The Moroccan Association for Citizenship and Human Rights strongly condemned in a press release on Wednesday Algeria’s opening on March 2 of a representative office for the so-called “Republic of Rif,” (the Rif is a mountainous region in northern Morocco).
In a video posted online, members of the Rif National Council and affiliates of the Rif National Party announced the inauguration of the office, displaying the pseudo “republic’s” name on the wall plaque at the gate and raising its supposed flag.
The Association asserted in the release that this is part of Algeria’s ongoing efforts to “undermine Morocco’s territorial integrity” in various ways after Algiers’ failed attempts to create a Sahrawi state. It said Algeria was in blatant violation of the United Nations Charter, which provides that member-states must uphold the sovereignty and unity of nations.
The Association warned against any form of “interference in the internal affairs of nations” that “harms the sovereignty, political independence, regional integrity, national unity, national identity, and cultural heritage of all nations.”
Pursuant to the UN Charter, it asserted that no state has the authority to “meddle in the internal or external affairs of another state.” The association also condemned Algeria’s oppressive regime and its interference in various aspects of Morocco’s domestic and foreign affairs.
The body highlighted the dangers posed by such interference to the “freedom, unity, sovereignty, independence, and integrity of the Moroccan and African peoples, as well as to their political, economic, social, and cultural progress, and global peace and security.”
The association rejected covert attempts to undermine Morocco’s territorial integrity by a “dictatorial regime seeking to export its internal challenges internationally.”
With echoes of Algeria’s legislative actions domestically and posing serious ramifications for freedom of speech and association, the rights group urged the Moroccan government to pass legislation designating organizations that advocate “Morocco’s division” as “terrorist” groups. It called on civil society organizations and the residents of the Rif region of Morocco to unite in defense of Morocco’s territorial integrity and to counter those colluding with the nation’s adversaries and conspiring against the Kingdom.
Morocco has not yet issued an official reaction to Algeria’s provocative opening of the new office.