Vidéo / Interview – Mr. Abdellatif Ouahbi says PAM party will hold 1st women’s congress in April
Q: Has the Moroccan government raised the white flag in front of speculators?
A: No, no, absolutely not, I’ve raised this subject since six months ago in fez and I am still adhered to what I have said before; I have called for banning exports of agricultural products outside Morocco; and along with party line, we believe the priority is for Moroccans, they have the right before others. What has occurred is that there were some accumulations and pressure from some sides I am astonished at; however the Ministry of Interior is assuming its duty by fighting those practices and so needed much more time. Now, we are putting pressure at two levels: Reprehension and judiciary prosecution regarding this subject. The second level is that we are trying to provide markets with more agricultural products so that prices would decline. This topic has raised problems all over the world (not only in Morocco); and actually we assume the political responsibility; however, we are working on this file and the government has not stopped discussing it at each government council meeting.
Q: Baytas (spokesperson of the government) has acknowledged the government’s incapacity to face speculators. What is your comment?
A: It’s very normal that he tells the truth and say that the government has not been able to do anything, but let me tell you that we have not left off our hands and we will not let Moroccans be subject to the practices of a group of speculators. We are following the subject closely and are attempting to understand reasons and implications so that we could deal with this subject which concerns all Moroccans, not only during Ramadan but even after Ramadan.
Q: In front of total absence of Ministers in public media, is there any communication crisis in the government?
A: You should address this question to the President of the government, regarding myself, I am omnipresent in the media in terms of issues that interest me and I seems that in fact there is a confidence crisis between the government and we should deal with this subject with more cleverness. Sometime you don’t give the news about a topic and then you find a lot of headlines about it to the extent that you just don’t know what is serious and what is not (or fake). This is to say that there is also a problem from the media side and not only from the government. I am not here in a position to judge ministers but actually there is a confidence crisis at the communication level.
Q: What is the truth about some disagreements and misunderstandings among some ministers?
A: Absolutely not, we are harmonious among us and are working harmoniously, there is no crisis among ministers but full cooperation; and personally I have not any problem with any minister. I express freely my convictions and defend my viewpoints; what is important in those tasks is to make prevailing (public) interests. Who will benefit? Who will endorse and who will support? This doesn’t interest me. What is important is that I am working hard and there is full cooperation and respect among us as ministers.
Q: What is your comment on Miyara’s statements?
A: Al Alam newspaper is doing self-criticism and second is that I’d like to reaffirm that the government coalition is made up of three political parties and not with trade unions; and a president of a trade union can NOT talk on behalf of the government. Mr. Miyara has the right to express his opinion and viewpoints as a president of a trade union but when it comes to government policy that’s something else.
Q: Millions of Moroccans suffer from diabetics and so cannot fulfill fasting; there are no places where they could eat (during Ramadan) no restaurants and no places dedicated to that. Have you done anything for that category of persons?
A: You should first define/or differentiate between public and private places to eat manifestly in public places would hurt the feelings of other persons who are exercising fasting, and if a person is sick and cannot do fasting then he is free to eat at home but not in public places hurting other peoples’ feelings. Public spaces are for all peoples and so those who do fasting should also be respected as Muslims.
Q: Is it true that criminalizing consensual relationships will be abolished in the new penal code?
A: We are heading towards not criminalizing consensual relationships in the private space but in public spaces, we should put some conditions as in the public space we should respect some obligations but in the private space we have reduced the size of punishment.
Q: “Wajadati” is an e-platform about reducing polygamy. Can you give us some clarifications about this topic and underage marriages?
A: The law exists now and we will make its announcement in the first week of April in front of public opinion. There will be no polygamy behind the curtain. But why have you been late in issuing penal code?
A: No, no, not because I could not issue the penal code, but there are some opinions coming from other sides such as women organizations, human rights/legal organizations including international organizations which have provided us with their opinions and which we have decided to integrate in the penal code.
Q: What is your comment on the State Department human rights report which has talked about some violations of human rights?
A: The State Department human rights report is divided into two parts: The first one includes positive points about our national cause but also includes negative points. Regarding negative aspects, there are some points in which we should assume our responsibility and should be courageous to treat/resolve those negative points through laws, practices and behaviors; while at the same time there are some points where there are some speculations for which they have relied on other sources. There were some points in the report which we can deal with and reform through our administrative process. I cannot say the report was not fair, but it was not drastically objective. It’s very hard to judge a people with values of another people. Each people have their own values and sometimes there surge some disparities. So Americans have issued that report starting from their own conviction, their values, their views of themselves and of own life and apply them on Moroccans and this could undermine objectivity.
Q: Has Ouahbi moved backward and is no longer secularist and defends Islamists?
A: My words should not be misinterpreted. I am for modernity and I am right now preparing a presentation which I will be making in some public centers auditoriums in Rabat to express my viewpoint on the subject. I did not go back but I am committed by some kind of equilibrium, to preserve values and convictions of Moroccans.
Q: You have talked about making difference between reporters and Youtubers and prison punishment?
A: Reporters have the privilege of preparing, disseminating the news. They have a noble mission of transmitting the news, when they address us we should respond and when they ask for an appointment we should give it to them. Reporters have the right to comment and that’s why we have given them the privilege of the press code; in this context even if reporters make mistakes they could not be punished by their body safety and arrest. No one who is not a journalist could benefit from the reporters privilege, should practice a lot of language chaos and allegations; and then would say there is a violation of freedom of expression. Freedom of expression is not a chaos it is something controlled and defined. When they would say they are expressing their opinion, there’s no problem about that but when they would address allegations and provocations against other people, then they would repeat the same mistake of pretending that those claims are true and that the news reports about those allegations are true. The press does not do that kind of job, it does report news, and I want to preserve the press to defend its social and media role, its value and its privilege but I just don’t want that some pretenders would disturb journalists’ role.
Q: After a long absence from the party, you have been seen recently in a party activity and you have raised some concerns by the wording “Yes sir” voiced to you by some leaders, what is happening?
A: “Yes sir” was just a joke among us we were laughing and “sidi” in Morocco is used out of respect for the elderly and we did not mean anything. Without entering into some illusions to be believed as idols, let me tell you that I have a respected and organized party, with respected leaders we are doing our work paying attention to what some people are pretending. As the party leader, I am carrying out my mission with dedication and not for eternity. Like all politicians I am also doing my job as the party SG limited in time and space. As the party SG I am satisfied with what I am doing inside the party politburo there is total harmony and I will not waste my time in responding to those false allegations. I would say that our party is currently at its best moment since its creation.
Q: Is there any Marrakchi trend which pulls the strings from inside PAM?
A: Absolutely not, there is no such Marrakchi trend inside the party, deputy SG is from Marrakech, her deputy is from Nador and members of the Politburo represent all national areas and furthermore I don’t shut the door in front of anybody on the ground that they respect party institutions and orientations.
Q: PAM lacks organizations and structures. Is it an organizational weakness?
A: I am the one who has dissolved both youth and women organizations and other parallel organizations; I have decided along with Politburo members to review everything inside the party we don’t want to create organizations just for showcase. We are working to create strong organizations inside the party so next April after Ramadan there will be the first national convention for PAM women organization. Also youth organization will be created after the holding of youth national convention. As regards to external relations of the party, we have thought of creating an administration body headed by a politburo. We are preparing this subject and as you know we progress calmly but seriously and when I came to lead the party there were many problems and some calculations and then came the elections and after that Covid, so when I became the SG of the party, I have decided along with Politburo members to reexamine all party’s structures and put it on the right track for restructuration. We don’t want to create affiliated organizations just for the sake of showcase to please public opinion.
Q: Al Mouhajiri’s comeback. What is your comment?
A: Al Mouhagiri is still a militant inside the party and we still have not yet decided about his fate course. His file is still at the hands of the party Politburo; as for his position as parliamentarian that is his parliamentarian and constitutional rights, however his position inside the party is still undecided.
