1- I am writing to you from Imsouane, a small fishing village 80 km south of Essaouira. A cove bathed by transverse waves. It’s a surfer’s paradise. They come from all over the world. And the village has kept its character, with fishermen who bring back their fish daily, small huts, cafes with rickety chairs and tables. Women who bake bread in front of you, restaurants where fish is grilled over charcoal. Sweet tea and good humor. No beggars, no children trailing or running behind strangers.
There is a rare serenity there. We look at the sparkling sea without ever tiring of its waves and their foam. And then there are seagulls by the hundreds. And tractors which pull the fishermen’s boats heavy with fish and seafood: sea bream, sea bream, speckled sea bass, squid, whiting, sardines, spider crabs, red mullet, scorpionfish, sole, shrimp…
The surfers, in their black wetsuits, descend towards the sea. They all look the same. They will spend all day sliding on the tops of the waves. In the evening, they bring back their boards, take off their wetsuits and go to sit down in one of those small restaurants where you can enjoy yourself for so little money. The good life in this winter where the sun is soft and the air is fresh in the evening.
Imsouane is still under construction. There are some luxury villas and others not yet finished, a lot of empty land and a certain anarchy regarding town planning. Like Taghazout, Imsouane will have its five-star hotels and a new landscape for wealthy vacationers.
2- The press is surprised by the significant figure collected by the State following the tax amnesty operation. There is money in Morocco! Not everyone, but there are some who are proud to show it off and pay the 5% demanded by the tax authorities.
It circulates in all forms. The species is still largely in existence. However, to fight corruption, there is nothing better than eliminating cash. In China, everything is paid by card, even in informal commerce.
In Europe, you are not allowed to carry more than 5,000 euros in cash and you cannot pay in cash for a product whose price exceeds 1,000 euros. Despite everything, fraud is enormous in the 27 European countries. The radical solution remains the end of tangible money. All by card or electronic payment. This will not prevent thieves and fraudsters from finding solutions to continue committing their crimes.
“Islam is the glue of our society. We cannot question it. On the other hand, this same Islam does not prohibit interpretation, the effort to improve the condition of citizens, in particular that of women.
Moroccan citizens, unlike Europeans, like to show that they have money. He is proud to spend it lavishly. And he is happy. In Moroccan Arabic, don’t we describe a rich person as “Labass ‘alih” (in good health)?
-Until we meet beggars or car guards with money-dispensing machines, there will be a lot of water flowing into Wadi Sebou! But it will come.
3- It is completely normal for journalists, intellectuals, politicians to discuss the draft revision of the Moudawana. It is important for a country which is modernizing and moving increasingly towards the rule of law to have a Personal Status Code in line with the evolution of society.
Our society is diverse, crossed by tendencies that are sometimes retrograde and other times progressive. Some are pulling backwards, others wish to pull the country upwards, with recognition of the individual as a unique and singular entity, free, independent and responsible.
As I wrote recently, Islam is the glue of our society. We cannot question it. We leave him in peace. On the other hand, this same Islam does not prohibit interpretation, the effort to improve the condition of citizens, particularly that of women.
The Maliki rite is known for its moderation and rationality. We do not follow the Wahhabi rite (application of Sharia law, literalist and uncompromising reading of the Koran) like certain Gulf countries. Our Islam is open to the world and to progress.
The condition of women and children is a social matter, not a religious one. It is a question of education and consideration of being.
The debate is intense, particularly around the question of inheritance. Justice must decide. If there is equality of rights between men and women, equality of inheritance is required without this affecting religion. Islam is not for injustice and inequality.
The subject is delicate, and yet important, given that the woman of today has nothing to do with that of the Prophet’s time. She works as much or more than men, she participates in an essential dynamic for the country and fully plays her role in the evolution and progress of the country. The vast majority of civil society is led by courageous and determined women, who love their country and are determined to fight against injustice and inequalities.
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