Moroccan News in 2009

It seems a fair assumption that my readers do not follow Moroccan news closely. So to give a better idea of the context from which these Moroccan dispatches originate, here is a summary of some of the main Moroccan news stories from 2009.

The year 2009 marked the tenth year of the reign of Mohammed VI, the third Moroccan king since the 1956 end of French colonialism. There was praise for certain of his reforms in education and family law and his greater concern for human rights. Most negative news was downplayed if played at all. In related news, the weekly magazines TelQuel and Nichane were pulled from racks and destroyed for daring to publish a survey including a question about the king's approval rating. It stands at 91%, but no matter. One cannot ask that question.

On the journalism front, the daily Akhbar al Youm was shut down, and the editors of Al Jarida Al Oula and Al Michaal were all condemned to over a year in prison. The crime of the editor of Al Michaal? Commenting on a sickness of the king.

Politically, the newly formed Party of Authenticity and Modernity, headed by the friend of the king Fouad Ali El Himma, continued to maintain power.

On the diplomatic front, negotiations continued for political autonomy between Algeria, the Polisario rebels of the disputed territory of Western Sahara, and the government of Morocco. In related news, Western Sahara independence activist Aminatou Haidar went on a month long hunger strike in the airport of the Spanish territory of Gran Canarias, after destroying her Moroccan passport. After visits to Washington D.C. and Paris by the foreign minister and following Spanish approval, Haidar was finally allowed to return to Western Sahara. This followed a visit by Hillary Clinton to Marrakesh earlier in the fall, the highest member of the newly elected Obama administration to visit here.

In more domestic news, a young group organized a symbolic picnic in Mohammedia during the month of Ramadan in protest against a law prohibiting eating in a public space during the day. It was organized via a Facebook group.

In more religious news, some European Christians and Iraqi Shiites were expelled from the country for proselytizing.

In entertainment news, films such as Casanegra, Amours voilés, and Tu te souviens d'Adil all addressed local taboos and raised whirlwinds of controversy, whether over sexual themes, harsh language, religion, or terrorism.

Inspired by the Demi Moore cover of Vanity Fair a few years back, former TV presenter Nadia Larguet appeared nude on the cover of the women's magazine Femmes du Maroc while eight months pregnant. This, needless to say, inspired a great deal of controversy.

Along with the better part of the world, many Moroccans mourned the passing of Michael Jackson with performances, tributes, and music purchases (or free downloads as the case may be).

Aicha Ech-Channa, the founder of the Association for Feminine Solidarity won the Opus Prize and its $1 million award for her work for single mothers.

In sports news, Morocco failed to make both the World Cup and the Africa Cup despite some great players such as Bourdeaux star Marouane Chamakh who have had great success in European leagues.

As in much of the world, the swine flu (aka "H1N1" or "influenza A") made a big media splash and a much smaller (but still serious) impact on the real lives of Moroccans. Over 2800 people in Morocco (including my roommate) came down with it, and over 50 died.