The safest place in the Arab world after the latest eruption of anti-American violence is Morocco, according to U.S. Ambassador Sam Kaplan.
“We’re very comfortable here,” the former Minneapolis lawyer told Minnesota Public Radio, noting that Morocco has seen protests but no violence since the uprisings broke out nearly two weeks ago on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
He and his wife, Sylvia, have lived in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, since 2009.
“Nobody had any concerns at all” in Morocco, he said, referring to the days after terrorists killed U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens in Libya and protests erupted in Egypt and spread across the Muslim world.
Maybe it has something to do with torture.
The United Nations is preparing a report on the systematic use of torture in Morocco against suspected terrorists and anti-government protesters.
“It appears that there’s an increase in occurrences of excessive force when the police or other authorities respond to incidents that involve assembly,” U.N. envoy Juan Mendez told reporters in Rabat over the weekend.
He said civil rights activists complained to him of a “climate of oppression” and claimed to be targets of police surveillance.
The Moroccon Association for Human Rights says as many as 80 political prisoners still are being held after they were arrested during pro-democracy protests in February. King Mohammed VI quelled the demonstrations by endorsing constitutional reforms.
Government spokesman Mustapha al-Khalfi told reporters that the U.N. investigation shows that Morocco “respects its international engagement and deals frankly with questions and problems of human rights.”
Mr. Kaplan believes Moroccans are a contented people.
“This is not an unhappy population. This is not a population who had a dictator at its head but rather a king that is respected by all,” Mr. Kaplan said.
He added that the biggest protest recently followed a soccer game lost by the team from Casablanca.
DIPLOMATIC TRAFFIC
Foreign visitors in Washington this week include:
Monday
A delegation from Nigeria with Oronto Douglas, a presidential adviser on strategy; Dimieari Von Kemedi, a special presidential consultant; and Ken Wiwa Jr., a senior special presidential assistant on civil society and foreign media. They address the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Jose De Gregorio, former governor of the Central Bank of Chile, addresses the Peterson Institute for International Economics about how Latin America avoided the global financial crisis.
Tuesday
Taleh Ziyadov of the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy discusses Euro-Asian trade in a briefing at the School for Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
Wednesday
A delegation from the Philippines with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. They address the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Friday
Muhamad Chatib Basri, chairman of Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Board, addresses the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Attorney General Diego Garcia Carrion of Ecuador speaks at the Inter-American Dialogue.
Montek Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission of India, addresses the Peterson Institute for International Economics about India’s economic prospects.
• Call Embassy Row at 202/636-3297 or email jmorrison@washingtontimes.com. The column is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
• James Morrison can be reached at jmorrison@washingtontimes.com.
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