Belgian-Moroccan citizens living in Belgium, most of whom hail originally from the Rif region in northern Morocco, expressed their opposition to Algeria’s provocative March 2 opening of a representative office for the so-called “Republic of Rif” in a petition launched on the platform change.org on Sunday.
“In the face of this deplorable initiative, we must react, as this scheme primarily constitutes a blatant attack against the Rifian population itself,” they said in the petition. “This amounts to a hijacking of a part of our history by an ideology that, through collusion with notorious adversaries, has committed acts of betrayal towards those it claims to represent.”
The petitioners said that such acts of betrayal show the refusal of those establishing the office to see that their country, and their region of origin, the Rif, are effectively being attacked in their name in an affront to their honor and dignity.
“We are faced with a group that shamelessly resorts to historical revisionism to deliberately distort history, thereby creating a version far removed from reality,” they wrote, rejecting establishment of such an office as an attempt to usurp their regional and cultural identity by “separatists” seeking to reduce that identity in its most degrading form for political purposes.
“If we overlook the absurdity of such a position and the irrationality of claiming both the legacy of Abdelkrim and the flag of the confederation of Rif tribes, who fought against Spanish and French colonialism as part of a Moroccan national convergence and liberation, the choice of terms is not innocent, but rather dangerous and laden with serious consequences,” they added.
The petitioners also asserted that the act is based on a “racialist perspective and the hierarchization of groups” and “must be understood as an ideology with racist characteristics.”
The members called for a stand against those hoping to politically capitalize on a supposed deep-seated resentment, using it as fuel for their propaganda. They highlighted that the separatists propagate a discourse steeped in frustration, seemingly embodying an ideology serving interests other than those of the Rif and its people.
“As Belgian-Moroccan members of civil society, . . . we must counter a group presenting itself as a political party advocating separation along ethnic lines. This political entity contradicts the values upheld by a region known for the principles it embodies, such as its undeniable linguistic and ethnic diversity,” the members said.
They also warned against the inherent risks, such as social division, discrimination, political polarization, and notably the promotion of ethnic supremacy, the glorification of one ethnicity over others, that contravene fundamental principles of equality, justice, and respect for human rights.
“We cannot tolerate the actions of a so-called party whose aim is to contribute to the instigation of inter-community conflicts, systemic discrimination, and social fragmentation,” they stated.