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Morocco: The messenger of the revolt

By Isabelle Mandraud Le Monde, 02/27/2011
Young unemployed computer Osama El Khlifi is behind the demonstrations of February 20 in Morocco. He relied on the example of "brother countries", Tunisia and Egypt, to structure its action on the Web

voice hoarse by wanting to be heard. In the street, first, to demand "more democracy" and a "change of constitution." In meetings, then, to snub the megalomaniacs who want to assume a leading role, berating the timid, and decide later.

Osama El Khlifi, 23, is on all fronts, tired but determined. Respected by other kids, too. Unemployed computer "for seven months," says he, is the source of events in Morocco, a country that thought - hoping - to be spared by the turbulence in the Arab world. After the raising of 20 February which, to everyone's surprise, led 37,000 people to the streets, according to its own balance sheet of the Moroccan interior ministry, ten times over by the organizers, it prepares the new appointment you are 26 and 27 February when the climate trends.

The planned sit-in in stride, in Rabat, the Moroccan capital, have been unceremoniously dispersed by police, however, remained very quiet so far. "We are not afraid of anything," said Oussama El Khlifi with the spirit of his age, we are ready to die to defend democracy and our country. "In Morocco? "Yes, we want a change," he insists. We have no real parliament or government, but a king who does everything. "

The young programmer wants to trim the powers of the Moroccan monarch and limit its powers to a ceremonial role, like that of the sovereign of Spain or Britain. A project inconceivable to the Alawite dynasty of Morocco, which claims a direct lineage with Mohammed. Especially since Mohammed VI came to power in 1999, founded his style on a sustained presence on the ground, unlike the international scene where it shows little.

Osama El Khlifi stubbornly, his emails were hacked, her personal Facebook pages offline and himself the subject of vitriolic attacks launched by his detractors on the Net, where he is depicted as a small head intractable, "Osama and his gang." The strong speech delivered by King Mohammed VI after the events of 20 February, in which the king said he would not bow to "demagoguery" did not budge an iota of his line: "It did not listen to the messages we sent him. We, we want a change. The tone is polite but adamant.

In jeans and sneakers, a cap on his black hair, a hint of beard on his pale cheeks giving it a false air of Che Guevara, Osama El Khlifi appears as a child of the middle class who grew up in Rabat. He is the only son of a policeman, always active, and is suspected of heated discussions with the family. "We exceeded all of this, he supports me," begs the son. Commitment by thirst, he joined in the recent past in the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), a party born in 1975, the first legislative elections in 2002 before being demoted five years later than the fifth place on the parliamentary scene. In April 2010, after a brief stint in its ranks, he throws in the towel: "The USFP is with the regime. "Worn by years of fruitless opposition, and sometimes compromise with the government, political parties do not appeal, nor do they attract the youth of his generation.
This does not mean that Osama El Khlifi is not interested in politics, quite the contrary. Every time he sees "a protest move," he "participates". It's true parades of Solidarity with the Palestinian people, or rallies against unemployment and insecurity. In November 2010, while employed at a restaurant in Laayoune, Western Sahara, he spontaneously joins in the procession which passed under her windows with social demands.

The last parliamentary elections in 2007, won by the party's historic Independence, the Istiqlal, and marked by a record abstention, disappoint him. It was after this, he says, he began to "talk" with friends on the Facebook network. Comrades "virtual" initially met by chance, recognizes the young computer scientist, who knew no, or little, and became, over time, true friends in the flesh. Sikouk like Hakim, a large bearded dynamic, professor of philosophy, 26, came from Safi in the region of Doukkala-Abda, on the Atlantic coast; or Hilana, a young and petite 23 year old translator at the pretty hair buckled. "We all met on the Net, Osama El Khlifi enthuses. This ranges from 18 to 25 years, and we are present in all regions of Morocco, Agadir, Rabat, Tangier ... "The Web allows the isolation and opens a free space left dormant by the press and media, controlled by power or self-censored fear of economic retaliation.

In 2008, Osama El Khlifi going to graduate from a private computer school in Rabat, and chains of fixed-term contracts, sometimes unrelated to their training. But the links have been forged, a small network formed when the revolution occurred in Tunisia, which causes, in Osama and his friends, a real snap. It is all initiatives to support the "brothers" in Tunisia, with whom he develops a relationship over the Internet, as with the "brothers" in Egypt. "We thought the time for change has come," smiled the young man. With handful of friends, he created the first Facebook group called Movement for Democracy Now. In four or five days, 8,000 people registered on their site. Two other groups are created on the same model. The three eventually merge to give birth, 3 February, the Movement February 20, whichever is quite arbitrary, chosen by the Internet to organize demonstrations. On the eve of the first shows, more than 20,000 friends have registered.
For good measure, an alliance was established with young Islamists of Al Adl Wal Ihsan ("Justice and Spirituality), the largest movement Morocco's Islamist, not legal but tolerated since its inception in 1973 by Sheikh Yassin. It lends to the organization, whose members do not recognize the king as the Commander of the Faithful, a considerable influence, especially among students. The daughter of the leader Nadia Yassine, also militates for the abolition of the monarchy in Morocco and its replacement by an Islamic Republic, which earned him to be prosecuted, but his trial did not place.

Without going to organize joint committees, young surfers and Islamists have agreed on a single platform: watchword unified Change of Constitution, no slippage, no slogans "xenophobic" (that is to say anti-Jewish), no separate marches. This closeness with young Islamists do not dislike Osama El Khlifi. "Islamists, leftists, we are all united, yes, all united for one goal, democracy," he pleads. We may be unable to agree on everything, but we are absolutely willing to demonstrate together. "
cooperation has its limits anyway, and it is obvious that between the core of the initiators, jealous of their independence to the point of not supporting the comments of a blogger known and active accused him of shooting to cover the events, usually found in the Moroccan Association of Human Rights (MAHR). They are not members, but hold their meeting at its premises, door closed, accepting any invasion, not even that of their hosts. Seasoned activists of human rights waiting patiently outside.
Tonight February 20, it's time accounts. Young people are developing between them, under a statement that two of them, a girl and a boy, take care to write on a computer. A second meeting starts then mixed this time, combining activists associations and young Internet users. The discussion is lively, as many are concerned about the incidents reported in several cities, Marrakech, Larache, Sefrou, especially Al-Hoceima, and attributed to vandals. Shops were destroyed, some buildings and vehicles torched.
The young philosophy professor Sikouk Hakim, spoke. "One: the movement is successful," he lists. Two, he continues. Three, we salute the organizations that have supported us. Four: we denounce the vandalism, those who have not committed we are absolutely not. These are traps Makhzen [Moroccan institutions]. " At his side, finger raised, Osama El Khlifi, annoyed. He defends youth "who have the same slogans [they]. "For the rest, he adds, it is not our responsibility," he repeated, about the incidents.
A voice in the room who raised the question of the continued presence of "500 young people" remained on the Boulevard Mohammed V, Rabat center, despite the last set to come home, given by the movement to to avoid overflows, he moved to realize on-site and call the "spread." Reluctantly.

A fan of his beloved majesty death threat
Osama El Khlifi

In a new commentary, anonymous course sent to the initiator of the movement of 20 February, a small soldier Makhzen does more control.

He wanted Osama " to death or prison . It s "personally committed to finding Osama El Khlifi and to kill that son of a bitch " it also deals with" little queer "
In a democratic country incitement to hatred and death threats are severely punished. In Morocco they are the defenders of human rights being put in jail.
By writing SOLIDMAR