Neither Slave nor Negro: New Antiracism Campaign in Morocco

By Benjamin Stevenson

Rabat – ‘Neither Slave nor Negro’- GADEM Launches New Antiracism Campaign to Follow Previously Failed Campaign ‘My Name is not Negro’.

On March 21 2016, Campagne Maghrébine Contre Les Discriminations Raciales (GADEM) announced at a press conference in downtown Rabat that it would begin a new campaign fighting racism against sub-Saharan migrants in Morocco and other northern African countries. The campaign span from April until July 10.

Stemming from the original campaign “My Name is not Negro” launched two years ago on the International Day Against Racism, the campaign aims at raising awareness of sub-Saharan migration and the challenges these communities face upon their arrival to North Africa.

Migration from sub-Saharan Africa for political or economic reasons is not a new occurrence in Morocco. For many of these migrants, Europe is their target destination; however, many of these migrants are often prevented from crossing into Europe, leaving them stranded in countries like Morocco.

Here, these individuals must face daily issues of discrimination for various reasons. Of these reasons, discrimination on the basis of skin tone or ethnic background has proven to be a prevalent phenomenon in the region.

This new campaign has many objectives including:

1.  Raising awareness about the history of slavery

2.  Defining a migrant and explaining the circumstances that have brought these individuals to Morocco

3.  Emphasizing using proper terminology to refer to these people

4.  Preventing further discrimination and racism of these communities

In the past, media sources have been prevented from advertising racial issues such as this. In the previous campaign, a video of migrants discussing the challenges and discrimination they face as migrants was prohibited from being broadcasted.

The organizers of the new campaign hope it will be more successful in pushing officials to address the issues migrant populations face on a regular basis through creating a public discourse, than the previous campaign.

Throughout the next month GADEM will be hosting press conferences, workshops, arts events, and various other activities to accomplish their goals.