Victims of Human rights deliver poignant testimonies of sufferings
Morocco, Politics, 12/23/2004

In the first session of hearings into past human rights abuses, victims delivered on Tuesday poignant testimonies of their sufferings as as detainees or relatives of a person who went missing or was forced to go into exile.

The first testimony was made by Fatma A•t Ettajer whose son Hassan Semlali was detained in 1974 among the Serfati group. The woman, aged over 70, recounted how families of victims of arbitrary detention have experienced a moral and material plight, after their sons and daughters were kidnapped and transferred from one detention center to another.

She also recounts how these families helped each other, staged protest movements, met with officials and were themselves detained after their dearest ones went on a hunger strike for more than 40 days.

Other forms of these sufferings included banning them from visiting their sons, she says recalling that some of the detainees' sisters divorced as a result of the situation of their brothers.

Another witness is Rachid Manouzi, himself a former detainee and exiled, and brother of a still missing person.

For Manouzi, turning the past page hinges on renouncing human rights breaches. His testimony was mainly devoted to his family's suffering after their father, mother, brothers, relatives and friends were arrested.

"Our plight still goes on since the destiny of my brother Houcine Manouzi, who was kidnapped in 1972 in Tunis, is still unknown,," he says highlighting the pedagogical aspect of these hearings which, he insisted, will only reach their goal if the witness enjoys total freedom.

He also narrates how he was arrested as he was riding his motorcycle to sit the baccalaureate exam, and was detained for three months together with other relatives in the notorious Derb Moulay Charif center in Casablanca.

All forms of physical and moral torture were practiced in this center and several persons died, he recollects calling the torturers to ease their conscience and take their own part in unveiling the truth and opening the way for national reconciliation.

Manouzi was then taken to a military prison, after being found guilty of harming the State's internal and external security, then to the civil prison of Marrakech after a court cleared him of this charge. His brother was condemned to capital punishment and other members of his family were handed out prison sentences.

Facing difficulties to continue his studies in Morocco, he was forced to go abroad where he spent 25 years far from his family, he narrates, complaining about persisting harassment at the Moroccan check points.

Another moving testimony was made by Chari El Hou, arrested in 1973 for his activism in the National Union of popular Forces (UNFP) and the trade union of Education (SNE). He was detained for one month in Guelima, southern Morocco, taken to Casablanca where he remained for 11 months in the secret detention center of Derb Moulay Charif in atrocious conditions, and then successively transferred to other secret detention centers together with 14 other persons. He described how food was scarce and dirty. Out of the group of 14, only four detainees survived.

On his part, Ahmed Benmansour was arrested in 1970 and was subjected to all kinds of torture in Dar Mokri, following the painful events of the 60's.

By end 50's, he recollects, several figures of the anti-occupation symbols were arrested, thrown in prisons or fired from their jobs.

The anti-occupation demonstrations in Casablanca in 1965 were cracked down with a ruthless violence, he said recalling that Mehdi Benbarka was arrested in the same year.

Jamal Ameziane is the son of Mohamed Haj Sallam AmŽziane, sentenced to capital punishement after the Rif events (1958-1959). He testified on the sufferings of his family after the father was forced to flee Morocco.

He recounts how 30 of their relatives were detained, tortured and humiliated for ten months in a military barrack in AL Hoceima (northeastern Morocco). The father's only sin was to stand up against injustice and against a partial negotiated independence.

My mother, my sisters and brothers and my grandmothers were held as hostages, narrates Jamal who was 5 years old at the time of these events, before urging for a life of peace, safety and serenity without fears.

"We want a future free of violence and counter-violence, without marginalization, without plots and without collective nor individual revenge."

These hearings are organized by the Justice and reconciliation commission as an exceptional moment to enable victims reveal their suffering to the public opinion. They are also meant to rehabilitate victims and to preserve collective memory.

The hearings are taking place in the presence of Moroccan and foreign journalists, human rights associations, diplomats, public authorities, political parties, and victims of human rights violations.

Witnesses have committed not to cite names of persons they are accusing of being the authors of exactions.

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)

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