[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the Maghreb and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Maghreb Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to maghreb@jadaliyya.com by Thursday night of every week.]
Algeria
The Faceless Leader Baki 7our Mansour paints a picture of Lieutenant-General Mohamed Médiène, “the most powerful man in Algeria,’’ a man who has never appeared in an official public image.
A toxic dependency: Algeria’s love-hate relationship with its oil Hicham Yezza outlines the pros and cons of Algeria’s oil economy.
Realizing the Aspirations of all Algerians IMF Director Christine Lagarde praises Algeria’s economic performance and warns against increasing government expenditure, despite the fact that high-performing oil sector employs only two percent of the population.
Hafnaoui Ghoul. Ouyahia a détruit le Sud In this interview with DZ Activiste, founder and spokesperson for the Southern Algerian Movement for Justice (MSJ), Hafnaoui Ghoul describes the “awakening of a volcano” in southern Algeria, referring to protests in the region.
Libya
Libyan Youth Voices - The Real Voices of a Revolution Natasha Lipman describes the partnership between ShababLibya and the International Political Forum in publishing a series of articles by Libyan youth.
Should alcohol be legalised in Libya? Amira Al Hussaini gives exerpts from net conversation on the legalization of alcohol in Libya after numerous deaths and hospitalizations due to consumption of methanol-tainted homebrew.
بني وليد تعاود الظهور اعلامياً Abdul Aziz Issa describes the government’s neglect of the city of Beni Walid, and the differing reports on the city`s condition.
Congress suspends full sessions following attack The Libya Herald reports on the suspension of Congressional meetings after hundreds of armed gunmen assaulted and took members hostage
Mauritania
منعطف الفساد الأخير Mohamed Walid Arrajal outlines a Mauritanian corruption scandal, exposing the influence of investors in the banking system.
الحركة الوطنية لتحرير أزواد تحتجز سيارة محملة بمخطوطات تمبكتو Militant groups have detained and held hostage a car in Timbuktu packed with ancient manuscripts.
Mauritania receives Mali president Amidst intense conflict and foreign intervention in the Sahel region, Bakari Gueye reports on the meeting of Malian and Mauritanian heads of state.
Morocco
Big Buck PR Samia Errazzouki describes the Moroccan-American media machine and the use of NGOs to disseminate a palatable image of Morocco.
Veolia continues divestment from Morocco The Economist reports on French utility corporation Veolia’s divestment from Morocco, predicting that the sluggish Moroccan economy will prompt other major European investors to withdraw as well.
أم الفتاة نسرين الذي تعرضت لإغتصاب بتيفلت AMDH releases a video testimony from the mother of a six year-old girl who was raped in Tiflit.
Le très princier train de vie du trophée Hassan II de Golf Omar Radi exposes the funneling of state funds and the non-payment of taxes by Prince Rachid’s golf association.
Morocco: Migrants face persistent violence “A new report by MSF highlights the conflict between migration policies and the respect of fundamental human rights in Morocco.”
Tunisia
Gouvernement Laarayadh : un contrat politique entre Ennahdha, Ettakatol et CPR Lilia Weslaty analyzes the program of the new government under the Troika coalition of power between Ennhada, Ettakatol, and CPR.
Journée de la Femme : La charge du parti Ennahdha contre la CEDAW Sana Sbouai describes Ennhada’s protests on International Women’s Day, opposing the application of UN human rights norms through CEDAW.
Dancing in the street Tunisian dance collective “Citizen-Dansers” reclaim public spaces via resistance-as-art. (Video via FreeArabs.com.)
Western Sahara
Stolen the Doc A video about human rights conditions at Tindouf refugee camps has encountered pressure to remove the video from Youtube.
Morocco`s Liberal Facade Alison Lake shows the falsity of Morocco’s attempt to put forth a positive image of human rights through the leniency shown to prisoners in the courtroom during the trial of Gdeim Izik activists.
Morocco expelled MEPs to hide its crimes against humanity in Western Sahara, says MEP Spanish MP Vicente Miguel Garcés explains that Moroccan police stopped and expelled European MPs from Laayoune in order to prevent them from seeing poor conditions of refugees.
Recent Jadaliyya Articles on the Maghreb
Tunisia and the IMF: A Beggar State and an Impoverished People Meriem Ben Abid warns of the dangers of accepting IMF loans and their corollary structural adjustment conditions.
Self-Immolations Continue in Tunisia Afef Abrougui highlights the shocking number of self-immolations in Tunisia in past years, with nine already in 2013.
الخوف والغضب: المرأة وعنف ما بعد الثورة Deniz Kandiyoti describes the persistent problem of patriarchy and violence against women, despite the semblance of improvement in the wake of the 2011 uprisings.
Morocco`s 20 February Movement: Two Years Later Maghreb Page Editor Samia Errazzouki illustrates the state of the 20 February movement through photos and videos, highlighting the self-reflexive nature of the movement.
A Betrayed Revolution?: On the Tunisian Uprising and the Democratic Transition Layla Dakhli describes shifting class solidarities and alliances and their impacts on Tunisian struggles for social justice.
Qatar Moving Closer to Algeria? Mehdi Lazar explores economic links as precursor to a tightening of Algerian-Qatari relations.