Morocco

Border dispute with Algeria

1963 Sand War; Moroccan attempt to claim from Algeria the Tindouf and Bechar areas that France had earlier annexed to French Algeria; principle regarding this dispute -- what Europeans decided the borders will be your state (otherwise there could be too many conflicts)

Coup Attempts

1971 and 1972 against Hassan II; several years after he disabled the constitution, dissolved Parliament, and took full control (he also did not promote socioeconomic development); first was due to anger over corruption allegations in royal family; second was orchestrated by General Mohamed Oufkir, Hassan II's close advisor

Mohamed VI

1999-present; initiated second episode of alternance with Arab Spring; removed from the Years of Lead promoted by his father, but has still not completed a democratic transition for Morocco; has co-opoted PJD to appease potential opposition; mother is said to be Berber, possibly black; under him, Berber language was made an official language in Morocco in 2002; Western Sahara issue has lingered

Episodes of Alternance

1st episode was in 1998; following years of lead and desire to improve his and Morocco's image to the West (West Sahara Issue), Hassan II agreed to extend parliamentary functions and introduce opposition (socialist USFP) in multiparty elections; however, he and his advisors remained in charge of important policy decisions and king-favoring parties remained prominent; 2nd episode occurred when Mohamed VI realized the impact of the Arab Spring and agreed to change constitution to appease opponents (Islamist PJD was co-opted and currently has PM in power) -- once again, not a true transition to democracy due to the strictly circumscribed space allowed to political parties

Mohamed V

First king of Morocco post-independence; he was exiled by the french and then returned to great support and helped negotiate independence in 1955; at first worked with Istiqlal, but used influence to undermine the party and conosolidate his own power (precolonial system); managed elites in power by rotating them through posts (patronage systems); succeeded by Hassan II in 1961

Alawi Dynasty

Has ruled Morocco since the 17th century

Al-Khattabi

Organized a revolt against Spanish presence in the Rif Mountains in 1920's; his decision to attack the French protectorate in Morocco after that led to the defeat of his army and separate state

Justice and Spirituality

founded by Cheikh Abdesslam Yassine; remains outside of Moroccan politics; heavily critical of the King's faith, finances, corruption; leader was forced into a mental asylum (daughter has spoken out about this)

Mohamed Oufkir

general and close advisor to Hassan II; accused of plotting a second coup attempt against him and was likely assassinated

Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)

government of Sahrawis created by the Polisario Front in the Tindouf camps following the movement of refugees caused by Moroccan aggression and the Green March; admitted into the Organization of African Unity; many believe i=n its right to self-determination

Allal El Fassi

head of the Istiqlal and leader in Moroccan independence struggle; became a main opposition figure to the monarch in the 1960's and 1970's

Istiqlal

headed by Allal El Fassi; main political force for independence; urban and Arab in composition; seemed as though Morocco would head towards single party by promoting divisions with it (leading to the creation of UNFP); formed the backbone of opposition to the monarchy; joined other parties in 1998 to form the Alternance

National Union of Popular Forces (UNFP)

its 1959 creation by Ben Barka split the Istiqlal down the middle, fatally weakening the historic party; tactic used by monarchy to gain control (replaced PM's); result of a rupture between the younger/radical/leftist elements of the Istiqlal and its older/traditional/conservative elements

Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (RMAF)

mechanism though which King established control of monarchy over the Istiqlal; primarily Berber and French in composition (groups the Istiqlal is against/not comprised of)

Patronage System

monarchy managed by elites by rotating them through posts and telling military to enrich selves/stay out of politics; fundamental characteristic of Moroccan politics; explains economic policy (land grants to allies to appease them); co-optation

Terra Nullius

notion of empty land; was there any political authority before the Spanish controlled W. Sahara? Did locals have a prior allegiance to the Moroccan sultan? ICJ responded that the Sahrawis have to self-determination regarding the status of their land

Sahrawis

people living in W. Sahara; claimed the right to self-determination of land following 1975 Spanish departure, but fought with Moroccans for control for 16 years; established SADR as state in control of the area (only in control of their side of the Moroccan Wall); supported by the Algerians (matter of principle to limit the scope of Morocco's expansion); nomadic by lifestyle; often compared their situation to the Palestinian Intifadas; Morcco sees control over them and their land as essential to the monarchy's survival and security

Mouvement Populaire (MP)

royalist party; formed in 1957 by rural leaders of the Army of Liberation to coordinate resistance against the Istiqlal; represented a natural and substantial ally to the monarchy; its recognition ended the Istiqlal's hope to establish a single party regime

Hassan II

ruled from 1961-1999; in 1965 he dissolved Parliament/Constitution and ruled directly; coup/assasination attempts in 1971 and 1972; did not promote socioeconomic development; established first alternance episode in 1998 likely because he realized he was dying (help his successor/son Mohamed VI); coaxed opposition to participate, but he and his appointed minister/advisors remained in charge of policies; subverted Washington Consensus policies by buying out Moroccan private sector with conglomerate Omnium Nord Africain (ONA)

Green March

strategic mass demonstation of 350,000 people to force Spain to hand over W. Sahara to Morocco in 1975; event eventually into a protracted War, with Morocco gaining control over the area

2003 Casablanca Bombing

suicide bombings that killed over 40; compared to 9/11 in the United States and led to Western support for Moroccan anti-terroist efforts (similar commitment to ending terrorist activity); was a particularly unexpected shock for Morocco

1912 Colonization

the year that the French colonized Morocco as a protectorate; lasted until 1956

Polisario Front

with Algerian support, waged war against Morocco and Mauritania from 1975-1991 for independence; established SADR in Tindouf camps; national liberation movement aimed at ending Moroccan presence in the W. Sahara; observe member of the Socialist International

Rif Mountains

Berber predominant region; Moroccan sanitation campaign against corruption, black market activities, and the drug trade (focused on production of drugs in the mountains)

Berber Presence

Berbers in Morocco have a strong sense of regional identity -- Rif mountains and the Souss Valley; more real in background; military formed by French and Berbers; autonomy within sovereignty

Western Sahara Conflict

Between Morocco and SADR for control of WS after the Spanish left in 1975 -- led to 16 year war until 1991; Green March; Moroccan Wall currently exists; only Mauritania recognizes its claim, most of the world (ICJ decision) supports Sahrawi self-determination; issue seen as vital to survival of regime (significant investment put into it; phosphate presence) and is presented as a security issue to garner Western support; 1990s upheaval on Moroccan side of the Wall

Tangiers Legation

american diplomatic building in Morocco; Morocco was the first country with which the US established diplomatic relations

Justice and Development Party (PJD)

co-opted Islamist group; current PM is from this party; Mohamed VI co-opted the PJD because he was ahead of the curve and changed the constitution to appease potential opposition -- still not a transition to democracy; radical Islamists remain outside of politics

Tindouf camps

collection of refugee camps for Sarhawi refugees fleeing Moroccan forces in Algeria; reliant on international humanitarian assistance; in these camps, the Polisario Front organized refugees and proclaimed its own state (SADR) in 1976; Moroccans had marched troops and people across W. Sahara and through Algeria as a show of strength

Omnium Nord-African (ONA)

conglomerate that the monarchy used to buy the Moroccan private sector; helped Morocco, when it went into debt due to its unsustainable practice of import substitution, to approach the World Bank and IMF for loans and economic policies (Washington Consensus) without actually risking the collapse of the monarchy due to economic liberalization, capitalism and democracy