By Souhail Karam

RABAT, July 31 (Reuters) – Thousands of Moroccans marched on Sunday to press the Arab world’s longest-ruling dynasty to relinquish more of its sweeping powers and stamp out corruption

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By Ahmed Benchemsi
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 30 June 2011

With the protest movement weakened, King Mohammed VI is forcing constitutional change and retaining absolute power
“This is my way: I invite unto Allah with sure knowledge, I and whoever follows me.”
It was with this these words, quoted from the Qur’an, that King Mohammed VI ended his speech on 17 June, urging Morocco’s people to vote for his new constitution project in a referendum to be held on 1 July.

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2 June 2011 – Morocco has seen continuing demonstrations since 20 February

Moroccan authorities must not use excessive force against protesters, Amnesty International said today, as activists called for renewed pro-reform demonstrations  across the country on Sunday.

Scores of protesters in Morocco have been physically assaulted by security forces in recent weeks.

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Moroccan police violently disrupt pro-democracy protests in Casablanca and near capital
Associated Press, Washington Post, 29 May 2011

CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — Club wielding Moroccan police riding motorcycles drove into crowds of thousands of demonstrators in the country’s largest city to disperse a protest by pro-democracy activists on Sunday.

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Los Angeles Times Blog, 24 May 2011

Moroccan police beat dozens of protesters who defied a ban on demonstrations and took to the streets of the capital Rabat and Casablanca on Sunday, according to news reports.

Months of protests in the north African nation have led its monarch, Mohammed VI, to make some concessions, but not enough to please protesters. They appeared more defiant Sunday, although their numbers have failed to match the scale of demonstrations in Egypt, Tunisia other countries that saw “Arab Spring” uprisings. Article continues….

Youtube footage of protest violence >>

By Mouloud Said – 05/19/11 01:12 PM ET
The Hills Congress Blog

In his recent blog entry in The Hill, “Mercenaries in Libya: Gadhafi’s Hired Terrorists,” Edward Gabriel disingenuously alleges that the indigenous Saharawi people, of the Western Sahara, are fighting for Moammar Gadhafi and somehow linked to al Qaeda. Gabriel’s tired allegations could not be further from the truth and, as a long-time lobbyist for the Government of Morocco, he knows it.

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Media Release:
Wednesday, May 18, 2011.
Federal Parliament shows solidarity for Western Sahara

FEDERAL Labor Member for Page Janelle Saffin has been elected Chair of the Australian Parliamentary Friends of Western Sahara Group, relaunched when Saharawi human rights activist Aicha Dahane visited Canberra last week as part of her national speaking tour.

Media Release >>

On Monday 16 May Phillip Adams interviewed Aicha Dahane and Kamal Fadel on Radio National, (to be repeated 4pm Tuesday 17 May)

Listen now or download audio

NewsTime Africa 6 May 2011
“People will easily be able to sympathize with our issues, but they need the information first.” Senia Bachir Abderahman is talking about the situation in the refugee camp that she grew up in and the frustration that her family and most of her fellow Saharawis (Western Sahara’s indigenous population) cannot escape from this refugee camp because their country is colonised by Morocco. (continued…)

Article at:  http://www.newstimeafrica.com/archives/19929