BO18

I'm back for good now and Blogger is out!

2007-05-14T19:43:00.000Z

Hi everybody,

Finally I can resume regular posting. But not here, oh no we all have to go to http://maghrebism.com now! My new domain-name/blog/whatever.
So please, please update your bookmarks and rss-feeds and stuff.

So go here: http://maghrebism.com
(feed is http://feeds.feedburner.com/Maghrebism )

See ya there!

Another post on my absence

2007-05-08T23:06:00.000Z

Here I am again.

Sorry for not posting at all the last couple of days. I've been busy with all sorts of stuff, good and bad.
First the good. I have found an appartment, and contrary to what I posted earlier, we actually managed to find one in the central area of London. Shepherds Bush. I have a view on the BBC Television Centre, so it couldnt get any better.
Another "good" thing is that you should keep a close watch on this http:///www.maghrebism.com
I'm not done yet but I'm planning to move this blog for a while now. I'll keep you all updated.

Now the bad news. Today, totally unexpected, my boss told me that my position became redundant. In other words, I have no job, jobless, chomeur. This is my last week and I'm really really pissed. Especially because I have to pay a deposit for the apartment of about 1000 pounds.
I'll manage to find another job though, I always do. And especially now I have an UK-reference (my boss told me he's happy to give me a reference for other jobs) But its just shitty.
I was planning to go on a holiday in June to Amsterdam, but I cancelled that. Its all work, work, work now.
This whole year has been with a lots of ups and downs for me. London is a great city to live in, but the UK is a shitty country to live in.

But I'll keep you updated on when the moving of this blog is completed. (its really difficult:S)

Anyhow, sorry for not posting!

Cheers from Londonistan!

I'm still here

2007-04-29T10:49:00.000Z

I didn't post for a whole week now and partially all my fault (ok almost entirely all my fault)

Emily (my flatmate-to-be) and me have been viewing apartments this whole week. And we noticed, that it isn't that hard to find affordable apartments in inner-London. London is divided into 6 travel zones. We're aiming for Zone 1 & Zone 2 , north of the river Thames. South of the river are the ghettos (where teen-gangs started a gun and knife-cult) so we don't really want to live there. Zone 1 & 2 are the areas with all the landmarks and our universities.
We just have to accept the fact that we probably going to move in to a very ugly flat and not a Knightsbridge apartment with a view on Harrods.

On top of all this apartment-hunting, I've also encountered humongous money-problems. My employer forgot to pay me! I was supposed to get my pay last Wednesday but I never received it. And the 2 persons responsible for all the paying etc are on a holiday until next Tuesday.
So I didn't get to pay my rent, which resulted in a fine of 12.5% of the total amount. Besides that, my ticket to Amsterdam in June got cancelled because I didn't pay. ( I booked the ticket a while ago and I had to pay this Friday but since I don't have money I couldn't pay)

So its been a pretty hectic week and now I have a hang-over. Yesterday it was Queensday here in London. So I had a lot of Dutch herring, fries with onions, mayonnaise and sate-sauce. And fresh Dutch waffles! Oh and beer, lots of beer.
(pictures of me eating fries, drinking beer, eating cheese and pictures of Dutch in traditional clothes coming up soon hehe)
The real Queensday is tomorrow in Amsterdam. It will be the first time that I wont attend. Usually we hire a boat, buy a barrel or 2 of beer and "sail" through the canals of Amsterdam. And ending the day really drunk in the Vondelpark or at a rave-party somewhere at the docks.
It's the best holiday ever! If you ever visit Amsterdam, come at the end of April. Imagine Amsterdam as 1 big, orange coloured, garage-sale with hundreds of thousands happy people. (I included some pictures at the end of this post)

A little preview (its this x1000)

In the meantime, Eatbees nominated me for a Thinking Award. Thank you!
Now I have to come up with other blogs/persons I want to give the award to.
I won't do that now because I have no time. I have a viewing and a Darfur-rally to attend.
I'll be posting a lot this coming week.

And oeh yeah, you know the changes I talked about in my previous post? Well, I kind of already started but I need my pay first:P

Post nr. 100!

2007-04-22T15:26:00.000Z

A 100 posts already, that went quick!

It's actually fun. Again I went to thank all the readers and commenters!
And I want to say that there gonna be some changes. When I started this blog, I promised myself a little treat if I reached 100 posts.
Somewhere this week I'm going to change something about this blog.

Anyway, thank you again! And to celebrate I'm going to posts links to one of the best Arab movies ever made!
I found it by accident on Youtube and I was so happy! I stayed up till 5 in the morning just to watch it. I remember that we watched it every Ramadan and it was sooo exciting (although we knew how the story went and finished)
It's an islamic movie about the first days of Islam. And the actors can actually act! Not like those Syrian actors in those Ramadan-series where everybody seems to wear shiny clothes in bright colors decorated with feathers and huge diamonds.

I give you Al-Risala!! (French subtitles)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

(ps I didn't know that the movie was shot twice at the same time but with a different cast and language. The English-version is apparently with Anthony Quinn playing the role of Hamza)

My (very) late response to Doga

2007-04-21T15:32:00.000Z

People who know me irl, know that I can be very, very lazy.
Now it's time that you know that as well!

I promised to respond to this post at eatbees' blog and to the question in general of why I'm afraid of the PJD coming to power.
I made that promise a long while ago. Sorry!
Anyhow, better late than never. Right?

First of all, I have a firm believe that religion and politics should be separated. That no religion or religious community should gather and form a political party. Hence my allergic reactions when somebody mentions the CDA, CU or SGP or confesses to be a member of it. (CDA, CU and SGP are the Christian parties in the Netherlands. Combined they have 49 parliamentary seats out of 150)
Those parties have an ideology based on the Bible. They strife to implement their ideology and policies on a national level. Thereby, indirectly, enforcing a (moderate) religious lifestyle on the rest of the population.
And I don't digg that. I want abortion, condoms, prostitution, blasphemy, homosexuality, premarital sex, divorce and euthanasia for all.
If you have moral objections to it, fine, but as a mature individual you are perfectly able to follow your religious lifestyle without needing laws to help you with it.
Of course, a religious party isn't per se repressive on all those subjects. The CDA has homosexual MP's, showing that there are gradations in religiosity between religious parties. And not all non-religious parties are in favor of a free lifestyle.

Now, let me get back to the PJD. In my opinion the PJD is a party that is heavily and totally influenced by religion. It's a wolf in sheep's clothing.
The party really tries to give itself a moderate image. Some members even try to compare the party to the Turkish PJD and claim that we shouldn't be afraid.

But are they really that moderate? I don't think so.
Let me give you some examples of some radical, xenophobic, homophobic and fanatic rants of the PJD. And then you can decide if you want to call them "moderate"

2000: Abdellilah Benkiran verbally abuses a female journalist who dared to wear a t-shirt with short sleeves in parliament.
Editor-in-chief Lhassan Sarrat of the Attajdid newspaper, close to the PJD and considered as a mouhtpiece of that same party, sees the Asian tsunami as Gods punishment for homosexuality, sex tourism and child trafficking
In 2005, MP's of the PJD claim that a music festival held in Marrakech is used as a pretext to convert people to Christianity
March 2003, the PJD, its mouthpieces and other islamist nutjobs launch a witch-hunt against everyone who wears heavy-metal shirts and listen to heavy metal music. They are considered to be devil-worshippers
2006: PJD asks the government to ban the movie Marock because of obscenity (Marock depicts the on-the-ground reality of upperclass Moroccan youth)
2003: The PJD wants the government to control foreign cultural centres so that they can not spread "immoral values" (later this statement is changed into: "we want the cultural centres to implement islamic principles".)
In 2004 PJD hotshot Ahmed Raissouni claims that music festivals are "sites of debauch and homosexuality"

And we can go on and on and on.....
But still, they call themselves moderate. I wonder what moderate means to them? Does it mean to enforce their lifestyle on the rest of the population? Does it mean that everyone who doesn't want to wear a headscarf or wishes to listen to Slipknot is a homosexual, immoral, unislamic, convert and an outlaw free to be prosecuted by them?

PJD prides itself on the fact that it believes in democracy. That it wants to participate in a democracy. Well, we have to applaud that.
But I'm afraid that the PJD doesn't fully understand the concept of democracy and all what comes with it.
Democracy rests on 2 pillars: majority rule and minority rights
Democracy doesn't mean that one can oppress others, simply because they gained a majority or they believe they represent a majority. Democracy doesn't mean that 1 victorious party should enforce its principles on the country's minorities.
No, democracy means that a majority can rule a country but that it has to respect and protect the civil liberties of the different minorities.
The PJD seems to forget that in its campaigning and image-editing.

I fear that once the PJD wins the upcoming elections, they will ignore those parts of democracy that aren't suitable for them (even if they are in a coalition government)
They showed us that they really don't care that much about the civil liberties of others. They showed us that when they weren't "in charge". How will they act when they are "in charge"?

I also fear the reaction of the king and his royal cabinet when the PJD comes to power and starts to implement their ridiculous policies.
The king, who wishes to create an image of Morocco that is liberal/open/tolerant, will surely react in a non-democratic way. Of course, the king's reaction won't be something new. Moroccan kings have always reacted strangely and pushed the "democratic" government to the sideline, to implement their own policies. Couscous-democracy, is what I like to call it.
But until now, this happened with (nominal) secular parties in power.
Surely, the reaction of the king will be different when it comes to having an Islamist party in power?

I only hope that when the PJD wins the elections (and this is likely to happen), the king and other parties will react in a normal, civilized way.
It's not likely that the PJD will govern alone, they have to seek a coalition. I hope that the other major parties will have some sense and guts to confront the PJD when it comes to their "social policies"

An electoral PJD-victory makes the future of Morocco look a bit darker. A bit of courage, opposition and vigilance is all we need to make that future look bright again.

Alan Johnston in Gaza

2007-04-19T22:40:00.000Z

As you might have seen, I added a "button" to my sidebar.
This one:

The British media and public are growing very concerned about the abduction of BBC-reporter Alan Johnston in Gaza.
He was one of the few foreign reporters who lived in Gaza.
You can read more about his abduction in one of the BBC's timelines

Its been 6 weeks now

London Muslims and non-Muslims: not a big difference

2007-04-19T21:42:00.000Z

Foreign Policy and Gallup World Poll published a survey about Britishness and
attitudes towards the state among London Muslims and the British public in general.

It turns out that both share a lot of views and agree on most of the current issues about multiculturalism, integration and identity.
You can read and see the data here

The surprising results of the poll shows us that the supposed clash of cultures between Muslims and non-Muslims isn't really that big and that it revolves around minor issues (if you can call the veil-issue a minor issue of course).
The violent, little minority of extremists (the right-wing BNP and self-exploding Muslims) are an exception

Beyond the Veil-poll

Virginia Tech and Muslims

2007-04-18T15:48:00.000Z

You could've guessed it. Fox News created a subtle link between the mass-shooting and Islam.
See for yourself

The ever reliable Fox News tells us that "He apparently had scrawled the words "ISMAIL AX" on the inside of one arm, which may be a reference to the Islamic account of the Biblical sacrifice of Abraham."

More disturbing, funny though scary rants can be found on this wacko-blog and this blog
I just love Fox News. Don't you?

(hat-tip Nadia Gergis at Arabisto )

The most naive article on Morocco

2007-04-17T20:56:00.000Z

Morocco and the Maghreb in general are a bit in the spotlights now since the attacks of last week.
Which of course, results in lots of articles in the printed media and on the web.
Some of those articles are good, some are bad. Today I'm going to highlight a bad one.
Not that I'm a nagger, its just that the post on the good ones is going to take a long time.

But anyhow, let's highlight a bad one. The next article is written by Marc S. Ellenbogen, columnist for UPI and chairman of the Global Panel Foundation.
The article can be found here.
The article is about the supposed crucial role of Morocco for Europe and the USA and actually just gives a short resume of Morocco's recent history.
And that's the main problem of this article. Ellenbogen's history of Morocco seems to be a little bit out of touch with reality.
People reading the article will, most likely, come to the conclusion that Morocco is a kind of economic and democratic miracle.

Ellenbogen pays solely attention to the little bit of progress made by the king and government. The (reforms, the FTA (although some will not consider that as progress), the life expectancy (!) and the co-existence of Muslims, Jews and Christians. (I never understood why people include Christianity since Morocco never had a substantial, indigenous Christian community)
So far the progress of the country. But he fails to mention that Morocco isn't really progressing but more or less stagnating.

Democratic reforms are just a façade, the king still overruns and diminishes the power of the government.
Economic progress has still to be proven. Poverty and unemployment are still rampant. Implementing reforms is one thing, seeing those reforms actually wórk is another.

But the most bizarre view he has, is about the upcoming election and the PJD's role. Ellenbogen mentions the 30% of the votes in the past, but he lets the readers know what would happen if the PJD would fall under 20%. That would be a sign that reforms are actually working!
It's a mystery to me, why he even draws the line of 20% and why that line actually shows that the reforms are working. (I see no relation between those two, do you?)
And besides that, why does he even mention a situation where the PJD would loose? The chances are far more bigger that the PJD will gain more votes than in the previous elections. Even with the recent attacks. (the last PJD-victory was achieved after the 2003 attacks in Casablanca)

The whole article is actually one big shenanigan. The man has a distorted view of the reality in Morocco.
The weirdest thing, and maybe also a bit scary, is the fact that this man's organization (The Global Panel Foundation) heads the Morocco Strategic Initiative. An initiative to promote good governance and investment in Morocco.

Interview with Moroccan students

2007-04-16T15:48:00.000Z

The lovely Esra'a of Mideast Youth has just posted a very interesting podcast where she interviews Moroccan students from the slightly elitist Al Akhawayn University.
The interview is about the recent terror attacks in Casablanca.

Knowing Esra'a of her other interviews & the podcasts of Mideast Youth I'm sure this will be an interesting listen.
You can download it here or, if you're like me and at work with a stupid boss and a pc with no sound, just visit Mideast Youth for other interesting articles/podcasts/interviews

And again: 2 suicide bombers in Casa

2007-04-14T10:32:00.000Z

They're like cockroaches.

2 suicide-bombers have sent themselves to hell today after exploding in the center of Casablanca.
According to the police there were no other casualties.

I have to say that I'm happy that Moroccans are such amateurs in suicide-attacks.
Lets keep them that way.

Update: According to Aljazeera, the bombers blew themselves up to hell close to the American Cultural Center.

Moroccan take-away in London

2007-04-12T18:43:00.000Z

OK, the following may make you sick. So don't say I didn't warn you.

Today, on my home from work, I decided to buy Moroccan food from a Moroccan/North African take-away.
I was too lazy to cook and I desperately needed some nice, sweet Moroccan dish.
A friend, who is Iranian, gave me the address and phone-number of a Moroccan cafe/restaurant.
So I went and ordered some food. The menu looked normal, tajine, couscous, roasted chicken with almonds, briouat etc. etc.
There was only 1 dish that I never heard of before and that was traditional Moroccan rice with mushrooms....

And because I'm always adventurous, and like to go where no moron has gone before, I decided to order the rice dish and some chicken-briouat and kefta-briouat.
It was all wrapped up beautifully and I thought it smelled nice. And then I came home and sat down to eat it......

Here is how it looked like:

The briouat were disgusting. I didn't taste the chicken, I did see it but I couldn't taste it. The spices definitely didn't taste Moroccan.
The kefta-briouat (the square ones) were even more disgusting. It was all dry and flavourless.
But still, you could consider the briouats as Moroccan.

But the "rice"-dish! First of all, it wasn't rice! It was risotto! And the mushrooms were like those cheap mushrooms from the supermarket. The only spices used were salt and pepper! Seriously....
A close-up of the "rice"-dish

Do I need to say more? Does it even look Moroccan?
And this is supposed to be prepared by Moroccans.
I did eat it though, I mean I paid for it.

The funny thing is, there is another Moroccan take-away in Camden-market. Owned and managed by Malaysians and their Moroccan food was delicious!
Malaysians are the new Moroccans.

(Photo)-account of a moussem

2007-04-10T18:59:00.000Z

Head over to "The View from Fez" for a superb photo-diary of the Sidi Ali ben Hamdush moussem (festival held in honour of a saint)

The photos show a part of Morocco which you usually don't see in non-moroccan newspapers or holiday-brochures.
I kept on watching and stuyding the pictures during worktime. They're really amazing.

Thank you View from Fez!

Part 1 and Part 2 of the photo-account

Copyright Photo: Suzanna Clarke

Two dead in Morocco terror raid

2007-04-10T11:21:00.000Z

And another eruption of violence.

And again, one of the terrorist bastards blew himself up when he figured out that he failed miserably.
Why won't they just combust spontaneously during one of their beard-trimming secret meetings?

No seriously, its getting a bit out of hand. Don't you think as well?
And according to some, it will only get worse as Morocco is slowly becoming fertile ground for sophisticated militant groups.
(which kind of says that the ones we experienced until recently were just amateurs)

Gay-marriage in Meknes

2007-04-09T19:19:00.000Z

Well according to As-Sabah that is.

2 men held a traditional marriage-ceremony at the tomb(?) of Sidi Ali bin Hamdoush. Complete with henna-ritual, dades and ululation (that has to be the funniest word ever btw).
I bet you 2 takshitas that the story isn't true or that its exaggerated.

The article is in pdf-format and there is no direct link to it.
But I did manage to make a screencapture of the first part of the article.
I love the main picture btw. A feminine gay ( I assume) in a market. Nothing to do with the actual marriage but good enough to enforce the stereotype. Long live Moroccan journalism

Update: I think I'm a bit sloooooooow today. There is of course a direct link to the 1st page of the newspaper (otherwise I couldn't make the screencapture, duh!)
Here it is: Link (PDF!)

Neonazis and Palestinian solidarity

2007-04-08T10:19:00.000Z

Usually when you see a Palestinian flag during a demonstration in Europe, its carried by either a muslim urbanite or an (extreme)-leftist person.

These 2 types of Palestinian-flag carriers are now joined by their arch-enemies, the neonazis (at least in the Netherlands)
They too wave proudly with a Palestinian flag.
A match made in heaven!

Link
(link takes you to a video on Geenstijl.nl, a dutch shocklog. The palestinian flags and their proud balded carriers show up a couple of times in the video. Most flags can be seen somewhere half way)

Too many booktips!

2007-04-06T22:32:00.000Z

Thanks everybody for all the tips!

Today I went to the book-market and the little book-quarter of London and bought some of the titles.
The other titles have to wait for my next pay-check!
So next on my reading list are "Black Book" of Orhan Pamuk (thanks Eatbees!). I always wanted to read that book, as my introduction to Turkey and Turkish writers. My neighbour (and future flatmate) has the book as well, and according to her its superb.
After Black Book its time for the "Ground beneath her feet" (thanks Taamarbuuta and Hannibal!)
And after that its time for James Martin's "Push not the river" (thanks Myrtus!)
My neighbour has all the books of Amine Maalouf, so I didn't have to buy those (but thanks Larbi!)

Eatbees, asked why I don't go to the book-stores here in London and get seduced by the books.
Well, I've been seduced one too many times. Books used to be one of my biggest expenses until my friends put a stop to it:P
Seriously, when I just wander in a bookshop, I end up leaving with too many books and paying too much money, ending up eating macaroni with cheese for the rest of the month.
And I have to be extra careful because I'm moving again in less than 2 months time. I don't want to create more hassle. (imagine that I still have 18kilos of books in Amsterdam, waiting to be moved to London. I take 5 kilos back with me to London every-time I visit Amsterdam)

Anyway, shokran for all the tips!

Thank you & Book-tips

2007-04-04T22:25:00.000Z

Well, this post is all about interaction. Le mot du jour!

First of all, I would like to thank all of the people who commented on my posts. Seriously, I really appreciate it! (no, I'm not drunk)
Eatbees, Xoussef, Myrtus, ViewfromFez, Tsedek, Taamarbuuta, Loula, Mariam, SimplyMoroccan, Leila, Abmoul, Larbi, My Marrakesh, Hannibal and all the anonymous and others, thank you!!!! (I'm not, I repeat not, drunk!)

The 2nd part of this post is books. Seriously, I'm a book addict. I'm already halfway through "Morocco: Islamist awakening and other challenges" and I finished "Hope & Other dangerous pursuits". These books are number 24 & 25 of this year.
I need new ones now. But I kind of ran out of titles I want to read.
So I was wondering, if any of you knew some good titles. They don't have to be about Morocco, just good books. So shoot!
Preferably in English though :P

Yet another music tip

2007-04-02T15:57:00.000Z

And this time its Patrick Wolf!

I'm a sucker for sexually ambiguous musicians and their music.
His latest album, The Magic Position, just makes me spring-happy!
It's a bit dark, colourful, a bit queerlicious and the lyrics are just *wow*

Myspace
Amazon

Moroccan women get all the attention

2007-04-01T16:23:00.000Z

Well, they deserve it. Right?

Anyhow, first this little piece of women-news. The Moroccan government is going to create a council (the 637438th one) to discuss the situation of Moroccan women abroad.
According to Magharebia.com "Moroccan officials want to learn about the real needs of migrant women in order to help improve their day-to-day lives. Although their situation has improved over the years, the reality of life in their host countries can still sometimes fall short of their expectations."
I mean now the position of the Moroccan women in Morocco is 100% super and ok, its now time for the Moroccan women abroad......
Another goal of the council was the creation of the, already mythical, Council of Moroccans Living Abroad.
This is going to be council number 637439. The 14759th and the 548976th council share the same goal and are also working on the creation of council 637439.
I predict that the three councils are going to merge and form the 174th supercouncil that will preside over the creation of the 637439th council. But we need another council for that, to see who's going to be a member of the supercouncil.

The other news article is about the value of Moroccan female labour in the eyes of the European governments. The value tends to rise when the Moroccan women have children.
The Spanish are recruiting Moroccan mothers to work as temporarily labourers in Spain. They get a contract for a couple of months, earn money in Spain and go back to Morocco. (because they will miss their children and stuff)
This is a new kind of migration, called "ethical migration". The term is coined by Socialist mayor Millán, who says "Immigration is the foundation of development, when they return they will take not only money but a lot of education."

Moroccan Hezbollah in Germany

2007-03-28T20:29:00.001Z

Ok, this has to be the weirdest news-item I have read in a very long time.

According to the MEMRI-blog, an Algerian parliamentarian revealed the existence of a Moroccan "Hizbullah Party" in Germany.
He revealed it to the London-based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat. I checked the site of the latter but couldn't find anything, but that's mainly because the site is only being updated once a day or so.

But it still seems strange that an Algerian parliamentarian reveals this, don't you think?
I hope to read the article sooner or later. I'll harass the Arab newsagent tomorrow (he always keeps old copies of the last few days somewhere in his shop), otherwise I'll just read it online when the site is finally updated.

Laila Lalami & Marvin Howe

2007-03-27T22:00:00.001Z

Ooh, I'm so excited!

I just ordered books from Amazon for the first time! I actually feel very dirty now. You see, I got this phobia when it comes to online shopping.
I love bookstores and every weekend I go through the shelfs of Waterstone's or Foyles (the largest bookstores in London), usually leaving with a book or two. It is comfortable, you can skim through the books and you can smell the books ( I got this tic that I have to smell a book a couple of times before actually buying it)

So I felt like I betrayed my dearest habit when I ordered "Hope & Other Dangerous Pursuits" of Laila Lalami and "Morocco: the islamist awakening and other challenges" of Marvine Howe.
But I'm so excited now, I might harass the receptionist/night guard downstairs continuously to see if the books already arrived.

I hope the books smell nice!

The world capital of the 21st century

2007-03-26T21:17:00.001Z

According to New York Magazine, London is supposed to be the capital of the world.

The city is young, there are a lot of immigrants/expats, financial services are booming and the culture scene is impressive.

According to the magazine it comes down to this "In short, New York is cardiganed Woody Allen and London is party-dressed Lily Allen."

The skyline of London (some buildings still have to be realized)

Well that's very, very nice. I mean living in a world capital, only 10million others can say that!

But its not all glamour, party and Lilly Allen. It's tough, tough I tell you!

I have to move out in 2 months (2nd of June) and so I have to find a new apartment. And that proofs to be really difficult.

I did some viewing today and it was really disappointing. One apartment looked downright infested with I dont know what. The other one wasn't even in London I think.

I don't have a lot of wishes, I'm very easy. But I don't want to travel 1 hour or more. It's time-consuming, really expensive and smelly (the tube here is disgusting!)

But it just looks like that I have to settle with a shabby apartment somewhere in a shabby suburb, travelling in a shabby transport-system.

"Party-dressed Lily Allen" my *ss!

The already legendary NY vs London issue of NY Mag:

http://nymag.com/guides/TOC/london/

Reply to a Syrian homosexual

2007-03-24T21:08:00.001Z

Dear Lina,

I read the interview you had with Esra'a from Mideast Youth a couple of times. And every time I read it, I had mixed feelings.
First of all, I want to say "well done!" and I admire you. It takes a lot of courage and strength to come out as an Arab homosexual. Especially when you still live in the Arab world.
You risked your (social) life to be yourself and free. I can only applaud that.

But as I said, I had mixed feelings when I read your interview. Disappointment, sadness and confusion were those other feelings. Don't take the following as an attack. You can say and believe whatever you want. But I just want to show you some contradicting comments/remarks you made.

You seem to take a very harsh stance towards other gays who encounter the same prejudices you encounter in your daily life.
You say you don't agree with homosexuals who like to cross-dress and you even qualify it as "not very normal"
You clearly still fight against the concept of "normal" that is enforced by religious and conservative maniacs but in the meantime you, the "victim" of prejudice, turned into an aggressor by stating that there are limits of what is to be considered normal for gays!
Can't you see that you're making the same basic mistake as those religious/conservative maniacs? You're, in a way, siding with them by saying that what cross-dressers/feminine gays do is not normal. Those maniacs want to enforce their own limits of normal, which they base on their own irrelevant feelings and fairy tales, to create an atmosphere where people are the same without room for any diversity.
You're trying to do that as well. You're trying to use your own concept of what you consider to be "a normal gay" to decide what is "good" and what is "bad" gay-activism.
You say that you "want to see people to open their minds and accept humans in all their colors, preferences and forms."
Shouldn't start with opening your own mind and accept other kind of gays?
We will never see a less homophobic Middle East if we keep on battling amongst ourselves on what is normal and what not.

Another point of critique is about your last comment. You don't encourage other Arab gays to come out because you lost your family and others lose their lives.
First, let me tell you that we kind of share the same story. I too got rejected and kicked out of my family house when I came out. I too found a caring family that treats me as their own.
They protected me from the harassment and threats from my own family. And now their funding my education in a foreign country.
But eventually I'm happy with how things went. I'm free and independent to explore and dictate my own course of life.
It is of course a horrible feeling to live without your own family but that is the price we pay.
I encourage other Arab gays to come out as well. We should realize that we will never get accepted if we stay in the closet because of fear.
Coming out is the first step in the whole process of being accepted by our society.
Our stories (of the ones who did have the guts to come out) should be an encouragement for others to come out.
We are the proof that it is possible to be gay, arab, muslim and alive.

cross-posted on Mideast Youth

Idiotic German judge

2007-03-24T12:41:00.001Z

It can't get worse than this, right?

A German judge refuses a "fast" divorce for a Moroccan woman, because the Koran allows domestic violence. Domestic violence being the reason why the woman wanted a divorce.
Link

I always feel so happy and secure when non-Moroccan/non-muslim people decide how I should interpret and live according my cultural background.
It's just a little dark side of apologetic multiculturalism. It just happens from time to time.
Fueling anti-immigrant/anti-muslim tensions and ignoring the fact that most Moroccans just want to live according to the law of their country of residence.

Viva el multiculturalismo!

Interview with a Syrian homosexual (reading tip)

2007-03-20T22:30:00.001Z

Esra'a of Mideast Youth just posted an interview she had with a Syrian lesbian.

It is really interesting, since it is a good example of how Arab LGBT (with life-experience in the Middle East) perceive gay-activism and homosexuality.

I was planning to write a more extensive blog-post about it today, but I love procrastinating and siesta-ing.
But expect it to show up here somewhere around Friday/Saturday

Link

TV-news

2007-03-19T21:33:00.001Z

Finally a seperate Star Academy for the Maghreb-region!
I was getting fed up with all those contestants from Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan. At a sudden moment they all start to look like each other.
I do hope that more big (Arab) shows come with their own Maghreb-version.
I mean, we áre a little bit different.

Another bit of tv-news is the little uproar in the Netherlands about the decision to replace RTL7 (one of the most boring Dutch tv-channels) in the Amsterdam cable-tv package with Rotana Music.
According to the body responsible for the distribution of cable airtime (or whatever you call it in English), RTL7 is performing very bad in the Amsterdam region. So they decided to replace it with Rotana Music because of the big Arabic speaking population of Amsterdam.
Stupid decision. First of all, there is no big Arabic speaking population in Amsterdam. Unless you count the 1500-strong Egyptian community as big. The biggest community from the MENA are the Moroccans. Most of them speak a Imazighen language or Darija. 2 languages you hardly ever hear on Rotana.
Second of all, every self-respecting Moroccan household has a satellite-dish. So they already receive Rotana.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. I want E! TV or the Fashion Channel. Not Rotana!

Blanco voting and the next elections

2007-03-18T23:45:00.001Z

Through this post of Xoussef and this post of Moonlight , I stumbled upon this editorial of Ahmed Benchemsi of Telquel.

Benchemsi advises people to vote blanco during the next elections. According to him it's the only relevant choice during the elections. He predicts that the "blanco vote"-party would be one of the biggest winners.
It would wake up the political elite of the country and cause a change in the Moroccan politics.

I kind of understand his point of view. Blanco voting is usually a very good way of showing your disillusion with the current political state.
But I'm wary of the consequences this may have in the upcoming elections.
It's almost certain that the PJD, the islamist party, will be the only winner during the next elections.
Other mainstream, (nominally) secular parties are facing a major defeat.

And for some reason, I don't believe that the blanco-voter is the same as the PJD-voter. A blanco-voter is usually not a member of a grass-root movement like the PJD. Otherwise they wouldn't vote blanco (correct me if I'm wrong)
The people who would vote blanco are usually the people who used to vote for traditional parties (in this case the (nominally) secular parties of Morocco)
In other words, a blanco vote equals a vote for the PJD. The electoral victory of the PJD will seem even bigger.

I wonder if Benchemsi knows what the full impact is of a blanco vote.
The main reasons why he advises a blanco vote are political and democratic change. Are these changes possible if only 1 party wins the elections with a very large majority?
Is it possible to achieve democratic changes if the ruling elite is shellshocked by its loss and introduces undemocratic measures to do some damage-control (something that is bound to happen)
Benchemsi really must see the PJD as a political party that wants to achieve democratic and political change for áll the Moroccans. Instead, the PJD is a party that wants to turn Morocco into a more conservative, religious, closed country.

I actually doubt it that Benchemsi really wants to see the PJD as the only victorious party during the next elections. I also doubt it that he believes that the PJD is the only motor behind political and democratic changes.
Instead, I think that he just made a remark without really understanding what the true impact of it is.

On post-frequency, homesickness and 60's pop

2007-03-18T00:11:00.001Z

I try, really try to post everyday. But these days I'm just really not in the mood.
But I will force myself from now on. OK not really but I'll try!

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I'm really homesick. So homesick, that I ate 2 jumbo-packs of Dutch chocolate-sprinkles in 1 day. Which made even more sad, because I'm addicted to Dutch chocolate-sprinkles and I can't buy them anywhere here in London.
But I still have my Dutch smoked sausages and dried herring!

Anyhow, I'm going on a holiday to Amsterdam somewhere around the 10th of May.
Its the semifinals and finals of the Eurovision Song Contest that weekend. And as a queer I can't miss out on that! Alcohol, finger food, bitchiness and horrible music. Thats what life is all about!

And concerning nice/horrible music. You have to download the Pipettes!
My "super-father" send me the album by post. According to him it's 60's girlpop pulp, and therefore typically me. I received it yesterday and I've been listening to it since.

Click for their Myspace

Stop the orgy of arrests

2007-03-17T23:30:00.001Z

Following the suicide-attack of some egoist-islamist nutjob in Casablanca, the Moroccan government decided to have another "crackdown" and arrested 18 suspects.

Morocco has a very rich history of arresting tens of suspects at the same time.
But we damn well know that usually this is just a big show. The Moroccan government can't expect the people to believe that all of them are actual accomplices or had something to do with the attacks.
This is just a dirty, inhuman, un-free way of working.

On one hand I'm happy with every blow the government brings to the islamist nutjobs, I prefer to see a Morocco where everybody has the right to be free. In that field Morocco is not perfect, but the current government/regime are the only ones who can make the step forward. Islamist nutjobs are only able to make a step backwards ( a couple of centuries backwards)

On the other hand, I'm against this type of mass-arrests. Arrests that will only further anger some segments of the population.
It's not an "eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth". Somebody needs to have the upper-hand. Don't let the islamist nutjobs be the one.

A little bit of decent justice, won't do anybody harm.

Back to blogging again

2007-03-14T20:34:00.000Z

Today my best friend went back home.
So I have time to blog again, yeah! (I think)

His stay here in London was the best thing ever happened to me, since I moved here.
We talked, got drunk, talked, walked, got drunk, talked and Starbucks'ed during the last couple of days.
And he made my day with his super-funny fraternity-humour! He is a typical white dutch frat-boy with typical white Dutch frat-humour, read: rude, bit discriminating, cynical and yet educated.

And now I'm homesick.
But that will fade away by next week I guess (pay-week hehe)
And I'll see him again in 2 months time.

Anyhow, I'm back!

Maruja and Merendin

2007-03-06T22:50:00.001Z

Thanks to Xoussef, I now have a desktop-image of a Maruja chocolate-bar and a Merendin-cake!
Mmmm, Moroccan sweets!!

Thanks! Me so happy now!

Light-blogging again

2007-03-06T22:44:00.001Z

Euh yeah, I've been very lazy in blogging and checking other blogs this couple of days.
This Monday I started my new job and I actually have to work hard! And I walk everyday 1 hour to and 1 hour from my job back home.(since I ran out of transportcard-money)

So it kind of figures that when I come home, I'm extremely tired. I hope I'll get used to this new routine as quick as possible so I can get back to my normal internet& blogging routine ;)
This weekend I won't be posting anyhow. My best friend is visiting me from Holland. So I'll probably be busy shopping with him and getting drunk.

But one little thing, I have beghrir and rghaiaf for lunch! There is a North African lunch-cafe just down the street from where I work.

See ya!

Moroccan Berbers want independence

2007-03-05T23:31:00.001Z

Ok, this is very strange.
From MEMRI:

In an interview with the liberal Berber website "Tamazgha," Mustapha Berhouchi, president of the TADA umbrella group of Moroccan Berber organizations, said that the Berbers need a state of their own: "In a world where a fanatical Islam is looking to acquire nuclear capabilities, and faced with Europe's hypocritical attitude, the Imazighen (i.e. Berbers), if they want to continue to exist as a people, have no choice but to acquire a state."

In a separate statement, the CNCCOT, a Moroccan organization demanding official status for the Berber language in Morocco, called for a new secular and democratic constitution, guarantees of freedom of expression, and an end to Morocco's membership in the Arab League: "The Moroccan authorities' membership in illusory, phantom organizations like the Arab League is nothing but a waste of time and money… We demand that Morocco withdraw from the Arab League and from all the racist organizations of which it is a member."

They're probably just a splinter-group of something right? I can't imagine a large, umbrella-group to make a statement like this. Especially not in these times.
Does anyone know more?

The statements in French:

TADA Statement
CNCCOT -statement

Moroccan products I really miss

2007-03-04T18:10:00.001Z

Sometimes, somehow I get this craving for Moroccan food/products.
I think that my parents implanted me with this chip that activates my cravings once every month or so.

So in order to relieve myself a bit from these cravings, I decided to share it with you.
OK, most of the following products aren't exactly Moroccan products, as in manufactured and owned by Moroccan companies.
But they are being sold everywhere in Morocco and are part of my MSFD (Moroccan-Summer Food Diet)

First is Sidi Ali! It could've been easy Sidi Harazem, I really don't taste the difference. But the logo of Sidi Ali is aesthetically more pleasing.

And then we have Kiri!
Mmmm. Kiri is/was the most convenient beach-food! (if it didn't melt in our bags that is)
And somehow, it was also the main food product if you were sick. Kiri, Sidi Ali and chorba (soup), for a healthy living.

Another favorite beachfood was bocadillo. (we always stayed in Tetouan or Cabo Negro, hence the spanish products)
Especially the ones where they chucked everything in. Chicken, fries, peppers, sardines, olives, lemon, all in 1 sandwich! And sometimes it had a little bit of sand in it!

Oh and Tide! Ok you can't actually eat this and you can buy it practically everywhere (except most European countries) but the Tide-commercials were Morocco at its best! They were so cheesy and if we were bored we used to make our own Tide-commercials
And they used Tide for doing the dishes, laundry, cleaning the windows, washing their hands and even their hair!(in rural areas that is)

And of this one I couldn't find any pictures on the net. But it's a big chocolate bar called Maruja (I think it was Spanish). It was wrapped in red paper and Maruja was wriiten in white golden borders. It was filled with nuts and sooo delicious!

Cola Cao! The chocolate drink. Oh that was so unhealthy yet so delicious and addictive. (just grab a spoon and start eating the powder)

So thats it for now. Water and bread is waiting for me on the kitchen table

Dutch MRE's and politicians

2007-03-03T13:58:00.001Z

In the Netherlands Dutch politicians have been having heavy debates on the position of Turkish and Moroccan MP's and cabinet-members.

In one of my previous posts I mentioned that the current government has 2 junior-members, Ahmed Aboutaleb and Nebahat Albayrak.
Dutch (far)-rightist politician Geert Wilders demands their resignation because both of them still have a dual nationality.
People tended to concentrate on the Turkish politicians, since the Turkish state does give its citizens the right to revoke their nationality.
So Aboutaleb and the Moroccan politicians were kind of excused and people demanded the head of Albayrak and the other Turks.

But that áll changed now. Dutch radio-station Wereldomroep found out that a Moroccan MP, Khadija Arib, is holding a position in the CCDH (Conseil Consultatif des droits de l'Homme). A body created and appointed by the King himself. The aim is to strengthen the (political) ties between Morocco and the MRE's
A very weird position for Khadija Arib since the Dutch state repeatedly showed us that they aim at the opposite, a weakening of the political ties between Morocco and the MRE's.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.
People claim that this is treason, espionage and illegal.
Khadija Arib replies with this "I'm not loyal to Morocco, I'm not loyal to the Netherlands, I'm loyal to my own principles, human rights and women rights"

Well frankly, I don't care who she's loyal to. I just care about the state of her brains!
Khadija Arib is supposed to be one of the most experienced Moroccan-Dutch politicians. One of the best-dressed and one of the most admired.
How could she not realize that accepting a position within the CCDH would mean that rightist politicians will demand her head and that of the other Moroccan-Dutch politicians.
How could she risk the achievements of the Dutch-Moroccan politicians?
We're living in a time were politicians claim that "the Islamic tsunami has reached the government" when we appoint two secular, wine-drinking muslim politicians to the government.
She could've been more careful.

(Khadija Arib during a meeting of the committee. She's the the second from left. Well she's the only woman on the picture)

Multiculturalism debate

2007-03-02T23:47:00.001Z

If you're interested in the multiculturalism debate in Europe, I advise you to read the articles on Sign and Sight.
Columnist and renowned philosophers having sophisticated catfights on how to integrate Europe's muslims (think Tariq Ramadan, Ian Buruma and Pascal Bruckner)
The internet-debate garnered a lot of attention in the European press.

You can read everything here
Enjoy!

Daba (Now)

2007-03-02T23:29:00.000Z

Through the blog of AbdouKamel I found this interesting site of DABA (Now)

Daba is an organization that aims to make politics interesting for women and youngsters and encourage them to participate.
They aim to break the political scene open for the youth and women, and hope that during the next elections (Sep. 2007) the voting-participation amongst this 2 groups will be higher.

Anyhow, you can read more on their site if you want more and precise information.

It is actually a very good initiative. They seem quite open and approachable. Which is unique in the Moroccan political sphere.
They hope to achieve their goals through an extensive multimedia-campaign and by touring the country.
All the major political parties (incl. the PJD) seem to be their target.

As an armchair-activist I like to criticize but in this particular case I couldn't come up with any criticism. (believe me, that's unique!)
I just hope that they're going to survive.
I know how hard it is for an initiative like this to stay active and "fresh". The old political scene, in almost every country, seems to have a strange dislike for everything thats young and/or female. Resulting in the decay of the organization (especially if you don't have strong backers)

I was wondering if any of you met them? Or saw the tv-ads of Daba?

Feminist celebrations for the princess

2007-03-01T23:25:00.001Z

According to this article, the birth of Princess Lalla Khadija will be marked with feminist celebrations.

I first read it in my feed-reader, so I immediately thought of hardline feminist like Nawal El Saadawi and Fatima Mernissi leading the celebrations with speeches, slogans and chants in front of the Moroccan masses ( Liberty! Armpit hair! No more kitchens!!!!)
I was already planning to hitchhike my way to Morocco.

But then I read the article, its just a normal celebration. As in, they will spend the same amount of money and time as they did when the prince was born.
Bummer.

New princess is born!

2007-03-01T01:05:00.001Z

M6 and beautiful redhead Lalla Salma just added another member to the royal family.
Yesterday (Wednesday) Princess Salma gave birth to Princess Lalla Khadija!
Congrats!!!!!

Oeh I hope she's beautiful. In other words, I dont hope she has the same ears as her father (and grandfather)
But I bet she's beautiful!
Oeh she must be a redhead, please let her be a redhead!

Btw, Myrtus are you a psychic? You reported this 2 weeks ago already! Do you have sources within the royal palaces? If so, can I have their phone number?

Following my post on Moroccan-Israeli relations

2007-02-28T17:23:00.001Z

Some Moroccan politicians do have brains and guts to approach Israel normally.
The Mayor of Marrakesh for instance. He signed a trilateral accord with Marseille (Fr.) and Haifa in Israel. He didn't sign it directly with Haifa though. Everything went through Marseille, which is the sister-city of both Haifa and Marrakech.
But the mayor did go on a picture with Haifa's mayor:

(Moroccan mayor is on the right, the Israeli one on the left)

The accord is nothing special really, it "provides for tourism training for students from Marrakesh and Haifa in Marseille".
But it's still remarkable.

But ofcourse, Morocco also has its share of Israel-haters and religious wackos. The local PJD threatened the mayor with an "intifada" against this scandalous decision. How dare they normalize ties with a zionist city! Bad mayor, bad mayor!

(via MEMRI)

Morocco - Israel

2007-02-28T00:28:00.000Z

Last week I read this most touching story on Israellycool about a Moroccan guy who ended up living in Israel.

You can read the story here.
To summarize the whole thing, Fayce from a Casablancan (poor) suburb ends up studying in Israel. In Casablanca he went to a Jewish school and from there he succeeded in entering an Israeli university.

Now this story is very remarkable, since it is quite unusual. When I read it I was astonished by the simplicity of the story. How "easy" it is to adapt in Israel, to enter Israel and succeed there, even as a Moroccan muslim.
It also shows how normal everything actually should be.

In the article Fayce is quoted saying that Tel Aviv and Casablanca are two sides of one large Mediterranean culture.
In my opinion, he couldn't have said it better. Without trying to sound as an überhipster, but I did my share of travelling in the Middle East. And the 3 most remarkable cities are Tel Aviv, Casablanca and Beirut.
All three share a thriving Middle-Western community, as I like to call it.
People claim that Istanbul is the main East-West gateway, but personally I think that that title should go to these 3 cities.
Walking around in Beirut, Casablanca or Tel Aviv makes you feel like you're in Europe but in a "Middle Eastern" way.

But still, the 3 cities are divided by political and psychological borders.
Borders that shouldn't exist. I'm of course talking about the fact that Morocco and Lebanon are not recognizing Israel as a state.
I can't talk about the whole Israel-Lebanon thing, thats a problem between those 2 countries.
But Morocco-Israel is a different story.

It's kind of a known fact that the ruling elites in both countries are pretty close.
Something Morocco should be proud of.
A lot of times people claim that, as an "Arab" country, Morocco shouldn't foster good relations with Israel until the Palestine-question is settled.
Well up yours and nonsense. The Palestine-question shouldn't play a major role in how Morocco defines its relationship with Israel.
I would like to note here that European countries, who dó recognize Israel, have done more for the Palestinians then the so-called Arab brethern states.
Recognizing Israel doesn't mean that Morocco neglects the Palestinian cause or wishes to see all Palestinians driven in to the sea.
In fact, it means that Morocco wishes to act as a responsible state and wishes to look for a responsible solution.
Not recognizing Israel is a childish, easy way of acting and a disgusting way of pretending that Morocco cares about the Palestinians.

So no half-hearted liasion-offices and semi-official relations but the real thing! I want to see a Moroccan flag in Tel Aviv and an Israeli flag in Rabat.
And I hope and expect that soon it will happen.

Moon over Morocco (Podcast)

2007-02-27T00:42:00.001Z

Starting next Thursday (March 1) an old radioshow will be broadcasted again (from the ZBS foundation) called Moon over Morocco, a Jack Flanders tale.

As you kind of guessed, the story is situated in Morocco. Jack Flanders travels to Morocco in search of natural magic and en route discovers the sounds and culture of Morocco (and more but you just have to listen)
One of my teachers had the cd's and forced us to listen to the whole story. I thought it was actually quite nice. But my teacher thought otherwise, according to her it was another example of "how we westerners have a distorted view of North Africa".
I think she never knew of the existence of pop-culture or "hippie-culture".

Anyhow, the sounds are very nice. And according to BoingBoing the music was recorded by the legendary Paul Bowles! I didn't know that, so an extra incentive to listen.

Anyhow it will be available as podcast. The first show is on the 1st of March. And then everyday, 7 weeks long.
The podcast will be available here

(via BoingBoing)

Book: Where's Bin Laden?

2007-02-27T00:06:00.001Z

Where's Bin Laden?

Well this one isn't actually a proper book but an illustrated book/comic book.
If you like "Where's Waldo" you'll like this one (you have to!)

A mission of 30 pages. Find Bin Laden, CIA-agents, terrorists etc. in the illustrated pages and complete your mission.
Don't try to complete your mission when you're having a hangover though, you'll get nauseous.

$9.95 at Amazon.

Conservapedia

2007-02-25T19:55:00.001Z

If you have internet (duh) you've probably read something about Conservapedia, the new conservative Wikipedia-like encyclopedia.
It was founded as an alternative to the liberal, America-hating, atheist Wikipedia.

Nothing wrong with that, right? I mean conservative, bible-belt, religious nutjobs have internet as well and want their own little bubble on the internet. Just like in the real world.
Because it's so conservative and biased, it makes fun reading! Seriously, go make yourself some nice cocktail (or just coke if you don't drink), get popcorn and enjoy! I did!

But be aware of entries like this:

Besides 6 million Jews dying, 3 million Christians were killed also along with many priests and nuns. This is a very touchy subject for the Jews and is not often discussed amongst them.
Link

they might leave you in a permanent state of shock.

Viagra in the Arab world

2007-02-24T18:15:00.001Z

Hehehe

And the story behind it

(via Adsoftheworld.com)

National hypocrisy, Part 2

2007-02-24T01:47:00.000Z

To finish my previous entry on my nationality and the (lack of) rights coming with it.

The reason I wanted to give up my nationality is that I don't do anything with it. I don't need it and usually we throw stuff away we don't need, right?
Of course my actions were also triggered by the discussion in the Netherlands concerning the dual nationality of the (junior) cabinet-member Ahmed Aboutaleb (about whom I blogged here)
Rightist politicians are questioning his loyalty. Is he loyal to the Queen of the Netherlands or to the King of Morocco? Of course this whole discussion was based on fear for the Other. It was surrounded with hatred and distrust of everything thats not 100% Dutch.
Ahmed Aboutaleb already proved himself to be a loyal Dutch politician.
Some people who initially complained about the dual nationality of Aboutaleb backed down when it came out that our future queen Maxima, an Argentinian, has a dual nationality herself. She can't give up her Argentinian nationality as well, just like the 315.000 Moroccans in the Netherlands

But nonetheless, I kind of understood where the rightist politicians were coming from. It is weird to have a politician in your government who has two nationalities.
It ís different than a politician with only 1 nationality.
But this discussion wasn't my main motive to give up my nationality. Something else motivated me. A discriminating law from the Moroccan state.

Just to clarify things, the Moroccan state won't let you give up your nationality. Even if you took your Moroccan passport to your local embassy and whiped your tuches with it in public, you would just get a new one.
So all the Moroccans living, and probably born, outside Morocco are still Moroccan nationals.

Some people would say where the harm is in all this? In one of the comments in the previous post somebody asked if it bothers me in my day-to-day life.
My answer would be that it doesn't bother my day-to-day life. But it does bother me on ideological, personal and political level.
The thing is that although I have my Moroccan nationality, I'm not allowed to vote in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Morocco.

I see this as unfair. There are around 4 million Moroccans living outside of Morocco, approximately 12% of the population. Most of those Moroccans work their asses of to send money back to Morocco. They keep the country floating. We invest in the country, we spend our holiday-money there.
Every year the Moroccan state receives between 3-4 billion dollars from the Moroccan immigrants., thats around 10% of the national GDP.
And yet, the Moroccan state doesn't allow us to vote. We have no right whatsoever to have a say in how the money is being spend. Or how the country should be run.
We are Morocco's "greatest resource" but we are kept silent.
In a way, we're second class citizens.

If I'm forced to be Moroccan, why not let me vote? And if I'm not allowed to vote, why not let me give up my nationality?
Isn't this profiting from your own citizens? I know Morocco does that all the time (and to some extent, all states do that) but at least the citizens ín Morocco get to vote in half-rigged elections.

If we are the "greatest resource" of Morocco, shouldn't you take our opinion in consideration? We're not money-making machines. We are your citizens. Most of the Moroccans living outside Morocco care about their country. The first-generation suffered a lot so that they can build up their country and the lives of their relatives in Morocco. Is this how you repay them? By telling them to shut up, be Moroccan and send money back home? Is this your gratitude?

I just don't get it! Why are you afraid of letting us vote or letting us give up our nationality?
Taking away a piece of paper doesn't take away the sense of cultural and financial loyalty most Moroccans have towards the country.
Letting us vote doesn't turn us into beasts trying to manipulate the country.

If Morocco pretends and tries to be a civilized, reforming country then it should let us vote or let us give up our nationality.
But don't tie us down.

National hypocrisy

2007-02-23T14:56:00.001Z

This week I tried to give up my Moroccan nationality. Without success.

I went to the consulate and the embassy and asked them to "un-nationalise" me. I told them that I threw my moroccan passport and carte nationale away and now I wanted them to completely revoke my Moroccan citizenship.
The personnel gave me weird looks and said that it was impossible to do so. I was Moroccan forever. From the day I was born till the day I die, I'll be a Moroccan.

I said that it was OK, but as a Moroccan citizen, I want to excercise all the rights given to me by the Moroccan constitution.
They said that they can't because Moroccan law doesn't allow me to excercise my rights.

Of course I got pretty mad and explained them that every country that cares about it citizens, especially the ones keeping the country from falling into extreme poverty, allowed them all their rights.
I told them that what they're doing now was humiliating and actually a form of national imprisonment.

I hissed that they were hypocrites and left.

More details and longer post later.

Anyone fancy a fez?

2007-02-23T01:09:00.001Z

This Flickr-pool is so funny!

233 photos of people wearing fezzes(?). How cool is that?! Ok not that cool, but it certainly is funny.
I need to go and buy one.

(via Boingboing)

On a personal note

2007-02-22T16:31:00.001Z

Today I woke up to be a very happy and lucky person!

I got accepted for a course that I really wanted to enter (last year I didn't get accepted)
So starting next year I'll be studying Peace&Conflict-studies! Woehoe!
I'm just waiting for another application at another university for a similar course. If I get accepted for that one I'll have a hard time deciding which one I'll attend. Oh luxury-problems.....

Another reason for me to be happy is that today I finally got a decent job! And I seriously believe that I got the job because I talked about the style-goddess Farah Diba. The person interviewing me was a really nice Persian girl.

But I'm in no party-mood. Egyptian blogger Abdel Kareem got jailed today for 4 years for voicing his opinion on the old men of Azhar and Mubarak.

This just shows us that the Middle East is still behind on nearly every aspect of human rights and free speech.
A sad day for the bloggers of Egypt and blogging Middle East and North-Africa.

Google Earth in Morocco

2007-02-21T21:26:00.001Z

I was just reading this article on BBC about the art of story-telling in Morocco and how it was disappearing.
Most young Moroccans don't care anymore about story-telling, they just love all those south-american telenovellas like the one of Maria-Guadaloupe! She was so cool!
A couple of summers ago when I went to Morocco all the market-ladies were selling t-shirts with the imprint of Guadaloupe's face on it!

Anyway, the BBC-article ends with saying that the Moroccan government blocked Google Earth in Morocco!
I know this happened in Bahrain but I never heard of a block in Morocco.
I tried googling it but couldn't find anything.
Does somebody know more?
And it is blocked in Morocco right? So that means that the maps of the palaces are not blurred? Its just that the whole device is blocked but the maps are still normal and there?

Update: Oh oops, I couldn't find anything on Google because I misspelled Morocco.....
Anyway lets change the subject quickly, can somebody tell me where all the palaces are located? I know in which cities but where exactly?

Eurabian homosexuals

2007-02-21T00:58:00.000Z

A while ago Eatbees posed a question about homosexuality and Islam.
His question was if it was possible to be a "practicing homosexual" and a "good Muslim" at the same time. He wondered if there was a middle ground whereby Islam and homosexuality could co-exist.

My answer was/is yes on both. You can be a practicing homosexual and a good Muslim. Because both are an individual choice, whether you like it or not. Her Holiness Madonna and God can't force you to be something you don't want to be and can't force you not to be something you want to be.
But I know that this is an opinion that's being attacked by both Islamic radicals and Cher-loving radical gays.

And yes there is a middle ground, although not very big at the moment. Heterosexuals Muslims and homosexuals can coexist without attacking each other. As I mentioned at Eatbees' blog, the keyword here is respect. Its not acceptance/endorsement that leads to coexistence. Although acceptance would definitely help.
Respect has a far bigger role to play. People can live next to each other without accepting each others lifestyle.
Let me first explain what I actually mean with acceptance. Acceptance, in this case, means that the Muslims accept the gay lifestyle and homosexuality. Thus saying that Islam doesn't forbid homosexual acts.
Respect in this case, means that Muslims don't accept or condone homosexuality. They still think that Islam doesn't allow homosexual acts but they at least respect the lifestyle. Meaning that they don't go on a hunt for homosexuals and punish them for their lifestyles.

I think most (ex)-Muslim gays, including me, don't ask for acceptance but just normal respect.
For example, I can live next to a dog-eating satanist without accepting his way of living. I won't condone it but I will respect it because clearly that's how he/she wants to live his/her life.
And that's what I want when I live in a Muslim country next to a practicing heterosexual Muslim. Or when I lived in a predominantly muslim neighborhood of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
The problem here is that most Muslims think that respect has to come with acceptance. That when they don't punish a homosexual that it means that they condone the practice .
And this way of thinking is one of the main reasons why gays still face persecution and uncertainty in Muslim societies.

Eatbees asked me in the comments if I think that the gains made by muslim homosexuals in Europe (where a growing number of them dare to take a stance against the Islamic homophobia) can end up having a positive effect in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

I thought about that question for some time. And I came to the conclusion that the gains of Muslim homosexuals in Europe won't have any or little effect in their countries of origin.
Main reason for this is the fact that Muslim homosexuals in Europe fight another battle in another environment then their counterparts in the MENA-region.
We are already accepted and "protected" by our society and governments, we have no fear of being arrested for speaking out. We only fight against the prejudice and the violence within our families.
In the MENA-region homosexuals have to fight against both prejudice and violence coming both from their families as well as their own governments.
This difference in battle makes it difficult for European Muslim gays to help the ones in the MENA-region.
Actually, we just don't have the experience in that field.

The gays in the MENA-region have their own battle to fight. They know their society and their government, they know how everything works.
The heavy burden is on them. Relying on gay Muslims from Europe would be disastrous.
Heterosexual (conservative) Muslims and their governments would perceive this as yet another intrusion of the "Western world". Resulting in an even bigger denial of gay-rights.
The gay Muslims in Europe would be unable to take proper actions because of a lack of knowledge within and about the region.
We are the sons and daughters of immigrants. We may think we know the country of our parents but we only know the holiday-version.

We can provide basic help and financial, mental and logistical assistance. But we can't solve the problems and a situation which we never experienced in its totality.
That is something the gays in MENA have to do themselves.

Crossposted to Mideast-Youth

Terrorist are proud drag-queens as well!

2007-02-21T00:06:00.001Z

Drag power!!

One of the suspects of the 21 july London terror-plots tried to escape from the police wearing a burqa and a beautiful, light-coloured handbag. (presumably a fake Vuitton from Thailand)
Now the photos appeared!

The burqa certainly did help him! From Queen Ugliness to Queen Sheba

Before:

After:

Iraqi gays still hunted down

2007-02-20T21:06:00.000Z

Apparently, Iraqi gays are still being murdered by murderous wacko-islamic radicals.

And according to Ali Hili, leader of an Iraqi gay-rights group, some ministers of the Iraqi government are "colluding with death squads responsible for the “sexual cleansing” of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) Iraqis"

We constantly hear about Iraqi Christians, Sunnis and Shia being massacred by wacko-islamic radicals. But what about the homosexuals? How come they're invisible in the eyes of the Western and Arab media?
Ali Hili states that these death-squads from the Sadr and Badr militias know what they're doing. They target not only "normal" homosexuals but also LGBT-activists that report homophobic incidents. The abduction of 5 activists is an example of this.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq recently stated that there were organised campaigns to slaughter gays in Iraq.

The Iraqi government criticized the report stating that Iraq simply can't give basic human rights to homosexuals simply because it's Iraq.
Apparently, the Iraqi government believes that not killing gays equals giving them the right to marry.

And the worst thing is that the UK and US government refuse to give Iraqi gays asylum on grounds of persecution.
So far, for having the moral high ground.

Order some Moroccan-made hot t-shirts

2007-02-19T22:31:00.001Z

Well they aren't really made in Morocco but one of the designers is a Moroccan-Dutch girl.
She designed a couple of shirts with another Dutch designer, the shirts are being sold at their e-shop Collectionarab

But the shirts are hot. They all have an Arabic-print design on them with tacky words like "Peace" and "Music". But they really look nice! Especially the one with "Peace" in Arabic and a fighter-jet printed on it.
The shirts cost €29.95

(h/t Houtlust)

(ps. do expect a longer post this week. I've been too busy lately to write a long post. But now I have more time)

Concerning the comments on this blog

2007-02-19T22:15:00.001Z

I got some emails and comments about my comment-section here.

Most people think that the comment-section doesnt work because they dont see anything appear when they click on "comments"
I just wanted to say that when you click on "comments" that the comments wont appear in a new window or new page.
Instead they will appear at the end of the post. So you have to scroll down a bit.
After you did this a "Post a comment"-link will appear under the existing comments (or immediately if there are no comments). If you click on this "Post a comment"-link a new window will appear where you can verbally harass me.

Please tell me if there are still problems.
I'm trying to install the Haloscan-comment thingy but it doesnt work. So I'm stuck with this.

Music: The Gossip

2007-02-18T21:40:00.001Z

This is a partial personal blog.
That doesnt mean though that I'm gonna blog about my (non-existent) love-life.
It does mean that I'm gonna bombard you sometimes with my music-addiction and other stuff.
Like now.

Ever wondered how indie rock and the voice of a Arkansas-lesbian with armpit hair and a transgender as fiancee sounds like?
Well download the Gossip. Its superb!
Beth Ditto, the vocalist, has one of the best voices in that whole indie-sphere. And the lyrics are super.
Especially "Standing in the way of control". One of their biggest mainstream hits ( ok, ok their only one) and a song written as a response after the US government decided to deny gays the right to marry.
But other songs like Listen up and Coal to Diamonds are very good as well.
Just download it.

So that was one of the "BO18's music bombardments" . See you next time!

About Magharebia.com

2007-02-18T18:43:00.000Z

I have been addicted for a while now to Magharebia.com
It is a superb English-language news-site, especially after Morocco-times closed down.
The design of the site is OK, not the usual "mystic north-african" design that is so common nowadays (ie no moroccan lamps, weird letter-fonts etc.)
I also love the fact that they have a weekly report on what was/is happening in the Maghreb-blogosphere.
And the quality of their own articles is just good (most of the times)

But as you all might know, the site is sponsored by the US European Command (USEUCOM)
I didn't know this, I just started actively using it when I started this blog (just over a month now)
Anyhow, I wondered how well received this site is in the Moroccan and Maghreb blogosphere?
The site caters news in Arabic, French and English. So I guess that its accessible for every blogger out there.

I know that some (if not most) of the more literate maghrebi's are allergic for everything thats sponsored by the US government. (think Sawa, Al Hurra etc)
They mostly believe in this big conspiracy of brainwashing and preparing us for a new military intervention blablabla. The usual.
So I guess that Magharebia.com won't be their first choice as news-site. They'll probably rely on other news-sources (like for instance their own governments or government-sponsored France24, BBC-World etc etc)
French-language bloggers have a big choice of "independent" news-sources. So I guess they dont give a damn about Magharebia and its background.

But for us English-language bloggers it a different situation.
We have almost no other options then Magharebia. We can use news-wires like AP, AFP, Reuters etc, but that is such a hassle. Magharebia is more convenient.
But do you keep its sponsors in mind when you read the content? Just wondering you know.

I actually dont care who the site is sponsored by. As long as they are the only ones who bring me daily Maghreb-news in English, I'll stick by them.
And last time I checked I had brains and I could evaluate things independently. The site is good for basic news and blogosphere reviews.
I just wish that the site could be a little bit more organized.
Separate country-pages, more categories in the sidebar (instead of only news and sport)
And it couldn't do harm either if the person behind the podcast actually stops when there is a full-stop in the transcript.
Sometimes it sounds like the podcast is one big sentence, while its not.

But the fact that there is a podcast, is very admirable. Loooove the podcast!

Air Mauritanie hijack - Part 2

2007-02-16T10:02:00.001Z

Last night I posted about the hijack of an Air Mauritanie plane.
Some newsagencies reported that the lone hijacker was Moroccan, while others mentioned his nationality as Mauretanian.

Today it came out that it was a Moroccan from the Western Sahara. He lived in Mauretania for a couple of months before deciding to hijack his way to France.
The hijacker wanted to immigrate to France. He applied for a visum but he got rejected a couple of times.
Some people decide to take a crappy boat to reach Europe. This guy took an airplane.
Illegal immigration revisited!

Or did he want to go to France for political reasons? I mean it ís Western Sahara. It wouldn't be that a surprise.
The hijacker requested a stop in Morocco-controlled Western Sahara but the Moroccan authorities refused, saying they didn't know the plane was hijacked!
Something smells fishy here, dont you think?

London Thursday

2007-02-15T23:34:00.001Z

Wow, 4 posts in a day. Must be a record for me!

Anyhow, todays London photo is a photo of a door. Yes a door. It is a door of one of my uni buildings.
And I actually do live in this particular building.
Isn't it a beautiful door?

North African plane-hijacker arrested

2007-02-15T22:56:00.001Z

According to Reuters a North-african hijacker of an Air Mauritanie airplane is arrested in the Spanish Canaries.

The hijjacker hijacked a flight from Nouadhibou (Mauretania) to the Canaries after a fuel stop in Moroccan(-occupied) Western Sahara.
The lone hijacker wanted to go to France.

According to Reuters, the Spanish authorities say that the hijacker was North-african.
The Dutch newsagency ANP states the nationality of the hijacker as "Moroccan".
Although other sources (Dutch link) say that the hijacker was Mauritanian.
So we still don't know.

Anyhow, the lunatic is overpowered and I think we will know more by tomorrow.

Do not commemorate Saddam

2007-02-15T16:51:00.001Z

Thats the clear message from the Moroccan government.

Some nutjobs wanted to demonstrate in front of the US embassy to mark the 40 days since the execution of Saddam. But the government prevented it.
Seriously, why do they miss him? I'm comforting myself with the idea that they're probably just illiterate, tv-less scumbags with an IQ of 80 who don't know the real history.

Demonstrating against US-troops in Iraq, ok. Demonstrating to commemorate Saddam Hussein, big NO-NO!
There was a word in Moroccan for people like this (and for people like Saddam), I think it was "wahsj" (sorry if the transcription is a bit weird ;)

Spain still in denial on chemical attacks in Morocco

2007-02-15T10:38:00.001Z

I always had and have a high regard of Spain. Barcelona, liberal, tapas, gaymarriage and shellshocked catholics.

But this little newsfact kind of disturbs me. According to Reuters, the Spanish parliament rejected a debate about the use of chemical weapons during its occupation of Northern Morocco in the 1920s
Spain frequently used chemical weapons on both civilian and troop targets, killing many.

I always assumed that the Spanish government accepted and recognized the fact that it did use chemical weapons during the colonial wars.
But apparently Spain is still in a state of denial.
The Catalan party Esquerra Republicana proposed the motion to debate the issue. Saying that "the simple fact that it has been discussed in parliament for the first time is already a victory"

Actually its not that a surprise that Spain still didn't debate this issue.
Especially when you consider that the country has only been functioning normally for about 25 years.
It took other countries, in similar situations, even longer to recognize their dark past.
The fact that a Spanish party dared to question Spain's slightly distorted view of history is a major step.

Guantanamo coming to Morocco

2007-02-14T17:31:00.000Z

Guantanamo is coming to Morocco! Well at least a movie about Guantanomo, called Rendition, is being shot in Morocco (Marrakech)
Starring Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep and.........Jake Gyllenhaal!!

*teenage girl alert ON*

I need to book a ticket now! I need to see Jake Gyllenhaal in Morocco and have some "coffee" with him!
Ah when it comes to Jake Gyllenhaal I'm like a teenage-girl. I scream like hell and I faint.

The story is about someone torturing someone blablabla. And is being filmed in the El Badia Palace in Marrakech blabla.
But that all doesn't matter, what really matters is Jake Gyllenhaal being in Morocco as we speak!
OK, who lives in Marrakech? Stalk him, follow him to the swimming pool or something. Just take pictures!

*teenage girl alert OFF*

No Moroccans in Dutch government

2007-02-13T20:38:00.001Z

In this post I blogged about the big chances of Dutch-moroccan politician to become the first ever Moroccan, immigrant, muslim member of the Dutch government.

Today came the little disappointment. The new government is 100% white and if it wasn't for the social-democrats and the liberal part of the christian-democrats, the government would be 100% old white male.

Ahmed Aboutaleb didn't make it, instead he got a post of a junior-minister in the Department of Social Affairs & Employment.
Turkish politician Nebahat Albayrak got the post of a junior minister in the Department of Justice

Actually I should be happy. I always complained that the elected Dutch government didn't reflect the population. They were all "white" and more than 10% of the Dutch is of an ethnic minority. There are a lot of capable, intelligent politicans out there but they didn't seem to make it to the top.
I always wanted to see muslims in our government. For 2 reasons.
To shut up those ignorant, selfhating muslims who always complain that nobody takes them seriously. And to shut up those ignorant, selfhating farmers who always complain that muslims are anti-democracry and are here to destroy the Netherlands.
To add some speculation, according to a poll (link in Dutch) conducted under members of the ChristianUnion (one of the governing parties), most of the party-members are against nomination of a muslim as a government-member.

This time a Turkish and a Moroccan politician are member of the government. And both are in departments in their field of expertise.
But its still a little disappointment that "my" Ahmed didn't make it as minister, so maybe better next time.

Nebahat Albayrak & Ahmed Aboutaleb, aren't they beautiful? ;)

Morocco's product-inferiority

2007-02-12T00:48:00.000Z

When I still lived with my parents, every summer used to be hell.
It was the time to plan our travels to Morocco. 2 of the children would go by airplane and the other 2 would go by car with my parents. 2 or 3 days long jammed in a car and sleeping in cheap roadside hotels. (I really feel sorry for the ones who slept in their car. Brrrr). Especially the hotels in southern spain were horrendous. That area of Spain is seriously still underdeveloped, they still use squat toilets!! But they have Cola Cao chocolate drink so I forgive them.

So anyhow, besides sucking up to my parents and begging to travel by plane, we also endured the countless shopping trips of my parents.
We received a shopping-list from family-members in Morocco and off we went buying everything they wished.
Cars(!), dryers, playstations, mayonaise, peanut-butter, dutch cheese, curry gewürz, H&M -jeans, everything you can imagine.
And it was not that they were poor and we bought these products for them as a present. No they paid everything back. Most of my remaining family-members in Morocco are actually better off than my parents in the Netherlands! Seriously, 2 houses, 2 cars, 2 well-paid jobs. Just upper-middle-class.
We were 1 house, 1 car, 1 job, lower middle-class.

No, we bought this stuff because of this very weird and stupid myth that goes around in Morocco.
The myth that everything that comes from Europe is of a better quality. There is this idea in Morocco that everything whats sold in Morocco is of a bad quality.
So the Sony-VCR sold in Marjane or Metro and the Sony VCR sold in the Dutch Makro are both made in China. But due to some mysterious technique the one sold in Morocco is of a lesser quality, simply because its sold in Morocco.
I seriously didn't know where they got that idea from.
I mean, most of them are well-educated. So they should know how a product is being produced, assembled and sold in the globalized market.
They can't be that stupid right?

I thought for a while that it might be about status. A European product marks your upward climb in the social ladder. But you cant see if a dvd-player was bought in Marjane-Casablanca or Carrefour-Marseille. And I never heard of people really bragging about where there appliances come from.
Of course status plays some role in the whole story. But the idea that Moroccan-sold products are inferior plays a bigger role (and actually triggers the status-part)

This way of thinking captivated me. I thought it kind of resembled the widespread inferiority-complex of the Moroccan society.
But is that really so? Is the Moroccan society, as a whole, really that stupid to believe in the superiority of European-sold products?

I'm afraid it is. This whole idea of product-superiority is part of the way of thinking in North Africa. And to some extent, in other parts of the developing world.
Products purchased in the developed world simply have a better image.
Developing countries are developing (duh). Consumers in those countries still don't trust products assembled/sold in their own country. This distrust developed when the industries were largely controlled by the state. And state-products are most of the time just "crappy".
The consumers already experienced the products made by/sold in developed countries due to emigrated family and friends.
And even if the same products start to penetrate the own market, they still have a stigma as "Moroccan" products. They might be more expensive than locally produced products but eventually they're both sold in Morocco.

I'm maybe wrong and Moroccan consumers don't pay attention anymore to where the product was sold/bought. So correct me if I'm wrong.
But I noticed this a lot of times. Not only in my family but also in others who have family or friends in Europe.
And it is actually very sad. It shows that they still struggles with their inferiority-complex, while they dont need to.

Holiday to virtual Morocco

2007-02-11T07:56:00.000Z

No need paying big bucks to board an airplane to Morocco.
Just install Secondlife and visit Casablanca/Morocco.

Secondlife, a virtual world, is addictive. So beware.
Virtual Morocco was build by students from the Johnson-Wales University and the Moroccan ministry of tourism.

Here are some impressions, can you spot the differences between virtual and real?

This is how it should work!

2007-02-10T12:59:00.000Z

This story is just remarkable.

Muslim children attending a strictly jewish school. Saying jewish prayers, eating kosher food, learning Hebrew, studying Judaism.
And the muslim parents taking all kind of measures to let their children attend that school.

How wonderful.

Moroccan politicians about to make history

2007-02-10T00:48:00.000Z

At least in Holland.

The Christian-Democrats (CDA), Christian Union (CU) and the Labour Party (PvdA) announced this week that they're were forming a coalition and a new government.

We'll have to wait till the 18th of February to see what the composition of this new government will be like.
But one thing is almost for sure, this new government will probably include a politician of Moroccan origin. For the first time in history.

Ahmed Aboutaleb, a member of the Labour Party, is a prominent candidate for the post of Education Minister, Integration/Urban Policy Minister or Minister of Social Welfare.
Born in Beni Sidel (Rif) as son of an imam, this politician grew to be a popular one amongst the "native" Dutch and the immigrants. Something quite remarkable in Holland.
He's tough on integration (face-veil = no social welfare) and on Islamic radicals but he does know what he's doing and saying. (unlike our present Integration Minister)

But nothing is sure yet. The coalition-parties still have a week to bitch-slap each other on the nominations. So lets wait and hope that Aboutaleb will make it through.

World Press Photo Winners 2007

2007-02-09T11:17:00.001Z

The American photographer Spencer Platt has won the prize for the best World Press Photo of the year 2006.

This is the award-winning photo:

A group of young Lebanese driving through a devastated neighborhood in South Beirut.

The World Press Photo Awards is considered to be the most prestigious award in the field of press photography.
Here are the other winners: Winners Gallery 2007

The Russians are coming!

2007-02-08T14:50:00.001Z

According to MoroccoSavvy, there are rumours that Morocco's national carrier is opening up a route between Agadir and Moscow.

After some googling, I found out that Morocco is one of the rivals of Turkey as main destination for Russian tourists.

I have only one thing to say about this. Salary raise for the people working in the hotels that are about to cater to Russian tourists!
If Morocco is going to receive the same sort of Russian tourists that are visiting Turkey, then may God be with them!
Maybe a bit prejudiced, but I experienced my share of Russian tourists on cheap summer holidays.
Say goodbye to the buffet, a clean swimming pool and decent hotel rooms. Say hello to chaos, loud Russian music, violence and excessive alcoholism.
I know that it is a stereotype and that wealthy Russian tourist are not like this at all.
But in Turkey, Russian tourists are considered a real hazard.

The behaviour of the ordinary Russian tourist has led to the rise of "Russian-free" Turkey-holidays for Western-European tourists. (Link is in Dutch. Summary: Tour-operators Ten-Tours, Annasol and Corendon are starting a Russian-free allin-package holidayservice to Turkey)
Maybe an idea for in the future?

Its London Thursday

2007-02-08T10:27:00.001Z

I'm back. Still no job (working on that), papers almost done and a ₤2000 deficit in my society's budget which we need to solve in 4 weeks time.
But I still love London.

Today a picture of the view from my (only) window. I live in the center of London, walking distance from the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace ( its exactly 4.25min to Parliament and 3.45min to Buckingham Palace, according to my homemade London-planner)
So you would expect that my view would be fabulous. Old jewels or new modern glass buildings.
Well guess again!
(warning: lousy 640*480px shots)

I dont even know what the building is for! It looks like some kind of factory, but at the moment its only being used by fat pidgeons.
Around the corner (its too cold to hang out of the window and make a picture of that) you have an office building and that most be the ugliest office building I've ever seen in my life.
I get depressed just looking at it.
Well only 4 more months (maybe even less) and then I'm out of here.

Light-blogging

2007-02-06T00:42:00.000Z

Sorry for the light-blogging.
I'm too busy writing boring papers on India-Pakistan and finding a decent CV-worthy job (which proves to be really difficult here)

But I hope I'll be done by this midweek.

Morocco, make us proud

2007-02-04T13:18:00.001Z

It is about to happen!
Morocco is getting closer to the abolition of the death penalty.

Before the end of April, Morocco will join the civilized world at last!

But let me correct something.
Morocco isn't the first Arab country to do so. I thought it was but I did a little check on that and it turned out not to be true.
If we consider all the states of the Arab League to be Arab nations, than Morocco is the 2nd Arab nation to abolish the death penalty.
Djibouti, also a member of the Arab League, beat us to it in 1995!

But that doesn't matter. It's not a competition, right?

Why I love London

2007-02-01T15:24:00.000Z

This picture kind of summarizes why I started loving London.

The alleys! I just love the London alleys and courtyards. Everytime I walk through one I consider myself lucky to live in this marvellous city!

The first couple of weeks I really hated it here. They drive on the wrong side of the road (cliche), the supermarkets are expensive and crap, it was too busy, you're forced to litter because there are no dustbins, everyone speaks a different kind of English and my uni was crap, public transport is hell (seriously I think that they use the underground as a sauna here)
The day I arrived in London, with 50kg luggage, was also the day that I first set foot in England. I didn't know what London was like. I kind of underestimated the size of the city. Its huge! I thought that my halls were on walking distance, guess again. After 10min I almost fainted and decided to take the bus (the bus-driver helped me with loading my luggage on the bus)
Its also very expensive. I arrived with €100 pocket money. Believing that would be enough for 1 student-month, just like in Holland. Now I know that €100 is just enough for 1 week!

I was considered crazy by most of my friends, who didn't understand my sudden urge to move (i decided it overnight).
But now I just love this city! Yesterday I smoked a shisha/narguila with a fellow student from Madagascar(!) in a Libyan café after we shopped in Little Lebanon.
That would be impossible in Amsterdam.
London is a real cosmopolitan city. Nearly every nation is represented here (I'm taking classes with a girl who is half Fijian and half Malaysian)
History is everywhere you look. You can easily get lost in the thousands alleys they have.
And Starbucks is on every corner. I just love Starbucks! Who said that globalization and "Mcdonaldization" were bad? Paris, eat your heart out! Ha!
I never, ever want to leave! (well my heart is still in/with Beirut, and I do hope that Beirut will be my final stop but still)

So I decided that Thursday is going to be London Thursday from now on. A weekly picture of lovely London.

( picture via Londonist)

Funny quote of the day

2007-01-31T13:45:00.001Z

Vahi Ahmadi, Iranian ambassador to Morocco, on why Morocco and Iran should cooperate

"The Islamic Republic of Iran and Morocco both recognize the heavy responsibility they shoulder in discharging their constructive role of promoting international cooperation and resolution of issues confonting the Islamic world"

Iran and promoting international cooperation?
Heavy responsibilities?
Expect more hilarious quotes and speeches. The Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki is visiting Morocco next week.
I expect to hear the Foreign Minister saying that Iran will be serious about their role in promoting human rights in Morocco.
Or maybe he will give a course in "How to isolate a country succesfully"

Enlightened dictatorships and democracy

2007-01-29T18:41:00.001Z

This post may enrage some pro-democracy activists in the Middle East and North Africa, but I'm willing to take that risk hehe.

We have all witnessed the recent push for democracy in the Middle East and the results it gave us. Anarchy and rise of Islamism.
Some Arabs/Imazighen and pro-democracy activists, if not most, see the rise of Islamism as something good. They see it as a valid result of a valid democratic process.
I see the rise of Islamism as something terrible, since it clashes with the secular elite/middle class, the folk/native culture and the merchant classes of a society. Eventually leading to instability and maybe all out chaos.

Thats why I hesitate promoting democracy in North Africa. That doesn't mean that I'm promoting evil dictatorships a la Saddam Hussein just for the sake of stability.
Democracies and Saddam-dictatorships are 2 extremes in the same spectrum. There is a third way, that seems to have been mostly ignored until now.
But that same third way has led to notable successes in some countries.
Kazakhstan, Thailand, Portugal, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Tunisia and Brazil all share the same thing. They all were, or still are, dictatorships were a thriving middle class and civil society was created. In some cases this has led to the establishment of an official, working democratic system.

These countries were governed by an enlightened dictatorship. Enlightened in this case means allied with the West, understanding and acceptance of free market principles, containment of religion and free movement of its citizens.
All these components are necessary for the creation of a serious, stable middle class and civil society. And a stable middle class and a civil society are again necessary to create a succesfull democracy.
Of course they still were/are dictatorships were free elections were non-existent. That of course can be perceived as something bad/evil/whatever.
But I wonder if free elections are of any use for an uneducated society without a stable middle class.
What is the use of free elections if the outcome results in instability, harsh reactions and stagnation?

And that brings me to Morocco. With the upcoming elections and the rise of the reli-mongers (also known as PJD and Al Adl wal Ihsane) I wonder if Morocco really needs these elections.
Do we need more instability caused by the fear of the ruling elite that the islamist might take over?
Is it really worth it to (try) having parliamentary elections if this might endanger Morocco as a whole?
Shouldn't Morocco and the Moroccans be working for economic and educational reforms and stability first?

I definitely believe that Morocco isn't ready to be a "normal" functioning democratic state.
If we look at the country as a whole we see that it is too unstable.
The middle class is just emerging, the educational level of the country is still shamefully low and economic reforms are not fully implemented yet.
Of course, I would like to see Morocco as a fully functioning democracy. But in order to achieve this we have to make some temporarily sacrifices.
Sacrifices that would tighten the kings control on political activities. Yes I know that the king already has a lot of control on whats happening in the political field of Morocco. But the same king tries to implement some kind of democratic reforms. Alongside these democratic reforms, economic reforms are being implemented as well.
I just don't see why those two have to go together. It would be more beneficial if economic reforms would be implemented first.

Tunisia is a good example of what I mean. In my earlier post I posted the ranking of both countries in 8 main indexes. Tunisia performed exceptionally well in the economic indexes, while Morocco performed better in political/press freedom indexes.
Tunisia is an example of a country being led by an "enlightened" dictatorial leadership. This has led to a situation whereby Tunisia became one of the strongest economies of Africa and the Middle East. 80% of the households owns their own house ( house ownership is usually used as an economic indicator) and according to some reports 60% of the population belongs to the middle class. An unusually high number in that region.
The ruling elite of Tunisia emphasized the need of economic reforms and have succesfully implemented most of them.
But the situation in Tunisia must not be regarded as the desirable final outcome for Morocco.

As I said earlier, Tunisia doesn't perform well in the political/press freedom indexes. This can be attributed to the tight state-control on all political and press outlets of the country.
This is what I mean with a temporarily sacrifice.
In order to create stability and democracy we have to sacrifice our liberties for a while.
That is exactly what happened in other countries like Taiwan, Turkey, South Korea, Portugal, Greece etc.
In those countries, the stabilized middle class eventually demanded political reforms in order to achieve full liberty. The ruling elite of the country and the merchant classes realized that in order to attain the economic prosperity the middle class has to be kept "happy".
The transition from dictatorship to democracy happened there without (too much) violence and went almost smoothly.
This has to be the final outcome for Morocco as well.
No Iraq or Sudan situations whereby the transition to democracy was accompanied with all-out chaos and instability.

To summarize the whole post, in order for Morocco to achieve both political and economical stability, the country has to emphasize economical stability first. Since this is the key to a succesfull transformation to a democratic society.
Emphasizing democratic reforms and implementing them without a stable economic society would lead to a short-term democracy.
I am not calling for a total and everlasting repression of everything and every movement. I'm calling for a moratorium on democratic reforms in order to achieve democracy.

I will end this post with a Robert D. Kaplan quote:

Democracy works best when it is introduced last, as a crowning achievement for societies in which all the other requisites for order are already in place.

Morocco vs. Tunisia

2007-01-29T04:13:00.000Z

Always wondered how Morocco and Tunisia performed compared to each other, in international rankings concerning economic freedom, press freedom and human development?

Well I created a little table with the 8 most important indexes (see list below) and the rankings of both Morocco and Tunisia.
Regard this post as a prelude to a longer post concerning economic freedom and developing democracies.
Anyhow, do you notice something about the rankings of both countries?

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Morocco	40	123	78	115	138	96	97	95
Tunisia	37	87	43	135	149	69	148	68

(the lower the ranking-number, the better. The ranking of the better performing country has been made bold)

The longer post will be posted within the next 24 hours (I hope)

And another crusade.

2007-01-28T21:07:00.001Z

In the States they have Barack Obama, in the UK there is Tory-leader David Cameron.
Yet another media-playboy, empty shell and politician without a real agenda.

And this "star" just announced a crusade against the oppression of Muslim women in the UK.
I mean, it is a noble cause. But do we have to use the word "crusade"? Does he want the muslim-community to work alongside with him or does he want to upset them?

But I forgive him, just because of the other things he said like "It's no use behaving like the proverbial English tourist abroad, shouting ever more loudly at the hapless foreigner who doesn't understand what is being said. We can't bully people into feeling British - we have to inspire them"

But he's still an empty shell.

Karl Marx for Dummies

2007-01-28T13:43:00.001Z

This is really funny

(h/t Onemanbandwidth)

Good example of propaganda

2007-01-28T00:17:00.000Z

We all know what is happening in Lebanon right now, right?
The pro-western, democratic government is being attacked by the Hezbollah reli-mongers and Christian ex-warlord Michel Aoun.

And of course both sides use their own media to discredit each other.
But the following example has to be the worst and most stupid example of propganda ever.
See for yourself: The Dirty Propaganda War

Book: The Great War for Civilisation

2007-01-27T19:32:00.001Z

And another book has been read the last two weeks
This time Robert Fisk's "The Great War for Civilisation; The conquest of The Middle East"
Robert Fisk is one of the best-known reporters in the world.

And all I have to say is: read it!!!

Robert Fisk annoys me most of the time. He is too emotional and leftist. But this book is one of the best memoires I have ever read. Why? Because it is not only a memoir but also an historical analysis of the Middle East and North Africa.

It is a mammoth,the edition I have has 1286 pages, and covers the conflicts and his work in Afghanistan, Iran, Algeria, Iraq, Israel/Palestine, the Armenian Genocide, his interviews with Osama bin Laden and a lot of other topics.
It gives you an (sometimes pretty biased) insight in the conflicts of the region. It is refreshing since the all worn out conflict of Israel/Palestine is not the main topic.

The book provides a comprehensive account of what the West has done with the region and what the region has done to itself.
I just can't come up with a "point of critique", sigh.

Vote Marrakesh!

2007-01-26T23:39:00.000Z

Well, for the 2007 Weblog Awards/Bloggies that is.

My Marrakesh has been nominated in the category "Best African or Middle Eastern weblog". Along with Healing Iraq, Secret Dubai Diary, Botty Rhino and Raising Yousuf.

But you don't need to think which is the best one, we all know that My Marrakesh is just the best one in this category.

OK actually you should decide on your one. But as a common practice in the Middle East I'm trying to manipulate you or bribe you ( you know, reshoua, bakshish, zu'ama and stuff) I hope it works.

So vote or die! (after P. Puff Piepie Didi Dada in South Park)

The Moroccan touch

2007-01-26T14:16:00.000Z

I have been thinking lately about my "Moroccanness" , yes thats a word!
As a young, 2nd generation immigrant in Europe thinking about your "somethingness" (thats a word as well) is quite normal.

I started evaluating my Moroccanness. Do I still speak Moroccan/Darija properly? Do I still know how to make briouat and am I still able to gossip Maroqui when I meet up with fellow distorted Moroccan..er..hipsters?
I know that these points above aren't exactly a good basis for the evaluation. But there were other points as well. Like guilt/shame etc. Let's say that there are a lot of points. OK?

So I decided to meet up with some fellow distorted Moroccans in Maghrebtown (Notting Hill Road and surroundings, Moroccans are quite upmarket here in London hehe)
I, or we, came to the shocking conclusion that my level of Moroccanness plummeted in recent years.

I was thinking that I can hardly call myself Moroccan anymore. I dont know how to make briouat anymore, my Darija is lousier than that of a baby and gossip Maroqui irritates me (gossip maricón is still ok)
Besides that I just don't feel really Moroccan.
I havent been to Morocco for 6 years, I shunned it for its ignorance and other reasons.
My reckless idealism decided to play tricks on me and telling me that I should shun Morocco for its backward culture and politics. So I did.
Let me clarify the "backward culture" stance. I regard every culture or state as backward when religion and modern conservatism are playing a major role.
And sadly in Morocco, modern conservatism is on the rise (from hear-say that is)

And besides that, I lived in the Netherlands (NL) until a while ago. And I never saw any resemblance between my family and that of most other Moroccans in NL.
Now I have to say, and this may sound quite snobby, that my family's position both in Europe and in Morocco isn't like that of most immigrant-families. Especially my mothers side. We're quite westernized if I may say so.
My mother always told us that most Moroccans in NL are "so3ian" and "kleb" (dogs). My family in Morocco used to say the same thing about Moroccans in Morocco.
I know very bad, but I can't hardly change their position on it.
My fathers side of the family are from the Rif mountains, so I wont elaborate on that. Thats kind of pretty clear.

So the "Westernized" family combined with me being even more "Westernized" has led to a failing Moroccan identity.
Now most of the time I dont have any problems with that. I always doubted the validity of a national identity.
I mean we all need passports and so on, but it is the feeling that I always questioned.
I regard it as dangerous and as a prelude to ignorance.

I'm all pro global and globalized culture. But we all know that the globalized culture is failing somehow. We're still global but regional global. We all, eventually, fall back to "our" region.
In my case that would be both Morocco and the Netherlands, like all other second generation immigrants.
But as you kind of guessed, it would be like that but it isn't.
In my case its nothing. I'm regionalless (thats a real word as well and thats a fact!)
Another sign that my "Moroccanness" is failing.

And you know what? I'm actually proud of it. It takes alot of practice and time to dispose yourself of the cultural shackles.
Its just that you feel naked afterwards, but I don't have problems with feeling naked.

Morocco to tighten its control on mosques

2007-01-25T23:32:00.001Z

According to the news-site Magharebia the Moroccan government is tightening its control on the mosques in the country.

They introduced a new law that regulates the building and expansions of mosques. This to prevent extremism from gaining a foothold in the country's places of worship.
Besides the mosques, the law will also regulate the zawiyas and other places of prayer.
The law regulates the cash-flow of the mosques and, very strange, also the architecture.

The islamist reli-mongers, also known as PJD, are criticizing the law because it would frighten the benefactors of the mosques. (DUH, you reli-mongers thats the whole point of the law. Benevolent benefactors wont be scared away and the extremist will hesitate)

I just wonder who the extremist are in the eyes of the government? Do they count Saudi wahhabis as extremist as well? Or are those people still welcome?
I certainly hope not. The law would be useless if we didn't scare those Saudis away.

It is a risky step of the government, tightening its control of the mosques.
How will this translate to the streets , as another attack on the poor muslims?

Morocco to abolish death penalty?

2007-01-24T01:35:00.001Z

I certainly hope so. To be a civilised country also means to abolish the death penalty. (sorry for the Americans who happen to live in certain states)

A BBCnews article states that "there is a sense the nation is now ready to make an historic move."
Morocco would be the first country in the Arab world to do so.
There were no executions since 1994, so Morocco was already walking down civilization lane.

Most political parties are in favor of the abolition (except of course the islamist PJD)
Let's hope that it will actually happen and that the government doesn't back down.

God or Allah?

2007-01-23T18:03:00.001Z

At Aqoul there is an interesting discussion going on for a while.
Something thats been bothering me for years.

The hot topic is; Why dont we translate Allah to God? Why do western media and western muslim keep on using the word Allah instead of God? God is a perfect substitute and translation for the word Allah.

This is something I totally agree with. I never mention the word Allah, except for discussions in (Moroccan)-Arabic. But besides those discussion its always God. This confuses some (non)-muslim westerners who honestly believe that God isn't Allah and that Allah isn't God.
They say God is christian and Allah is muslim. Besides the stupidity of an argument like that, its also incorrect.
Arab Christians worship Allah. I have an arabic Bible where the word Allah is regularly used.
And if God is supposedly Christian, why don't we speak of Jahweh/JHWH if we're talking about Judaism?

Anyhow, more reading at Aqoul. Some comments are really bitchy and funny.
The Guardian picked it up as well

Browse a 700yrs old Qur'an online

2007-01-22T22:21:00.001Z

This is quite interesting.
The British Library, the best place to hangout in London, has an online collection of old manuscripts and books that you can browse and study online.
The project is called "Turning the Pages"

You can choose between 15 masterpieces. Leonardo da Vinci's sketches, Jane Austen, the oldest printed book, a 700yr old Quran and a Hebrew prayer book.
All very interesting.

Go and see!
Turning the Pages

UK Muslim police-officer and her hands

2007-01-21T15:51:00.001Z

And we have another Muslim-controversy in the UK. Yeah!
This time it is a "non-asian muslim" female police officer who refused to shake hands with Sir Ian Blair, Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

The reason? She is a female muslim and he is a man. Sir Ian Blair attended the graduation of the muslim woman's class.
Sir Blair got an early notice that he shouldnt shake hands with the police officer. This made him mad but he didn't want to create a scene on the spot.

The police officer in question explained that she doesn't shake hands with man during social events (the graduation) but that she will touch men during her work.
She attended physical contact classes and nothing went wrong.
She will arrest men and beat them up if necessary (muslim women can be brutal police officers as well you know. Because of something called feminism)

This is ofcourse another bad publicity stunt for the UK muslim community ( I still have to figure out if I'm part of that community)
It will emphasize the "strangeness" of this community in the eyes of the British underbellies.

Ofcourse, as an ultra-liberal, I'm all pro-"do what you want in your private life".
And because of the fact that the police officer in question said that she will touch and handle men during work-time, there shouldn't be any problem.
But that would be in a perfect world.
At the moment it is a problem because of the tensions between the different communities in the UK and between the police force and the muslim community.
So it is a problem. If you want it or not.

She should have shaken hands with her boss. Just for the sake of publicity and because of the existing tensions.
It is weird to ask somebody to change her values she enforces in her private life because of public tensions.
But anyhow, this is how it works now. We came to a point whereby a community has to adapt in strange ways to satisfy another community.

So shake hands with non-muslim guys and don't shake hands with muslim guys, if you want to ofcourse.

Sexual terrorism in the Middle East

2007-01-19T01:32:00.001Z

A new site launched today, called "Sexual Terrorism".
The site will focus on forced prostitution in the region and raise awareness about this subject.

We all know secretly what happens but there is clearly still a taboo. And thats why this site is going to turn into a must-read. At least for me.

The founders are the members of Mideastyouth.com. Another good website "dedicated to eliminate extremist ideologies and ignorance from the Middle East." Build up and funded by Arabs, Iranians and Israelis.

Discover the sounds from China

2007-01-18T19:57:00.000Z

This is is so cool!
A soundboard with different sounds form China . From women inmates in Bejing to a Goddess ceremony in Meizhou island.
Just click on the map.

Listen & enjoy! I know I did:P

Racism on Celebrity Big Brother?

2007-01-18T17:37:00.000Z

The UK is spellbound by the alleged racism on Celebrity Big Brother (CBB)
CBB is a show were minor "celebs" can regain their old 5 minutes of fame.
It is raunchy, stupid and uninteresting. Usually.

Because now, all of the UK wonders if 3 of the contestants are racist or not.
The 3 are Jade Goody (fat cow that participated in BB3), Danielle Loyd (who?) and Jo O'meara (who again?)
The person being "racially attacked" is Bollywood-star Shilpa Shetty.

The 3 minor "celebs" constantly make fun of Shilpa's Indian background, her accent and the Indian culture.
Some of the comments:
O'Meara: "Indians are thin because they are always ill, due to undercooked food."
Danielle Lloyd: "don't let her touch your food. You never know where her hands have been, because all Indians eat with their hands"
Lloyd: "She's a dog"

And she has been called Paki, a presumably offensive word in the UK.
The mother of Jade (who has been voted out of the house) constantly referred to Shilpa as "the Indian"
Shilpa was also accused of wanting to be "light-skinned" when she was just applying some face-cream.

Jade Goody is famous because of her BB3-appearance and her stupidity. She thinks that East-Anglia is an actual country. Tactical is being pronounced as tictactical.
She wonders if they speak English in the USA.
And more famous quotes:

"Do they speak Portuganese in Portugal? I thought Portugal was in Spain."

"Rio de Janeiro, ain't that a person?"

"What's asparagus? Do you grow it?"

The other 2 aren't really bright as well.
So is it really racism or just stupidity combined with ignorance?
I think its just ignorance. You cant take Jade Goody seriously. I wonder if she even knows what the word racism means. (a city in Finland?)

In the meantime, the whole situation is turned into a diplomatic row.
Blair's heir, Gordon Brown, is on a visit in India. Indian politicians keep on asking him questions about the situation.
Meanwhile, the biggest sponsor of CBB, Carphone Warehouse, has officially suspended its sponsorship.
Jade Goody's perfume-line has been withdrawn from the shops.
And Channel4 (which broadcasts the show) has seen a tremendous increase in its audience figures.

Tomorrow is the big finale. Both Shilpa and Jade are nominated to be evicted. And according to the bookies, it is Jade who is gonna leave CBB

To add some visuals:

Jade vs. Shilpa

5 minutes to midnight

2007-01-17T15:22:00.000Z

And it was 7!
You probably wonder what I'm talking about. Let me explain.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has a Doomsday Clock. No seriously, they do.

And until today it was 7minutes to midnight (Doomsday). But because of the "deteriorating state of global affairs" they moved the minute hand from 7 to 5minutes.
Why? Because of Iran, North Korea and global warming.

If you love poeha and wacky stuff, you can read more on their website
If you're scared, there are guides to survive Doomsday. Good luck!

Video: Islamic extremism inside the UK

2007-01-16T23:41:00.000Z

Yesterday Channel 4 aired an interesting documentary about Islamic extremism/wahhabism in the UK.
It was very interesting and quite shocking. It was nothing new actually. We all know that wahhabism is everywhere.
But it is still interesting to see how it works and how they camouflage radical mosques as tolerant and open.
See the 6 videos after the jump

Lebanese oil spill

2007-01-16T11:45:00.000Z

Remember the big oil spill in the eastern Mediterranean coast that was caused by the recent war in Lebanon?
Well, USAID partnered up with the Lebanese to clean it up. They have completed the clean up of 100km of the Lebanese coastline. And thats a lot!
BloggingBeirut posted some before and after pictures of the cleanup.
Pictures after the jump...

© USINFO

Revenge of the arty-farty leftists

2007-01-16T02:39:00.000Z

Don't you ever mess with anti-war protesters. Usually they're smarter then you.
Not always but usually.

Take Brian Haw for instance. The UK's most famous anti-war protester. He has been "protesting" in front of the Parliament for 6 years now.

Recently his massive 40m display was reduced to a mere 3m display with anti-war placards.
Every time I walk by, I keep on thinking that he is defeated by the government. (the placards are tiny and silly. Hilarious actually)

Not anymore now. Tate Britain came to the rescue and an exact replica of the 40m. display is now exhibited as art in the museum. And it is all legal.
According to some freakish law, people are not allowed to have unauthorised demonstrations or raise placards within 1km distance of the Parliament.
The exact spot where the replica is situated, is also the border of that 1km zone.

I told you they were smart!

Muhajababes

2007-01-15T18:29:00.000Z

Every now and then you buy book that you know is just pulp and too commercial (as in written for housewives)
But you still buy it, and thats what I did last weekend when I bought "Muhajababes" by Allegra Stratton.

It was quite a nice book actually. The main topic is youth culture in the Middle East. In 277 pages the author tries to discover and understand the everyday life of the arab youth.
The main items that keep on coming back in her book are Haifa Wehbe videoclips, Amr Khaled, prince Alwaleed and satellite tv.
According to the writer these are the factors that influence the local youth cultures. These factors also led to the rise of the so-called Muhajababes. Veiled youngsters who dress like the singers in the videoclips.
These Muhajababes are the product of religiosity, islamic tv-evangelism, commercial culture and western influences.

The book gives you a little insight in the everyday life of middle or upperclass girls and boys.
And thats also one of my issues with this book. It is a nice little guide if you want to know more about the middle class and up. But it doesnt cover the youngster who live in slums, poorer urban areas or the countryside. While the youngster there form the biggest part of the young arab population.

So the book felt lacking somehow. But it is still a nice book to read. I dont know if I'll recommend it to someone, but if you dont know what to do with £8 you can buy this book.
It will keep you busy for a little while.

Moroccans sentenced for reporting on jokes

2007-01-15T12:03:00.000Z

The last week the Moroccan blogosphere and international organisations were busy reporting on a weird case of freedom of speech in Morocco.

The magazine Nichane decided to report on common Moroccan jokes/humor including some on Islam and the king.
These two subjects are of course still taboo in Morocco, taboos for journalists that is.

The Moroccan press witnessed a more open, liberal and free environment in last years but that may have come to an end with this case.

The responsible journalist and editor of Nichane were prosecuted for blasphemy. Telling jokes about Islam is bad, bad I tell you!
The prosecutor asked for 3 to 5 year sentences, a permanent ban on the magazine and a huge fine.
All in name of decency and responsibility (sure)

Today was the verdict. Both the journalist and the editor got a suspended sentence of three years and a fine of $8000.
The magazine is banned but only temporarily for 2 months.

I don't know how to interpret this verdict. In the "old days" these 2 innocent people would have gotten an even harsher sentence, and the magazine would be banned forever.
The verdict, as it is now, is kind of soft. Don't you think?
I mean of course it is ridiculous and stupid to sentence them just because they reported on jokes every Moroccan knows and tells. Its hypocrite.
But the sentence could have been much more worse. The demand of the prosecutor wasn't met completely.

Is this the Moroccan state trying to save its image as the most liberal country in that region?
Or was this verdict part of an electoral campaign of the establishment? Sentence them to show the conservative electorate that we care about Islam. But don't sentence them too harsh because we actually believe in their innocence?

The case isn't over yet, the lawyer of the magazine is going to appeal against the sentence
In the mean time, you can a petition supporting the magazine and its journalists

MarocAntan

2007-01-15T11:28:00.000Z

THE VIEW FROM FEZ has found an interesting site about the old Morocco.
Its called MarocAntan and it includes audio, postcards and photographs of the old Morocco.
Expect to see beuatiful girls in traditional clothes and that kind of stuff.

The site is in French but it provides a English translation button on the right.
Enjoy!

MarocAntan

I have been tagged!

2007-01-14T21:59:00.000Z

Myrtus tagged me today (or was it yesterday?), to tell 5 anecdotes about myself.

Since this is one of my first posts, I thought it would be a good introduction.
So here we go :)

Anecdote number 1:

Mmmm, let me think. This could be embarassing you know. Anyhow.
I have these strange dreams, the only dreams I can remember actually.
I keep on dreaming that I'm having a nose-job. It sounds really weird I know but I think there is an explanation.
I was always very insecure about my nose. Its big and its there. Since my 18th I always wanted to have a nosejob. I honestly believed that having a nosejob would improve my life and my career *ahum*
I actually went to a clinic and talked about it. The face-molestor was ofcourse very excited and almost convinced me that I should have an operation. I kind of played along.
But when I went back home I realized that having a nosejob wasnt something for me.
I kind of saw it as losing, being a loser. You dont run away from your problems and you dont run away from your insecurities. You just have to cope with them.
Et voila, I still have my precious, big nose.

Anecdote 2:

I voted conservative once. Yes, I know I should be ashamed of myself. Bad BO, bad BO!
Conservative, as in Dutch conservative. That means VVD. The so-called liberals. They are pro-euthanasia, pro-gaymarriage etc. But very conservative on immigration issues and that kind of caca.
I was convinced that they were the party that I should support. Maybe it had something to do with my identity-crisis. I kind of believed back then that I was more Dutch than arab(moroccan). And that I should support them since they were anti radical islam.
But after the elections I found out that I'm not Dutch nor Moroccan. I'm just me. I'm everything. And I'm a true liberal not a VVD-liberal.
So I was very lucky when the government fell (again), and I finally voted for a party that was representing most of my beliefs.

Anecdote 3:

Oeh this one is kind of nasty. I have tricked men into meeting me in Casablanca. Hehehe.
Well I was on a holiday there and I needed some fun.
So I went out, to the local bars and clubs and went hunting. And I thought it would be fun if I made dates with them, all on the same time. And boy were they cute! But I didnt feel like dating them cuz its always the same story with a lot of moroccan guys (not all of them ofcourse).
When they find out that you're from algaridj (foreign country) they'll harass you for adresses where they can "stay for a holiday". Yeah sure.
So I had 5 dates after almaghrib (a prayer time) at the Twin Center. I didnt bother to even check if they were there. I was to busy binge-drinking on the beach.
And I think that they didnt show up anyhow or showed up Moroccan time. (which means that they were 3 hours late)
So no harm done I hope. I just need to do this from time to time. I know very wrong, but kind of fun.

Anecdote 4:

Sometimes I can be very, very prejudiced. I think we all are a bit.
And it is kind of scary. I mean its based on shit. Right?
It is actually very wrong and ignorant when I walk down a street and check my pockets everytime I group of ethnic youngsters walk by. I mean, I'm an ethnic youngster myself! How weird can it get!?
A while ago I read a column in a British newspaper where the columnist described the exact same situation.
He declared that he turned into a suburbian, middle class guy. And that that explains why he is so prejudiced from time to time.
I kind of understand that. But I dont want to be a suburbia boy. I'm not ready for hell yet.

Anecdote 5:

I once stole books from a bookshop. And I didnt get caught. How cool is that?!
Stealing is a "sin" and its bad. But I want to try everything once (hence my drug-experimenting)
I never stole a candy or a cookie when I was still a kid. I knew that my mother would go nuts and call the whole family to complain and worry that I would end up a gangster or something like that. So stealing was a big no-no.
But this time I had to do it. But it were good books, so I got something out of it. I stole Caesar's Gallic Wars and a Naguib Mahfouz book.
I still have them but I cant look at them. I read them though, but everytime I look at them I slap myself for stealing.
Silly me.

Now I know I should tag 5 other people. But I dont know who. So give me time to think ( in normal english that means: I'm never gonna tag anyone)