sublimeblog

Macabre Musings.

Death : The Absolute Truth.

      It ‘s a pure truism to note that every human soul will experience the death rattle and go through the death thores .Mankind is doomed to get wiped out off the face of the earth .life is transient ; eternity is the preserve of the Omnipotent .Yet, most humans thrust the prospect of death in the limbo of the forgotten and behave as if they would live everlastingly .Intermittently, The loss of  kith or kin serves as a reminder of death looming large in the horizon .

Death dread.

      Human beings fear death .They know it is a certitude but it remains a mystery which they can’t fathom.Likewise, death is closely associated with burial, tombs and darkness.The prospect of being entombed underground sends a chill down anybody’s spine.The certainty that one will get separated from his relatives and friends is a disturbing thought as well .However, pious people don’t dread death in itself , but the meeting of Allah, the judgement and the verdict.

Death : the destroyer of pleasures.

      Life is the cradle of pleasures.Most people indulge in multifarious pleasures : money ,sex, food , procreation...etc .Death puts an end to all of these.These pleaures themselves are short-lived and susceptible to fade away in hours or even seconds.The eternal ,genuine pleasures are to be found in paradise in the after-life.

Death : the grand leveller:

     Life is brimful of inequities.Some people are filthy  rich while others are poverty-stricken; some are healthy whereas others suffer from incurable or chronic diseases, a few are leaders but the majority are subjects and subordinates.Death level the palying field .All are sent back to clay in humble coffins ;possessions and prerogatives are left  behind .Kings and beggars occupy similar graves having as company vile worms.

Death : the end ?

     Even the staunch atheists recognize the certain advent  of death , but they fail to conceptualize an after- life .For them , death is the terminus of life ; they envisage neither judgement nor reward after death.They think resurrection is an impossible occurence .This is of course sheer nonsense because every human soul be brought back to life ( this is easy task for Our Lord),and shall go through a fair and strict judgement of  deeds , which entails either reward ( paradise) or punishment (hell).In fact ,death is the watershed between life and the Hereafter.

The Dark Side of the Moon.

         Nearly thirty eight years ago, a momentous event stunned the whole world: two American astronauts , Armstrong and Aldrin, managed to set foot on the moon .This tremendous achievement , which took place on July 21^st , 1969, marked the watershed in the history of humanity.It opened the door for numberless scientific and technological breakthroughs.

       The world has become such a tiny village where news and information travel faster than ever before.Very few people viewed the event live or after it occured .In fact,a high proportion of people doubted the landing on the moon.This skepticism is chiefly ascribed to the huge chasm which seperated the industrialized countries and the rest of the world.As an illustration , at that particular time, TV service in Morocco was still at its embryonic phase.What’s more,more than 70% of the country’s households weren’t supplied with  electricity.A further point is the illiteracy which was a trait of most citizens.How would you expect people who lived in such circumstances to get the news in the first place let alone to credit what happened .For them , the sky is the limit and they had neither the possibilities nor the imagination to envisage an occurence of such magnitude.

        Science and technology have taken giant strides in all walks of life .The net has availed the world population of a huge bulk of information and knowledge and of incredible channels of communication.Television relays events live from far-off places ;it has also opened countless windows on corners of the world that we have never heard of thus far .Telephony has brought people closer than before and all of this at an affordable cost.

        Yet, The technological gap between the occident and the rest of the world is still significantly wide.20% of the world’s population indulge in luxury , and over-abundance while the remaining 80% are poverty –stricken , deprived of basic needs.As a matter of fact, the world’s fortune and resources  are unevenly distributed.The third world countries are doomed to remain consumers of what  the developed countries invent and innovate.It may seem a paradox, but amidst this gratification in knowledge and multi-dimensional communications , the illiteracy index in the poor countries points to a shameful level .

         These stark discrepancies resulted in the advent of what is labelled  by thinkers and journalists as “globalization”.It has invaded the four corners of the world, and it takes several faces: cultural ( TV, the internet,cinema....) , economic ( World Trade Organization) and political (democracy , terrorism ......)Globalization threatens the cultural specificities and the national idiosyncracies which characterizes individual nations and ethnic groups as well.

         Variety is the spice of life whereas uniformity breeds boredom.Hence, it’s needful to counter-attack  this relentless onslaught of globalization which seeks to clone one patterned culture and to impose it on the world through various channels.Therefore,it ‘s imperative to take refuge in our own cultures and  to assert our identities and national characteristics without overlooking to glean the positive aspects which globalization vehicules.

PS: Today ( 6th June, 2007)the rich countries meet in Germany while poor countries hold a conference in Mali.

Blood-stained Roads.

         The gory scenes of carnage on Moroccan  roads continue to grab the headlines .Accident after accident , casualties has risen crescendo and the average weekly toll amounts to 20 dead and hundreds wounded.Our roads are ranked among the bloodiest across the world and this top position is far from being an outstanding achievement .The tourists who pour into Morocco are forewarned about the dangers they may encounter on our  roads.I have once  overheard a French tourist saying to his interlocutor «  J’ ai appris a’ conduire a’

la Marocaine.

»Meaning that he has learnt how to drive in the Moroccan style or way.I laughed at that quip but deep down I felt sorry and bitter.Equally, the Moroccan immigrants who come back to spend their summer holidays in their mother country   find it hard to acclimatize with the chaos on the roads of the Kingdom.

      There is no room for doubt that the human factor is blameworthy.A significant number of  Moroccan drivers don’t abide by the road regulations .They ignore traffic lights as well as road signs .Abracardabra ! The fines which are supposed to punish such people change strangely into bribes .What’s more , the road infrastructure in many regions of the country is not blameless as the Moroccan TV claims .A high proportion of  our roads are indecent and

Trigger off deadly accidents.In addition to the aforementioned factors,let’s not overlook the fact that 80% of the vehicules in the country are very old and really derelict .

      The government has been launching awarness-raising campaigns but to no avail.Similarly, strict measures are occassionally  implemented on the ground .The bloody statistics drop significantly during that period and shortly after , they resume their steady rise.As a matter of fact, severe measures must be carried out in order to stop this haemorrhage .The officials have to ascertain that the fines imposed on wrongdoers are actually paid .Moreover, repeated infringement of the rules must result in the withdrawl of the driving licences.In the same vein , the standards set by driving schools to obtain the licences have to be reconsidered drastically.The system of  highways in the country  will have doubled by the end of 2010 linking the cities of  Rabat and Casablanca to Oujda , Marrakech and Agadir ;and we hope it will be streched to remote regions as well such as Ouarzazate ,Errachidia ,Alahoceima ,Chaouen and  Layoune .This will certainly help  reduce the number and the gravity of  accidents in Morocco.

The Koran: The Lighthouse.

   

     Not only is the Koran a holy book revealed by Allah the Almighty  to his Messenger Mohammed (pbuh) it is the constitution of  the true Muslim as well .It is  a trove of wisdom, a treasure of  laws , regulations and exciting stories .The Koran is the source of enlightment for the Godfearing believers , it guides them to the true path of genuine faith .In the same vein ,  it pinpoints the favourable behaviours people should display  and the odious deeds to avoid .This miraculous book is the product of one author : the all-knowing God.Some atheists claim that it was penned by Mohammed ( pbuh).This is sheer nonsense .Don’t they know that the prophet Mohammed was illiterate?The style is Godly ,nobe and impressive and it can’t be “human”.Its Arabic language is unsurpassed in purity and beauty. The Koran is held in high esteem , it is infallible and it is the the last authority in all matters , religious or legal.It is the word of God to His creatures on earth .

      Whenever  I read the Koran , I get overwhelmed by sensations of relief and ease , I sense the might and the benevolence of our creator , I  get to know that this life is a test of our faith and conduct and that the hereafter is the true life where people will be justly judged and accordingly the reward shall be decided :either heaven or hell , consequently my faith strenghtens and take deeper roots in my heart and mind.Each time I peruse the Koran I discover new ideas and sensations , I have learnt that a single reading of this holy book is not sufficient if one would like to encompass the scope of it.Hence, I took the decision to make of The Koran my everlasting companion.

                                                                 13^th feb, 2007

The Innocent Crescent

         

            Ever since the 9/11 events in the heart of New York city,the world has plunged into an unprecedented upheaval.The watchword guiding the policy of the United States has  changed from communism to terrorism.The former was the relentless  foe of the USA and the « free world » from 1949 until the  abrupt demise of the USSR in 1989.The animosity between the two superpowers was termed «  the cold war »  because they never engaged in direct and open hostilities.Their antagonism and opposition showed in many parts of the world mainly Afghanistan, Korea ,Cuba inter alia.Shortly after the disintegration of the communist superpower, and the launching of the «  new world order » vision, an invisible enemy loomed large to to the world and it took distinctive labels like « Islamic  terrorism » « Islamic Fundamentalism » or just the term «  terrorism ».It  first emerged with the bloody attacks on the American embassies in Nairobi and Dar Essalam and it culminated in the  plane-attack and utter destruction of  world trade center  and which left more than 2000 people dead and thousands injured.The perpetrators were identified as a group of “terrorists” called “Al Qaeda” masterminded and sponsored by Osama Ben Laden a Saudi millionaire and ex-resistant “or mujahid “ to Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.The American president promised to crack down on terrorist networks worldwide and he advanced the strategy of pre-emptive strikes as a  means to protect America from further terrorist acts.Eversince , we have witnessed two wars , both  led to the occupation by theAmericans of  Afghanistan  (and the removal of Taliban regime ) and Iraq ( and the capture of Saddam Hussein).UBL is still at large.The Americans prevailed in both military conflicts but this  hasn’t killed off « terrorism ».On the contrary, more dreadful attacks were perpetrated in the four corners of the world mainly in Bali, Morocco,Saudi Arabia ,Spain Tunisia, Britain …..

         The question that arises now relates to the identity,   the objectives and the motives of the people who conducted or masterminded those “terrorist” acts.First of all, leaders of “al Qaeda” claim that the motive power of “al Qaeda”is Islam and  pure Islamic principles.They argue that the attacks on America and their conspirators are religiously-binding and constitute a sort of “Jihad” against the oppressor and the miscreant.They also justified those acts by the occupation of palestine and the biased attitude of America to Israel.There is another rationale which is dear to Ben Laden and that is the American military presence in his homecountry Saudi Arabia.For the head of “Alqaeda”, miscreants mustn’t set foot on  the holy land and he vowed that he will continue to fight the Americans until they withdraw.The support of the American administration to  oppressive regimes in the Arab world is a component in their system of beliefs.The far-flung objectives of “Alqaeda” are myriad and manifold.Chief among them is to fulfill the commnadments of “the Koran” and implementing “aljihad” in order to disseminate Islam throughout the globe.Their second main objective is to set up an islamic rule in all  the islamic countries.They put forward the basic idea that the present leaders don’t rule by the Koran and the prohet’s sayings and deeds.Presently, we have to touch upon the identity of the people who embrace these principles.Generally,they are highly educated, well versed and possessing high IQ,some of them are wealthy .Osama Ben Laden is a millionaire and he belongs to a notable family in Saudi Arabia,his right hand Aymen Azzawahiri is an eminent physician;as for the central figure in the NY attacks Mohamed Atta,he was a was a brilliant student in a German university in Hambnurg.

          You must have noticed that I have been using the word”terrorism” and its derivations between quotation marks,and  I think you must have guessed right the reason for that.The word “terrorism” along with its implications hasn’t been defined clearly and its limits are far from being delineated.There is no general concensus on the aspects and the features  which distinguish “terrorist” acts from other acts.As a result many countries have seized the opportunity to deal a blow to its opponents.For example,Israel considers Hamas a terrorist organisation;the same for Great Britain visa a’ vis IRA and Spain in relation to  the Basque separatists ETA .This  political and ideological exploitation of the phenomenon has blurred the minds of many people ,it has stigmatized lots of people and organizations.

           As far as I am concerned I feel indignation and repulsion at the policy of double standards regarding the palestinian cause.All the United Nations’ resolutions have to be implemented except those related to Israel.This is sheer bias and inscrutable backstage machinations against the rights of the Palestinian people to set up an independent state.The Arab world feel betrayed and impotent to react in addition to the rift which now seperates Arab leaders and the popular masses.People feel their leaders( and the UN) are just puppets controlled by an American hand.What adds salt to injury is that most of these regimes are oppressive devoid of democracy,equality and basic freedoms but awash with corruption,embezzlement,nepotism …ectAll these grave defects are exacerbated by the desolate economic and social circumstances.Too many blotches on the canvas of the Arab world have made it hideous and fertile for the advent of extremsits’ ideas and principles to the forefront.I deem that the aforementioned  thorny problems are the root cause for the uprise of “terrorism”.

           I strongly condemn terrorist acts targeted at innocents with no apparent cause to defend,but just for political ends.

Nevertheless, I sympathize with movements of resistance chiefly in Palestine and Lebanon.Hamas and Hezbollah are not terrorist organizations because their projects are legitimate.Another point of prime importance is that Islam is a tolerant religion preaching respect,love and brotherhood.I feel that my nerves constrict whenever I hear opprobrious terms linking terrorist acts to Islam especially in America and Europe where Islam and Arabs are systematically stigmatized .Hence,every terrorist act-be it in Antarctica-is ascribed to an Arab or Muslim.We should be cautious when adopting sweeping generalizations without proper knowledge of Islam and its main precepts.Every moslem ,specially “ulemas” or theologians,must share in the effort of presenting the real image of our religion .

          Terrorism can’t be eradicated overnight and the phenomenon is far from being over as long as the problems highlighted before persist.Palestine must have an independent state and Alqods as capital.Equally,Afghanistan and Iraq have to regain their freedom Arab countries have to encourage  genuine democracy , ensure justice ,equality of chances ,uproot  corruption and provide basic freedoms.The United Nations has to reconsider its role so that it would be more positive, and more neutral.I think  that hope lies in our future generations providing that we vaccinate our youngsters against extremist ideas through a decent education at home and at school as well as filling up their free time with beneficial activities,otherwise we will engage in a vicious circle,terrorists will mushroom and the situation will degenerate beyond repair .Tolerance and love should be our watchwords from now on.

                                                               

                                                            

A survival Story

          The general mood among most Moroccan teachers  bespeaks listlessnes,boredom and diffidence.The complaints about the situation of our educational system are growing at an unprecedented rate.The problems which foster this morosity are myriad and manifold : deficient pre-service training , low pay , crowded classrooms , uninterested students, obsolete curriculum,anti-education al administration and so on and so forth.It is a sorry state and it shares in the general pessimism which prevails in our society.

          Most students do not have a realistic objective or dream to live up to. No motivation whatsoever ( intrinsic or extrinsic) can be detected , there is complete nonchalance instead.They attend school because there is no other alternative, and they don’t know what the future has in store for them.The university is no garden of eden , decent job opportunities are scanty.Clandestine Immigration is a fact of life in our country.A high proportion of Moroccan youngsters dare to get aboard shaky boats so as to cross to the northern side of the Mediteranean basin.Alas, most of them perish hopelessly before they attain a shred of their European dream.In fact there is n’t the slightest beam of light at the end of the tunnel.

            The grass is not greener on the other side of the fence.Teachers themselves can’t figure out the utility of the efforts they deploy in the classrooms.They are constantly hammered with the latest changes in the curriculum and  in methodology; they are called on to” to adapt and not to adopt”, to be” reflective and innovative” and to undertake classroom research whenever an obstacle arises.They are made to understand that the stakes are high, the long-term changes are going to be drastic and fruitful.Nevertheless, Those changes have proved to be cosmetic and ill-advised.The weeds should be uprooted before the desirable plants grow.Amidst this invidious atmosphere, teachers ought to call upon their reserves of patience,mettle,self-abnegation and above all the vocational love .

          I apologize for the murky tone of this piece of writing, but  it is the  stark reality,isn’t it?

Moribund Cultures

            Many a civilization has risen and flourished in remote corners of the planet even in the wilderness,tropical forests or deserts.Historical accounts provide us with countless evidences about the existence of great civilizations that were carved out of jungles or in  seemingly hostile environments.Nowadays,some surviving tribes particularly in Africa,Asia and South America have remained virtually uncorrupted and temporarily resisted the encroachment  of modern civilization upon their lands and traditions.However,this long-standing resistance has started to weaken and consequently vast archives of knowledge,cultural aspects and expertise which belong to these indigenous peoples are spilling into oblivion .

          Man is endowed with innate cognitive powers which enable him/her to create and to impart knowledge, to innovate and to develop techniques that make life easier and less painstaking for mankind .Our world has been the matrix of thriving  culutural heritage and all the peoples who have actually inhabited the earth have contributed to the  enrichment of the world’s civilization.The French philosopher Claude Levy Strauss demonstrated in his book « Race et Histoire » that all the ethnic groups have in fact  contributed their cultural repertoire to the common patrimony albeit  differences in the degree and the nature of the contributions .It follows from this that the huge bulk of  knowledge  of the remaining tribes  is an enormous trove of wisdom.Alas !the prevalent attitude has been that western science and thinking ,with its powerful analytic tool has little to learn from tribal cultures.The cultures of what are labelled « primitive » societies are of a cardinal importance and interest.It is undeniable that the innumerable developed technologies and arts of the Maya,the Incas,the Pharaons and others are irreplaceable.These magnificent civilizations,which staggered the minds of the European conquerors,were brought to an utter destruction ,and the natives,followers as well as leaders,were decimated at an incredible rate.At present, 15000 cultures are still remaining on earth and the tribes that still exist have to exploit nature without disrupting the balance that sustains the ecosystem.In fact, these indigenous peoples have lived in harmony with their environment and they have grasped the mysteries of flora and fauna , which has enabled them to discover the great nutritional values of myriad plants and animals as well as disclosing the therapeutic properties of many plants.Unfrortunately, it is predicted that this invaluable expertise will vanish in the near future if effectual measures are not launched.

          The largely undocumented knowledge of the remaining tribes is on the brink of extinction.For instance, 90 of Brazil’s 270 Indian tribes have completely disappeared.Accordingly, a vast body of traditions and wisdom evaporated with these vanishing tribes.In the same vein, modern civilization infringe upon the lands of  many tribes which either die out or are fused into the modern world.Moreover, some young tribesmen who get in contact with the outside world embrace the conviction that their traditional ways are old-fashioned base and illegitimate.Dumbfounded by the blandishments and the wealth of the developed world ,they rebel against the fragile chain of  their ancestors’ oral traditions,and novel ideas assault their simple minds ;and their dexterity in the ways of the forests slip away.It is sad to note that these youngsters feel shame rather than pride in what their progenitors knew.On a larger scale, even some third world governments have come to look upon their indigenous cultures as a hindrance to their prosperity and progress.What is more, many aged tribesmen who carry the knowledge of their tribes die without passing on their learning to their posterity.Tribal languages are equally jeopardized and we all know that if a language –which is the lifeblood of any culture-disappears,traditional knowldge tend to vanish with it.A very recent study estimates that only 300 tribal knowledge have a secure future.

           To wrap it up, the remaining tribes with its kaleidoscope of cultures have a great value that the developed world should recognize.Western scholars have much to learn from the knowledge of these tribes.However,great efforts have to be deployed so as to preserve this endangered cultural heritage.                 (Written in 1992 )Missar Abderrahim.

The Noose of Glory.

On the eve of Aid Aladha and the new year’s day , President Saddam Hussein was hanged . The world witnessed  the gory event as it was shot  by two Iraqi officials using their mobile phones.Saddam is the first Arab president to be executed after a trial , the same fate befell the Romanian president Nicolae Ceauşescu ( 1918-1989) and his wife.The common point between the two men is the “ formal” quick trial they were subject to.The differences are two- fold .First, Saddam Hussein was hanged while Ceauşescu was shot down.Secondly, Saddam was a prisoner of war and he was caught by an occupying force namely the Americans  whereas Ceauşescu was a captive of his own people who rebelled against his regime.

The Arab world including Iraq was divided on the personality of  Saddam Hussein and they are more divided now than ever after his death.Many people around the  Arab world along with a high proportion of Shiites and Kurds consider the man a tyrant and a criminal who inflicted upon his population torture , massive killing and poverty as well as dragging the Iraqi people into destructive wars against Iran, Kuwait.....However, for millions of  people Saddam Hussein still represents the mouthpiece of Arab nationalism and pride , his defiance of  American and Israeli supermacy -“wasn’t he the sole Arab ruler who dared bomb Israel with scud missiles? “-was the  trademark of a man who stands by his principles notwithstanding the aftermaths.

No one can deny the fact that the execution of President Saddam was tarnished by hateful statements and barbarous rituals which were met by unique mettle ,fearlessness and “ a smile “ from  Saddam ; and that is no mean feat for anybody facing the noose .Saddam was able to stand firm and strong to show to the whole world that his cause was just and that he would remain a legendary figure for the Arabs .No one can also deny that the trial of Saddam Hussein was unfair and that it was a  “show trial” in addition to the stark reality that Saddam Hussein is a prisoner of war and ineligible to such trials.A further undeniable point is that Saddam had up his sleeve secrets that Americans did n’t want him to divulge.As a result, the president was muzzled lest he would have let the cats out of the bag.

Iraq won’t change into a paradise after the execution of Saddam.Hostilities and bombings of  Iraqi civilians and American soldiers continue and more ferocious than ever.The GI’s are still stuck in the Iraqi quagmire reminiscent of the Vietnam’s .The pumping of more American troops won’t redress the situation in Mesopotamia ;on the contrary, this will provide supplementary targets for the resistants.Some analysts claim that the war on terrorism is being fought out in Iraq but they have lost sight of the other one still going on in Afghanistan andwhiwc the Americans haven’t won yet as they may have thought.I think President Bush is on the brink of losing both wars due to his short-sightedness and stubborn mindset.

           A civil war –God forbid- is highly probable in Iraq as the cleavage between the sunnite and the shiite populations is getting wider and wider.This tension could lead to the division of the country and add fuel to fire in the Middle East region.Some people  would claim that Saddam’s reign was efficient and suitable to such a heterogeneous country as Iraq in the sense that social peace and unity were established.Others would repond to that and affirm that the unity was superficial but visible and that divison was real ,deeply rooted in the Iraqi society but invisible.( 7^th Jan, 2007)

Silent Playgrounds.

                      Children have been unscrupulously subjected to multifaceted  and abject kinds of exploitations and manipulations by grown-ups in different parts of the world .kids are victimized because they are easily influenced ,defenceless and unprotected ;most of them are extremely poor deprived of decent shelter,healthy food and proper medication ;some of them are orphans or school leftovers.On the other hand,many greedy and inhumane  people brandish this  motto « the end justifies the means »;  they resort to fair means or foul( including misusing innocent lads and lasses) to achieve effortless gains or some sort of satisfaction to the detriment of others’ well-being.

                  Child labour is banned by the national laws and the international  regulations as well as by the United Nations charter for the protection of  human rights and those related to children .However,millions of kids are being exploited in demanding and arduous chores mainly in Africa and Asia.They are forced to work for long hours in exchange for few coins.The situation has not changed much since the nineteenth century when children used to be expolited as miners;now children in India and most of Asia have to toil hard in painstaking tasks .Another more hideous facet is the trade slave related to the buying and selling of children as a sort of cheap labour force.Child sexual abuse is a another aspect of the topic in hand.Pedophilia has mushroomed in many countries which have become sex resorts par excellence.Sex traders manipulate small kids in this lucrative business and market pornographic material in the internet network.These children who are sexually molested get basic needs such as food and shelter in return  for their lost innocence and dignity.In some African and South American countries,children are being  invested as soldiers ;they are obliged to hold weapons and to wage civil wars which their immature minds find too harsh to assimilate or to comprehend.As a matter of fact,this sort of indoctrination is very hard to believe in the new millenuim.

                 In Morocco, the state of affairs is less severe but far from being immaculate.A widespread aspect of child abuse in this country is the expolitative engagement of  little girls as maids and in some cases subjecting them to severe mental and corporal punishment.Equally, many families urge their children to quit school and to take up handicrafts such as  tailoring,pottery ,carpentry inter alia.In the countryside,some parents refuse to send their offsprings to school with a view to making them work on the farm and in the fields.Homeless children in our big cities is a fact of life that we have to face courageously;these kids are prone to be victims of sexual abuses ,initiated to become  beggars and pickpockets,drugdealers..…

                It is crystal clear that this problematic is complex,multifaceted and  very difficult to be solved overnight.International networks are engaged in this odious exploitaition of children throughout the world.The abolition of these ignoble practices requires worldwide commitment and collaboration.Local regulations and laws have to be enforced to the letter ,”zero tolerance”has to be the watchword in this sort of campaigns.Anyone misusing,exploiting or manipulating children must be punished harshly.The proper place for our kids is the school;that is the reason why compulsory schooling has to be encouraged ,chiefly in the countryside.NGO’s have a  crucial role to play in this respect by sensitizing parents to the importance of  schools as safe havens against the ills of society.

The Bleak Sea.

                         

          For the last few years , more and more Moroccan and particularly African youngsters have been striving hopelessly  to cross perilously the Mediterranean basin aboard shaky boats in order to reach the « dreamland » : Europe. Fleeing a despicable situation characterized by unemployment, deprivation and destitution these young persons  are despondent pondering over a grim homeland nadir but  reaching out to a bright zenith overseas.They hold the deep-seated conviction that on the other side of the sea  life is much better and living conditions are humane ,so it is worth venturing the stormy sea cost what it may be.They pay the most expensive fare( up to 4000dollars)  between Africa and Europe ,the arrival is not guarranteed,though. Most of them perish gratuitously and end up down the seabed, the more fortunate do actually reach the shore ,and the less fortuante get caught by coast guards.

         The mass media worldwide and mainly in Europe have been covering this mass carnage which they allude to as “clandestine immigration”.There is more to this than that.It is an emblem of the rift between rich countries which have more than they need and the backward countries which lack  the basic necessities.It is also a sign of all the ills which gnaw at  these underdeveloped countries such as corruption,embezzlment,nepotism inter alia in addition to the wide range of social and economic problems that prevail there.The bad omen is the fact that even the  garduates  constitute a considerable proportion of  the candidates for illegal immigration.This is random brain drain which results in Africa’s youth force being depleted.Alas, the third world countries are doing little to stop this hemorhagic drift ;after all third world citizens are “cheap” and insignificant.

          Europe isn’t ready to integrate the high flow of African immigrants that is why the EU imposed the visa and strict measures to regulate the drift of “outsiders”.And with the expansion of the EU to Eastern European countries, the labour force from Poland, Romania ….ect is favoured to non-Europeans.Nonetheless, most employers in Western Europe prefer African workers because their wages are lower than the Europeans’.To look at the matter from a futuristic perspective, Europe needs these immigrants because they can contribute to activate a stagnant birth rates in most of Europe.This continent is aging and it requires new blood to instill in its tissues life  youth and vigour.However, many people resist this prospective vision and reject any idea of a multi-racial society claiming that “the purity of the race” should be preserved staunchingly  along with job opportunities(for the natives of course), and they embrace racist,and xenophobic beliefs against foreigners.We are all cognizant of  such people as Jean Marie Le pen,Joerg Haider and the clandestine armed groups like the Skin Heads.

           The entire international community should come together to put an end to this mass suicide.Urgent and viable measures must be undertaken to achieve this goal.First and foremost, rich countries should provide logistical and financial assistance to poor areas in Africa,Asia and Latin America in order to encourage the population to settle down and brush aside the prospect of emigration.Not much is being done in this respect by affluent countries.For instance, The Americans donate less than 1 % of its GNP to third world countries while they can give up to 10 % .And let’s not forget the huge amount of money spent on silly projects such as weaponry, SETI ( searching for extra terrestrial intelligence) meanwhile millions of humans are starving to death, or earn less than one dollar a day.I can  self-assuredly say that the United Nations can and should do more to alleviate the sufferings of people in the southern hemisphere of the globe by raising funds to make sure that reforms and concrete measures are substantiated as well as the promotion of democracy and equality in these countries.Thus the UN will take  preventive steps and not be contented with symbolic intervention in certain conflicts.In other words, the responsibilities and the priorities of this world organization have to be drastically reshaped .We have noticed recently that all the countries of the world have become the mouthpiece which  point to the new threat to world peace ,namely; terrorism and they have overlooked  far more insidious ailments which gnaw at our societies and which foster terrorist acts and these are extreme poverty, oppression and injustice locally and internationally.To abolish terrorism altogether we have got to uproot the aforesaid ills first.

         On the 13^th of June, 151( including babies)African clandestine immigrants attempted to reach the Spanish coast aboard a confined boat.Unfortunately, their boat capsized ,12 perished ( including 6 babies) the others were miraculously rescued…….