MOROCCO: PRESS CONFERENCE PREEMPTED, ISLAMIST JCO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RABAT 000947 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/MAG E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2010 TAGS: MO PGOV PINR KISL SUBJECT: MOROCCO: PRESS CONFERENCE PREEMPTED, ISLAMIST JCO ISSUES MANIFESTO REF: RABAT 396 AND PREVIOUS Classified by A/Polcouns Ian McCary for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: A May 23 Moroccan security force operation preempted a press conference scheduled by the Justice and Charity Organization (JCO),the large Islamist political organization which rejects the legitimacy of the monarchy. Though prevented from conducting their media event, the JCO issued a five page manifesto slamming the GOM for its "campaign of repression" against the group and claiming for itself the moral high ground and support of the Moroccan people. While the manifesto does not appear to depart from longstanding positions, it constitutes an instructive sampler of the JCO's rhetoric and summation of its grievances. The fact that the document was issued in French suggests that the target audience were domestic elites and international observers. End summary. ¶2. (C) An attempt by the Justice and Charity Organization (JCO) to stage a press conference on the premises of the Moroccan Bar Association on May 23 was preempted by GOM security forces. As observed by an Embassy FSN who visited the site that afternoon, at least 10 police vehicles and dozens of personnel in riot gear set up a cordon to seal off all approaches to the Bar Association in downtown Rabat, preventing vehicles and pedestrians from approaching. No arrests were reported. ¶3. (C) The JCO (in Arabic, Al-Adl Wal Ihsane, which now bills itself in English as the "Justice and Spirituality Organization" - reftel),is a dissident Islamist organization with a substantial membership (up to 200,000 according to the estimate of a prominent European academic) viewed by the GOM as a major political adversary. Unlike the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD),which holds 42 seats in the directly-elected lower house of parliament and is positioned to expand significantly in the September elections, the JCO does not recognize the legitimacy of the Moroccan monarchy and eschews participation in electoral politics absent a comprehensive overhaul of the constitution. ¶4. (C) The press event was to have marked the "first anniversary" of a GOM crackdown launched in the spring of 2006 in response to the JCO's "open house" series - an outreach and recruitment drive. Though prevented from 
conducting the press conference on May 23, JCO spokesman Fathallah Arsalane and aides distributed to reporters a 1300 word statement which attacks the GOM for its "campaign of repression" against the group, claims it holds the moral high ground over the GOM, asserts extensive support from the Moroccan public, and reconfirms its commitment to peacefully pursue comprehensive political change. The fact that the document was issued in French suggests that the target audience are domestic elites and international observers. An unofficial Embassy translation of the full text is repeated below: BEGIN TEXT In the name of God, the merciful and the compassionate, and prayers are upon the Prophet Mohammed, his family, and his companions. Last year, on this same day, the regime started another episode of its campaign of oppression against Al Adl Wal Ihsane (Justice and Spirituality). One whole year has passed since the beginning of this repressive campaign taking aim at the leaders of the association as well as its members and its sympathizers, and not sparing any area or any category of people. One year of persecutions and violations against this association's meetings, its activities, its members, assets, possessions and their homes. One year of arrests and arbitrary lawsuits in order to bring Al Adl Wal Ihsane to its knees. Then, what is the assessment of this campaign today? Have the authorities been successful in their endeavor? They were irritated by the increasing (public) support for our campaign, our positions and the participation of a great number of people in our activities; as they were annoyed by our solidarity and the qualities of our association. Then, they arrayed their entire arsenal to stop our progress and put barriers to our growing influence in the country, both in the cities and in the countryside. They thus tried to isolate RABAT 00000947 002 OF 003 us, separate us, disparage us, using all dishonorable means. However, today, one year after the beginning of this campaign, one cannot but notice the fiasco that the regime added to this long series of the recorded failures at all levels. As for us, this campaign did not succeed in lowering our will, or make us move back. Then why did this campaign fail? We will never stop saying and repeating that this campaign is not the first and will certainly not be the last one. The blockade imposed on our association goes back to its creation, and even before: since Mr. Abdessalam Yassin had addressed to the King Hassan II, in 1974, his letter entitled "Islam or the Flood." Since this fateful date, we have never stopped being victimized by the governing elite's absurdity and repression (arbitrary arrests, torture, assembled lawsuits, deprivation of the elementary rights(). Today, and after more than three decades, any observer can draw up his own assessment. Thanks to God, Justice and Spirituality, which was a seed sown in blessed soil, has become an enormous tree, its roots are well anchored in the ground and its branches are producing good fruits. As for the governing elite, it has reaped only disorientation and a bad reputation. We also ask the question: why this blockade? At the beginning of its campaign, the governing elite tried to reduce its confrontation with Al Adl Wal Ihsane to a purely legal dimension, in order to hide the political reasons for its offensive strategy. But very quickly they lost patience and resorted to unfair actions: kidnappings, torture, death threats, calumny( They set their henchmen on a great number of brothers and sisters to bribe them, intimidate them, threaten them( The question cannot thus be reduced to only a matter of private or public meetings, of constructions not in conformity with the rules of town planning, nor of other false pretexts. The truth that must be acknowledged is that we are besieged because we have principles, concrete positions, and opinions which do not please the authorities. Because we reject compromises and we set against the arbitrary decisions and the bad management of public affairs. We refuse any bargaining relating to our principles and the interests of the Moroccan people, as we abstain from participating in a bad game whose failure is obvious. We are besieged because we have refused to support those who play with people's interests, to subject ourselves to summations which would have transformed us into a herd that only suffers without action and obeys without discussion. We have refused to conclude agreements with the governing elite in contempt of our nation's interests. The siege has not succeeded in isolating us from the nation because we are with the nation, carrying its desires, expressing its sufferings and its hopes. For this reason (the public) is eager to come and attend our meetings. The siege has not succeeded in sowing discord among us because what brings us together is so big, so deep, so solid, and so powerful that neither the whip, nor the denigration campaigns, will win through. The siege did not succeed in sullying our reputation because our working method is clear. From the very beginning we proclaimed the three NOs: No to violence, No to clandestineness, No to dependence on foreign countries. The siege failed because there are honorable people and conscious people that still live in our country that the governing elite did not succeed in manipulating, and who do not stop giving their support for the right and equity. The Justice and Spirituality Organization has chosen the peaceful and public action. In 1983, it presented its formation application in accordance with the administrative procedures in force and on the other hand received a receipt which enabled it thereafter to have a legal recognition which is being reinforced from day to day (see appendices). The group also chose not to retort to violence because it does not believe in reactions and it endeavors to avoid upheavals in the country which would lead to chaos. We are RABAT 00000947 003 OF 003 deeply concerned with the country's stability and the safety of its citizens. This is why we will remain a quiet force, a peaceful call, a spiritual and political refuge. We will not allow ourselves to be led astray in a violence which would satisfy the governing elite. This does not absolutely mean that we will agree to negotiate our rights in spite of all the threats and promises. Our religious faith will remain firm and unshakable despite all plots and obstacles. Noble audience, We do not want to be exhaustive. Our hope is that this conference enables us to communicate with you on all that relates to our association and the current critical situation. We would have liked as well that our meetings are more numerous, taking into consideration the crucial role played by the media and the need to communicate directly with them, in order to help the journalists to achieve their sensitive task, which consists in clarifying the public opinion and updating the whole truth. We take this opportunity to thank all the noble conscious people - human rights militants, legal practitioners, and politicians - who support us directly or indirectly as well as the media which speak about us with objectivity and refuse to misrepresent our points of view. Our objective is not to ask you to be our spokesman, but our wish is that every journalist becomes aware of the range of the written or pronounced word. After May 11th, 2007, the number of the prosecuted people reaches 725, distributed in the majority of Moroccan courts in 159 cases. That of the incarcerating punishment reached 108 months of prison or suspended sentence, the sum of fines reaches 5 million dirham, 6 houses were closed with seals without any legal procedure (See the Al Adl Wal Ihsane,s committee's Human Rights Report). Such a heavy assessment does confirm the intentions of the governing elite which carries out the most violent of its campaigns against a voice which is opposed to it, using all its resources, spending with extravagance the money of the people which, in theory was to be assigned to the effort of the country's development, overriding all its slogans which praise the respect of human rights and public freedoms. That confirms the whole fiasco of this repressive endeavor and the panic of its silent partners. The violations worsen the total failure of the public affairs management and accelerate the ruin that our country saw on all levels, under a despotic regime which monopolizes the power and the wealth and cultivates a cover policy. We would like to thank Moroccan Bar Association that welcomed us in their headquarters, thus allowing us to communicate with you. 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