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Appendix 2: Response from the Government of Morocco, dated May 30,
2008, to Letter from Human Rights Watch
(translated from Arabic by Human Rights Watch)
Introduction
The Kingdom of Morocco, conscious of the significance of human rights in its global
dimension, has prioritized this issue and is moving forward and without reservation
to fortify the rule of law, democracy and sustainable development while keeping in
mind its political realities, regional security, and the protection of the security and
integrity of its citizens. The culture of human rights is underscored in the Kingdom’s
constitution, the preamble to which affirms Morocco’s commitment to the principles
of human rights as agreed upon internationally.
The Kingdom of Morocco, convinced that the consolidation and protection of human
rights constitute first and foremost a process that requires development, has taken a
number of steps, including Morocco’s initiative to negotiate autonomy for the Sahara
region, which aspires to attain a peaceful, just and permanent settlement of the
Sahara dispute while preserving the Kingdom’s territorial integrity and sovereignty
over these provinces.…
Human rights are being implemented in all provinces without discrimination
between the Saharan provinces and the rest, on the basis of the equality of all
citizens under the Constitution (Article 5) and the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights (Article 7). Thus, citizens coming from the southern provinces enjoy all the
rights and freedoms, and are subject to the same duties and responsibilities, as the
rest of Morocco’s citizens.
Based on these considerations, and in order to clear up all ambiguities and fallacies
that aim to cast doubt on the democratic course that Morocco has adopted in order
to consolidate the rule of law and to spread the culture of human rights, we must
provide the following clarifications and information regarding the questions posed in
your letter:
159 Human Rights Watch December 2008