[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the Maghreb and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Maghreb Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to maghreb@jadaliyya.com by Thursday night of every week.]
Algeria
Au-delà du M’zab, au-delà des clans, la servitude Abderrahmane Hadj-Nacer contextualizes the recent uprisings and repression at Ghardaia, probing the political “logic that supports violence.”
Four Months in Jail and Counting for Algerian Blogger Who Criticized President Abdou Semmar reports on Abdelghani Alaoui, who has been held in maximum-security Serkadji prison for four months without trial after posting caricatures of Bouteflika on social media.
Les 4 vérités de Saâdani qui font mal à l’Etat-DRS. Baki 7our Mansour highlights four truths about Amar Saâdani, FLN Secretary General and head of the DRS, Algeria’s security apparatus.
Algeria: Allow Rights Groups to Visit Human Rights Watch condemns Algeria for barring entrance to human rights NGOs and monitors.
Algeria: Not Necessarily a Bastion of Stability Phoebe Bierly highlights some different indicators that indicate Algeria may not be as stable as some analysts describe.
Les non-dits de l’ex-général Hocine Benhadid. Baki 7our Mansour contextualizes the recent interview of Hocine Benhadid, ex-general of the Algerian army, comparing it to a 2004 interview, and concluding that political fault lines are not as neat as they may appear.
Baisse de pression du gaz algerien After the eighth consecutive year of decline in gas production, Jean Pierre Séréni outlines some challenges for the next Algerian president.
Libya
February is a Make or Break Month for Libya Mohamed Eljarh outlines the state of Libya’s political roadmap and the cleavages in the ruling government, which have prompted chaotic episodes.
Constitutional Committee elections on track, but complex Michel Cousins spells out the system for upcoming elections in Libya.
المحاكمات لا تنهي الحروب Zeidany describes the role of the court system and reconciliation as essential for justice in Libya’s future.
Enlèvements: Menace quotidienne sur les journalistes libyens Reporters Without Borders expresses continued concern over the state of the press in Libya.
Libya vs Western Bankers Jason Pack revisits the Libyan Investment Authority’s shady dealings with Goldman Sachs; the former recently brought a court case against the latter for mismanagement of funds.
Mauritania
A Call for More Religious Tolerance in Mauritania Abdoulaye Bah highlights the message of Mauritanian professor and scholar Mustapha Ely, who came to the defense of Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed, recently charged with apostasy.
New government installed in Mauritania Mauritanian Prime Minister Moulaya Ould Mohamed Laghdaf presents new government to "lukewarm" public reception.
Morocco
Reforming subsidies in Morocco The World Bank issues a report on subsidy reform in Morocco, which peaked at 6.6 percent of total budget in 2012.
L’austérité pour le peuple, pas pour le Palais – Entretien avec Omar Radi Mamfakinch interviews Moroccan journalist Omar Radi about the new budget.
Morocco: Abuse of Sub-Saharan Migrants Human Rights Watch publishes an explosive report on the situation for sub-Saharan migrants in Morocco.
Tunisia
Corruption, the common denominator in Tunisia Mnif Achraf describes how corruption is the norm in Tunisia.
Tunisia: Free Blogger Jailed for Mocking Islam Human Rights Watch issues a call to free Jaber Mejri, jailed for publishing caricatures deemed insulting to Islam.
Tunisia’s Constitution (and a View to Egypt) Maghreb page co-editor Allison L McManus offers an analysis of the Tunisian constitution and its “social life.”
بوشماوي ووزارة الصناعة: الإدارة الغامضة للموارد الطبيعية للدولة التونسية Nawaat investigates the corrupt practices in resource extraction in Tunisia, via the instance of the HBS oil company.
Western Sahara
VOIX Magazine: The New Global Voice Agaila Abba describes the impact of VOIX magazine in providing a platform for marginalized voices in the Sahara.
Recent Jadaliyya Articles on the Maghreb
The Tunisian Constitution: The Process and the Outcome Mohamed-Salah Omri traces the ups and downs of writing the Tunisian Constitution, and offers some indicators for the future.
The State of the Western Sahara Maghreb page co-editor Allison L McManus conducts an interview with four Sahrawi activists and writers, who speak on the current state of affairs in both Morocco-occupied and SADR-administrated Western Sahara.
ثورة كطوق الياسمين Youssef Cherif highlights economic and security challenges in Tunisia, but ends on a positive note.
Judiciary Draft Laws in Morocco: Undercutting the Young Judges Movement Anass Saadoun presents Moroccan judges’ struggle for independence and the efforts of the regime (through a judicial reform law) to break this new movement.
Libya’s Revolution `Will Not Stop Until We Have Freedom` Alastair Stone laments the tenacity of political repression in Libya, highlighting the case of jailed writer Jamal al-Hajji.
Tunisia’s Judges: The Intra-State Struggle for Independence Mohamed Afif Jaidi highlights institutional attempts and obstacles to creating an independent judiciary in Tunisia.
Crise politique et question territoriale en Tunisie Sami Yassine Turki explores the “territorial question” at its intersection with Tunisian socio-politics, interrogating public space and a tension between centralization and decentralization.