King calls Moroccans to respect liberties guaranteed by constitution

King Mohammed VI spoke of his political agenda for Morocco after assuming power following the late king's demise and after a period of mourning for the country at the end of which he is to begin focus on the country's affairs. He called on Friday Moroccans to respect the legal provisions of liberties guaranteed by the constitution.

In a speech to the nation, the second since he took over the throne, the king renewed faithfulness to his late father's path and adherence to the allegiance (baiea) that commits both the king and the people of Morocco.

He spoke that the bounds of allegiance, which have existed for centuries in the monarchy that are the symbol of unity, continuity, and safeguarding the unity of the kingdom within its authentic borders.

The king added that under the constitution, the king, whose person is sacred and inviolable, also sees to the respect of the constitution and secures the defense of the citizens' rights and freedoms.

"In view of the heavy responsibilities required by the mission vested on us, of our attachment to the sacred religious and national values and of our will to lay down strong foundations for institutions, we, firmly and vigorously, invite everyone to respect the provisions of the state of law in the frame of liberties guaranteed by the constitution to individuals and organizations, of provisions regulating the practice of these liberties and the enjoyment of various rights. The infringement and violation of these provisions expose to the enforcement of the laws in force," the king went on.

The king also recalled his decision made on Monday to set up an arbitration commission to compensate missing persons or victims of arbitrary detention, highlighting the great human rights achievements made during the reign of his late father, King Hassan II.

The king in his previous position as crown prince served to strongly interact with the populous and see to their concerns by promoting awareness of the condition of the different social strata by symbolic and real measures to improve the ties that bind the nation together as one people.

The king (as crown prince) along with the late Moroccan king has sought to employ modern institutions to propel the country into the new millennium, by paying heed to forming strong foundations for a holistic and balanced approach to development that covers politics, judicial, economics, cultural and social issues. Morocco has sought wide and established experience from many countries in addressing these political, judicial, economic, and social fields.

Morocco most recently, under one of its public-private organizations, has called for one of its most ambitious principles in guaranteeing personal freedom described by the organization under the judiciary principles and practice as "innocent until proven guilty" and "due process of the law." This goal hints at Morocco's ambition of modernizing its institutions, as few countries in the world employ and practice both of these aforementioned principles, which are seen as part of the foundation of social and political stability.

In these proposals, and the many economic, social, cultural and political novel experiences that Morocco has been willing to undergo, Morocco -- under its form of monarchy that allowed an effective multiparty system where the political opposition party came to power and is governing, and economic policy that aims at debt conversion, privatization, innovation, cultural preservation of cities and towns, establishment of economic centers among other initiatives -- is laying a solid foundation for the future as the king through his statements has strongly committed to bring about a modern core to Morocco within its own Moroccan traditions and face.