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UNITED NATIONS,
October 4 – Amid arrests and
censorship by Morocco in the
Al-Rif region, UN Secretary
General Antonio Guterres'
spokesman Stephane Dujarric
told Inner City Press on June
6, "I should
hopefully have something for
you tomorrow." But on June 7
when Inner City Press asked,
not only did Dujarric not have
anything at all - he refused
to accept follow up questions,
saying "I'm done" and running
off the podium. Video
here. Since then,
nothing from the UN amid more
arrests, more censorship. Now
the US, UNlike the UN, has
taken note of the nationwide
protests about the Rif and
Hirak detainees, here:
"Parliament Building in
Rabat: Sit-in scheduled
at 6:00 p.m. on October 5,
2017 organized by Hirak Branch
in Rabat in solidarity with
the Hirak detainees... Ennaser
Square in Casablanca: A
National rally and protest
scheduled on October 8, 2017
organized in solidarity with
Rif detainees." Meanwhile
Inner City Press and the Free
UN Coalition for Access
are informed that "the
journalist Mr. ELMAHDAOUI is
ongoing hunger strike since
yesterday till martyrdom due
to the injustice of the court
who increased his imprisonment
from three months to one year.
He claimed innocence and check
of some evidences to prove
this, but the court did not
allowed the defendant
freedom." In New York, the
Moroccan state media the UN
gives offices and full access
to don't even come into the
building, must less ask
questions. Today's UN is
corrupt - but it is being
opposed. On August 18, Inner
City Press asked the UN
spokesman for the 18th time,
UN transcript here.
On August 9, Inner City Press
asked the UN Spokesman for the
17th time, video here.
From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: I
wanted to ask you again about
the ongoing situation in the
Rif region of Morocco.
One of the people injured
during he crackdown with
teargas, Imad El Attabi, has
died, and there are many
people saying that this is a
bad development; this is
something that it’s still
calling for that… that the
situation continues to get
worse. So, I’m just
wondering, this being the
seventeenth time that I’ve
asked you about this, is DPA
(Department of Political
Affairs) considering… looking
at that? I’ve
seen…Spokesman: "I think
the various parts of the
United Nations are keeping an
eye on the situation.
When we have something to say,
we shall." On July 20, before
interviewing Rif activists
outside the UN's gates, here,
Inner City Press asked the UN
about Rif for the 15th time,
UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: in the
ongoing protests in the Rif
Region of Morocco, there's a
large protest today by which
the Government has responded
to by blocking roads, trying
to block entry by sea, slowing
down the Internet. And
so, I just wanted to know… I
know this has come up and at
one point, Stéphane [Dujarric]
said that there may be
something coming down.
Given that, in fact, the
protests are growing and the
oppression and the number of
people locked up has grown,
has the Department of Public…
excuse me, Political Affairs
or the Secretariat taken any
note of this? Deputy
Spokesman: "Certainly,
we take note of this and I'll
check with them about any
response." A day later, and
after these interviews,
there was NOTHING from the UN,
despite the use of tear gas, a
man in a coma, etc. On July 21
Inner City Press asked again,
video here from 16:58; Haq
said, "We've asked our
colleagues in the Department
of Political Affairs. If
there's any response, I'll
share it with you." UNreal.
Inner City Press has received,
and in the face of the UN's
silence, publishes: "a street
demonstration started at 1800
local time, ongoing peacefully
as we did during 9 months
since the death of Mouhcine
FIKRI the fish seller who was
mushed by Moroccan authorities
in a garbage truck
3- Interventions by Moroccan
authorities was the worst one
since last June 26th 2017
which was reported to you, the
intervention was to impede
people assembly at
Al-hoceima's central plaza of
Martyrs which was previously
occupied by all Moroccan
authorities cars
4- Tears gas was
indiscriminately used against
all people and in all popular
districts although this is
prohibited by international
law causing asphyxia and a lot
of evacuations to the
hospital.
5- Detention of activists
included those who were
evacuated by ambulances to the
hospital, we are informed that
in all ambulances there were
the Moroccan spies to detain
all activists. A lot of people
are detained, we do not know
the exact number, one known
journalist Mr. ELMAHDAOUI was
detained for sure.
6- Ms. Naoual BENAISSA an
important activist women in
the RIF's popular movement is
right now at the hospital in
dangerous status due to
Moroccan authorities blows...
7- Mr. Imad ELATTABI, we are
informed last minutes that he
is near to death due to
moroccan authorities brutal
blow by stones or tears gaz
bomb, he is evacuated at 0600
am to Rabat's military
hospital in critic status." On
July 7, Inner City Press asked
the UN, Spokesman Dujarric,
for the 14th time, video here,
UN transcript here.
On June 27, after a crackdown
on Al Hoceima on the previous
day's Eid holiday, Inner City
Press asked the UN for the
13th time, video here.
This as Moroccan King Mohammed
VI has banned some of his
ministers from traveling or
vacation, claiming it was them
who failed to follow through
on his royal plan to
supposedly address 90% of the
residents' demands. Somehow
the King didn't realize this
during the now more than eight
months of protests, as his
forces arrested more than 100
people. As in the Bogart
movie, the King is shocked -
shocked - in Casablanca. On
June 21, Inner City Press
asked Dujarric's deputy
spokesman Farhan Haq, UN
transcript here: Inner City
Press: I want to ask you
one more thing about the Rif
region of Morocco. I’d
asked Stéphane a few
times. It seemed like a
comment might be coming
down. Since then, at
least two media, one editor of
Rif24 has been put under
solitary confinement; another
one has been sued with
criminal defamation
charges. Press freedom
groups like IFEX have been
speaking about it. There
have been other arrests.
Is it something that… was it
just… did it almost give rise
to a DPA [Department of
Political Affairs]
comment? Is DPA, in
fact, looking at this
situation which it doesn’t
seem to be abating? Deputy
Spokesman: "We’re
looking at the matter.
If we have any further
comment, I will let you know."
On June 15, Inner City Press
asked Dujarric about Morocco
imposing year and a half jail
sentences on 25 protesters,
and new French President
Macron's comments. UN
transcript here:
Inner City Press: I wanted to
ask you again about the Al Rif
region of Morocco, because,
since I last asked, sentences
have been imposed on a number
of the protesters, a year and
a half to 25 people, six
months to five people.
And French President
[Emmanuel] Macron was in Rabat
and said that King Mohammed VI
— I don't know if that's
translated right — stood ready
to assuage the issues of Al
Rif. So I'm just
wondering, if it's now viewed
as international in that way,
does the UN have no guidance
at all? What about
year-and-a-half sentences to
peaceful protestors? Is
that something that the…
Spokesman: I'm not aware
of the details of the
particular case. As I
said, when we have something
to say, we shall. Thank
you.
How does
Guterres STILL have nothing to
say? That is the case- without
explaining the now eight day
delay, Dujarric repeated when
he has something to say he
will. But what will it be? On
June 14, Inner City Press
asked Dujarric, UN transcript
here:
Inner City Press: I'd asked
you in writing about the
situation the Rif region of
Morocco. Now there's
more than 100 allegedly
detained and now allegations
of torture of some of those
detained. So, I'm
wondering, there's been…
Rifians have asked the Human
Rights Council or Prince Zeid
to send observers. And
I'm just wondering, since a
week ago, you said you hoped
to have something from DPA
[Department of Political
Affairs]. Is DPA aware
of this? Are they
watching this? And what
do they say about it?
Spokesman Dujarric: "I
think we're… as I said, if I
have any comment to make on
this particular situation or
any other situation, I shall
make them. Obviously, if
people appeal to the Human
Rights High Commissioner, you
should follow up with them."
That's called passing the
buck. On the mornings of June
12 and 13 Inner City Press
went more formal, in writing:
"On Morocco and Rif, give the
large demonstration in Rabat
over the weekend and use of
tear gas in Rif, at least 86
arrested, reiterating for
eighth time Inner City Press'
question: what is the SG's or
DPAs comment on this, to the
Moroccan authorities?" This
was not answer before noon, at
noon or in the 29 hours and
counting after. Meanwhile, UN
High Commissioner for Human
Rights Prince Zeid has been
asked for "urgent intervention
in order to note in particular
the serious violations of
human rights perpetrated
against the Riffian population
especially the militants of
the non-partisan and
non-violent citizen movement
set up seven months ago, since
the 29th October 2016 after
the death of Mohcine FIKRI
crushed in a garbage truck. At
this moment, more than 80
activists have been abducted,
tortured and detained by the
Moroccan authorities, several
of them were sent to
Casablanca remained without
legal assistance for more than
five days, and others are
detained in the city of
Al-Hoceima without any legal
assistance in the first three
days until their presence
before the court of
Al-Hoceima. There are strong
confirmations that torture has
been inflicted on several
detainees and confirmed in
Al-Hoceima and Casablanca by
their Lawyers present at first
audience or before the crown
prosecutor in Casablanca, and
as announced by several
detainees in Casablanca before
their arrest, they are ongoing
hunger strike [and so request
by, among others] the European
Coordination Committee of
support to the popular
Movement in the Rif: To deal
with this urgent human
situation and urge the
presence of human rights
observers in the region,
especially in trial procedures
as requested by our Lawyers.
To shed full light on the
various attacks perpetrated by
the Moroccan authorities,
which only perpetuates a
campaign of reprisals against
militants and civil pacific
protesters,Protecting the Rif
people from state terrorism
perpetrated by all the police
forces present in the Rif
region, we are certain that
this would send a strong
message to the Moroccan
leaders who had been little
worried for continuing to
perpetrate violent abuses
against the Riffian people
since decades." Inner City
Press also asked Guterres'
holdover spokesman Dujarric on
June 9, from the UN
transcript: Inner City Press:
on this issue of Rif, I
want to ask you, now there's
the use of tear gas on
protesters and at least two
journalists have been arrested
and taken to Casablanca for
questioning, and charges are
unclear. They're from
AWAR TV and Rif Press. I
know three days ago you said
you'd hoped to get
something. What does DPA
[Department of Political
Affairs] think about this?
Spokesman: "You know,
obviously, as a matter of
principle, we believe wherever
that people have a right to
demonstrate peacefully but,
more specifically, I have
nothing to share with you."
Nothing. Then he refused to
say where Secretary General
Guterres will be. From the UN June 7 transcript...
This is today's UN. At
Morocco's "Universal Periodic
Review" at the UN Human Rights
Council in Geneva on May 2,
the representative of the US
urged the Kingdom of
Morocco to release detained
journalists, and Sweden called
on Morocco to respect freedom
of the press. This call is
apparently not heard by
Morocco's Ambassador to the UN
Omar Hilale, who even after
Inner City Press published a
blurring Morocco-AU document
at his request used the UNTV
microphone to claim that all
of Inner City Press'
publication are anti-Morocco.
Nor is the call heard by the
UN, which five days after the
back to back stakeouts by
Hilale and the Polisario
representative has refused to
put the latter video online.
Inner City Press for the third
day -- "question 228" by
Hilale's count -- asked
Dujarric about the delay; he
again offered no explanation
despite this same scenario
having arisen in the past.
From the May 3 UN transcript...
Hilale rather than answering
used the podium to, as he put
it, give some statistics.
6-second Vine Camera video here.
He said that
Inner City Press has asked 225
questions about the conflict
in the past year - quelle
horreur -- and had had
the temerity to write 150
articles about it. Inner City
Press pointed out that it has
written more about other
countries, such as these days
Cameroon. But Hilale went on
from there. Video
here. Three days after
the stakeouts, the UN
Department of Public
Information had put on its
website only two of the three
speakers that evening (May 1
photo here).
So on May 1 Inner City Press
asked the UN's holdover
spokesman Stephane Dujarric,
video
here, UN transcript here... Here
then is a song,
Western Sahara Blues, the
Ballad of Omar Hilale.
In front
of the UN Security Council's
Western Sahara closed door
consultations on April 25,
Inner City Press asked French
Ambassador Francois Delattre
why there is no human rights
monitoring in the mandate of
the MINURSO mission, as urged
by for example Amnesty
International. Delattre said
human rights "is in our DNA,"
but said there are many ways
to work for human rights. Video here. Now the vote
on the resolution, one draft
of which is below, has been
pushed back from 5 to 5:30 to
6 pm on April 28. Verification
of Guerguerat, inclusion or
deletion or modification of
language in the resolution,
below. Up on the UN's 38th
floor after a photo
op of UK Boris Johnson
and Secretary General Antonio
Guterres, Inner City Press
spotted Uruguay's ambassador.
He has been pushing for human
rights monitoring, DNA or no
DNA. But down at the stakeout
of the Security Council, the
questions to him concerned
mostly a reported missile
firing by North Korea. Watch
this site. Inner City Press
asked about Horst Kohler as
Antonio Guterres' nominee as
Personal Envoy on Western
Sahara. Delattre smiled and
answered in German. Then
and the next
day, as Inner
City Press got
versions of
the draft,
Morocco
diplomats and
state
journalists
walked freely
up and down
the UN's 2d
floor, while
Inner City
Press was
confined to
Department of
Public
Information
minders. After
the meeting, Russia's Deputy
Permanent Representative Petr
Ilyichev said the real work on
the MINURSO resolution, which
he still expects to be put to
a vote on April 27, was at the
level of experts, not in the
April 25 meeting. Periscope
video here.
***
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