Maghreb Media Roundup (August 23)

[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

Détérioration du pouvoir d’achat des Algériens Hamid Ball discusses the long term implications of inflation, particularly on the purchasing power of Algerians.

Algeria, a country of non-governance Zoubir Zerarga laments Algeria's "non-governance" throughout every significant crises since the revolution.   

Les Incendies En Kabylie Sont Le Fait Du Pouvoir Algerien The president of the Provisional Government of Kabyila alleges that fires in the Kabylia, which have occurred in sync almost every year since 2004, are acts of arson committed by the Algerian military.

L’Algérie, l’exception au printemps arabe? Dr. Abderrahmane Metboul assesses Algeria's recent 'reforms.'


Libya

Hotel Libya: Journalist Relives The Horror Story An anonymous correspondent who was amongst the journalists infamously trapped in Tripoli's Rixos hotel during the revolution reflects on her petrifying experience.

Another advice for the new Libya: Liberate yourself from the curse of oil Hamal Khashoggi suggests that Libya uses its "second chance for development" to avoid the oil curse identified in Farouk al-Qassims 1971 white paper.  

Libya's Minority Berbers Renew Equality Demands Interview with Said Henshir, a founding member of the Libyan Amazigh Youth Assembly.


Mauritania

Mauritania's Date Palms, Cultural Heritage and Means of Survival Mohamed Abderrahmane discusses the effect of drought on one of mauritania's most valued resources as well as measures attempted to sustain date palms viability.

Mauritania: Landslides Leave Residents Homeless Ahmed Jadu examines the destructive ramifications of Mauritania's first heavy rainfall in two years.

#Mauritania: An African Slave-State with International Support Anita Hunt discusses the history of slavery in Mauritania and the contemporary context of its preservation.


Morocco

Morocco: Is the ‘Allegiance Ceremony' a Thing of the Past? Hisham Almiraat discusses opposing views of the annual bay'a or loyalty ceremony.

Le pilote Benkirane est-il dans l'avion ? Face à la crise, le gouvernement navigue à vue Narhis Rerhaye argues that after eight months of political and economic stasis, Moroccans have lost confidence in Benkirane's government.

Mamfakinch Counter Corner: A Response to the Daily Caller Samia Errazzouki challenges the facile assumptions of democratization, identity, and social structures that underpin the Daily Caller's feature of Meriem Bensalah, an elite Moroccan business-woman.

Ou Va Le Maroc Chawqui Lotfi broadly outlines Morocco's contemporary political, economic, and social circumstances, with particular emphasis on the current and potential impact of M20F on these realities.


Tunisia

Tunisian Former Political Prisoners Seek Asylum in Algeria Families of victims tortured under Ben Ali's regime demand compensation.

"Complementary" status for Tunisian women Monica Marks diverges from mainstream analysis of the controversial constitutional amendment, arguing that serious mistranslations have misconstrued its phrasing as an overt rejection of gender equality rather than as (potentially deliberate) ambiguity that could be wielded to stifle women's rights in the future.

Arabic Graffiti on Tunisia’s tallest minaret Tunisian artist El Seed paints a minaret with Quranic calligraphy to demonstrate the coherence of artistic expression and religiosity following recent scuffles between artists, and Salafists, and authorities.

Tunisie: Coup d'Etat à la tête de Dar Assabah Tunisian journalists protest the selection of an ex-police commissioner (and former editor of The Daily) as head of the Dar Assabah media group.

Femmes tunisiennes, maîtresses de leurs corps et de leurs destins Soraya Hajjaji challenges the Western/Islamist dichotomy imposed on Tunisian women. 


Arabic

#موريتانيا‏ في مونغل: مظاهرة احتجاجية على أزمة الماء وتهديد بإعتصام مفتوح
Protestors in Mauritania once again call attention to the government's incapacity to manage water resources.

  الخصوم السياسيين في موريتانيا يناقشون وضع الوطن
Mauritania's ruling and opposition party members offer diverse opinions as to the state of the nation's political crises.  

عبيد أحمد الرقيق : قرارات جريئة دحرجها الانتقالي فهل يصدرها المؤتمرالوطني العام؟!
Obaid Ahmed al-Rageeg pinpoints six issues Libya's GNC must immediately resolve to establish legitimacy and stability.
 

Recent Jadaliyya Articles on the Maghreb

Tunisian Constitution: Text and Context
Divesting from All Occupations
Abdelilah Benkirane : du chef de gouvernement au simple petit fonctionnaire du Makhzen
The Emergence of Salafism in Tunisia