Al-Hayat 18/07/10// Is it a coincidence that a confrontation between the Moroccan authorities and the banned Justice and Charity Group erupted at the beginning of the summer? The incident recalls previous struggles, called the “shore wars,” when activists from the group set up summer camps that resembled military training camps, involving ceremonies that are out of place in a climate of relaxation with people lying on the sand. The current stand-off cannot be explained by answering the question of whether activists from the organization of spiritual guide Abdul Salam Yassine, arrested for their involvement in kidnapping a former member and threatening him the harshest consequences, if he insisted on submitting his resignation, according to the official minutes, are guilty or not. The issue is with the judiciary to decide. However, the method these activists have employed is controversial, amid behavior that involves contempt for the law. At the least, continued membership in the Arab League cannot be imposed by force and threats, while dropping the confession to the charges leveled against the activists cannot be subject to any pressure, by brandishing weapons of torture, according to the statements by the activists. The matter goes beyond a stand-off between the authorities and the Justice and Charity Group. However, the parliamentary bloc of the Socialist Party has become involved and asked the authorities to issue a statement about the truth of these accusations, which, if proven to actually have taken place, means that the human rights situation is deteriorating. Irrespective of any political aspect to the stance taken by the parliamentary bloc participating in the government of the Istiqlal party's prime minister, Abbas al-Fasi, the matter involves the growing fears of chaos, whether in terms of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, which is not allowed to set down and implement its own laws, or in terms of the authorities, which have approved a break with proven practices in police stations and detention cells. Most likely, the Socialist Union, which is at odds with the proposals of the Justice and Charity Group, wants to send several messages through its initiative. Although it is aware that Sheikh Yassine's group is not a political party and refuses to become one, it is demonstrating more openness to the Islamic currents. It forged an unnatural alliance with the Justice and Development Islamist party at this time last year, amid the 2009 municipal elections, but this alliance has recently seemed to disappear. Justice and Development is not Justice and Charity, even though they are both Islamist in orientation. But while the Islamic Party is going to acknowledge that it is a political, and not religious party, Abdul Salam Yassine's group has refrained from entering the area of democratic legitimacy, and has retained its character as a preaching and guidance group, without this meaning that they do not practice politics in the comprehensive sense. Before the end of the last legislative session, both houses of Parliament attacked the stance taken by the head of the Justice and Development bloc, the lawyer Mustapha Ramid, who hinted that he would resign from the lower house, over a dispute with the Interior Ministry on organizing a “charity” demonstration. The stance was an indicator of the isolation of the Islamic Party, after it exited earlier battles with a greater capacity of resilience and openness. It is not likely that the issue will be more than a trial balloon, since the existence of the Islamic Party is linked to decisions taken at the ballot box. Before any election, political parties of all types engage in drills to enhance their positions. The situation of the Justice and Development party differs also from that of the Justice and Charity Group, which engages in politics without being a party, and rejects party affiliation on religious grounds. However, the confrontation with the authorities, this time, appears to be different than previous rounds. Most interestingly, the first decision taken by King Mohammed VI after ascending the throne was lifting the house arrest of Sheikh Abdul Salam Yassin, the spiritual guide of Justice and Charity. As a coincidence, the 11th anniversary of his ascension is taking place without the relations between the authorities and Justice and Charity seeing an end to existing bans, or the establishment of some mutual trust. What used to be called the “war of the shores” appears to have become a war of laws, as we await the judiciary's verdict on what involves “justice and charity,” while politics will settle what involves “justice and development.”
