29/2003)
  Morocco resolved to promote human rights, says minister   (9/27/2003)

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