Morocco is celebrating Eid ul Adha [1] next Sunday, so Merry [2] Eid [3] from [4] the [5] Moroccan [6] Blogosphere [7](Blogoma).
Let's joke about…Baby!
The controversy over Nichane [8] continues its escalation [9]. Actually, and according to Farid it's virtually escalating since only the Moroccan blogs are concerned whith no major Media support [10](Fr).
The view from Fez writes about the “disturbing” silence [11] off the major Moroccan media.
A very well coordinated campaign by conservative forces has been pushing for the baning of the satirical journal Nichane. Disturbingly a number of journalist “fellow-travellers” decided to abandon ethics and principals and join the campaign. Freedom of the press should be a non-negotiable, but for some it appears that at the first sniff of trouble they opted for self-interest. Thus they fueled the traditionalist camp and gave no support to the government who found itself in a difficult position caught between the highly popular reforms on one hand and the rising tide of political Islam on the other.
Eatbees posts the petition to defend Nichane which he considers [12] “not just a statement of support for Nichane, but a call to change the laws governing the press in Morocco.”
Foulla asks her readers [13] to react “wisely” to this unexpected situation.
You may not agree with the approach The Magazine Nichane choose to cover the subject, but I'm sure you do believe censorship is not the solution . Nor is throwing a bold and talented writer to jail !
Samir posts [14] Mohamed Ashab [15]‘s article about the controversy.
However, the banning of a newspaper could have serious impacts on the country's records regarding human rights, and freedom of expression. This raises serious problematic issues about the freedom of the press: where it starts and where it ends?
You can read all the blogs about the ban of Nichane in Le magazine des blogs au Maroc [16](Fr).
The blank day
Bloggers from Tunisia decided to protest against the censorship of some tunisian blogs. Many [17] Moroccan [18] bloggers [19] answered the tunisian call [20] and left their “e-paper” blank on Monday the 25th.
eatbees wrote an interesting piece about it, wondering [21] what would be the most efficient way to express opposition to censorship.
The ones and the others
Ms Hjiouj wonders [22](Ar) if Mecca [23] can be independant of KSA [24] while Issam complains from the sexism of some Moroccan women! [25](Fr)
Rayhane posts about the new Moroccan rap star BIGG [26] while antiphon regrets the fading [27](Fr) of Mohamed Rouicha [28](Fr), a star of the Moroccan folk music.
Rafiq addarb posts a review about Carter's new book Palestine Peace not Apartheid [29](Ar) while Said Ben Jebly reminds his readers of Mehdi Ben Barka [30](Ar).
In a musical footnote I urge you to visit Amine [31] and Loula [31] and enjoy their music boxes.