May 17th, 2008

Re: Massive arrests and jail terms for Amazigh activists in Morocco

Dear Human Rights Watch,

For more than a year, so many Amazigh towns and villages of Morocco have been the theater of demonstrations by university and high school students. It all started in the spring of 2007 during the commemoration of the Amazigh spring (Tafsut Imazighen) which is observed by many Amazigh regions across North Africa. Following or during many of these demonstrations violence erupted between “Arabist” students or Arabic speaking individuals outside to the universities. These were opposed to the demonstrations and expressed themselves by attacking the Amazigh students. Very peculiar to the events is the fact that the police provided cover to the attackers and arrested the Amazigh students instead.

For example, according to eyewitnesses in Taza, large numbers of individuals outside of the university entered the campus, took part in removing announcements by the Amazigh student organization and attacked violently the Amazigh students. In other instances they burned Amazigh flags and forced students entering the university to walk over it. Later they organized themselves into mobs that attacked Amazigh students who had to defend themselves. Their dormitory rooms were raided and many of their belongings stolen. The police generally showed up only to arrest Amazigh students and never bothered anyone else. 

The Amazigh Movement supported by many Amazigh associations is convinced that this was a setup carried out by the security forces to draw them into a violent conflict, and then have them arrested. Some Amazigh activists claim it could not be anything but a conspiracy because the security forces brought in ambulances prior to any violence taking place and the police often watched when the Arabist students attacked. They also pointed to the coordinated aspect of the events as this happened at several universities nearly at the same time. 

The Amazigh Movement formed a committee to support the imprisoned students and organized marches and protests throughout the country. High school students joined in by organizing protests and showing their discontent by burning the Moroccan flag. 

These events bear a striking resemblance to attacks that occurred in the 80’s among Amazigh students and Islamist students in various universities in Algeria. At the time, the Algerian police stood by watching as the Islamists attacked many students. That is when they killed Kamal Amzal in Ben-Aknoun. It also brings flashbacks from the June 14th 2001 march by the Kabyl Citizen’s Movement (Aarch Movement) when the Algiers police hired local street gangs to attack the demonstrators (see photo). It is not at all surprising that similar events take place in Morocco a few years after they take place in Algeria. We know now that the Moroccan authorities observe the Algerian strategy against the Amazigh Movement and replicate it in all cases where it has born fruit. 

Arrests, violence, and now jail terms is the lot of many young Amazigh students. In Agadir three students were sentenced to jail terms. Tens of students were arrested. The police showed up at their homes after the demonstrations. In Meknes ten students are awaiting trial with no hope for justice. Many students complained of ill treatment by the police (beatings, sexual humiliation, and some cases torture).

In Boumalne Dades, ten young people were arrested and tried. Among them a minor. Together they received a total sentence of 34 years in prison. All of this for demonstrating against the marginalization of their region (lack of infrastructure, neglect etc.). Oudali Younès was sentenced to 6 years in prison. Oubali Houssain, Atil Mostafa, Elouardi Mostafa, Aït Saïd Brahim, Chaouki Mimoun and Charif Abdenacer were sentenced each to 4 years in prison. Adjik Noureddine received 2 years; Orouzane Brahim and Aït Hssein Moha were each sentenced to a year in prison. They were accused of unauthorized gatherings, civil disobedience, burning of the national flag, and destruction of state property and humiliation of state officials.

What more, all of these students had a very hard time finding a lawyer to defend them? Nearly all of the Amazigh regions were affected and this only increased the number of demonstrations spiraling into more arrests and prison sentences.

More than ever, the Amazighs are not wanted in their own land. They are tolerated only if they accept to forget who they are. In the meantime, the demonstrations in support of the Palestinian people are funded and organized by the government itself, while Tamazgha’s own original people are trampled, jailed, and yes… eliminated. Because, the Amazigh movement has always been a peaceful one, the authorities resorted to manipulation to bring about the right circumstances and conduct massive arrests, and thus repress the Amazigh movement and silence it once and for all.

The question we ask at the Amazigh Cultural Association in America is why doesn’t Human Rights Watch say anything about all this? We would like to know what your position is on this. Have you investigated these events and what has your research yielded? Have the Moroccan Human Rights organizations contacted you about the ill treatments, the unjust arrests and trials? 

Whatever the case may be, we would like to know why you are not speaking up about the Human Rights violations in the case of the Amazigh activists of Morocco.

Sincerely,

Signed:

Hsen Larbi, President

The Tamazight Teachers Association of Tizi-Uzzu issued the following press release on February 28th to announce that it will be holding a full day protest on March 3, 2008 in front of the Tizi-Uzzu Board of Education offices. The Tamazight Teachers association states that it is tired of the practices of the Board that consisted so far of ignoring all of the problems that the Tamazight teachers are confronted with. Even the directives of the Ministry of education are arbitrarily ignored. Back in January it was the Tamazight teachers association of Bgayet that organized a protest to call for the reintegration of Education Inspector Yahia Belli.

 

Tiddukla n yiselmaden n tutlayt tamaziɣt n Tizi-Uzzu
Association des enseignants de Tamazight de Tizi-Ouzou
Immeuble CRMA 80, Av. Abane Ramdane, Local n° 08. BP. 30, Tizi-Ouzou
E. Mail : iselmaden.tamazight@gmail.com
Tél. 07.73.37.30.76

DECLARATION

Depuis sa création, l’Association des enseignants de Tamazight de la wilaya de Tizi-Ouzou a toujours privilégié le dialogue et la concertation avec la tutelle. Dans ce cadre, après différentes réunions de travail au niveau du Ministère de l’Education Nationale plusieurs acquis ont été arrachés, notamment :

-          L’introduction de tamazight dans le cycle primaire.
-          L’application d’une stratégie visant la  généralisation progressive de cet enseignement dans tous les niveaux.
-          L’accord d’un cœfficient de 02 pour tous les paliers.
-          L’ouverture de plusieurs dizaines de postes budgétaires.

Tous ces points ont été clairement mentionnés dans deux circulaires émanant du MEN, à savoir :

-          La circulaire n° 446, datant de novembre 2006.
-          La circulaire n° 426, datant de juillet 2007.

Mais il se trouve que la plupart de ces acquis ont été remis en cause par la Direction de l’Education de la wilaya de Tizi-Ouzou.
 
Jusqu’au jour d’aujourd’hui, le dossier du primaire est géré d’une façon opaque et anarchique. En plus de cela, les enseignants subissent au quotidien un mépris de la part des services concernés auquel s’ajoute l’attitude autoritaire et hautaine de plusieurs inspecteurs zélés des circonscriptions du primaire qui refusent arbitrairement l’application des circulaires du MEN.

Malgré l’ouverture de plusieurs dizaines de postes budgétaires, la généralisation de l’enseignement de tamazight telle que promise par le Ministère de l’Education tarde toujours à voir le jour et ce malgré la réunion de toutes les conditions nécessaires.

Depuis l’introduction de tamazight dans le système éducatif algérien en 1995, le nombre de postes ouvert dans le secondaire n’a pas changé d’un iota. Cette situation s’est malheureusement répercutée sur les élèves du Moyen qui, après quatre années d’assiduité et un résultat au BEM 2007 plus qu’honorable ( + 80% de réussite en tamazight), se retrouvent sans enseignement de cette matière au lycée, combien même revendiquée par ces élèves et leurs parents.

Toujours dans le cadre de la concertation et du dialogue, plusieurs réunions de travail ont été tenues avec les responsables de la Direction de l’Education de Tizi-Ouzou pour tenter de trouver des solutions à ces différents problèmes. Mais il se trouve que ces responsables n’ont jamais essayé de donner une suite favorable à nos différentes doléances, mais ils ont toujours préféré manœuvrer dans l’unique objectif de calmer les esprits en nous berçant de toutes les promesses possibles qui n’ont jamais été concrétisées.

A ce jour, la situation financière et administrative de la majorité des enseignants de tamazight reste pendante.

Face à cet état de fait, l’Association des enseignants de tamazight de la wilaya de Tizi-Ouzou ne cesse de s’interroger sur les véritables raisons de ce blocage qu’elle assimile à un pur blocage et interpelle les autorités compétentes pour intervenir afin de trouver les solutions qui s’imposent.

Vu le mutisme de notre tutelle, l’Association des enseignants de tamazight de la wilaya de Tizi-Ouzou se trouve dans l’obligation, étant donné que toutes les autres voies ont été épuisées,  d’organiser une journée de protestation le lundi 03 mars 2008 au niveau de la Direction de l’Education de Tizi-Ouzou.

Tizi-Ouzou, le 28 février 2008