Address of Hon. Rachid Talbi El Alami, Speaker of the House of Representatives, at Concluding Sitting of the International Symposium on the “Moroccan Experience in Transitional Justice”
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Honorable Speaker of the House of Councilors,
Esteemed President of the National Human Rights Council,
Esteemed guests of the Kingdom of Morocco,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Following two days of debates on transitional justice, its contexts, models, objectives, and its position within democratic transition processes, we conclude today the proceedings of this international Symposium, which we are honored that it enjoyed the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may Allah assist him, who committed to addressing a Message deep in meaning, oriented towards the future, and abundant with pride of the achievements of our country in terms of reconciliations under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty.
In addition to the High Royal Patronage, this Symposium has earned more value since it gathered actors who were at the heart of action within the Equity and Reconciliation Commission, a practice of Moroccan peculiarity, officials of national and international human rights bodies, parliamentarians, representatives of the executive branch, and representatives of the civil society organizations working in human rights in their broad notion.
In the world of nowadays, where the rhetoric of intolerance, introversion, conflicts, and national egoism sometimes arise, we most need such meetings, particularly when it comes to questions that impact the essence of humanity and the human conscience, meaning rights in their various connotations and generations. Said questions unify the people who believe in coexistence and difference.
We felt joy as we received elites from diverse continents and the different regions of the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as from international bodies. We also felt immense joy for receiving prominent African human rights, intellectual, and literary figures, including the renowned and Noble Prize Laureate African author, Mr. Wole Soyinka, one of the emblematic icons of African culture.
I should apologize for putting particular emphasis on Africa, not only because we are standing on an authentic African ground, but also because we are aware of the occupation and injustice it endured in the past and the unjust and unfair world order it is suffering from today, as Africans pay the price of a colonialheritage, climate imbalances, and an inequitableglobal governance.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As the Speaker of a legislative institutionand a parliamentarian for several legislative terms now, I witness and feel, from the position of official and practician, the profound legislative reform dynamics the recommendations of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission launched in Morocco, as well as the impact of the laws that have been enacted by way of embodying the recommendations of the Commission, and more importantly achieving justice and safeguarding the present and future of our country. In this respect, His Majesty qualified the creation of the Commission as a “sovereign and voluntary decision.”
The reforms implemented by our country were not only characterized by profoundness, but their main trait was their expansion over several political, economic, social, and cultural questions and fields, in addition to the valor in analyzing the past and turning it into a living history that incentivizes unity, the boldness to implement reforms without hesitation, and the trust in said reforms.
This process culminated in the 2011 Constitution, characterized by its libertarian nature as it grants rights in their different dimensions and establishes the institutions and legal provisions that safeguard them.
Morocco carries out such processes without rough severance, on the basis of accumulation, and within the scope of consensus. These features are some of the traits of the Moroccan institutional and democratic model.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As His Majesty reaffirmed, the achievements of Morocco in transitional justice are amongst the highlights of the political history of our country that reflect the Royal prudence and the distinction and peculiarity of Morocco, its history, and its institutions.
The projects conducted under the leadership of His Majesty in various areas translate the commitment to grant democracy and human rights their economic, social, and cultural connotation, along with the adequate spatial and social dimensions.
Our achievements have become a national and human heritage that future generations must preserve as they are levers that should be utilized to achieve further progress and prowess, to address the challenges of the future, and for our country to pursue the delivery of its historical message as a land of peace, hospitality, and openness.
As much as this asset is a source of pride, it should also serve as an incentive to address the challenges of the present Morocco and the present world amidst a context of profound transformations and novel challenges in various fields.
Our responsibility today, as actors and elites, is undoubtedly to display seriousness and diligence to anchor these institutional and human rights achievements and also to gather our strength to pursue the battle of great jihad (for construction and development).
Ladies and gentlemen,
Given the value of the ideas you shared during this two-day Symposium, it would be beneficial to add them to the Moroccan and international human rights culture by recording and issuing them in a format that can be shared as widely as possible to preserve the memory and enrich the global debate on transitional justice and its mechanisms.
I thank you for your contributions and your keen listening.