Morocco wants to reinforce ties with migrants

[Harold Schiffman]

Morocco wants to reinforce ties with migrants
by Michel Hoebink
15-02-2008
Moroccan Minister for Moroccan Communities Abroad Mohammed Ameur saysthat Moroccan migrants in Europe need to work harder to preserve theirlanguage and culture. But his statement has rubbed Dutch politiciansthe wrong way. It's beginning to take on the appearance of a trend.While European immigration ministers emphasise the need for migrantsto integrate - and preferably even assimilate - politicians from theircountries of origin underline the need for migrants to preserve theircultural identity. Last week, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdoğansparked an outcry when he said that assimilation was no less than acrime against humanity. The Moroccan minister appears to have taken apage from his book.
Classes
In the French language magazine Aujourd'hui le Maroc, Minister Ameurrecently revealed Morocco's new migrants policy. "The Moroccancommunity abroad", he argued, should be regarded as our country's 17thprovince." The spearhead of the new policy is to ensure that morechildren of Moroccan descent take classes in Moroccan culture and inArabic. The minister said that the number of children following suchclasses should over the next few years double from 60,000 to 150,000.The government will also earmark funds to enable young people totravel to Morocco so they can reinforce their bonds with their countryof origin.
Irritation
Minister Ameur's statements have caused considerable irritation amongDutch politicians. Conservative MP Henk Kamp says the Moroccan policyis diametrically opposed to Dutch government attempts to further theintegration of Moroccans in Dutch society.
Labour MP Khadija Arib, herself of Moroccan descent, argues that:"Moroccans in the Netherlands should focus on their lives here, sothey can get ahead". She calls the Moroccan minister's policy old-fashioned. Ms Aribargues that the Moroccan government should understand that the newgenerations have less of a strong tie with Morocco.
Berber language
In addition to sparking widespread irritation about the Moroccangovernment's interference, the plans have raised serious concernsamong many Moroccan migrants. Said bin Azouz from the Voice ofDemocratic Moroccans in the Netherlands says that"In principle, there is nothing wrong with preserving your ownlanguage and culture, but the question is which culture"? Mr Bin Azouzargues that an open democratic Moroccan culture is not at odds withintegration, but the traditional, static culture that the Moroccangovernment is promoting, is. Also, the Moroccan government seems tohave forgotten that 80 percent of Moroccans in the Netherlands speakone of the Berber languages. To them Arabic is a second language, justlike Dutch is.
Money
Attempts by the Moroccan government to retain its hold over itsmigrant communities are nothing new, and have repeatedly led toirritation. The Moroccan government refuses to allow its migrants togive up their Moroccan nationality and tries to force migrants tochoose the names for their children from an officially approved list.A recently created Advisory Board to the Moroccan Community Abroad isalso being regarded with suspicion. There is a reason why the Moroccangovernment wants to retain strong ties with its migrant communities.There are more than three million Moroccans in Europe, more than 10percent of the total Moroccan population. In addition to tourism andphosphate mining, the money sent home by these migrants is thecountry's main source of foreign exchange.

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