Maghreb Media Roundup (August 9)

[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 Wednesday night of every week.]

Algeria

Colonised by the Arabs, Abandoned by the World Several Amazigh organizations relate accounts of marginalization and abuse under the pretext of the regime's "anti-terrorist" operations.

Le film algérien 'El Gusto' : Séparés par l'histoire, réunis par la musique Mona Sadek reviews the Algerian-Irish film, which chronicles the lives of Jewish and Muslim friends through the civil war.

Incivisme,insécurité et dégradation du cadre de vie,Où est passé l’État? Farid Belgacem criticizes the state's neglect of  "minor" crimes in favor of its "terrorism" fixation.

Libya

Libya: Fireworks Mark Tripoli's First Liberation Anniversary Amira al-Hussaini presents a compilation of tweets and online reflections in commemoration of Operation Mermaid Dawn.

Opinion: Hopeful signs emerge in Libya Najila Abdurraham argues that "alarmist media narratives have overplayed threats to civic peace," and exclude perspectives of the average Libyan.

Libya council hands power to new assembly Al jazeera covers Libya's first peaceful transition of power in 47 years. 

Jalil in headscarf controversy as first row erupts at National Congress Heckling and removal of an unscarfed presenter at the transfer ceremony sparks condemnation of Jalil and congressional members.

Mauritania

Look Back, Nov. 2011. Activists in Mauritania Brave Threats To Visit The Death Camp Of Innal For the 1st Time CRIDEM.org reports on the the gathering of victim's families at the site where 26 Black soldiers were hanged in 1990.

Mauritania: Mining Workers Protest ‘New Kind of Slavery' Ahmed Jadu summarizes the conditions  and series of events leading to Mauritania's mining protests.

Morocco

La faillite de l’enseignement public Mahdi Zahraoui laments the deficient public education system as a function of corruption and paranoid government attitudes towards the poor and middle class.

Ramadan In Morocco: The Morality Police Matt Schumann discusses the closure of hookah bars in Casablanca and the misdirected motives of the ruling party.  

Morocco, A Police State That Doesn’t Say Its Name Ellen van de Bovenkamp reflects on her personal encounters with constraints on press freedoms in Morocco.

Tawiza cesse de paraître, son esprit continue Ali Khadaoui writes a tribute to activist Mohamed Boudhan, director of the only monthly Amaizgh newspaper in Morocco.

#Morocco: Refugee journalist in danger in Spanish enclave - via @RSF Reporters Without Borders expresses concern for the safety of Naimi Hamid, a journalist who has received several threats following his reports on corruption in the Moroccan government.

Tunisia

Les Tunisiens et le « sacré » Mohamed Firas Arfaoui discusses the potential benefits of Tunisia's new anti-blasphemy law.

Tunisia: Prison, Fines for Offending ‘Sacred Values’ Human Rights Watch outlines the threats of Tunisia's anti-blasphemy law to freedom of expression.

Assaulted by the Cops! Blogger Lina Ben Mhenni describes the August 5th assault on herself and others peacefully protesting against the government's idleness.

Analyse: Ennahda 2012 - première année de l’exercice partagé du pouvoir en Tunisie Dominique Avon and Youseef Aschi explore the role of religion in post-revolutionary Tunisia in the context of Ennahdha's ascent to power.

Prisoner compensation raises eyebrows in Tunisia Critics of the proposal to compensate former political prisoners argue that the economy cannot support the stress, and that the money may flow to the ruling Ennahdha party as many former prisoners were 'Islamists.'   

Tunisian Government Tightens Grip, Sparks Fears of Islamization Nizar Bahloul criticizes Ennahdha's attacks on personal freedoms and inability to respond to the nation's proximate needs.


Arabic

الفرص الضائعة هل تركت بقايا فرصة للخلاص ؟
Youssef Mouhammed outlines missed opportunities, beginning in January 2011, to thoroughly rebuild Tunisia's political sphere.

ندوة حوارية في مقر السراج حول كتاب الرق في موريتانيا
Mohamed Salem Ould discusses his new book on slavery in Mauritania, in which he explores society's legitimization of slavery, Islamic rulings on the issue, and its political management through time.

موريتانيا: الرشوة والوساطة صناعة صينية
Compilation of reactions to the first known report and rejection of bribery by a Mauritanian official.

Recent Jadaliyya Articles on the Maghreb

Maghreb Monthly Edition on Jadaliyya (July 2012)
Dissent in Morocco: Not All for One
Neither Allah, Nor Master
Morocco Reforms: Criminalizing Dissent
نقاش الحرية الجنسية في المغرب بين الحقوقي والسياسي