Moroccan Newspaper Apologizes for Publishing Divided Map of Morocco

Marrakech – Moroccan newspaper “Al Haraka”, the official publication of the Popular Movement Party, issued an apology for publishing a divided map of Morocco, excluding the country’s southern provinces.

In its clarification statement, the newspaper said the error was unintentional, attributing it to the pressures of print media work and tight printing deadlines.

The divided map appeared on an inside page of the newspaper’s July 12-14, 2024 edition.

It occurred in a report titled “World Bank Group Classifications of Countries by Income Level 2024/2025” on page six of the newspaper.

Voices on social media platforms called for the withdrawal of the edition from newsstands, citing the offense caused to Morocco’s national territorial integrity.

The newspaper’s management said it took immediate action to withdraw the edition from circulation upon being informed of the matter by the Secretary-General of the Popular Movement Party.

The newspaper emphasized that this “unintended mistake” should not cast doubt on its unwavering national positions.

It also expressed regret that despite its “prompt” efforts to withdraw the edition, some websites, social media platforms, and even some media outlets deliberately shared the sole image of the erroneous map. The newspaper said that such acts could harm a sacred national cause unanimously supported by the Moroccan people.

As a measure of accountability, disciplinary action has been taken against the journalist responsible for the error, added the statement.

The newspaper also highlighted the challenging conditions faced by partisan print media due to minimal public support, a scarcity of advertising market, and declining readership.

Mohammed Ouzzine, the Secretary-General of the Popular Movement Party, reiterated the apology and called on platforms and websites to refrain from republishing the image of the unintended error, saying that doing so would constitute committing the same mistake.

The incident sparked widespread indignation among Moroccans and social media users, who expressed their displeasure with the lack of precision in handling sensitive topics by some political party-affiliated media institutions.

Activists and those interested in political affairs denounced this serious lapse by the newspaper.

Moroccan journalist Mohamed Ouamoussi, based in France, wrote on his Facebook account, “The newspaper ‘Al Haraka,’ belonging to the Popular Movement Party, which receives annual financial support from the state, publishes a map of Morocco without the south!”

He added that such errors could open the door for those against Morocco’s territorial integrity to further exploit the situation. “And who knows … perhaps in a future issue, we will see; Morocco without the Atlas Mountains.”