Asociaciones de Derechos Humanos pedirán que se investigue la
represión policial en Sidi Ifni

No hay cifras oficiales, pero distintas organizaciones no
gubernamentales y algunos medios de comunicación apuntan a que las
protestas de Sidi Ifni de los últimos días podrían haberse saldado
con entre seis u ocho muertos. El Gobierno alauita lo niega, aunque
justificó esta semana la intervención de las fuerzas del orden.

Las asociaciones de Derechos Humanos hablan de entre seis y ocho
muertos tras las manifestaciones de los últimos días, según ha
recogido la televisión qatarí 'Al Yazira'. Lo que sí es cierto es que
cientos de personas se han levantado en masa en la ciudad marroquí de
Sidi Ifni para protestar por la situación de crisis económica en la
que se encuentran inmersos. Según los manifestantes, -la mayoría de
ellos jóvenes desempleados-, el Gobierno alauita ha abandonado a su
suerte históricamente a esta localidad.

Chakib Benmusa, ministro marroquí del Interior, aseguraba este
miércoles que las fuerzas policiales actuaron contra los
manifestantes "porque no tuvieron elección" y negó que hubiera
víctimas mortales. Los protagonistas de las protestas impedían el fin
de semana pasado la salida del puerto de camiones cargados con
pescado fresco.

Su reclamación, que parte de la producción pesquera de la ciudad se
quede en Sidi Ifni, una ciudad de 25.000 habitantes, y no sea
exportada casi en su totalidad sin que los beneficios de su mayor
fuente de riqueza se les escape de las manos sin poder beneficiarse
de ella.

Según el ministro, han sido 48 los heridos leves, de los que casi la
mitad son policías, y se ha detenido a cerca de dos centenares de
personas, que según las asociaciones de derechos humanos fueron
duramente reprimidos. Este fin de semana se prevé la llegada a Sidi
Ifni de una caravana formada por miembros de asociaciones de Derechos
Humanos, que demandarán la apertura de una comisión de investigación
para conocer en profundidad los hechos y depurar, si fuera necesario,
responsabilidades.

Las muestras de apoyo con los habitantes de Sidi Ifni y su causa se
han sucedido esta semana en distintos países. Este miércoles eran
miembros de la comunidad canaria los que se citaban frente a las
puertas del consulado marroquí, en Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, para
mostrar su solidaridad con los represaliados.


===========================================
FRANCÉS E INGLÉS.-


Sidi Ifni
Le makhzen au podium

Le Jeune Indépendant (12jun08) -
Algeria

L'Algérie, le Maroc et la Tunisie sont trois Etats du Maghreb qui
tiennent le rôle d'un grand incubateur pour la production
d'émeutiers. Des émeutes se sont en effet produites ces derniers
temps chez nous dans divers endroits, en Tunisie, à Redeyef, et au
Maroc, à Sidi Ifni, une ville portuaire récidiviste. Si chez nous,
c'est le foot, les rivalités communautaires ou l'iniquité dans la
distribution des biens sociaux, qui se trouvent à l'origine de la
violence, chez les voisins, c'est essentiellement le chômage qui
pousse les jeunes au désespoir et à l'affrontement. Lors des derniers
chocs, des pertes humaines furent malheureusement enregistrées en
Algérie et en Tunisie. Au Maroc, à Sidi Ifni, on en annonça également
avant qu'elles ne soient démenties officiellement. Chez nous, à la
lecture des bilans, c'étaient plutôt les brigades anti-émeutes et les
biens publics qui seraient le plus à plaindre.

A Redeyef, en Tunisie, on donna de l'armée, et les choses rentrèrent
rapidement dans l'ordre. Les manifestants protestèrent contre de
supposées irrégularités lors d'un concours de recrutement lancé par
la CPG (Compagnie des phosphates de Gafsa). A Sidi Ifni, la bataille
fut longue, la ville s'enflamma pendant une interminable semaine
après la proclamation des résultats d'un concours prévu pour
recruter… trois employés.

Mais si l'on n'y déplore pas de morts, les informations en provenance
de la belle cité portuaire font état de comportements dégradants,
ignobles. Bien sûr qu'il ne s'agit pas là des quelque 80 émeutiers
interpellés et passés à tabac. Il s'agit d'une bestialité autrement
plus insupportable : le viol de femmes dans les locaux de la police.
La presse marocaine rapportait, mercredi, les témoignages sur place
sur l'«arrestation de femmes dépossédées de leurs biens et conduites
dans un commissariat, où elles ont été contraintes d'ôter leurs
vêtements, avant d'être soumises à des brutalités et à des actes
humiliants». De son côté, un communiqué de la courageuse Association
marocaine des droits de l'homme dénonçait «les méthodes brutales
utilisées par les forces publiques contre des citoyens et des
citoyennes dans la rue et dans leurs maisons, les agressions
physiques, les viols, les humiliations et les vols de biens, de
portables, de bijoux et d'argent dans les habitations». Des propos
qui laissent clairement voir qu'il n'y a pas que les femmes qui ont
été violées mais les domiciles aussi. Des propos qui ressemblent à
s'y méprendre aux dénonciations sahraouies lorsque leurs populations
subissent dans les territoires occupés la violence bestiale, le vol
et les viols. Des actes qui rappellent immanquablement à nos mémoires
algériennes les «bienfaits» et l'héroïsme de la soldatesque française
durant la hideuse «nuit coloniale». Le wali d'Agadir a, bien sûr,
démenti l'existence de viols dans les commissariats et dit que les
autorités marocaines étaient disposées à enquêter là-dessus en cas de
plainte. Mais le makhzen n'avait-il pas promis d'enquêter sur le
drame de l'embarcation généreusement chavirée il y a quelque temps au
large d'El-Hoceima ? (Mohamed Zaâf)

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Following the events of Sidi Ifni, the Moroccan Association of Human
Rights asks for explanations
(Al Massae 11jun08 - Morocco)


The Moroccan Association of Human Rights asked local authorities,
including General Hamidou Laanigri - who is the head of the auxiliary
forces- to give explanations regarding the events of Sidi Ifni. In a
communiqué issued by the Association's Central Office, it "denounced
the barbaric manner used by security forces against the population in
the street and in the houses while the inhabitants were sleeping.
Security forces beat, raped, insulted and stole properties:
computers, phones, jewelry and money from houses. The communiqué
added that security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets and beat
with stones and sticks to face the peaceful demonstration". The
Association called the authorities to satisfy the populations'
demands since 2005 (…) and "their economic, social and cultural
rights, and provide employment and basic services". (Unofficial
translation by MINURSO)

--
Riots in Morocco: Official versions versus YouTube

(The Observers – France 24 12 jun 08)



The harbour town of Sidi Ifni, Morocco, became a battleground between
groups of unemployed protestors and police forces last weekend. But
while the authorities talk of a skirmish or two, web users say there
was a full-blown riot followed by a brutal crackdown.

The conflict began on May 30 when hundreds of unemployed people,
protesting against poor living standards, began to gather in an
attempt to grind the port's operations to a halt. Demonstrators never
achieved a blockade, however, as police forces intervened last
weekend. Police insist they handled the situation without the use of
excessive force, restoring order to the area.

Yet, Moroccan web users are unhappy with the official version.
They're producing their own accounts, circulating images and comments
on YouTube and alternative news websites about the violent attitude
of the police. They tell of ransacked houses, brutal beatings and
rubber bullets being fired irrationally. They also say that, for the
first time ever in Morocco, the Mobile Intervention Company - the
equivalent of France's notorious riot police (CRS) - disembarked by
boat to back up the police forces in moving on the port-blocking
protestors.

Web users say that the town is still in a state of siege, with
hundreds of families having fled to the surrounding mountains after
being made homeless, while the entire area is under helicopter
surveillance. Not surprisingly, they contest arrest figures released
by the ministry of interior. According to them, 160 people have been
arrested rather than the 27 confirmed by the authorities.

Unable to curb information on the internet, Morocco is now attacking
foreign news outlets for reporting unofficial versions of events. The
Arabic news channel Al Jazeera is being chased for reporting that
around ten people were dead following the incident. Citing
defamation, Moroccan authorities have accused the channel of giving
an unjustifiably negative image of Morocco. The official line is
that "there were no victims".



Comment from "Larbi", one of our observers in Morocco: "YouTube and
other online media made it possible to break the mainstream media
hold"



"Everyone in Morocco is wondering who's telling the truth about the
Sidi Ifni riots. We're watching a real war between official and
alternative sources unravel. Everyone's talking about a match between
Abbas el Fassi [Morocco PM] and YouTube.

The day after the riots the Moroccan press agency Map released a
dispatch giving the official version of events. I think that Abbas el
Fassi willingly undervalued the protests and the crackdown. The
official version, broadcast on Morocco's channel 2, talks only
about "those looking for work expressing their demands", and doesn't
mention the part the police played.

YouTube and other online media made it possible to break the
mainstream media hold. There were indeed riots; violent
confrontations between the two camps. If the authorities wanted to
cover up their ever happening, they'll have a tough job with these
videos online."

--------

News media

Aljazeera Satellite channel refuses to apologize to Moroccan
authorities

Al Quds Al Arabi -12jun08 Published in the UK


Aljazeera refused to apologize to the Moroccan government about the
broadcasting of the information that there were eight deaths in the
clashes between security forces and demonstrators in Sidi Ifni. In a
communiqué issued by the channel, reacting to the call of the
Moroccan government spokesman who asked Aljazeera to apologize for
the diffused news of the existence of deaths following the
intervention of security forces in Sidi Ifni, it is stated that
Aljazeera quoted a Moroccan human rights association and it is this
source that provided Aljazeera with the figures regarding the deaths.
The channel reported the news as did other news agencies: Reuters ,
Associated Press and AFP. Moroccan authorities denied categorically
that there were deaths as a result of the clashes and the denial was
reported by Aljazeera , said the communiqué. After broadcasting a
report related to Sidi Ifni's deaths, Moroccan authorities called the
director of Aljazeera's office in Rabat, Hassan Rashidi, for
interrogation; the communiqué added that the interrogation lasted
four hours during which the Moroccan authorities asked Hassan Rachidi
to disclose the source of the information contrary to all laws and
norms of press which guarantee for a reporter not to disclose
sources. The communiqué indicated that Al-Jazeera reported the next
day the information issued by a commission of human rights that it
was uncertain of the existence of deaths following the clashes, the
channel broadcasted news about this incident in accordance with
professional rules. Aljazeera is attached to accuracy and to the
consistency of the information and sticks to report all points of
views. It had tried through its office in Rabat to get in touch with
the Moroccan officials regarding what happened but they refused, as
they had already refused to allow us to go to Sidi Ifni to cover what
was going on the ground.