Morocco Joins Middle East Protests: Protesters Demand New Constitution, Economic Reforms
The Huffington Post/AP First Posted: 02/20/11 02:17 PM Updated: 02/20/11 02:17 PM
(SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE UPDATES)
RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Thousands of people marched in cities across Morocco on Sunday, demanding a new constitution to bring more democracy in the North African kingdom amid the wave of Arab world upheaval.
Demonstrators shouted slogans calling for economic opportunity, educational reform, better health services and help in coping with rising living costs during a march on central Hassan II Avenue in the capital, Rabat.
The day of demonstration was Morocco’s entree into the series of protests that have swept up North Africa and the wider Arab world after popular uprisings brought down longtime autocrats in Tunisia and Egypt.
The main target of Sunday’s rallies was parliament, where many Moroccans fear their voices are not heard. Still, the protests are likely to pressure King Mohammed VI, who has been seen as a reformer compared to his iron-fisted father, Hassan II, and who still holds absolute authority.
Dear Suzie Q,
My name is Carlos del Romero and I am currently studying a Masters in International Journalism at Cardiff University, UK. I am planning to write a series of in-depth articles about the Arab World unrest, (later to be published on my blog worldindepth.blogspot.com and on one of the Cardiff University newspapers) and therefore I am trying to contact different experts that can give me their point of view. I am planning to focus on a country-by-country basis, and I am starting with Morocco. I have come across your website, and I have read your articles about the protests, which I think are pretty interesting. I would be very grateful if you could answer just three or four short questions for me related to the protests in Morocco, as you are living there and you know about the matter.
Thank you in advance.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Carlos del Romero.
Cardiff School of Journalism, Media & Cultural Studies
Cardiff University
Bute Building
King Edward VII Avenue
Cardiff
CF10 3NB