Moroccan king's reform pledges draw high praise - By Omar Brouksy

<blockquote>"We prefer to wait for the proposals of the commission, even though we think that certain points of the royal speech are important and new. One must not forget we want a new constitution and not a revised text."

- Khadija Ryadi, Moroccan Association of Human Rights president</blockquote>


Moroccan king's reform pledges draw high praise

Activists wait to see results

By OMAR BROUKSY
AFP March 11, 2011
Source

King Mohammed VI drew praise at home and from key allies France and Spain yesterday for his promise of sweeping reforms, but Moroccans warned they wanted him to follow through with concrete results.

Political parties said his address late Wednesday pledging reform was historic and opened the way for a modern Morocco that could be an example to the Arab world.

"It is a quiet revolution and a real social project for Morocco in the 21st century," said Abdelouahed Radi, president of the first chamber of parliament and a senior official with the Socialist Union of People's Forces.

"Morocco is entering political modernity through the big door. The king will remain the avant-garde of the Arab Muslim world," he said.

Opposition Islamist Justice and Development Party lawmaker Saad Eddine Othmani said the king had responded to the expectations of him, including from the youth who led pro-reform protests on Feb. 20 joined by thousands.

Unrest broke out after the demonstrations, leaving six people killed while scores were arrested. Other protests followed and the "February 20" movement has called more demonstrations for March 20.

"It is a historic speech, a big project of which the expectations are great," Othmani said.

Among the reforms announced by the king were that the prime minister would be popularly elected, and not a royal appointment, with real powers. He also pledged "expanded individual and collective liberties and the reinforcement of human rights in all dimensions" and spoke of the "will to set up an independent judiciary."

He underlined a "firm commitment to giving a strong impetus to the dynamic and deep reforms ... taking place."

The monarch said a commission would work on constitutional revisions, with proposals to be made by June and put to a referendum.

But some Moroccans and civil society groups were more cautious, saying they wanted to see what proposals would be offered.

Moroccan Association of Human Rights president Khadija Ryadi said: "We prefer to wait for the proposals of the commission, even though we think that certain points of the royal speech are important and new.

"One must not forget we want a new constitution and not a revised text," she said.


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