Moroccan, Algerian intellectuals refuse to implicate the two countries' peoples in regimes' affairs

Algerian and Moroccan academics and intellectuals criticized the situation that has contributed to the deterioration of the Algerian-Moroccan relationships, and refused to implicate both countries peoples in the narrow accounts of the Algerian and Moroccan regimes.

“Intellectuals and political elites in the two countries are responsible of the initiatives that will remove the political tension which spoiled the hoped convergence”, they said.

The statement, signed by eighty academics, intellectuals, journalists and artists, led by a Professor of sociology at the University of Algiers 2, and director of the Laboratory of Religion and Society, Zoubir Arousse, said; “For decades, the official relationships between our two countries, Algeria and Morocco, are going from bad to worse. Undoubtedly this situation has reasons, including the effects that were left behind by the colonial era and the authoritarian system of government which was adopted after independence, in addition to the absence of independent initiatives among intellectuals and civil society in the two countries, and what we notice is that whenever there are signs of good ties between the two countries they are aborted!”

Previously, relationships between Algiers and Rabat have entered an advanced stage of deterioration and decay, and reached the desecration of the Algerian flag by Moroccan protesters, after they took it down from the building of the Algerian consulate in Casablanca, Morocco weeks ago. An incident that was followed by a fiery speech from the King of Morocco against Algeria, followed by calling its ambassador for consultations, which forced the Algerian party to ask for an official apology and enable it to participate in the investigation into the attack on the headquarters of the consulate and the desecration of the national flag.

Signatories of the statement said in a petition (a copy available to Echorouk), that the welfare of the peoples of the Maghreb region passes through the building of Moroccan space that is stable and which is marked by mutual cooperation.

“Historical, cultural and social relationships between the Algerian and Moroccan people are of closer ties that could gather the two peoples. Accordingly, the situation in which we live today is unreasonable, that is made by exhibitors, and can neither fill the promising prospects, nor covering the urgent need to build a stable Maghreb space, where the two peoples enjoy prosperity and freedom.”

Algerian and Moroccan intellectuals called upon the political authorities in both Algiers and Rabat to return to those in charge of the affairs of the two peoples and their political elites and intellectuals, to be invited to: consider the path of the Maghreb fundamental issue and not link it to the condition of resolving political differences, and stop pitting the two against each through media, and work in order to settle the existing problems between the two countries wisely and according to common interests, and dealing with the territorial issue of Western Sahara, in the framework of the relevant UN institutions through enabling the Moroccan organizations of consultation and cooperation to perform their tasks.