Hearings of HR abuses victims: Morocco starts unique experience in Arab-Islamic world
Morocco, Politics, 12/23/2004

In a unique experience of the kind in the Arab-Islamic world, Morocco opened on Tuesday hearings in some 200 cases of past human rights abuses that occurred in what is called "years of lead" (between 1959 and 1999), an experience acclaimed by local and international human rights advocacy groups.

The hearings are held by the "Justice and reconciliation commission" set up last January to seek out-of-court settlement of the grave abuses that include forced disappearance and arbitrary detention. The process was initiated with the creation of an arbitration commission (in 1999) that delivered financial compensations to these victims.

The process, meant to break off with these practices that marred some periods of modern Morocco, first included a group of six persons who talked about their painful experience as detainees, or relatives of persons who went missing, sustained arbitrary detention or were forced to go into exile as a result of persecution.

For Moroccan human rights activists, these hearings are "a bold step" that would allow the coming generations to read the painful pages of the past.

Abdelaziz Bennani, former chairman of OMDH (Moroccan human rights organization) and IER member, this is a crucial stage in the process to definitively shelve the issue of serious violations of human rights. "The voice of victims has reached the Moroccan and international public opinions" he said, paying tribute to the six persons who abstained from showing any rancor but were driven by a concern to tell the truth.

Concerning the criticism that witnesses were not allowed to cite names of persons accused of committing these abuses, he said the commission remained faithful to the logic that was behind its creation, as a non-judiciary body.

The purpose of these sessions is to unveil the truth and the responsibility of institutions, he explained.

On his part president of the human rights documentation center, Habib Belkouch, said he was deeply moved by "the historic moment," stressing that the unique way in which the issue of human rights is addressed in Morocco is an evidence to a political will to move forward in the democratic construction.

For Abdelhay El Moudden, a political sciences professor and an IER member, this is a valuable opportunity to move on to focusing on socio-economic development and the completion of political reforms. He explained that compared to similar experiences in other countries, the Moroccan experience proved to be a mature one.

This is a crucial stage for the collective acknowledgement of an essential part of the history of our country, says Fouad Abdelmoumni, a member of the Commission.

A positive initiative that shows the state's resolve to recognize its responsibilities, this is how Abdelouahed Radi, speaker of the House of representatives and member of the political bureau of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) described the experience.

What is more important, he went on, is "the implicit commitment that these violations will never occur again," he insisted hailing the "wise and dignified" testimonies of victims who do not seek revenge but want a country shielded against human rights exactions.

For the leader of the Socialist democratic party (PSD), Issa Ouardighi who links the achievement of reconciliation to deepening the democratic process, these hearings are "strong moments" in Morocco's history.

It is an opportunity for the state to produce evidence of its resolve to cease these kinds of practices, says Ahmed Herzenni, from the Unified Socialist Left (GSU), and an occasion for democrats to show that they are not after revenge but seeking to contribute to turn the page and strive for the completion of the democratic construction.

In an introductory presentation, the IER president, Driss Benzekri, said the commission creation stems from the conviction of King Mohammed VI about the Moroccan people's right and ability to take an effective part in the process of settling past violations.

He recalled how the process started 14 years ago with the contribution of all of the nation's components in setting approaches for the construction of a new Morocco.

He went on that when inaugurating the commission members, the sovereign tasked them with perfecting the process in order to unveil the truth, make justice to victims, repair harms and promote reconciliation. This is a huge responsibility that should be discharged in total honesty and sincerity in order to turn the page of the past once and for all and resolutely advance to the future for the construction of a country where the principles of justice, equity and protection of basic rights prevail.

The hearings are broadcast on the two Moroccan TV channels as well as the satellite channel 'Al Maghribia' so as to give the Moroccan public opinion an opportunity to know about past human rights violations that marred the post independence Morocco until 1999.

Participants had around 20 minutes each to present their testimony and were allowed to use their own narrative style, speak in the language of their choosing and be accompanied by family members or friends for moral support.

IER deems the public hearings an exceptional moment to allow victims expose their suffering before the public opinion and the whole nation. This move is aimed at rehabilitating victims of past human rights breaches and underscoring their contribution in the preservation of the collective memory.

The 1st session of hearings took place in the presence of Moroccan and foreign journalists, diplomats, and members of human rights associations and organizations, public authorities, political parties and Unions.

Witnesses have committed not to mention names of persons they consider responsible for violations they have been subjected to, which is in conformity with the status of IER that stipulates that individual responsibilities should not be evoked.

Around 200 victims, families of victims and witnesses of violations are due to participate in the hearings, which are scheduled to take place in 10 different cities, starting in the capital, Rabat, over a period of around 10 weeks.

Previous Stories:
  Public hearings into past human rights breaches start in Morocco   (12/22/2004)
  Public hearings of human rights abuses victims, braced to initiate reconciliation in Morocco   (12/21/2004)
  FIDH welcomes public hearings into human rights abuses in Morocco   (12/20/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search