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Morocco World News
Rabat, August 20, 2012
According to a communiqué released by the Moroccan Ministry of the Royal Household, Protocol and Chancellery, in commemoration of the 13th anniversary of King Mohammed VI’s enthronement, the monarch will chair the allegiance ceremony Tuesday at 4.00 p.m at the Mechouar square in the Rabat royal palace.
Whereas the allegiance ceremony is regarded by some Moroccans as a sign of their staunch loyalty to their king, other Moroccans reject this ritual, arguing that it is humiliating to the Moroccan dignity.
Moroccans are now curious to know about the reaction of the PJD ministers who once signed a document against the traditions of the allegiance ceremony and who are now supposed to attend the event and renew their loyalty to King Mohammed VI.
Saad Eddine Alotmani, Lahbib Chobani, Moustapha Ramid and Najib Bolif signed a document on March 31, 2011 demanding the abolition of “all ceremonies, traditions and rituals that are perceived to be as humiliating and degrading to the human dignity.” The petition entitled “The Change that We Want” was signed by some activists, politicians, journalists and former political detainees.
The annual ceremony of allegiance embodied in the “Bayaa” (Allegiance ceremony) is a century-old tradition. During this ceremony Moroccan Ministers and other officials renew their allegiance to the king.
King Mohammed VI was enthroned on July 30, 1999, succeeding to his father the late King Hassan II who ruled the country from 1961 to 1999.
