Widespread Corruption and Dissent: The Moroccan Army’s Deplorable Conditions

In a confidential report he sent to Washington in August 2008, which WikiLeaks recently revealed, former US Ambassador to Rabat Thomas Reilly said the Moroccan armed forces were deplorable due to structural weaknesses plaguing their ranks.

The same document outlined the significant disparities between the compensation of officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers, explaining that “no troop movements, exercises, or even travel of officers domestically or abroad happens without the King’s approval. As a result of the 1971 and 1972 coup attempts by the Moroccan Army and Air Force, respectively, the Palace increased its control over the military, marginalized it from policy-making, and restricted its interaction with foreign military interlocutors and the press” which have marginalized the armed forces, ineffective, and vulnerable to the spread of religious extremism.

The secret US report noted that the Moroccan royal establishment denies the army freedom of movement and organizing maneuvers independently of its directives. It also restricts its movements and communication with foreign military personnel, and restricts military aircraft flights to areas far from royal palaces. The task of military management is entrusted to a nominal civilian administration subordinate to the Moroccan Prime Minister, reasons the Americans believe are the causes of the Moroccan army’s ineffectiveness.

This important secret document is a small part of the confirmed information about the dire situation of the Royal Moroccan Army.

The dissident officer from the Moroccan army, Abdelilah Aissou, previously presented a bleak picture of the Moroccan army, which is riddled with corruption. He said, “In the Moroccan army, everything depends on money. To join the army, you pay. To advance, you pay. To reach higher levels, you must pay what is appropriate for that promotion.”

He adds, “Whoever holds responsibility in the southern regions must pay, because work in that region generates huge profits through the theft of supplies allocated to soldiers in the south. Senior officers sell goods to soldiers, paid for with their meager wages. The theft even extends to the clothing of Moroccan soldiers; soldiers buy it with their own money or wear civilian clothing. Senior officers, on the other hand, own fishing fleets, arms deals, and real estate, but without accountability. Unlike Algeria, for example, whoever makes a mistake pays the price.”

Even in punishment, there is blatant discrimination. The defecting Moroccan officer says, “Those proven to have sold drugs to the generals are only transferred from the south to the north. The source of the drugs comes from some traffickers, who use the money to target Algeria.”

“The problem for the Moroccan army is the rampant corruption within it,” says Officer Aissou. “If you step outside the fold, you will be subject to all sorts of arbitrary actions, such as delayed promotion and transfers.”

The rampant corruption in the Moroccan army has led several officers to flee, as confirmed by secret documents issued by the Moroccan General Directorate of Security last August, which acknowledged the desertion of 14 military officers from the artillery corps in the Sahrawi territories.

This cable called on the Makhzen regime, headed by Abdellatif Hammouchi, to issue urgent orders and recommendations from King Mohammed VI to the Moroccan media and its electronic flies to conceal the desertions and defections witnessed by the Moroccan occupation army in occupied Western Sahara. This is especially true given that the number of deserters is 14 military officers from the artillery corps, which confirms that the Makhzen army is experiencing instances of rebellion and defection, which will create chaos within the Makhzen’s corridors, given the considerable number, value, and weight of its personnel.

The leaked correspondences reveal the state of fear and anxiety within the Makhzen regime. Abdellatif Hammouchi, the Moroccan Director General of National Security, even acknowledged the difficult circumstances and “exceptional situation the kingdom is experiencing,” especially in light of the ongoing protests and demonstrations rejecting normalization and demanding improved living conditions, as well as the economic and political failures and the worsening economic crisis.