Thousands of protesters again took to the streets of Morocco on July 3 to push for democratic reforms despite voter approval two days earlier of a constitutional reform that curbs the near-absolute powers of King Mohammed VI. More than 5,000 protesters rallied in Morocco's main economic hub Casablanca, chanting "For Dignity and Freedom!" The February 20 Movement, which has organized weeks of demonstrations calling for reforms in the Arab world's oldest reigning monarchy, denounced the reform as inadequate and called its reported 98% approval a sham.
"This constitution does nothing to change Morocco," Omar Radi of the February 20 Movement told AFP. "What we want is a new form of government, the end of corruption, and a new economic system. We need to keep pressure from the streets and I think many people will join us after this charade of a referendum." (Radio Netherlands Worldwide [2], July 3)
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