By Tarik El Barakah

Morocco World News

Rabat, June 19, 2013

A new study published in the journal of Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, revealed that the more money one gets the less ethical he or she becomes.

The research involved more than 300 students majoring in business-related degrees and conducted experiments which resulted in a significant deduction: Money truly corrupts!

When people are made to think about situations that have a correlation with money, they show more tendency to lie in order to earn extra benefits and an increase in unethical intentions.

In one experiment, a number of participants in the study were told that they could either lie to a person and earn 5 dollars or stick with the truth and earn only 2 dollars. The result was that most of the students lied in order to make extra money.

Previous studies on the same subject argued that not all the rich people are all bad. But being well off has psychological features that lead to these results which are described to be “natural effects.”

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed.

Oujda, June 19, 2013 (MAP)

The Oujda-Fez railway line has been reinforced with the projects launched, Wednesday, by King Mohammed VI, intended to provide this major axis with a modern infrastructure enabling it to accommodate the substantial flow of traffic in the best conditions of safety and comfort.

  Part of the 2010-2015 contract program signed between the Government and the National Railway Office (ONCF), the structuring projects involve the upgrading and electrification of the Fez-Oujda railway line and the construction of an exchange pole, the second phase of the mega project "Oujda Urban Pole."

The Fez-Oujda railway line upgrading and electrification project consists of the renewal of 100 km of track (30 pc of the Fez-Oujda line), the electrification of the Fez-Taza line on 120 Km, strengthening infrastructure (tunnels, bridges, technical buildings), and setting up substations.

The 900 million dirham project is expected ot generate about 800,000 working days during the construction phase and more than 70 jobs during the operation phase.

The 260 million dirham exchange pole is part of the implementation of the integrated urban project Oujda Urban Pole, the first phase of which was launched by the Sovereign in 2010.

The project provides for the construction of a new-generation passenger terminal, which can accommodate an estimated traffic of 1.5 million passengers by 2020 against 800,000 currently.

Oujda Urban Pole is part of the restructuring of the city of Oujda to provide the city with an integrated urban project, which could herald a new high quality urban dynamic.

By Tarik El Barakah

Morocco World News

Rabat, June 19, 2013

Khalid Skah, the former Moroccan Olympic champion was arrested on Wednesday at Orly airport in Paris due to an extradition request from the Norwegian authorities.

The gold medalist at Barcelona’s games in 1992 is reported to be arrested on grounds of child abduction, deprivation of liberties and threats.

Skah was since 2007 in the middle of a legal battle to gain custody over his two children from his Norwegian ex-wife Anne Cecile Hopstock, whom he accused of kidnapping Tariq and Salma (13 & 16 years old) and take them to Norway with the help of Norwegian soldiers in 2009.

The Moroccan athlete sued Norwegian Ambassador to Rabat and accused him of conspiring to illegally deprive him from his children. Khalid Skah previously announced to media outlets that the Norwegian intelligence is also involved in the abduction operation.

By Loubna Flah

Morocco World News

Casablanca, June 19, 2013

According to the ministry of finance and economy, the  number of real estate loans  granted to the Moroccan middle class within the” “vogalouge” program reached 12, 000 loans since last November which equals  an overall value of MAD 4 billion.

The report issued by the ministry of finance and economy revealed that the total number of beneficiaries reached 12, 587 last month including the community of Moroccans living abroad.

The report that was issued by the directorate of the treasury and external finance revealed also that the average price of the apartments purchased is estimated at MAD 380,000 for each flat.

The statistics published by the ministry of finance and economy indicate that the total number of male beneficiaries of real estate loans outnumber that of female debtors, as reported by the Moroccan daily Al Massae. The number of male beneficiaries reached 217, whereas the number of female beneficiaries did not exceed 136.

Casablanca dwellers have the lion’s share of real estate loans with 88 beneficiaries recorded last month compared to Agadir with 22 beneficiaries, followed by Fez with only 18 beneficiaries and Sale with 13 recipients.

Regarding “Fogarim” program, (a real estate loan secured by the Central Guarantee Fund (GCC) for populations with low or unstable income), the number of beneficiaries reached 1,114 last month.

The total number of beneficiaries of the “Fogarim” program in Morocco during the last five months reached 6,000 beneficiaries. For “Fogarim”, the average price of the apartments purchased is estimated at MAD 230,000 for each flat with monthly installments of around 1,226 DH/ month.

The number of female beneficiaries from the “Fogarim” program is slightly higher than male beneficiaries, with 614 and 527 respectively.

Morocco World News

New York, June 19, 2013

At the 2013 Society for International Development(SID)-Washington Annual Conference, “Development Goals: How We Got Here and What Comes Next,” on June 6th, in Washington, DC, Moroccan-American international lawyer and  MWN colleague, Leila Hanafi, has been named as the 2013 recipient of the  Rice Award for Leadership and Innovation, recognizing her  aptitude and drive to continue down her path of advancing international development excellence and to the discourse of rule of law and governance promotion in the Middle East and North Africa region, namely Morocco.

This is the first time the Prize is awarded to a young American leader from Moroccan or Middle East and North African roots. The crisis engulfing the Middle East and North Africa showed that greater citizen participation and better governance are crucial for economic development.

One of the sharp lessons of the recent MENA awakening has been the urgent need to reach out more consistently to civil society, including academics, NGOs as well as to the private sector. The development of MENA countries cannot be successful without good governance and the participation of citizens; development in which everyone feels they have a say and a stake. 

As a young Moroccan-American international lawyer, having grown and worked cross-culturally through progressive legal and social complexities, Leila Hanafi exemplifies the drive of the younger generation to develop innovative thinking to the development reform process in the Middle East and North Africa.

On behalf of MWN team, congratulations to Leila for advancing Morocco’s position in such international development fora.

By Youssef El Kaidi

Morocco World News

Fez, June 19, 2013

The ethnographic principle and praxis of knowing the self through the detour of the other perfectly works for me whenever I come into contact with foreign nationals or when I travel abroad. I do believe that our understanding of the socio-political and economic condition of our country remains incomplete and partial unless we get outside of it and see it from a distance or from different distances.

My recent visit to Tunisia to take part in an academic conference on Education and Democracy in North Africa was so fruitful from the moment the airplane took off to the moment it landed back. My learning about Morocco started when I initiated a talk with a Taxi driver in Tunis who gave me a lift from the airport to the hotel.

“You Moroccans are very smart to push for change without creating havoc or anarchy like what happened in Tunisia,” he said. I understood that the guy was against the revolution but he shortly after he cleared any ambiguity.

“In Tunisia the revolution was inevitable and the last solution because the Trablisia (the family of the ex-president’s wife) took over ‘the green and the dry,’ but in Morocco the king started reform since he came to power. Isn’t that right?” he asked. Switching from Arabic to French and from French to Arabic, the driver proved to be literate and well-informed about current Arab critical issues.

When I asked him why he doesn’t support the idea of revolution in Morocco he said: “We should not be over-enthusiastic for the idea of revolution. In some countries it may work out, in others it may not. Look at the situation in Syria now. We Tunisians are, somehow, homogenous but you Moroccans are heterogeneous and diverse ethnically, linguistically and culturally. I foresee that if a revolution happens in Morocco, the Moroccan ‘race’ will be extinct in a few years because of ethnic violence and perhaps civil war.”

During the conference, many speakers talked about education in North Africa, particularly Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco. I would not say that Morocco is better or worse than these countries but the situation is obviously similar to some extent. We seem to share the same structural and organizational problems and face almost the same reform challenges.

On the political scene, the conflict between the Islamists and the secularists is reaching its climax after the Arab uprisings. Education, which is the spinal cord of any development, is gravely affected by this conflict which stands on the way of any consensus or compromise over educational reform since the two groups have different reform projects and visions. Islamists tend to Islamize education and the secularists push for the secularization of schools and universities.

Economically speaking, Morocco is perceived to be on the right track by its neighbors. “I don’t know how Morocco managed to build huge economic projects without having oil. Libya is one of the richest countries in the MENA region thanks to its natural resources but we don’t have a strong economy and we lack the basic requirements of development such as roads, railways, highways, ports, etc,” said Mohammed from Libya who was speaking with very clear disillusionment at the revolution.

“The revolution added insult to injury in Libya even if I was against the regime and participated in the battle against it with my machine gun from beginning to end. Before, Libyans had electricity, medicine, water supply and many other things for free. There was no unemployment. Now, it’s totally different. We don’t feel safe in our country due to tribal conflicts and anarchy.”

Mohammed was not the only one who talked to me about the hopeless condition in Libya. In Tunis Carthage Airport I met many Libyans who almost expressed the same disillusionment not because they were pro-Kaddafi, but because they concretely feel the difference between the past and the present. “Before, we suffered the dictatorship of the regime now we suffer because there is no such regime. The feeling of security and safety is incomparable, my friend, and I think you have that in Morocco,” said Abderrahim.

Perhaps the positive views expressed by the people I met towards Morocco were wrong or very relative. Perhaps the expression of surprise and amazement I saw on the face of an Egyptian teacher when I told her that many associations and NGOs in Morocco distribute bikes for schoolgirls was not enough to judge the difference. (In Egypt girls do not ride bikes and if they do they will be harassed and that was the reason why my friend was surprised.)

I’m certain that Morocco still has a long way ahead to become a democracy and to uproot corruption of all forms (and we have to pass that way by hooks or by crooks). However, comparing Morocco to the countries of the region places it on top. The lesson I ultimately got is: appreciate what you have, work hard for what you don’t have and don’t be discouraged by it.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy.

©Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed.

Amman, June 19, 2013 (AFP)

Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie urged the international community to boost aid to Syrian refugees hit by what she called “the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century,” a UNHCR statement said Wednesday.

Jolie, who is UNHCR special envoy for refugee affairs, visited the Jordan-Syria border overnight accompanied by head of U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres.

During their tour the two met Syrian refugees and heard how they had escaped their war-ravaged homes for Jordan.

“By the end of this year half of Syria's population - 10 million people - are expected to be displaced and in desperate need,” the Hollywood star was quoted as saying in the UNHCR statement.

“The worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century is unfolding in the Middle East today,” Jolie said, adding that the “the international response to this crisis falls short of the vast scale of this human tragedy”.

“Much more humanitarian aid is needed, and above all, a political settlement to this conflict must be found,” she said ahead of Thursday's world refugee day.

Jolie said her visit was intended “to show support for Syria's refugees, to call on the world to address their plight, and to better understand needs in Jordan and other countries in the region most directly affected by this devastating conflict”.

Jordan says it is home to 540,000 Syrian refugees, 150,000 of whom are housed in the Zaatari camp in the kingdom's north, near the border with Syria.

More than 1.6 million Syrian refugees have sought refuge in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey since the beginning of an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, the U.N. says.

It says the fighting in Syria has killed more than 93,000 people so far.

Source: Al Arabiya

Rabat, June 19, 2013 (MAP)

Moroccan editorialists comment this Wednesday June 19, 2013 on corruption and the visit to Morocco of the UN special rapporteur on human trafficking.

In an editorial titled “the fatality of corruption”, Le Soir Echos notes that corrupting is riddling the entire society, taking various insidious forms such as tipping, or voluntary donation.

The worst thing is when corruption is seen as necessary and, hence, impossible to fight, by citizens themselves, the daily writes stressing that the idea proposed by the Central organization of corruption prevention, to draw a nationwide program of education to probity is a good track to explore.

It will be possible to abolish or drastically reduce corruption in one generation or two but we need the adequate tools and vision as well as awareness that corruption is not a fatality and that an equality-based system will be more advantageous.

By targeting kids, the idea of breaking with a reflex that is so costly for the community is pertinent and should be supported by all the citizens, most of whom are parents, the editorialist argues.

Attajdid comments on the current visit of the UN special rapporteur on human trafficking, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, to evaluate efforts and good practices in Morocco.

For the editorialist, the multiplication of UN officials’ visits to Morocco shows the pertinence of Morocco’s choice to honor its international commitments, and interact positively with the UN system human rights mechanisms.

The editorialist argues that Morocco’s painstaking efforts to fight human trafficking will not bear fruits without interaction with the UN system, recalling that a study conducted by the national human rights council had concluded that controlling this phenomenon requires the protection of most vulnerable categories, particularly women and house workers.

Interacting with the UN system is very useful as it helps Morocco apply some legal commitments and measures that will contribute to coordinate efforts on the local and international levels, it notes before calling for promoting awareness on the importance of religious, pedagogical and cultural approaches to eradicate the plague and of involving all the society components (religious scholars, intellectuals and the media) in this endeavour instead of restricting action to the security approach.

By Said Temsamani

Morocco World News

Washington, June 19, 2013

When the results of Morocco’s historic elections in 2011 were announced and the PJD (Justice and Development Party) leader, Abdelilah Benkirane, was appointed the country’s Prime Minister and Head of Government, some foreign critics and political analysts immediately assumed that Morocco would now be swamped by a Islamist tidal wave and see the recent reforms which had been so overwhelmingly endorsed in last July’s referendum replaced by Sharia law. What’s worse, some critics even speculated that Morocco would loosen its ties with Europe and the United States and lean heavily toward other more radical Islamic states.

Morocco, of course, is a Muslim country and Islam is the official state religion. Morocco’s King is not only the reigning monarch and a descendant of Mohammed. He is also Commander of the Faithful, the supreme Islamic religious leader in this diverse, and culturally rich country which, under its new constitution, recognizes and protects by law not just Islam, but all other religions.

For centuries, however, Moroccans themselves have not lacked for a religious identity. Year after year, ever since the first Sultan of the Alaouite Dynasty, have been eager to present their allegiance in full recognition of the religious authority of the king, reinforcing and confirming Islam as both the state religion and also a strong symbol of unity of its people.

Other Arab states in transition, such as Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, have never enjoyed Morocco’s religious legitimacy, but have endured under the domination of dictatorial rulers who seized power forcibly, often in violation of the basic tenets of Islam, no matter what those overthrown rulers may have claimed. This absence of a religious legitimacy makes it significantly easier for less moderate, even extremist factions of Islam to influence or take control of those countries, even against the will of the people.

King Mohammed VI has forged a new constitution that allows the largest party in parliament to form a government while keeping for himself control of national security and religious affairs. In Morocco, as in Egypt, an Islamist party has emerged as the winner of a recent election. But, unlike in Egypt, there is little fear of the dark of night of totalitarianism descending. That’s in part because Morocco’s Islamists, organized in the Justice and Development Party, are so moderate; they are primarily focused (or say they are) on fighting corruption and expanding services such as health care and schooling, not on banning alcohol or repressing women. But it’s also because the king serves as an effective check on their power.

To be sure, it’s easier for Mohammed to play this role than it would have been for Mubarak or Ben Ali because the king has far greater legitimacy as the heir to a well-established throne, as a descendent of the Prophet, and as “Commander of the Faithful.” But Mubarak or Ben Ali could have enhanced their own authorities if they had ceded a measure of political power years ago.

Morocco’s new Islamist government leaders have recognized the religious authority of the King and campaigned on improving education, reducing unemployment, and providing a brighter future for the majority of Moroccans who live under severe economic deprivation. “I am not concerned with how many centimeters a woman’s skirt must be above the knees,” Prime Minister Benkirane stated on election night. “I am much more concerned with eliminating illiteracy and putting our people to work.” Even the PJD party founder, late Dr. Al Khatib, has voiced unstinting support of the religious role of the King. We represent a political organization, he says, with a clear platform and a program which will benefit all Moroccans. Religious matters are reserved for the King to resolve, as he did when he reviewed and proceeded to reform Morocco’s Islamic Family Code.

No, Morocco will not end its process of democratization and will not move away from its friends and allies in the West. Morocco, as a strong, stable, and secure Islamic state will become a beacon for others and a model for those who choose to recognize the will of their people. Now, arguably for the first time in decades, there is an alternative to ideological repression in the Arab community. Morocco is not yet an exemplar of Jeffersonian liberalism, but it is on a path paved with democratic principles. Making the Berber language an official language of the nation along with Arabic is a symbolic gesture of extraordinary magnitude. It is recognition of universally agreed upon rights, including most significantly the rights of minorities.

But a constitution and an election, while essential building blocks for democracy, are not in themselves dispositive. What counts is where the leaders want to take this North African nation. Will it move inexorably to democracy? Or will it backslide with pressure from other Arab states?

There remain many unanswered questions, but on one matter there is not an open question: The reforms initiated by King Mohammed should be greeted with gratitude and respect. At long last there is another model for the Arab future, one that we in the United States should embrace wholeheartedly.

Said Temsamani, Senior Fellow at the Meridian International Center and former Senior Political Advisor, US Embassy, Morocco. Member of the National Press Club, Washington DC.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy