Moroccan History
 
Ben Jelloun was born in Morocco, a North African country just larger than California. Morocco is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Algeria to the east and southeast, and the Western Sahara Desert to the south. Defensive geography, in addition to spirited natives, were key aids in Morocco?s quest for independence. The people of Morocco are primarily Arabs, Berbers, and Arab-Berbers, who prefer to acknowledge their Arab descent to their Berber. Berbers are the native people of Morocco and account for approximately thirty-five percent of the population (Barrie). The national language in Morocco is Arabic; however, schools, media, and government usually speak French as their primary language. Today, Morocco is a hereditary monarchy. It has a multiparty system and has elected legislature since 1970. Although Morocco has a bicameral parliament in which all members are elected, Morocco?s king still maintains ultimate power.

In the early 1900s, France, Britain, Spain, Germany, and Italy all had hopes of annexing Morocco. In 1912, France and Spain signed the Treaty of Fez, agreeing to divide Morocco between them. Spain took over southwestern Morocco, now known as the Spanish Sahara, while France took control of the remaining territory. In 1930, the French introduced the Berber Decree, a new piece of divide-and-rule legislation, which outraged nationalists. The Berber Decree would put Berber Muslims under the jurisdiction of the French, instead of the Islamic, law. For once, both Moroccan nationalists and Western elites joined forces in retaliation. Nationalists went on to form the Istiqlal Party in 1944, demanding official independence from France. The king of Morocco, Sultan Muhammad V, supported the nationalists? quest for independence, so the French sent him into exile in 1953. Three years later, in 1956, Morocco won its much-anticipated independence.

Sultan Muhammad V returned to rule Morocco in 1955, just before Morocco?s independence. In 1957, King Muhammad V changed Morocco?s name from Sultanate of Morocco to the Kingdom of Morocco. He also passed legislation making a one-party state illegal. The king wanted to encourage more political parties in order to divide his competition and maintain power in the country. Muhammad V died in 1961. His son, Hassan II, took his place as king.

Hassan II?s regime was known for corruption and in 1966, under Hassan II?s orders, Ben Jelloun was placed in a military camp. Ben Jelloun was arrested for taking part in student demonstrations in Morocco and imprisoned because the government did not want people calling it oppressive. Ben Jelloun was released in 1968 and by the early 1990s, Hassan II introduced political reforms that gave opposing parties more governmental participation. Hassan II died in July 1999, and was then succeeded by his son, Muhammad VI, who furthered political reforms and freed more political prisoners. Muhammad VI is still the ruler of Morocco today. Unlike his father, Muhammad VI is known for using piety, simplicity, and generosity in his rule. He is much more popular with the people and is known as the ?king of the poor? (Barrie). Ben Jelloun has met the king twice, but they do not have a close relationship.

During such times of political unrest, Tahar Ben Jelloun found it difficult to write, saying, ? In the 1970s?I was very sensitive to the climate of repression that reigned in Morocco. I couldn?t write, that atmosphere choked me?But then Morocco entered a period of democratization; things calmed down. And I was able to write there again?? (Rosen, 30). Today, Ben Jelloun does not write in retaliation to the French colonization of Morocco; he does not try to depict the French as enemies. Instead, he writes about the Morrocan people and how French colonization affected them. Ben Jelloun writes to express the feelings of the people. He addresses the question of identity- ?What makes me Moroccan or what makes me French??

However, soon after Morocco won its independence in 1956, conflict arose between Morocco and Algeria over the western land once ruled by Spain. Both countries claimed the Western Sahara as their own. Many attempts were made to bring peace between the countries ? in July of 1961, the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic addressed the frontier question- but none of these attempts were successful. In September of 1963, Morocco seized the land in question, but the following November, the countries agreed to a ceasefire. The ownership of the land remained in question until 1972, when Morocco and Algeria proposed an agreement that would better define the frontier and split the natural resources between the two countries. Algeria agreed to the terms, but Morocco did not. Instead, Morocco continued its quest for Western Sahara expansion. In 1976, Algeria and Morocco physically fought over the land in the Western Sahara War. By the late 1980s, Morocco finally approved the agreement with Algeria from 1972. Although diplomatic relations were forever tarnished over the Western Sahara, diplomatic relations between the countries have since improved.

Today, a sense of identity and belonging is one of the greatest issues facing Morocco and Moroccans. Because so many Moroccans moved to France during the political turmoil of the 1900s, there is now a considerable number of Moroccans living in France. Unfortunately, Moroccans have been the targets of racial violence in years past as nationalists claim ?France for the French.?

Ben Jelloun?s experiences as a North African immigrant in France have had a profound influence on his writing and French treatment of North African immigrants is a major theme in his novels. ?French Hospitality? is an essay Ben Jelloun wrote on the racial violence directed toward North African immigrants in France in 1984. Ben Jelloun does not consider himself an uprooted Moroccan. On the contrary, he feels comfortable in both Morocco and France. Ben Jelloun resides in France, but continues to spend about five months in Morocco each year and is equally interested in the wellbeing of both countries (Spear, 33).

Today, Ben Jelloun uses his celebrity to speak out about issues concerning Morocco and Moroccans living in France. Foremost in his concerns are the issues of racial violence and poor treatment of North Africans in France, and he proclaims, ?I refuse to accept the fact that people are imprisoned for their ideas and that torture occurs within prisons? (Spear, 36). Ben Jelloun gives interviews and attends literary functions. He believes, ?It?s necessary to speak because, if I don?t speak, the silence could be interpreted as an endorsement of such-and-such a situation. So because of my high visibility, I feel obliged to intervene in the realm of information and say what I think, so as not to let others say what I don?t think? (Spear, 40). Thus, Ben Jelloun uses his literary celebrity as a voice with which to speak his political views.


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