The relationship between Morocco and Algeria is complex and historically marked by political and diplomatic tensions. These tensions are often exacerbated by geopolitical issues, such as the status of Western Sahara and the border disputes perceived by Moroccans, influenced by expansionist ambitions.
It is undeniable that there is institutional hostility from the Moroccan regime towards Algeria, manifested through organized attacks against Algerian history, culture, and heritage, as well as against Algerian martyrs.
What is striking is the absence of dissenting voices in Morocco condemning these systematic attacks against Algeria. Indeed, Morocco is a dictatorship where expressing dissent can be dangerous, but it is noteworthy that, in the context of the normalization of relations between Morocco and Israel, there have been demonstrations by the Moroccan population against this normalization. In contrast, there have been no demonstrations in Morocco criticizing the institutional hostility towards Algeria.
Given this observation, a legitimate question arises: is this hostility widely shared by the Moroccan people? For my part, I would say the answer is YES, and for several reasons:
Examining Moroccan school textbooks reveals that students are exposed to a negative view of Algeria. For instance, these textbooks omit to mention the borders between Figuig and Tindouf, and Algeria is often absent as a nation in the history taught. It is suggested that Algeria occupies Moroccan territories and that the very existence of the Algerian state is perceived as an offense to Morocco, as it is considered that France created Algeria and redrew Morocco's borders.
One of the pillars of Moroccan nationalism seems to be hostility towards Algeria. The more one expresses this hostility, the more one is seen as patriotic in Morocco. It is not uncommon for people in Morocco to insult Algeria and Algerians to demonstrate their patriotism.
Factually, there are no recorded demonstrations in Morocco or abroad condemning this hatred towards Algerians.
As a result, the hatred towards Algerians is deeply rooted in the Moroccan collective unconscious, a reality that cannot be ignored. In Algeria, the leaders have never deemed it necessary to teach the younger generations about the true historical borders of the country, such as the Oued Moulouya in the west and the Oued Noun in the southwest. The majority of Algerians are unaware that cities like Oujda or Figuig once belonged to Algeria and that France ceded more than 100,000 square kilometers of Algerian territories to Morocco in 1845 to reward Moulay Abderrahmane for betraying Emir Abdelkader.
Today, after 62 years of independence, the Algerian Ministry of National Education has created generations of naïve individuals who innocently believe that the Moroccan people are a brotherly people. Unfortunately, this discourse is echoed by the highest authorities in the country, including the president, who recently stated that the Moroccan people are a brotherly people and that Algeria's problem lies with the Moroccan regime. However, upon closer inspection, can we truly consider as a brotherly people those who firmly believe that the wilayas of Tindouf and Bechar belong to them? A people who appropriates our cultural and religious heritage? A people who insults our martyrs on social media?
Unfortunately, the Algerian people exhibit a great deal of naïveté and lack of insight, as they have not understood that history is an eternal recurrence. Ignoring one's past puts the present and future in danger. It is regrettable that the majority of Algerians are unaware of the Moroccan betrayals, which began with the betrayal of Bocchus towards King Jugurtha, then the betrayal of Emir Abdelkader. One can also mention the role of Moroccans in the massacres of May 8, 1945, in Sétif, Guelma, and Kherrata, not to mention the incident of the FLN plane hijacked on October 22, 1956, or even the shameful use of the Algerian revolution by Sultan Mohamed V to pressure France for Morocco's benefits.
The aforementioned betrayals are not taught to Algerian children in schools, as the Algerian leaders have chosen to maintain an illusion of brotherhood that has never truly existed between the Algerian and Moroccan peoples. This inexplicable naïveté on the Algerian side stands in stark contrast to Moroccan school programs, which prepare Moroccan youth to hate Algeria, accused of occupying Moroccan territories (the wilayas of Tindouf and Bechar, which Morocco considers part of its authentic borders).
We deeply regret that Algerians continue to exhibit excessive naïveté, believing in illusions that jeopardize our national security. It is crucial that the Algerian legislator thoroughly reexamine the school curricula to effectively prepare future generations to confront the threats facing the country.
Belgacem Merbah
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