Young Moroccans rally for "Youth Parliament"
2009-07-09
Morocco's Youth Parliament has been struggling to come to life since it was first proposed last February. Moroccan Youth Forum officials launched a new movement this week to advocate for the parliament.
By Naoufel Cherkaoui for Magharebia in Rabat – 09/07/09
 [Naoufel Cherkaoui] The Moroccan Youth Forum mobilises to boost the creation of a Youth Parliament. |
The Moroccan Youth Forum on Wednesday (July 8th) urged King Mohammed VI to aid its members in their quest to establish the first Moroccan Youth Parliament, which aims to integrate the youth in political and decision-making processes in the country.
The call came at a news conference held in Rabat to present the new "national movement to establish the Moroccan Youth Parliament".
"The goal behind establishing the parliament is to create an institution for the Moroccan youth, capable of serving their interests and participate in forming an integrated national strategy that goes beyond institutional policies," the forum's president, Ismail Hamraoui, told Magharebia. "The parliament will have a consultative status and the power to make proposals in all fields."
The initiative was first introduced back in February. At the time, forum officials said the parliament would be open to young people between the ages of 18 and 30. It would be a consultative body aimed at encouraging political activity among the youth. The project aims to teach young people the values of citizenship and tolerance, a sense of responsibility and objectivity, as well as spread a culture of human rights and pluralism.
The initiative has not come through yet.
"We have a strong will to launch a movement that would play pioneering roles in putting the Moroccan youth parliament project on the right track and boosting the debate on the need to have a national representative institution for the Moroccan youth," Hamraoui said.
The new movement is planning to boost its efforts through collecting support signatures from young Moroccans and national and international organizations. It will also call on political parties to help with the process. The forum will send an official request to King Mohammed VI asking for help with the issue.
Hamraoui said the group would also tour the country to raise awareness about the need for the Youth Parliament. "We may also go on a tour on the international level to bring support for the project. We will select ambassadors for the project on the local, provincial, and regional levels."
According to Hamraoui, there is broad support from most political parties in the country and it is the right time for the government to establish the parliament.
Several Arab countries, including Egypt, Lebanon, and Palestine, have already established youth parliaments.
"At a time when there are youth parliaments in Arab countries, Moroccan youth issues are neglected," said blogger Said Benjebli. "Establishing a parliament for the Moroccan youth is a legitimate demand and doesn’t deserve all this procrastination. Unfortunately, we don’t see the required response and this is perhaps due to shortsightedness or lack of awareness on the part of the Moroccan administration on the need to implement the idea. Young people get attention only during election time just to win their votes."
When asked to give an estimated time for establishing the parliament, Intesar Ghazi, secretary-general of the Moroccan Youth Forum, said the timing is not an issue. "We are focusing now on presenting the initiative to establish the parliament."
Emad Aka, president of the Tiflet-based Association of Youth for Youth, called the initiative "a good idea". His association has previously called for creating a higher board for youth to interact with the government and advocate for youth interests.
"We support the movement's efforts and we will back it with our own capabilities," Aka said. "We hope that the desired parliament will not be just a nominal entity."
"It’s a positive thing to see that the Moroccan youth have a political and parliamentary culture," said Lahcen Al Daoudi, an MP representing the Justice and Development Party. "However, they have to find a good role model, far from the Moroccan parliament, which struggles with corruption."
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IBALINE ELHACHMI Posted 2009-07-09
It is quite desirable to see this institution be created. Given the functions it aims to provide for its members, it will surely become a rich seed for human values and neutralise the misdeeds of ferocious globalisation, which are already threatening to destroy everything. Long live the Youth Parliament! Long live the moment it is established!
simo Posted 2009-07-10
Attention young people: Learn to say "No!" loudly and clearly when it is necessary. Refuse any orders coming from above. Refuse any instructions that seem to parachute out of the heavens - in other words: Rabat. Above all else - Above all else, beware of the gunmen, a synonym for the Makhzan, and of anyone who pretends to represent our religion. In fact, this is nothing but a cover for political suicide, dangerous backslide and unhealthy adventurism and retrograde, pernicious obscurantism. This is a cancer on the face of humanity, and it has nothing to do with true Islam.
amal Posted 2009-07-11
The idea of setting up a parliament for young people is good and effective only if it is matched with a government and political conviction in the role of young people in managing national, regional and local affairs. We young people don't want to set up this body just to rest our conscience. We believe that Morocco or any other country regardless of the form of rule or government, it should open dialog and debate with young people who are the basic foundation for progress towards a better future. Amal, member of Citizen Forum in Casablanca.
bahija Posted 2009-07-12
Salam alikum. I am Bahija, 27. Honestly, I am very happy for the foundation of “Youth parliament” under the patronage of his majesty Mohamed VI may God assist and support him. With this, I hope to be among young participants in this parliament in order to take care of the problem of young people. This is because I love politics of Morocco and hope to integrate them deeply, give advice and help the sons of Morocco in the future and coming generations God willing. I also hope that my request will be considered by concerned authorities and by the body organizing this parliament. I am ready to serve my country because I love it and respect it so much.
فيطومة Posted 2009-07-14
Salam. Mrs Fitouma Moutaouakil from Sidi Ifni. We hope that the “Youth Parliament” will be achieved. It will be a good boost to present the ideas, problems and share experiences.
IBALINE EL HACHMI Posted 2009-07-20
If we mean by "young politician" an adult human being with the gift of loving others and loving to serve them both from the pyramid he hopes to join after praiseworthy and competitive competition and through one or more political organisations, from which he elaborates his criticisms to defend them under the circumstance they were founded or reject all at once when they are exaggerated or become destructive, or protect them when the majority see them as being incompatible with the group ideology. Knowing that the ideal for all politicians, big and small, is to get into power, in order to be a bit closer to reality, the concept of a "young politician" also requires that the concerned human being, male or female, has a minimum of information and knowledge available. In Morocco, young people ages 18 to 30 have for the most part surpassed baccalaureate education, know how to read newspapers, interpret various facts published in French and articles and tickets written in Arabic, Meanwhile, a minority represent the children of parliamentarians and bourgeois children, who have benefited from private college courses, know how to easily read reports written in Arabic or French. That being the case, this is initiative is to be encouraged and supported. Any additional costs it will require will be returned to the country 10 or 20-fold as soon as our young parliamentarians have effectively matures in order to educate the rest of the population through political projects, which they should know how to create and realise for the good of the generations composing a majority of the Kingdom's population. The Youth Parliament will succeed if it does not step foot into the worn-out boots of the former, apolitical, ignorant majority.
anonyme Posted 2009-07-25
"Yes!" to the Youth Parliament! This will be very good for them.
أحمد العوني Posted 2009-08-23
The idea of the youth parliament will not give any new impetus to the issues of young people. We need to strengthen ranks of young people, youth organizations and a strong youth movement. We want a representation of young people in the real parliament. The representation of woman in parliament wasn't achieved by setting up the parliament of woman but through the struggle for the representation of woman in decision-making. The idea of youth parliament is useless. It is an unsuccessful experience in many countries who adopted it in some Arab countries. Roles of real parliament is useless, we don't want an image parliament.
ayoub son of morocco Posted 2009-10-01
this is to add a plus to our country . innitiative is to be considered. smail good thinking
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