Moroccan Islamists focus on basics, not religion

[sbs]

RABAT – An Islamist political party, tipped to win Morocco's parliamentary election next year, will focus on fighting corruption and poverty rather than pushing a fundamentalist agenda, its leader said.
Saadeddine Othmani, who could be Morocco's first Islamist prime minister, said his moderate Islamist Development and Justice Party (PJD) could be compared to Christian Democrat parties in Europe.

'The PJD is a political party with Islamic references,' he told Reuters in an interview.

PJD is the third-largest group in the 325-member parliament, just behind the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) which dominates a centrist coalition government with the nationalist Istiqlal party.

But, according to a poll by the U.S.-based International Republican Institute, the PJD could overwhelm USFP and Istiqlal and win 47 percent of the vote compared to 29 percent for the two other parties together.

Othmani played down the poll and predictions of a PJD win, which would cause concern among the secularist elite.

'Predictions often do not coincide with facts and reality. So let's not think too far ahead and let's wait. Voter opinions can change and the polls are not for tomorrow,' he told Reuters in the interview on Thursday.

If the PJD wins the 2007 election, it would be the first Islamist victory in North Africa since the Islamic Salvation Front looked set to win Algeria's parliamentary polls in 1991.

The ISF had a commanding lead after the election's first round. The Algerian military scrapped the elections before the final second round, provoking civil strife that lasted more than a decade and cost about 200,000 lives.

The PJD, mindful of the bloody experience in neighbouring Algeria, is sending messages of moderation at home and abroad.

Othmani and other party officials are expected next month to begin trips to France, the United States and other countries to drum up support for the PJD's moderate programme.

'Our duty is to reach out to the other side (the West) and listen to what they say. We must have a way with the West and use the good manner to win acceptance and respect,' he said.

The party said widespread corruption in the government's bloated bureaucracy was the main hurdle in the struggle against poverty, illiteracy and unemployment.

The government acknowledges the impact of corruption in the country and is considering setting up an agency to fight it.

More than 4 million of Morocco's 30 million people are poor, and some 12 million cannot read or write, while the jobless rate is more than 10 percent, according to official figures.

'Morocco needs all its energies to tackle its problems and face its several challenges ... so we have to mobilise and rally all forces and synergies and we

[LalaMimi]

I wonder what people think about this....

I'm quite sceptical - but then again I don't know enough about the PJD, to develop much of an opinion. I have heard a lot of bad things about them, but that could be just propaganda.

[-thetruth_]

As long as they keep Islam as it should be. ie moderate and tolerant I have no problem. they could be a model inshallah to be proud of. many people are scared of islam and I do not blame them because all they see is bad muslims and bad media. but the true islam was only vivid before 17 century

[brim]

Hah! -thetruth_ wrote "moderate and tolerant ". That's great coming from a man who espouses the death penalty for apostasy.

[LalaMimi]

It is the times.

I can identify with the anger in people on both sides - I think any Islamist party is gonna have a hard time - so it is just as well this PJD party are focusing less on spiritual issues and getting down into the politics of fighting curruption and poverty.

[brim]

If the PJD keep to te Social Democrat model then I think we could be optimistic.
However, what links exist between the PJD and Rabat? I am a little doubtful of their independence.

[-thetruth_]

Originally Posted by brim

Hah! -thetruth_ wrote "moderate and tolerant ". That's great coming from a man who espouses the death penalty for apostasy.

I quoted the scriptures the quran and it is up to you to decide. if you disagree have it out with God he created you and knows what you ar ethinking as we speak. or simply deny God the decision is yours, why blame me?????? i did not write the sunnah i follow it.