Now more
than ever I get asked the question: “Is it safe to go to Morocco?”
I can´t of
course pretend to be a security expert and offer complete 100% assurances that
all is safe there. But as I am there a lot and I observe a lot, I can at least
offer the following:
It was in January
this year when I first noticed the appearance of the ´policeman sandwiches´ on
the streets of Marrakech. This is what the locals call the security
trio/triplet, which consists of one policeman flanked by two camouflaged
soldiers carrying machine guns – and this is a trio which is repeated all over
the city, and which strikes me as a clever way of subtly monitoring and
ensuring the security situation.
You will
note these trios standing outside banks, the bigger hotels and companies … and
not far away from most tourist attractions, if not all of them. Also outside
some of the bigger restaurants.
They are
very subtle these trios and have clearly been told not to make themselves look
too obvious. One morning I was photographing some beautifully carved trees down
the far end of Boulevard Mohammed V, near a military barracks and near the
French Institute. One moment I noticed one of these trios, the next they had
disappeared behind a tree. They clearly do not want to be photographed.
But I have
also seen tourists approach them and ask them who they are, what are they
doing? Always smiling and courteous, and speaking in either a beautiful French
(those Moroccans who learn French speak it exquisitely, with an enviable Gallic
accent) or an English which is not so bad, they explain that they are there to
keep the peace.
To keep the
peace. And thus far so has Morocco remained. In peace. The king, a clever and
thoughtful man, maintains the country in a peaceful state – of course it is not
perfect, but you will find that the overwhelming majority of Moroccans you meet
love their king and believe devoutly in their faith. In the past, the King has
even arranged to send some of the Moroccan imams, famed for their moderation, to
countries like Mauritania and Mali to help them to preach tolerance. And in
September it was announced that French imams are to be sent for training in
Morocco as part of a new programme that aims to promote “an Islam with the
right balance” that conforms to “values of openness and tolerance” (I have no
update as to whether this has begun yet).
Furthermore,
this wise King, like the Queen in England, is head of the faith! So who would
rise up against him in the name of Islam?
