Amnesty international hails Morocco's action in human rights matters

Amnesty International has hailed the action conducted by Morocco in matters of human rights and deemed as "a very positive step" the fact to be able to work openly and in cooperation with Moroccan authorities.

In a statement Wednesday to MAP bureau in Washington, Ms Maureen Greenwood, who is in charge of North Africa, the Middle East and Europe, hailed the kingdom's action in human rights matters and the possibility to work openly and in cooperation with Moroccan (governmental) authorities as "a very positive step."

"We are very happy to work equally more freely with human rights activists in Morocco. This is in our opinion a great stride in matters of human rights," Ms Greenwood said on the sidelines of the presentation of the 1999 annual report of Amnesty International at the U.S national press club in Washington.

She said Amnesty International deems the fact to be able to work with local groups for education to human rights in Morocco, Lebanon and within the Palestinian Authority as a positive step.

In these countries, she added, we have been able to dispense education on human rights and we are trying to set up local groups. All this is carried out with the cooperation of governments, Ms Greenwood said.

Amnesty International opened last year in Rabat a regional office for North Africa and the Middle East. The international organization's Secretary General Pierre Sane, who dedicated the center had then said, "The opening of Amnesty's office in Rabat is a sign of confidence in the experience and efforts made by the Moroccan civil society and human rights activists."

The human rights situation in Morocco has improved and the government adopted moves meant to establish and consolidate the rule of the law. Reforms were introduced and international conventions were signed by Morocco, he said.

"We shall accompany the progress scored by Morocco in this field," he said, adding that the opening of this office in Morocco is a message to all human rights activists in North Africa and the Middle East.

The purpose of the Rabat-based regional office is to mobilize the Moroccan public opinion to assist other parts of the world through education, sensitization campaigns and backing to the action of human rights activists. The Moroccan members of the office will handle dossiers of victims in other countries, promote human rights in Morocco, consolidate institutions and cooperate with other organizations.

Morocco, which has four legal human rights organizations and a Human Rights Advisory Council, set up a ministry in charge of human rights issues in 1993.