Open Letter : Segregation and Racial Discrimination continuity scandal through newborn first name prohibition in the midst of RIF Amazigh uprising

Rabat on June 06^th 2967 / June 18^th 2017

Open Letter addressed to:

• Head of Government,
• Secretary of state
• Minister of Justice and Freedoms,
• Minister of State in charge of Human Rights
• The ministerial representative in charge of human rights,
• President of Human Rights National Council
• Heads of Parliament groups in 1^st and 2^nd House of representatives

Subject : Segregation and Racial Discrimination continuity scandal through newborn first name prohibition in the midst of RIF Amazigh uprising  

Azul fellawen

In the context of the Amazigh continues protestation in the Rif region against contempt, marginalization and exclusion.  At the time of the first parliament chamber starting discussion on Amazigh organizational law draft to activate the Amazigh language official status. As part of its monitoring and follow-up of the status of the Amazigh issue in Morocco, since the inauguration of the present Government. We regret to inform you that, we in the Federal Office of the National Federation of Amazigh Associations in Morocco (FNAA), we received the complaint N° 44 of Amazigh newborn first name prohibition. It says that the Civil Status Office of the Tilukit commune in the Azilal Region, refused to record “SIMAN” as Amazigh first name of the newborn of  Master  “ANTA Hemmou” and Madame “Hasna Abqas”, born on June 8^th 2017 (see the birth certificate here attached). This is justified by the civil law regulations of the former Interior Minister Idriss Basri, which don’t include “SIMAN” as approved first name.

Thus, and considering the continuity of Amazigh first names registration prohibition, which had increased to reach 44 cases only since the Amazigh language was adopted as an official language in the Moroccan Constitution; and taking into account the tragedies experienced by citizens proud of their Amazigh identity,

We, in the FNAA Federal Office, we inform you about our regret and total reject of the racial ethnic policy designed against Amazigh people in their homeland.

In this context, we reject the continued validity of the arbitrary unjustified prohibition decision against the victim’s parents, despite our multiples correspondences and condemnation statements of the power abuse persistence of the civil status offices.

Taking all this in account, the FNAA Federal Office, rewrite to you once again, this open letter on the subject of the right to legal personality and the right to identity, renewing your claim to:

1. Urgent intervention to redress the family of the two victims, Master “ANTA Hemmou” and Madame “Hasna Abqas”, and to undo the registration refuse decision of her daughter “SIMAN” which means “two soul” in Amazigh language.
2. Implementation of the Moroccan state commitments of treaties and convention, including the following:
   • When ratifying the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
   • During the discussion of its 17 and 18 periodic reports in front of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in August 2010, particularly with regard to guaranteeing the right of the Amazigh Moroccan population to choose and register Amazigh personal names.
   • Implementing the concluding recommendations of the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Committee related to its session held at the end of September and the beginning of October 2015.
   • Implementing the Human Rights Commission recommendations issued at its session in October 2016.
   • The Constitution requirements, which in its preamble recognizes human rights as they are internationally recognized and the diversity of Moroccan identity, and in its fifth chapter about the official status of Amazigh language.
   • Recommendations made by some States to the Human Rights Council at its last session held in Geneva on May 2nd 2017 during its discussion of Morocco’s comprehensive periodic report, Morocco is committed to respect its new constitution requirements and its international human rights obligations, including the Amazigh right to name their children in Amazigh name.
   • Respect your obligations in the area of freedoms and rights through the implementation and activation of the memorandum of the Minister of the Interior issued under N° 3220 on April 9th 2010, and respect  the choice and the registration of children with Amazigh names and ensure full implementation of the mission of the Ministry of Interior in this aspect,
   • Abolish all laws and legislation dedicated to racial discrimination in Morocco. And adopt public policies with a human rights approach that would overcome the confusion of the government and the parliament in activating the contents of the constitution related to Amazigh linguistic and cultural rights.
   • Dissolve the Civil Status Supreme Committee and revoke its existence because it opposes in terms of its nature and its course of action the right to legal personality and the decisions of human rights and peoples’ rights.

On behalf of the Federal committee of National Federation of Amazigh Associations

Accompanied by birth certificate